People's Democracy

An Inspiring Revolutionary

�� bahut bada neta the, lekin jab milte the , lagte the neta kam saathi zyada�

The funeral rally was about to set out from AKG Bhavan. Mortal remains of Comrade HKS were kept on the vehicle . With  a fixed gaze on the preparations, these were the words uttered by Premlal.

3 August 2008 was a day when many people like Premlal were recollecting their memories of Comrade Surjeet. Rama Devi, who stood beside Premlal with many others from South Delhi,asserted, �jab bhi milte the, halchal bhi puchhte the.�

Apart from political dignitaries who turned up to pay their homage to Comrade Surjeet, a large, vibrant  and patient gathering of Party activists  and sympathisers also gathered during the whole day to have a final glimpse of their great leader.

Niranjan Singh Harino, an octogenarian travelled a long way from Faridkote, Punjab . Harino shared roti with Comrade Surjeet behind the bars. Afterwards he, as an activist joined many peasant struggles led by Comrade Surjeet. In the very early hours of that Sunday, while coming out from 8 Teen Murthi Lane residence of his 'comradeji', Niranjan Singh recalled, �Himmat dete the,bahut kathinai may bhi.� He said during 1950s, most of the leaders were imprisoned , many went  underground which enthused them in those days.

The vehicle with comrade Surjeet's body started its journey from Gole Market towards Minto Road. Volunteers with ninety two red flags chanted, �Comrade Sujeet Amar Rahe� .

 Shivraj Singh ,Surindar,Bramhanand and others in the rally came in the workshop uniform. All of them were workers from Faridabad. Shivraj , a middle aged person  recalled as �Bahut spirirted speech dete the.Unki awaaz buland the.� Bramhanand ardently said, � Woh jab bolte the janta ko hosla milta tha.�

Rally was adorned with youth. In fact, a remarkable section of youth during the whole day stood in long queues to pay their homage. Raouf Ahmed,Imtiaz and Saheel, originally from Srinagar, now medical students in Delhi had heard about Comrade Surjeet from older family members. They received phone calls from Srinagar asking them to visit AKG Bhavan.

Banshilal,too, now settled in Delhi told, �yaad hai , Kulgaon ki remote area may bhi gaye.�

    �He was a beautiful grandfather,our Papaji�, said Parpeet and Navdeep Basi, grandsons of Comrade Surjeet moving among the people. Their father Paramjit Sing Basi,is the president of Indian Workers Association in Glasgow.

    Slogans were raised vowing to carry forward his tasks. Harjend Sing Surkela and Garnel Singh Chandumazra, both elderly people, came from a long way from Patiala and joined the rally. They said, �In our young life, we came to know of him. British police were asking the name of a lad aged fourteen years. In 1932, the lad facing the police before Hoshiarpur Court  after hoisting the 'tiranga' boldy replied as, � Mera naam hai London Tod Sing.� Harjend Singh exclaimed, �Woh British raj ko todna chahate the. Woh hamare hero the. Hamare leader the.�