LEH/CHANDIGARH: Kendri Sri Guru Singh Sabha, a central body of Singh Sabha Gurdwaras, has demanded that a statue of General Zorawar Singh, who conquered Ladakh while leading Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s army campaign from Jammu and Kashmir, the territory of the Khalsa Kingdom, Lahore be installed in Ladakh.
The demand was made following a meeting of Sikh scholars on Monday, said Kendri Sri Guru Singh Sabha general secretary Khushhal Singh.
Pointing out that on Dec 26, the Indian Army unveiled a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji, installed on the bank of Pangong Tso Lake in Ladakh near the ‘Actual Line of Control’ between India and China, Singh took exception to the move and said, “On social media, veteran residents of Ladakh have questioned the relevance of Shivaji’s statue.”
He cited Ladakh councillor Konchok Stanzin as having said, “As a local resident, I must voice my concerns about the Shivaji statue at Pangong. It was erected without local input, and I question its relevance to our unique environment and wildlife. Let’s prioritise projects that truly reflect and respect our community and nature.”
Demanding a statue of General Zorawar Singh in Ladakh, Kendri Sri Guru Singh Sabha criticised the govt for, “their deliberate attempt to erase the contribution of Sikhs and the Sikh soldiers to India.”
It also pointed out, “Earlier this month, an iconic painting depicting the surrender ceremony of the Pakistan army in Bangladesh in 1971, when Pakistan General Niazi symbolically laid down arms before Indian Army General Jagjit Singh Aurora, was removed from the Army chief’s lounge.”
Khushhal Singh also stated, “When Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister, an Indian delegation went to Beijing to settle the India-China border dispute in the Ladakh area. China informed the Indian delegation that Tibet (China) has no recorded border with India. The last recorded border settlement was between Tibet and Darbar-e-Khalsa Lahore of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.”
He added, “Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s territory of Jammu & Kashmir was handed to Raja Gulab Singh Dogra by the British after the defeat of the Khalsa army in 1946.”
Pertinent to mention here that on December 26 last year, the Indian Army has installed a statue of Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji on the bank of Pangong Lake at an altitude of 14,300 feet, a region that is close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China in the eastern Ladakh sector.
The Army’s Leh-based 14 Corps said the inauguration of the statue celebrated the “unwavering spirit” of the Indian ruler as his legacy remains a source of inspiration.
The statue was unveiled on Thursday by Lt Gen Hitesh Bhalla, the General Officer Commanding of the 14 Corps, widely known as Fire and Fury Corps.
The towering symbol of valour, vision and unwavering justice was inaugurated by Lt Gen Hitesh Bhalla, the 14 Corps said on X.
“The event celebrates the unwavering spirit of the Indian ruler, whose legacy remains a source of inspiration for generations,” it said.
The Army has been making efforts to integrate India’s “ancient strategic acumen” into the contemporary military domain.
The unveiling of the Shivaji statue came weeks after India and China completed the disengagement process in the last two friction points of Demchok and Depsang marking an end to the nearly four-and-half-year-long border standoff.
Following an understanding reached on October 21, the two sides completed the disengagement of troops at the two remaining friction points.
The eastern Ladakh border standoff erupted on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong lake area.
As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process in 2021 on the north and south banks of the Pangong Tso.
