Sir ChhotuRam’s 135th Birth Anniversary

Historic Day at Garhi: Vipul, the ‘Right Choice’ for Anniversary Celebrations of Deenbandhu

At the ceremony: Sh Vipul Goel, Minister of Commerce, presided by Sh Birender Singh, Minister of Steel.

(photo: Anshul Garg, MJMC I)

November 24. Garhi, Rohtak

It was a historic day in Garhi as the farmers celebrated the 135th Birth Anniversary Deenbandhu ChhotuRam. The day remained special for several reasons beginning with the pleasant fact of the agrarian community welcoming Sh Vipul Goel as the Chief Guest on the occasion.

Arya Samaj delegation presents a book to Ch Birender Singh, Union Minister  and Smt Prem Lata, MLA Uchana 
(Photo: Kavita and Veena, MJMC I)

The function was presided over by Ch Birender Singh, the Minister of Steel, much respected in the region for his clean image, Haryana's contribution to the cabinet and the grandson of the peasant stalwart who carries forth the legacy with great aplomb.

Yajna ceremony at Sir ChhotuRam memorial, Garhi, Rohtak

The day began with yajna ceremony performed by Ch Birender Singh and Smt Prem Lata,MLA Uchana, the better half of the minister and also the grand-daughter in law of Sir Chhotu Ram. A 65 feet tall alloy statue of the peasant stalwart Deenbandhu ChhotuRam will be erected here about  months from now.



On this occasion, Arya Samaj delegation presented a book to be unveiled by the Union Minister and his better half Smt Prem Lata.

Sharing a light moment: Ch Birender Singh and Ch Chand Singh

The Union Minister Ch Birender Singh presided over the ceremony which is considered as a prologue to the the grandest event in the region organized by Birender Singh till date.As the agricultural community took a vow to gather at the site a few months from now to erect a collosal statue of their great leader Sir Chhotu Ram. Spadework for the same is already going on as farmers, bureaucrats and people with roots in the region have started making collective effort to realize the dream of the great peasant-leader's statue.

The Chief Guest on the occasion may surprise the critics who never thought that two communities that are considered mortal enemies of eachother could be united in times like these.

Mrs Prem Lata, Sh Vipul Goel on the occasion.

Sh Vipul Goel addresssing the press on the occasion.

The agricultural community extended a warm welcome to the Minister of Commerce, Sh Vipul Goel who has become the face of modern commerce in Haryana- modern and holistic development being symbolized in his drive for digitization, humility and attempts to woe the trust of all communities in the region.

Sh Goel with Ch Chand Singh, President of Sir ChhotuRam Trust.

Ch Chand Singh, the Chairman of ChhotuRam Vichar Manch, welcomed the Sh Vipul Goel asserting that the Minister was the ‘right choice’ for Chief Guest on this occasion as it was an attempt to bridge the great Divide between ‘baniyas’ and the farming community. Sh Goel’s acceptance of the honour signaled a new era of friendship between two communities that cannot see eye to eye. 

Ch Chand Singh hailed Goel’s good works including record-breaking Plantation Drive where 3 lac saplings were planted in 3 hours at Faridabad, his material idea of the highest flag in the world and his digitization plan to the applause of the farmers.

Dignitaries on the podium listen eagerly as Vipul Goel, Minister of Commerce & Industries speaks.

Sh Goel expressed his immense pleasure on being felicitated on the Birth Anniversary of the farmers’ favourite leader. He said he was humbled by the affection of the crowd there.
He stressed how Sir Chhotu Ram’s stringent laws liberated both the farmer and the local money lender from the cycle of exploitation. “Actually, our community prospered as we moved towards the city. Earlier we knew only one way of earning money- we remained petty ‘moneylenders’ but he forced us to become more enterprising, become industrialists-a robust economy cannot have exploitation in its foundation'. Goel rubbished the 35 versus 1 and said that the youth wanted leaders like ChhotuRam who could lead all '36 biradaries' to prosperity.

On the Cards :Ch Birender Singh sharing the plans with the press.

The ceremony in which the foundation stone is a prologue to a grand assembly that will take place around four months from now when a colossal 64 feet statue of “Deenbandhu” will be erected on the site earmarked for it. Ch Birender Singh has declared it to be his most ambitious thus far and has urged all-peasants, sadhus and soldiers to participate with zest. The stature of farmer rose with the stature of their leader. He maintained that ‘self-praise’ and ‘recognition’ both were important to community and individual identity. The farmers enjoined him in the mammoth project and assured that they are committed to the task from the spadework to the Grand Finale.Similarly, he asked for War Memorial Gateways which the Minister of Commerce asserted had already been approved. 

Birender Singh told the farmers to change with times and get techno-savvy. Taking a dig at his better-half Birender Singh narrated how he caught his Smt PremLata wife but also the MLA Uchana ironing 100Rs Notes that had lain crumpled in some nook of her wallet. He asked the farmers to accept change and overcome the challenge- ‘farmers don’t let your genius be wasted, learn the ropes from Vipul Goel’. The event remained successful with the coordinated attempt of  Sh Joginder Antil, Dharampal Sharma, Amit Kajal, OmPrakash Katri, Sh Sudhir Phogat, Deepak Malik, Colonel Rajbeer Singh, Sh Ranbeer (sarpanch-Garhi), Sh Vijay Kaushik, Jai Singh Ahlawat(Head of Ahlawat Khap), SD Sharma(Faridabad),Smt Joon, Smt Santosh(Retd. Director, DAV Societies) and Sh Raj Singh Hooda, stage secretary besides other ChhotuRam followers.

A blood donation camp was also organized on the occasion.

NB: This Report by Journalism and Mass Communication branch of YMCA University of Science & Technology may be used for all academic purposes.