Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi and Hardeep Singh Dibdiba (grandfather of Navreet Singh) wrote a new chapter of solidarity on Thursday at Dibdiba village of Uttar Pradesh. Priyanka Gandhi offered her condolences to Navreet Singh's family saying, "I understand from my personal experience how a martyr's family keeps the memories of martyrdom close to their heart."
Several thousand guests, mostly Sikh farmers, attended Navreet's memorial meeting. He was the 25-year-old farmer who died during the protest in New Delhi on Republic Day. He hailed from the family of Bhai Lachhman Singh Dharowali, the legendary Sikh martyr of Nankana Sahib massacre (1921). Navreet Singh's seventy-nine-year-old grandfather, Hardeep Singh Dibdiba is a writer and veteran activist of farmer's rights. He appreciated Priyanka Gandhi's show of solidarity with the cause of the farmers. He told this reporter, " Our focus has to be on repealing the three farm laws. The struggle must continue. ".
He felt Priyanka Gandhi spoke from her heart when she met the family. They are a little calmer after meeting her. He added, "I am observing the developments of this historic people's movement as a writer and a student of history". Interestingly, Priyanka was introduced as the "great grand daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of independent India", when she was invited on the dais to speak at the "antim ardas" (the final prayer) of Navreet Singh. The choice of introduction speaks of the present mood of the Sikh farmers towards the Indian National Congress.
Priyanka Gandhi told National Herald: “Navreet's family wants judicial inquiry" and "I will fight for justice”. She addressed Navreet's grandfather Hardeep Singh Dibdiba from the stage, “I have come here to tell you that you are not alone. The country stands with you today. We will not allow Navreet’s martyrdom to go in vain”.
Hardeep Singh Dibdiba said, "It could have been anyone's grandson. Navreet was a sensitive young man. He was about to leave for Australia again. You can understand as a woman what his young wife waiting in Australia is going through. Both his wife and sister are unfortunately unable to travel. I used to leave my children crying often when I would head out for various protests all my life. I see them crying again when I have returned home. My grandson participated in the farmer's rally with our permission. How could I have stopped him when I was telling the whole world to fight against injustice?"
Navreet's father Sir Vikramjit Singh and mother Paramjit Kaur greeted us with folded hands. The teary eyed father directed this reporter to the grandfather saying, "Behenji mujhsey abhee nahee ho payega" (Sister, I will not be able to say much right now). We saw Priyanka Gandhi and Paramjit Kaur share a few words with each other during the memorial meeting. On the stage Priyanka said, "Navreet was 25 years old and my son is 20. Many of you have young sons who are participating in protests right now. They are all fighting for justice . The youth protests with the faith that the government listens ".
Priyanka was accompanied by Congress party's Uttar Pradesh unit chief Ajay Kumar Lallu and In charge UPCC (SC Department) Pradeep Narwal. She had traveled by road for over seven hours from Delhi to Rampur of Uttar Pradesh. Leaders of the Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Lok Dal also attended the prayer meeting for Navreet.
Priyanka Gandhi asserted, "This is not a political movement. This is a farmers’ movement. A real movement." She said calling farmers anti-national is pure sin and added that the "farmers’ movement is a peaceful movement". On the 3rd of March 1921, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi in his visit to Nankana Sahib had said: "I have come to share your anguish and grief. It is interesting indeed to note that the Sikhs in this drama remained peaceful and non-violent from the start to the end. This has greatly added to the glory and prestige of India."