The activists had initiated a protest with this demand in September last year, and later, members of the ex-servicemen organisation also joined in. The Western Command was also contacted, and it further approached Ludhiaina deputy commissioner Himanshu Jain to place the memorial at its original place. The DC also assured then that their demands would be fulfilled. Assistant commissioner of the MC Jasdev Sekhon, after visiting the site, claimed, “Martyrs gave away their lives for the sake of this country, and we should give them their due honour. We will start the construction of the platform and place the statue and tank at its original place. Some more suggestions have also been given to the private firm to be implemented.” Meanwhile, social activist Kapil Arora said, “A statue and tank of the hero Shaheed Major Bhupinder Singh Ji are going to be installed in Bharat Nagar Chowk. Finally, the people’s struggle has forced the Punjab govt to do the right thing once again.” Notably, Bharat Nagar Chowk is one of Ludhiana’s busiest intersections and long served as a site of pride where the statue of Major Bhupinder Singh, MVC, stood as a symbol of valour and sacrifice. Its removal during civic works had sparked strong emotional reactions from residents and veterans alike.
