Upset over non-fulfilment of promises made to honour the sacrifice of a martyred soldier Anil Kumar Chauhan for the last 18 years, the martyr’s family from Kangra district in Himachal Pradesh on Monday threatened to return Kirti Chakra that was awarded to him in 2004.
However, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur pacified the martyr’s mother Raj Kumari and other family members after meeting them outside the Governor’s residence in Shimla and said the state government would soon honour promises made to the family. “I wasn’t aware about this issue but now I will look into it and make sure that the promises made in the past are fulfilled,” he told the martyr’s family members.
Thakur said the state government is committed to provide full respect and honour to the martyrs who had made supreme sacrifice for the cause of the nation.
He assured the mother of martyr Anil Chauhan that he would look into the matter and appropriate action would be taken in this respect.
He said that he would look into all such cases, if there were any in the state and directions will be issued to fulfill promises by the state governments in the past to the martyrs’ families.
“The state government would ensure that promises made by the state to the family of the martyrs were fulfilled and honoured,” he added.
On Monday, Raj Kumari, a resident of Chambi village of Kangra district and mother of Anil Chauhan, a 23 year old Jawan of the 13 Grenadier of Indian Army, reached HP Governor’s residence to return the medal, awarded to him.
Chauhan had made supreme sacrifice in Operation Rhino against the terrorists on 15 September 2002 in Assam and he was posthumously awarded with Kirti Chakra in 2004 by the President of India.
Chauhan’s mother, Rajkumari told media persons outside Raj Bhawan that the successive governments of the state had promised to name the local government High School Haler in Kangra district after the name of the martyr.
Besides, a memorial was also to be constructed in the name of martyr but nothing was done till date even after 18 years when her son sacrificed his life for the country, she added.
“We have raised the issue of fulfilling promises made by successive governments in Himachal Pradesh to honour my son’s sacrifice and it is the reason that she had come to Shimla to return the medal,” she added.