Hamirpur: Freedom fighter Amin Chand Kalia's family rues promises unfulfilled

Dinesh Kanwar

Hamirpur, January 19

The successive governments have failed to name the government school at Bhareri village in Hamirpur, the native village of revolutionary Amin Chand Kalia, popularly known as Comrade Saab, after him.

Amin Chand got the title of Comrade from Mahatma Gandhi, who also gave him a charkha. The freedom fighter was born on March 18, 1916, in Bhareri village, then part of Kangra district in Punjab province. He did his schooling from the local government school.

“Despite repeated assurances, the successive governments have failed to bestow this honour on my father, who was an eminent freedom fighter,” rues his son Purshotam Kalia.

He also lamented that there was little recognition for freedom fighters and despite several assurances, the government was yet to constitute a freedom fighters welfare board and a memorial at Dari near Dharamsala.

After completing his education at Bhareri, Amin Chand moved to Amritsar and started working at a shop. Since the city was a major activity hub in the freedom struggle, he started attending meetings of revolutionaries.

Purshotam revealed that his father was first apprehended by the British Police while on his way to deliver weapons and ammunition in 1936. He was imprisoned and sentenced to four years in jail at Lahore but was released before completion of the sentence. He was jailed again for anti-British activities in 1939.

Amin Chand continued contributing to the independence struggle and was arrested again in 1942. In 1945, he was jailed in Rawalpindi and Multan. For his active participation in the freedom movement, Comrade Saab was appointed President of the Forward Block by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Later, he joined the movement with Lala Jagat Narayan.

After India’s independence, Amin Chand stayed on in Amritsar for some time and then returned to his native place. In 1967, he contested the Vidhan Sabha elections from Nadaunta constituency (now Barsar) and went on to become the Deputy Speaker.

He died on May 19, 1976, after a prolonged illness. He is survived by three sons and one daughter.

Given title ‘Comrade’ by Gandhi

• Amin Chand Kalia, born in Bhareri village of Hamirpur, got the title of Comrade Saab from Mahatma Gandhi, who also gave him a charkha.
• He started attending meetings of revolutionaries while staying in Amritsar
• He was appointed President of the Forward Block by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Later, he joined the movement with Lala Jagat Narayan.
• After independence, he contested the 1967 elections from Nadaunta (now Barsar) and went on to become the Deputy Speaker