The decision to scrap the plan to rename Shadman Chowk in Lahore, Pakistan, in honour of Shaheed Bhagat Singh and install his statue there has sparked a strong reaction across the border. The plan was called off after the freedom fighter was labelled a ‘terrorist’ in a report by a retired Pakistan military official.In response to the action, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has urged the Indian government to intervene, demanding an explanation from Pakistan. The party also appealed to the Lahore High Court to expunge these remarks from the records to prevent such derogatory statements about Bhagat Singh in the future. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) condemned the move, calling it “hypocritical” for a nation known for harboring terrorists to malign a hero who sacrificed his life for the independence of undivided India.The controversy began after Pakistan’s Metropolitan Corporation of Lahore informed the Lahore High Court that the proposal to rename Shadman Chowk after Bhagat Singh had been cancelled. The decision came following a report by retired Commodore Tariq Majeed, who claimed that Bhagat Singh was not a revolutionary, but a “criminal” and, in today’s terms, a “terrorist” for killing a British police officer. Bhagat Singh was hanged in 1931 for his involvement in the killing, along with two accomplices.Malvinder Singh Kang, Member of Parliament for Anandpur Sahib and AAP leader, condemned Pakistan’s actions, calling them “highly disrespectful.” He urged the Indian government to intervene and demand an explanation from Pakistan. “We will not tolerate the insult of Bhagat Singh. The Union Government should take up the matter with Pakistan and ensure such derogatory remarks are removed from their records,” Kang said. “We followthe ideologies of Bhagat Singh and Dr Ambedkar, and their thoughts are our fundamental principles,’’ he said.Kang also emphasized that Bhagat Singh was a hero of India’s freedom struggle and a martyr for the entire nation, before the partition that divided India and Pakistan. “At just 23, Bhagat Singh sacrificed his life for India’s freedom. His legacy is one of courage, and his vision for an independent India has inspired generations. We condemn Pakistan’s attempt to erase that legacy,” Kang said.He also reminded Pakistan that Bhagat Singh’s acts of resistance were part of India’s struggle for independence from British rule, not about territorial divisions that came later. Kang referenced Bhagat Singh’s prison diary, which outlined a vision for an independent, socially just India. “Bhagat Singh’s actions were not aimed at harming anyone but were meant to awaken the British rulers to the injustice they were inflicting on India,” he added.Kang called for the derogatory comments made by Pakistan’s Assistant Advocate General, Asghar Leghari, to be removed from court records to ensure that no such statements about Bhagat Singh could be made in the future. He also expressed support for the Shaheed-e-Azam Welfare Society in Lahore, which has been campaigning for years to have Shadman Chowk renamed in Bhagat Singh’s honor.Meanwhile, Punjab BJP Spokesman Pritpal Singh Baliwal strongly criticized Pakistan’s stance. “We condemn Pakistan’s disgraceful statement calling Bhagat Singh a ‘terrorist.’ This is an attack on the legacy of a national hero and the pride of India. Bhagat Singh gave his life for Akhand Bharat, long before Pakistan came into being. His sacrifice was for the freedom of both India and Pakistan, and it is hypocritical for a nation that harbors terrorists to slander a martyr who gave his life for the independence of undivided India,” Baliwal said.BJP leaders also expressed anger over Pakistan’s double standards in recognizing figures like Bhagat Singh, who fought for freedom, while simultaneously harboring terrorists. “Shame on Pakistan for disrespecting a true hero,” said Baliwal.
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