A COMMEMORATIVE meeting on the seventh death anniversary of Comrade Harkishan Singh Surjeet, freedom fighter, CPI(M) former general secretary and a communist leader of international repute, was organised at Bhakna Bhawan, Chandigarh jointly by Daily Desh Sewak, Bhakna Bhawan Trust and Virsa Sambhal Prasar Kendar on August 1. Hannan Mollah, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and general secretary of All India Kisan Sabha, Charan Singh Virdi, managing director, Daily Desh Sewak , Sardar Parminder Singh Dhindsa, finance minister, Punjab government , S Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, former central minister and vice president Akali Dal (B), Bibi Parminder Kaur Landran, chairperson, Women’s Commission, Bhupinder Samber, CPI state leader, Raghunath Singh, RS Virk, Ram Singh Noorpuri and Sukhwinder Sekhon, CPI(M) state secretariat members and Rimpy, editor, Desh Sewak addressed the meeting. Gurchetan Singh Bassi, CPI(M) state secretariat member presided over the meeting. At the outset, floral tributes were paid at the portrait of Comrade Surjeet. Vijay Misra, chief executive, Daily Desh Sewak welcomed all the dignitaries and participants. He spoke about the vision that Comrade Surjeet had in establishing Daily Desh Sewak, Bhakna Bhawan and Virsa Sambhal Prasar Kendar. S Parminder Singh Dhindsa said that we can learn a lot from the life and struggles of Comrade Surjeet for the toiling masses and his role in Indian politics. S Balwant Singh Ramoowalia recollected his close association of many years with Comrade Surjeet. He said that Comrade Surjeet could feel the pulse of the people and leaders of various political parties approached him for advice on crucial issues. Hanan Mollah, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member, elaborated in detail the role of Comrade Surjeet in the freedom movement, in the successful betterment levy movement of peasantry in Punjab under his leadership, struggles for secularism, fight against terrorism in Punjab, emergency and other movements. He explained how Surjeet along with other leaders fought against revisionism and ultra left deviation during 60’s and 70’s. Bhupinder Samber, said that the true tribute to Comrade Surjeet will be, to take forward the ideology of Comrade Surjeet. Charan singh Virdi said that this year is being observed as the birth centenary of Comrade Surjeet which will culminate on March 23, 2016 with a big rally. He informed that the 21st Party Congress held at Visakhapatnam in April 2015 has taken a decision to hold various programmes to highlight the role of Comrade Surjeet in the freedom movement and his contributions to the different spheres of the working class movement for more than 70 years. He told that during this period international seminars and other programmes will be organised. Gurchetan Singh Bassi thanked all the leaders and participants for making the function a success. Harkishan Singh Surjeet Birth Centenary Observed in Canada Joga Randhawa THE Indo-Canadian Workers’ Association of Canada held a public meeting on July 25 in Newton Arena of Surrey, BC, as part of birth centenary celebrations of former CPI(M) general secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet, along side the two-day Gadri Memorial Mela. The 21ST Party Congress of CPI(M) passed a resolution to observe Harkishan Singh Surjeet Birth Centenary. It was a well-attended hall meeting and people from all walks of life started coming in hours before the meeting was to start at 2 PM. Canadian MP Jasbir Sandhu was among those present. Surinder Sangha, Daljit Johal, Kulwant Dhesi, Jagir Singh Samra, Sunny Gill, Jasbir Sandhu were among those who addressed the meeting. Surinder Dhesi gave a detailed biography of Comrade Surjeet and moderated the meeting. Jasbir Sandhu remembered his interactions with the veteran Communist leader. Surinder Sangha gave details of Comrade Surjeet's visits to Canada and how he motivated Canadian workers to actively participate in Party activities. Surjeet even dared to come to Vancouver during the heights of Sikh terrorism despite threats from different groups. That time no Indian leader was daring to come to Vancouver to speak against the Punjab terrorism, Sangha said. Many speakers spoke about Surjeet's 10-year jail term and how he spent eight years underground. They spoke about his firm stand and leadership in fight against the Khalistani terrorism. A souvenir dedicated to Comrade Surjeet, Bhai Mewa Singha, Kartar Singh Sarabha and others was released in the meeting. Kulwant Dhesi gave an overview of the programmes held in Gadri Memorial Mela. All the available names of Gadri Babas were read out in the meeting as Gadri Goonje by Sunny Gill and Amarjit Brar. Gadri Memorial Mela The Gadri Memorial Mela was held on July 25-26 in Coverdale's Stetson Bowl Stadium. Despite rain, thousands took part in the two-day festival. Surinder Sangha, Kulwant Dhesi, Surinder Dhesi, Paramjit Gandhri, Jagir Singh Samara, Joga Randhwa from ICWA; Jinny Sims, Member of Canadian Parliament; British Columbia MLAs Bruce Ralston and Sue Hammal; former MLA Gulzar Cheema; and the Deputy Counsel General of India were among the participants and speakers on this occasion. A larger number of ICWA volunteers helped organise the event. Volunteers distributed the souvenir to the participants and about 5,000 copies were distributed free of cost. Food stalls, book stalls and children's entertainment were among other attractions of the mela. Surinder Sangha remembered Comrade Surjeet who motivated this team to organise social events like this to bring the community together and enlighten them about progressive and democratic viewpoints of Left orientation. He also spoke about the contribution made by Bhai Mewa Singh to the Indian community and demanded that the Government of Canada exonerate him from criminal charges and recognise as a martyr. He emphasised the need to educate the community why Mewa Singh killed immigration official W C Hopkinson. Jinny Sims congratulated ICWA for organising such a successful event. Bruce Kehlar spoke and wished ICWA for their marvellous job for the community. The political part of the mela started at 4 PM with one-minute’s standing silence dedicated to Kartar Singh Sarabha, Bhai Mewa Singh and others. According to the police estimate, there was a participation of more than 15,000 people in the mela. Kulwant Dhesi moderated the event and cultural programmes were very much appreciated by the participants and it went on till 9 pm with Indian Punjabi folk singers. (END)