Dr Kapil Sharma
16,17,18 October is celebrated as black days by the students community of Jammu.
Sad such derogatory term like Black Day. Readers these three days are Martyr’s day of Jammu. How? Must be the question flashing in many minds.
Let me explain
Even today, GGM Science College observes Puja just outside its main gate at a Samadhi followed by a procession leading to a strike at various educational institutions including University of Jammu. Have you ever thought why?
I still remember that I used to ask the same question to my seniors and elders about the reason behind this annual black days practice. Answers I received were very vague. What I understood was few college students were shot dead by police on those days due to some agitation. Now after so many years when a lot of water has flown under the bridge, I decided to figure out what really happened in the year 1966 which led to observing of “Black days of Jammu”
Readers you must have seen Samadhi (shahidi sthal) at the premises of GGM Science College Jammu. It is situated right in front of main gate of Science College. Names of four young men are engraved at this memorial. The names are –
– Brij Mohan Sharma
– Subhash Chandra
– Gulshan Handa
– Guru Charan
Readers on that fateful day these four young men sacrificed their lives for the cause of Jammu.
It’s very ironical that almost everybody has forgotten the names and cause for which these sons of the soil sacrificed their lives.
Here I feel very privileged to enlighten my fellow Jammuites regarding the true history behind 16th, 17th, and 18th October.
Friends today we have many Universities in Jammu region. University of Jammu is first and foremost among them. University of Jammu was established in 1969.
Had there been no supreme sacrifice made by these young Martyrs of Jammu, it would have never come to existence. The reason was that Government had sanctioned University for Kashmir and not to Jammu.
In resentment to this a mass students agitation started in Jammu. Here I would like to mention this protest was headed by professor Bhim Singh. He was a student leader at that time. During this mass agitation the Government used the brute force and as a result these four young men were shot dead. Their sacrifice made the Government to concede the demand and hence birth of University of Jammu took place. Genesis of SKUAST Agriculture University at RS Pura should also be attributed to these martyrs as Government was very well aware of discrimination with Jammu and counter effects.
This is the history behind those fateful days. But my thirst for more information just did not quench. I wanted to dig it little more so that I could share some more facts and realities with you readers.
I went on to meet the family of late martyr Brij Mohan Sharma.
Brij Mohan Sharma was residing at Mastgarh in old Jammu city. He was fourth among five siblings. Two brothers and three sisters. His parents late Sri Padamnabh Sharma and Kaushslya Sharma were basically from Painthal near Katra.
His three sisters namely -late Mrs Chanchal Sharma, Chander Kanta Dogra and Anil Sharma were married and happily settled.
Martyr Brij Mohan’s elder brother now resides at 39 BB Gandhi Nagar. When I met Mr. Ram Prashad Sharma who has retired from PWD his eyes went numb. He didn’t want to go through that trauma again. On my repeated requests, he agreed to share the memory of that fateful day. He told me he will share his memories but his picture should not be published. I happily agreed to his precondition.
He told Brij Mohan’s nick name was Gojja. He was a very handsome, fair young man. Gojja was an extremely spiritual person. His spiritual persona was so influencing that even today’s Nav Yogendera Swami ji of ISCON feels no hesitation in admitting that it was Brij Mohan who guided him to take sanyas . Nav Yogendera Swami Ji was his first cousin. Gojja was very sensible, quiet and shy sort of person. His parents were so assured of him that seldom they used to worry about him.
He was darling of three sisters. Eldest sister Chanchal Sharma was like mother to him and she always missed him even at the time of her death eight years back.
Talking of that day, Ram Prasad Ji narrated: On 16th October Gojja met everybody before leaving for college. He was pursuing BSc. God knows why that day he sorted permission from elder brother to wear his socks which Ram prashad Ji permitted happily. Later when he reached his office at BC road, he came to know about firing at students. Ram Prashad immediately rushed towards the hospital. He first checked the wounded, Gojja was not among them. He felt relieved thinking his younger brother must have reached home by now. Thought of his death never crossed his mind. While returning back home’ from the corner of his eye he noticed the body of a handsome young boy whose face was covered with blood and was not recognisable. He lamented such a waste of precious life.
But when he saw the socks havens fell. The body was of his younger brother. Ram prasad Sharma did not narrate anything further as he broke down and his wife Rama Sharma requested me not to probe further.
So friend this is the story of late Brij Mohan Sharma who sacrificed his life for the cause of Jammu. I wish whenever in future you pass by science college or University of Jammu remember those young men. Their martyrdom should no be forgotten.
Another thing if readers are thinking that I must have put a lot of effort in tracing the roots of shaheed Brij Mohan, I am afraid you are wrong because Brij Mohan Sharma was my real mammu. He was the youngest real brother of my mother late Chanchal Sharma.
(The author is ex consultant of ASCOMS & Hospital)
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