Archit Watts
Tribune News Service
Khirkian Wala (Muktsar), Feb 5A 94-year old World War-II veteran, Karnail Singh of Khirkian Wala village, claims he is still to get the gallantry award promised to him for showing exemplary courage in 1944 in Italy.A Lance Naik in the British Army, Karnail Singh was honoured with the Indian Distinguished Service Medal (IDSM) on May 11, 1944. “The award carried a medal and Rs 5,000 or 25-acre land. Though I was given Rs 2,500 by the then Deputy Commissioner of Ferozepur in 1946, the remaining amount has not been given till date,” claimed Karnail Singh.Showing a bunch of documents, Karnail Singh said, “I am not seeking any favour, but demanding what was promised to me. The correspondence done over the past 58 years, which I started in 1958, has so far failed to have any result. I have contacted everyone, right from top state politicians to the Army and British High Commission too. Everyone has passed the buck to another authority by forwarding a letter. Even the applications sent to the Sainik Welfare Office have failed to give me any satisfactory reply.”Recalling his service days, Karnail Singh said that he served in various countries, including Iran, Africa, Sudan, Alexandria and Italy. “I proved my mettle in Italy when all the soldiers except me and platoon commander were killed while fighting the enemies. Suddenly, they hurled a bomb which wounded me badly. But I continued firing and killed a number of enemy soldiers. Later, they surrendered to me. I, along with my commander, was admitted to a hospital there,” he claimed.Notably, this old man was once honoured in 1998 by the district administration during the Republic Day function. Further, Kripa Shankar Saroj, the then Deputy Commissioner of Muktsar, had sent a letter on February 1, 1999 to the then Principal Secretary, Defence Services Welfare, Punjab, with his recommendation of giving the remaining amount to this former soldier.Karnail Singh now lives with his adopted son Iqbal Singh and his family at his ancestral house in the village that is located 10 km from Muktsar town.He joined the British Army in 1939 as a sepoy in Sialkot Depot and after Independence, he was shifted to 4 Sikh Regiment. He retired as a havildar in 1958 and is getting a monthly pension of nearly Rs 20,000 and Rs 1,650 annuity.Further, during a visit to the Sainik Welfare Office, Karnail Singh’s framed photograph was found displayed on a wall and a huge file had been made on his name.Commander Baljinder Singh Virk (retd), District Sainik Welfare Officer, who holds the additional charge of Muktsar district, said, “As per a letter received in 1997 from the Directorate, there is no provision to give cash award to pre-Independence gallantry awardees in the state. The state government gives annuity to them. But this is a very old case and we will have to find out all the related documents from Ferozepur, Faridkot offices as Muktsar was earlier part of these two districts. Besides, we will put up this case before our Director.”When contacted, Brig JS Arora (retd), Director, Sainik Welfare, Punjab, said, “He should meet us and we will definitely honour him. But I am not aware of this case. He should have taken up the matter with the Centre.”
