Release the Bhagat Singh coin series, appeals NGO

CHANDIGARH - An NGO working to propagate the ideology of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh Friday appealed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to order release of the currency coins commemorating the martyr.

Members of All India Shaheed Bhagat Singh Brigade charged the central government with “unnecessarily delaying” the circulation of these coins that were minted in the denomination of Rs.100 and Rs. 5.

“In 2007, the government had announced to issue coins bearing the image of Shaheed-e-azam (great martyr) Bhagat Singh. We have checked with the Reserve Bank of India and found the coins were made in 2008 but till date, the authorities concerned have not given the green signal to bring these out in public,” organisation chief Yadvinder Singh told reporters here.

“We have also written to the prime minister on Nov 10 this year, and sought his intervention. However, so far we have not received any reply from him. We do not understand the reason behind this delay; if they have any doubt about the popularity of this national hero, they can do some survey on their own,” added Singh, the son of Bhagat Singhs nephew Babar Singh Sandhu.

After a lot of effort, Singh has also managed to procure a couple of these coins.

“The Rs.100 coin has 50 percent silver content whereas Rs.5 coin is made of copper and zinc, he said.

His sister Manjula Toor said: “The young generation learns whatever they see before their eyes. Releasing the coins of Bhagat Singh is the best medium to keep his ideology alive for the masses. We appeal to the government to release them at the earliest.”