Babu Veer Kuer Singh Vijayutsav Samaroh organisers welcome Nagaland Governor Nikhil Kumar and Banka MP Putul Kumari in Bhagalpur on Thursday. Picture by Amit Kumar

Nagaland Governor Nikhil Kumar on Thursday urged the youths of Bihar to emulate the ideologies of Babu Veer Kuer Singh to build a strong society.

Kumar, who reached Bhagalpur from Barauni on road, said this while addressing a gathering at the local town hall on the concluding ceremony of Babu Veer Kuer Singh Vijayutsav Samaroh that began from April 23. The event was jointly organised by the Veer Kuer Singh Vijayutsav Samaroh Samiti, Bhagalpur division, and the district units of the Kshatriya Yuva Manch and the Veer Kunwar Singh Samajik Parishad.

Kumar said 155 years have passed since the freedom fighter made the supreme sacrifice, people continued to pay tribute to him. “This is happening because of Kuer Singh’s exemplary courage and dedication towards the motherland,” he added. Appreciating the groups for organising such functions, Kumar said: “Events like this are important as they make the youths aware about the sacrifices made by our ancestors to make the country independent. Despite my busy schedule, I decided to attend the function the moment I had received the invitation.”

Addressing the occasion, health minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey also urged the people to emulate the ideologies of the freedom fighter to make the country more prosperous. “He was perhaps the only example in history to show extraordinary courage and love for the motherland even at the age of 80,” he said.

Agriculture minister Narendra Singh said: “Veer Kuer Singh had sacrificed a lot, even his hand into a river bed after chopping it off after suffering a bullet injury during a fight with the Bristih. The youths should also be ready to sacrifice their bad habits and have a better society.”

The parliamentarian from Banka, Putul Kumari, however accused the government of not according “adequate status of a freedom fighter” to Veer Kuer Singh. “British historians claimed had Veer Kuer Singh was younger during the 1857 uprising, the course of history would have been different and India would have earned Independence earlier. But it is an irony that such a great man is yet to get proper respect from the government,” the MP said.

Kumari urged the organisers to involve people from different sections of society to ensure in fruture.