Aakanksha N Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, July 26

For parents of martyr BSF Deputy Commandant Mohinder Raj, his used toothbrush, toothpaste, shaving kit and his pen, which he loved, are the things that have kept them going. “Enna cheesa toh pyaara saanu hor kuch vi nai (Nothing else is more important to us than these things),” his parents shared.

Mohan Lal (75) and Kamal (70) along with several other parents of the martyrs of various wars had come to the function organised by Kashyap Naujawan Dharmik Sabha in the city on the 20th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas. They had come all the way from Kapurthala.

Mohinder Raj was 30, when he laid his life for the country on July 13, 1999.

A hollow-cheeked and subdued but proud father Mohan Lal sat quietly during the whole function. Every time any skit or documentary mentioning the martyrs was shown, he tried to hold back his tears.

“We are old and alone. He was our only son. “My son was highly qualified,” shared Lal while raising his hands feeling proud but at the same time he broke into tears.

He was not able to speak properly as he had suffered brain hemorrhage last year. “20 years have passed and it is his memories because of which we are living and are coming here, otherwise…,” the father stopped as his throat choked.

Professor who saw dreams for country

The martyr’s mother Kamal shared that her son had done MA and M Phil and was a gold medalist. “He became a professor at DAV College here. While he was in his job, he also appeared for exams to join forces but he didn’t reveal it to us,” she continued.

“The day he was to go for training, he told us. I didn’t allow him to go but he instead said, ‘Je har maa esi tarah rokegi apne ladke nu fauj vich jaan nu, taan desh di sewa kaun karega (If every mother restricts her son from joining the Army then who will serve the country),” an emotional mother said.

For the whole year, they wait for this day when they would go out and their son’s sacrifices will be remembered again.

Statue installed

The parents said they went to Jaipur to get a statue for their son, which they got installed at Kapurthala so that people there would know that someone from their region had fought for their country.