Veteran India golfer Jeev Milkha Singh on Wednesday urged the public to not tarnish the name of his father and legendary Olympian, late Milkha Singh, for his views on the 1947 Partition riots in a video that has resurfaced on social media.
The 52-year-old golfer Jeev took to X to urge against misconstruing Milkha Singh’s thoughts for political and religious connotations.
“We have learned that a video on my father’s thoughts from the time of 1947 partition riots is being used in religious and political connotations today. The Milkha family would request that the name of a late, respected national hero should not be tarnished.
Recounting ordeals of the Sikh community in the concerned video, Milkha explained how several people of his community were slaughtered in his hometown village of Govindpura (now Basti Bukhari in present day Pakistan).
We have learned that a video on my father’s thoughts from the time of 1947 partition riots is being used in religious and political connotations today.
The Milkha family would request that the name of a late, respected national hero should not be tarnished.
Cont…
— Jeev Milkha Singh (@JeevMilkhaSingh) November 27, 2024
“They told us that if we wanted to stay here we had to become Muslims and undergo circumcision. When they told this, everyone in the village refused, stating that they would not abandon their religion. They said they would rather die and asked, “what do you want to do? We won’t do this.” Men, my own brothers, killed their own wives. I saw with my own eyes that young girls killed themselves because they were going to be taken away. This indeed happened and the entire village was destroyed. Almost 3,000-4,000 people were killed,” Milkha Singh said in the video.
After the riots during Partition claimed his parents and three brothers, Milkha, who was born in Govindpura landed in Ferozepur in a military truck after a nightmare journey from Multan in a train soaked in blood. Still a boy, he would shine boots of soldiers and, on bad days, be forced to steal ration to feed his empty stomach.
His soon Jeev further explained that Milkha Singh was only reflecting to incidents during the Partition and did not intend hatred towards any country or community.
“Anyone who knew our father, knows he did not have any ill will towards any country, or religion. For all those who want to take away anything from this life-changing experience of his, he always told us ‘Insaan bure nahi hote. Waqt bura hota hai’,” Jeev wrote on X.
“1947 was a very different time. It’s 2024 now. Peace and prosperity for all,” he added.
Hailed as one of modern India’s greatest athletes, Milkha Singh missed out on an Olympic medal in Rome 1964 by 0.1 seconds.
Famously known as the “Flying Singh”, a moniker bestowed upon him by a Pakistan General, Milkha Singh passed away from Covid-related complications at the age of 91 in 2021.
