Chandigarh: The Punjabi language is poorer after the loss of one of its favored sons.
Esteemed Punjabi writer Ajmer Singh Aulakh passed away on Thursday morning at his Mansa home. He was earlier admitted to Fortis Hospital in Mohali, but his condition did not improve. The doctors discharged him on June 10 following his ailing health. The reasons of his death are unknown.
His wife, Manjit Aulakh, said that his mortal remains would be put to flames the next morning, Friday, at 10 am at Mansa.
Aulakh was one of the writers who returned his Sahitya Akademi Award to protest against the “attacks and killing of writers to suppress their expression.”
News agency ANI had quoted Aulakh as saying, “I am protesting against the Prime Minister’s silence over the recent killing of a man in Dadri, over rumours of cow slaughter and the murder of author M M Kalburgi.”
“It is not necessary to mark the protest against growing intolerance by returning awards, people can protest in other ways also but I had this award and choose to return it to join the protest,” he added.
Members of Punjab Vidhan Sabha paid homage to the eminent writer and observed 2 minutes silence for him. Capt. Amarinder Singh tweeted for the departed soul.
Prof. Aulakh began his career in 1965 as a Punjabi lecturer at Nehru Memorial College, Mansa, and served about 4 decades to the institution.
He wrote several books in Punjabi. He popularized as a dramatist during the 1970s. His plays were recognized at the state as well as at national level. He focused on the problems of small and marginal farmers along with the social paradoxes.
He was jailed during the emergency in Punjab and was put under the bars in Bathinda Jail for his progressive views at that time. His childhood was impacted by Muhjara Movement, a movement of peasants for the land ownership right in 1950’s. He studied at a school at Bhikhi and was a friend of Naxal leader Hakam Singh Samson during his schooling.