Social, rights activist Harbans Bharowal Bathinda: Social and rights activists, mainly of Punjab origin settled in Canada, remembered noted activist Harbans Singh Bharowal at a memorial service in Brampton late Saturday. Bharowal, 68, chief editor of monthly magazine Sarokaran Di Awaaz, died after a brief illness in Brampton on Sept 28.The memorial was held after his funeral at the Brampton crematorium and visitation centre. A separate memorial service has been planned by farmer and left-leaning organisations in Punjab at Bharowal Kalan village on Oct 13.Activists recalled Bharowal’s contribution to social causes and various agitations in Punjab and Canada, including the 2020-21 farmers’ protest on Delhi’s borders.Bharowal, who hailed from Dhurkot Ransih village in Moga and later lived in Bharowal Kalan village in Ludhiana with his aunt, had worked with Punjab Students Union and Naujawan Bharat Sabha. He briefly worked as a science teacher before migrating to Canada in the late 1980s.He became involved in the PSU after the Moga Cinema agitation in 1972 and participated in the 1980 agitation against a 43% increase in bus fares.Inquilabi Kendra Punjab convener Kanwaljit Khanna said Bharowal had participated in rallies and the agitation against the fare hike .Punjab Lok Sabhyacharak Manch president Amolak Singh said farmer, worker and left organisations would hold the Oct 13 memorial to recall his contribution to struggles since the late 1970s.
