Praising former Punjab DGP KPS Gill, who passed away on May 26, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh today asked the people of the state to work for its peace and progress as a true tribute to the former supercop.
KPS Gill, who is credited with crushing terrorism in Punjab, had succumbed to a kidney ailment at the age of 82.
People from all walks of life on Saturday paid homage to Gill at his bhog ceremony (post-death ritual) here.
Amarinder described him as a brave son of Punjab who fought terrorism by providing the much-needed leadership to state police.
The Punjab chief minister hoped that young police officers will draw inspiration from him and emulate him.
Amarinder said that history will record his contribution and "you will see that KPS Gill will be there as a shining light in those dark period of my state", later tweeting about it.
Remembering Gill's contribution to the state, he recalled his first meeting with him in Assam where he was then SP Tezpur, and was determined to give a befitting reply to the Chinese army's incursion into the sector. He said the man knew how to lead from the front, whatever the threat.
"Leadership comes seldom. But leaders shine through the mist of time. There was a time when leadership was much required in Punjab police and Gill provided that moral booster to the police and rooted out terrorism."
"A true tribute to him would be to maintain peace in Punjab for which he gave away his youth. It is sad as I have lost a friend," he said.
The chief minister said those who had not lived through the days of militancy, when more than 35,000 people were killed, could not really understand his contribution to the state.
He also recalled how Gill launched operation night dominance to restore the confidence of the people and things started changing thereafter.
Punjab DGP Suresh Arora said the way Gill led the police force during the days of terrorism made him a "messiah" in their eyes.
Former Punjab minister and BJP leader Laxmi Kanta Chawla described Gill as "Punjab ka Jarnail (General), a protector of Punjab and who slayed terrorism".
She said his value is known to those who have suffered at the hands of terrorism. She said he was not given a free hand in Naxal-affected Chhattisgarh, where he was appointed as security adviser post retirement.
"Those who do not acknowledge him, don't love Punjab," she said.
People from all walks of life, including former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Punjab ministers and MLAs, MPs, and a number of serving and retired police and civil officers, attended the bhog ceremony at Constitution Club in New Delhi.
(With PTI puts)
