HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, Aug 31: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday unveiled a statue of martyr Mangal Pandey at Ghungoor in Silchar, describing it as a fitting tribute to the first martyr of India’s freedom struggle of 1857.
According to an official statement, the memorial has been erected to commemorate Barak Valley’s role in the first war of independence, particularly the battles at Malegarh in Sribhumi and Rontilla in Hailakandi, which reflected the region’s contribution to the uprising against the British.
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On the occasion, the Chief Minister also released books on Mangal Pandey, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay, Srimanta Sankardeva, and Madhavdev.
Paying rich tributes to Mangal Pandey, Sarma said the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 and earlier uprisings against British rule were the initial sparks of India’s freedom movement.
He said that several brave individuals sacrificed their lives in those struggles, inspiring future generations to believe that freedom was their birthright.
“This realisation gradually spread across the nation, leading to the start of the Congress movement, the arrival of Mahatma Gandhi, and ultimately the country’s independence,” the statement quoted the Chief Minister as saying.
Recalling Mangal Pandey’s sacrifice, the chief minister said he was born in 1827 in Uttar Pradesh and joined the 34th Bengal Native Infantry at the age of 22. In 1857, resentment spread among sepoys after rumours that new cartridges were greased with cow and pig fat.
On March 29 that year, Pandey declared rebellion at the Barrackpore military camp and fought valiantly against British officers before being captured. He was executed on April 8, 1857, at the age of 30.
The Chief Minister further highlighted the ‘Mooluk Chalo’ movement of the tea workers of Barak Valley as another significant uprising against British rule.
He said that both the Sepoy Mutiny and the Mooluk Chalo movement reflected the courage of the people of Barak Valley and their contribution to India’s independence.
Sarma said the unveiling of Mangal Pandey’s statue fulfilled a long-standing demand of the people of Barak Valley and expressed gratitude to those who contributed to the effort.
He added that the day would be remembered in history, as two statues — of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Shaheed Mangal Pandey — were unveiled in Silchar.
The event was attended by food, civil supply and consumer affairs minister Kaushik Rai, Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Minister Krishnendu Paul, MPs Parimal Suklabaidya, Kripanath Mallah, and Kanad Purkayastha, MLAs Mihir Kanti Shome, Dwaipayan Chakraborty, Bijay Malakar, and Nihar Ranjan Das, along with the President of the Statue Installation Committee Uday Shankar Goswami and other dignitaries.
Later in the day, the chief minister visited the historic Silchar Tennis Club, interacted with trainees, and reviewed the club’s infrastructure facilities.
He also visited the residence of late Kamalendu Bhattacharjee, a former MP, and spent time with his family members.
