Berhampur: The demand to name Berhampur Circle jail after freedom fighter Saheed Laxman Nayak grew louder on his 119th birth anniversary here in Ganjam district Thursday. Lodged in this jail during the freedom struggle, the tribal freedom fighter was hanged by the British March 29, 1943.
People from all grounds paid rich tribute to the exceptional freedom fighter at his statue near the jail and demanded the rename of the 155 years old jail after him as a mark of respect.
Prominent leaders also paid tribute to Nayak. Apart from naming the Circle Jail after Laxman Nayak, former MLA (Chhatrapur) Ashok Choudhury also stressed on the need to set up a museum complete with a sound and light system to showcase the achievements of Nayak.
“It will help the new young generation to know about the role of a tribal leader who came from a remote village in tribal-dominated Malkangiri district and joined the national movement, Ashok said.
He gave the example of the Central Jail in Ranchi being named after freedom fighter Birsa Munda. Similarly, the cellular Jail in Port Blair has a museum of freedom fighters. A light and sound show is organised there every evening. While the neighbour Jharkhand government is building a museum devoted to freedom fighters on the jail campus, why our freedom fighters cannot get the respect for their sacrifice, Ashok added.
“Many freedom fighters were lodged in Berhampur Circle Jail during the freedom fight. It could also be turned into a tourist attraction,” Hrushikesh Panigrahy, head of Programmes, All India Radio (AIR), Berhampur said.
When contacted, DIG (Prisons) Raghunath Majhi said, “We will put forth a proposal before the government for naming the Berhampur Circle jail after Laxman Nayak.”
MLA (Berhampur) R. Ch Chaupatnaik chipped in saying he had submitted a proposal to the government for the establishment of museum to showcase the activities of Laxman Nayak on the jail premises.
PNN