Post News Network
Jajpur, August 8: Even as the country prepares to observe ‘Kranti Divas’ Sunday in memory of freedom fighters who took part in Quit India Movement, a memorial at Kalamatia under Bari block is wallowing in neglect. The state government has failed to keep its promise of building a Sahid Bhawan in this place.
Kranti Divas (August 9) is observed in memory of martyrs who laid down their lives while fighting the British Raj during Quit India Movement. They are remembered this day as Gopabandhu Chowdhury and Rama Devi, two stalwarts of freedom movement in Orissa, were arrested at Cuttack. The Bari Ashram from where the movement was guided was seized and sealed August 9, 1942.
The memorial at Kalamatia on the banks of river Brahmani is now covered with shrubs. The local administration and organisers has done little to construct a Sahid Bhawan there to store the articles used by the freedom fighters.
The incident occurred August 26 on the day of Gahma Purnima when residents were busy celebrating the festival. The freedom fighters split into three groups such as Maran Sena, Banar Sena and Shanti Sena had assembled at Kaipada near Kalamatia demanding release of prisoners arrested during freedom movement. Annapurna Moharana, then a little girl, was addressing the people.
Later, she went to nearby Anyasipur village and was discussing with some women freedom fighters when the British police reached the spot and asked them to vacate. People refused to disperse when police arrested 11 persons. The highhandedness of police triggered tension as the freedom fighters scuffled with police and reassembled at Kalamatia.
Hadibandhu Panda snatched the rifle from a policeman when police tried to overpower him. Panda was stabbed with the bayonet. Later, another leader Mayadhar Bhuyan was killed when the police headed by a DSP fired at Sananda Swain and Saunti Mallick. The news of the killing spread like wildfire.
The Quit India movement was started at Jajpur, then a sub-division in undivided Cuttack district, under the leadership of eminent freedom fighters like Gopabandhu Chowdhury, Malati Chowdhury, Annapurna Moharana, Rama Devi, Gadadhar Dutta and Bipin Bihari Mohanty of Bari Ashram. Their inspiring roles motivated people to join the freedom movement.