Itanagar: The Arunachal Pradesh government’s initiative to give due recognition to all the “unsung” freedom fighters from the state has received a major push with the formation of a ‘sub-committee’ that will carry out research activities and documentation in the field.
The decision to form the sub-committee was taken during the first meeting of the state-level core committee which was chaired by deputy chief minister Chowna Mein at the civil secretariat here on Thursday.
Addressing the meeting, Mein said “several people from our state and the North East have also defied British rule and sacrificed their lives while defending our people and land.”
“Unfortunately, the sacrifices of our heroes were not recognised till date and their stories of valour are not known to the outside world,” he said.
Mein said it was high time to recognise the state’s martyrs and give them a befitting tribute during the year-long celebration of ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ commemorating the 75th year of India’s independence.
The sub-committee, which will work under the guidance of the core committee, will be headed by Professor Sarit Chaudhuri, a member of the faculty of anthropology at the Rajiv Gandhi University.
The Arunachal Pradesh government had earlier this month formed a five-member core committee headed by deputy chief minister Mein to conduct a research on the contribution of various personalities of the state in the country’s freedom struggle.
The committee would collect and examine authentic documents, archives, journals, etc., available in libraries and other places, seek comments of eminent personalities and others in this regard, visit places of relevant historical interests and take steps as deemed fit to give recognition to the unsung freedom fighters of Arunachal.
The research works and documentation after being compiled and completed would be forwarded to the state government.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu who has been spearheading the initiative had told the assembly last month that the state government would build a memorial for all the “unsung” freedom fighters from the state, besides requesting the Centre to also honor them.
Bote Moyong is the only freedom fighter from the state to be recognized by the Centre so far.
The chief minister had also stated that his government would introduce chapters on Arunachal’s history in the school curriculum that would help the children recall the heroics of their forefathers.
