Dambuk: Arunachal Pradesh deputy chief minister Chowna Mein on Friday called upon the youths to shoulder responsibility in preserving, promoting and protecting the rich culture, tradition and languages of the state.
“It is time that our state gets its due mention in the books of Indian history. It is high time for us to rewrite our history,” said Mein, calling upon the younger generation to also play a key role in environmental conservation.
The deputy CM made the clarion call while interacting with the locals here following his visit to Bongal Yapgo, a heritage war memorial site of the third Anglo-Abor War of 1894.
Bongal Yapgo is a stockades wall constructed of random rubble masonry and was built in the 19th century by the ‘Padams’ during their war with the British.
“This (Bongal Yapgo) is the living history of Arunachal. It is only a simple stockade but carries a long history of the land and its people,” said Mein and added that the memorial is a pride of Arunachal and will soon be the most sought heritage sites in the state.
The deputy CM also lauded the efforts of the Bongal Yapgo Preservation Committee for preserving and protecting the remnants of the great Anglo-Abor War.
Mein further informed that the Unsung Heroes Core Committee with the support of Rajiv Gandhi University’s department of history is already collecting historical facts and records from important national and state archives to make sure that none of the war heroes of Arunachal are left out during the research and documentation process.
On compilation of these records, the data will be submitted to the Government of India, he said, adding that the present government is committed to preserve and protect the heritage sites and war memorials of the state.
The Arunachal Pradesh government had in 2021 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.
Advisor to chief minister Tai Tagak accompanied the deputy CM during his visit.
