Guwahati, June 15: The Assam government will preserve the house of martyr Kushal Konwar at Balijan near Sarupathar in Upper Assam's Golaghat district and repair the stretch of road leading to the house.
The promise was made by Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal while paying tribute to Konwar on his death anniversary today.
Konwar, born in 1905, was hanged by the British on June 15, 1943, on charges of derailing a passenger train near Sarupathar station. Many soldiers of the British army were killed in the incident. The tribute programme was held at Nehru Park here.
"The Assam State Freedom Fighters Association informed me that Konwar's house was in a very bad shape and the road leading to the house was in a deplorable condition. Our government will preserve Konwar's house and repair the road leading to it," Sonowal said.
The chief minister said Konwar, who wholeheartedly dedicated himself to the country's freedom struggle and sacrificed his life, deserved the highest degree of obeisance. He said Konwar's contribution to the freedom movement carved a niche for the state on the national landscape. "Kushal Konwar inspired us to value honesty, morality and humanity and he exemplified his love for the nation through his valour and sacrifice," Sonowal said.
A few family members of Konwar, including his daughter-in-law, Jamuna, freedom fighters and senior citizens were present at the programme.
Sonowal said the state government would do whatever it can to honour other martyrs of the freedom struggle, including Kanaklata Barua and Bhogeswari Phukanani.
History says that the decision of the British to hang Konwar was one-sided as they could not establish that he (Konwar) was associated with the train derailment. Konwar had joined the freedom struggle after being influenced by Mahatma Gandhi.
Assam State Freedom Fighter Association and family members of the freedom fighter hailed the decision. "This is very good news. Hope the new government will keep its promise," Jamuna Konwar said.
Dwijen Mohan Sarma, general secretary of the association, said the state government had earlier repaired the house when Bimala Prasad Chaliha was chief minister. "We welcome the government's decision to repair Konwar's house. But the government should also consider giving jobs to the family members of the freedom fighter," Sarma said.
This is the new BJP-led coalition government's first tribute to a leading personality from the state and it will not be the last, sources said.
"Every individual who has contributed to the state in any way will be given due recognition. We have a long list of such individuals - which includes freedom fighters, artistes and writers. This government was, after all, for jati (community), mati (land) and bheti (home)," a source close to the chief minister said.
