Minister mulls statues of legends

Bandhu Tirkey at the meeting of deputy commissioners in Ranchi on Tuesday. Picture by Prashant Mitra

Ranchi, July 29: If the minister of art and culture Bandhu Tirkey has his way, Jharkhand may be known as the state of statues — of freedom fighters and martyrs.

Tirkey has decided to set up statues of national and regional freedom fighters including Mahatma Gandhi and Birsa Munda, in street squares across the state.

For now the plan is to have a statue of the Father of the Nation and of Birsa Munda in all district headquarters.

At a meeting today, Tirkey ordered deputy commissioners (DCs) of all districts or their representatives to identify street squares and parks and prepare a list of them. “I have asked the DCs to prepare this list as soon as possible, so that the work can begin soon,” said the minister.

“Each chowk, chouraha or park would now be known by the name of a freedom fighters — either local or national,” he said, adding that he hit upon his plan while in New Delhi where almost every “important” square has been named after a political personality.

Piska More in Ranchi, it has been planned, will have the statue of Kartik Oraon, while martyr Tikait Umrao Singh’s statue would be installed near Vikas Vidyalaya, Neori.

Similarly, Sirammtoli Chowk would house a statue of Jaipal Singh while Father Camille Bulke’s figure would adorn Purulia Road.

The Hazaribagh Jheel Park is expected to house a statue of Raja Bahadur Kamakhya Narayan Singh. The figure of Birsa Munda would be installed at Hazaribagh Bus Stand, while Subhas Chandra Bose would place in several chowks of Hazaribagh.

“This idea once made into a reality would give the state a separate identity,” hopes Tirkey. He said the idea suits Jharkhand, as it is a land filled with the nostalgia and memories of martyrs.

Tirkey also ordered department secretary Ravi Shankar Verma to ensure speedy work.