Over 68% revolutionaries lodged in cellular prison were from undivided Bengal
The Hindu
Response reveals majority of revolutionaries at Andaman Cellular Jail were from Bengal, sparking debate on national monument status.
Between 1909 and 1938 over 68% revolutionaries lodged at the Cellular Prison in Andamans were from undivided Bengal, revealed a response from Ministry of Culture and Tourism to a question by Trinamool Congress MP Ritabrata Banerjee.
The reply stated that 585 revolutionaries were jailed in the Cellular Jail at Andamans from 1909-1938, out of which 398 were from undivided Bengal. The second highest number of revolutionaries were from Punjab, from where 95 revolutionaries were lodged. The response was tabled by the Ministry on February 13, 2025.
In response to another question dated March 13 by Mr. Banerjee, the Ministry pointed out that the Cellular Jail is not protected under Ancient Museums and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. The Ministry added that there was no proposal to announce the Cellular Jail as a national monument.
Mr. Banerjee also asked whether there were no busts of Ulaskar Dutta and Barin Ghosh at the Andaman Cellular Jail to which the Ministry replied there were no such busts and no proposals is at the consideration at the present.
“Every brick and cell in Andaman Cellular Jail is inscribed with stories of bravery of Bengali freedom fighters, yet the government hasn’t declared it a national monument,” Mr. Banerjee said. The Rajya Sabha MP expressed surprise that the Andaman Cellular Jail, which is like a pilgrimage for people of India, is not a national monument and does not come under the Archaeological Survey of India.
The MP said that the torture on the revolutionary Ulaskar Dutta was unprecedented where batteries were brought to the prison from Kolkata to administer electric shocks to him and Barin Ghosh was the revolutionary who had managed to flee from the Cellular Jail. “If the busts of Ulaskar Dutta and Barin Ghosh were not there then what should be at Cellular Jail... Through these questions it is clear what is the attitude of the Union government towards Bengal and revolutionaries of Bengal,” he said.
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