INDIA. Mumbai: In South Mumbai’s subterranean British bunker known as Raj Bhavan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday opened the “Kranti Gatha” or Gallery of Revolutionaries of the Indian freedom movement.
To honour the contributions of Maharashtrian freedom warriors and revolutionaries, a unique museum called the Gallery of Revolutionaries has been created inside the bunker.
In addition to others, it pays respect to Vasudev Balwant Phadke, the Chaphekar and Savarkar brothers, Madam Bhikaji Cama, V. B. Gogate, and the 1946 Naval Mutiny.
When he opened the gallery, Modi referred to it as a prized possession. He explored the gallery, taking in the various displays. The PM received a briefing on the Kranti Gatha gallery from author and historian Dr. Vikram Sampath.
In 2016, the then Maharashtra Governor Vidyasagar Rao found a bunker in Raj Bhavan, which was used by Britishers as secret storage for arms and ammunition. The bunker was renovated in 2019. A viewing gallery was set up earlier to enable the public to have a glimpse of antics on select days.
Modi also inaugurated the newly reconstructed “Jal Bhushan” . “Jal Bhushan” had been the official residence of the Maharashtra Governor since 1885. The building was subsequently demolished and a new building was sanctioned in its place.
The foundation stone for the new building was laid by the President of India Ram Nath Kovind in August 2019. All distinctive features of the old building have been preserved in the newly-constructed building. Modi also visited the historic Devi Mandir on the Raj Bhavan premises.
In his speech, Modi said that “Kranti Gatha” will inspire people, especially the youth. It was surprising that the bunker remained undiscovered for nearly seven decades even after the country achieved Independence.
“ I had bought the ashes of freedom fighter Shyam Krishna Verma from London in 2003 and immersed them as per his last wishes,” Modi said. He also mentioned that co-incidentally the “Quit India” movement began in 1942 at August Kranti Maidan, close to Raj Bhavan.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said that we achieved freedom only because of the sacrifice of our courageous freedom fighters and the “Kranti Gatha” will be like a pilgrim centre for one and all.
Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari said that soon a 500 kv solar energy plant will be set up in Raj Bhavan. He also stated that several large and medium irrigation projects have been stalled for over 20 years in the state.
Besides, the people residing in the vicinity of the irrigation projects nearing completion, do not get water for 5 to 7 days. As such the efforts should be made to complete the pending projects as early as possible.
Although the statutory development boards have not been set up by the state government, as a constitutional duty, he regularly takes the stock of the developmental work, Koshyari said and added that he extended help to ensure that over 23,000 tribal families got living houses.
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Leader of the Opposition Devendra Fadnavis, Minister of Public Works Ashok Chavan, Minister of Water Resources Jayant Patil, Minister of Protocol Aaditya Thackeray, Guardian Minister Aslam Sheikh, Minister of State Aditi Tatkare, Opposition leader (Council) Pravin Darekar, Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Vice President Narhari Zirwal, Chief Justice of Bombay High Court Justice Dipankar Datta, invitees, and officials were present.
Mumbai Samachar
Later the prime minister also participated in Dwishatabdi Mahotsav (the 200 th year) of “Mumbai Samachar” at Bandra Kurla Complex in northwest Mumbai.
In his speech, Modi said that “Mumbai Samachar” is not only a medium but the heritage, philosophy, and expression of India. When Bombay (now Mumbai) was under the influence of foreigners, “Mumbai Samachar” did not leave its local connect and connection with its roots.
When it was started, the darkness of slavery was getting deeper. It was not easy to get a newspaper in the Indian language like Gujarati in that period, yet “Mumbai Samachar” expanded linguistic journalism in that era.
Modi also released a special postal stamp commemorating 200 years of the Mumbai Samachar newspaper and said that the newspaper gave voice to India’s freedom movement.
The printing of “Mumbai Samachar” as a weekly was started on July 1, 1822, by Fardunjee Marzbanji. It, later on, became a daily in 1832 and came to be known as the oldest continuously published Gujarati newspaper in India. The newspaper has been published continuously for 200 years.
Also Read: Inauguration of Sant Tukaram Maharaj Shrine at Dehu by Prime Minister Narendra Modi
