Basudevpur: It was on this day (September 28) in 1942, when 29 people attained martyrdom after being shot dead at Eram, a place approximately 15km from here in Bhadrak district. Since then Eram is often referred to as ‘Rakta Teertha’. It is a place of pilgrimage in the annals of Indian freedom movement.
However, people of the present generation are not aware about the significance of Eram. To them, Eram is just another place and has no importance.
To help Eram get its due, Bhadrak MP Manjulata Mandal raised the issue during the recently-concluded monsoon session of the Parliament. She demanded Eram be given the tag of a ‘national tourist’ spot. She said that even after 78 years of freedom struggle, Eram continues to be neglected and has never got the historical importance it deserves.
The Odisha government declared the place as a state tourist spot in 2015. But it seems five years later that it was just an announcement as nothing has been done to develop the small town which is rich in history and has contributed to the freedom struggle. T
Three years ago Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had sanctioned rupees one crore to develop Eram. However, the money still lies unspent.
Looking back
On September 28, 1942 over 10, 000 people under the leadership of Kamala Prasad Kar, had gathered on a field to protest against the British rule. None of them were carrying any type of arms. Kar however, did not address the gathering as he was whisked away to a safe place fearing that he would be arrested by the police. In Kar’s place another renowned freedom fighter Ganesh Prasad Tripathy addressed the gathering.
Police tried to prevent the meeting from taking place. But they faced non-cooperation from all quarters. They had to cross a river to attend the meeting sight. However, the boatman refused to do so. Somehow the police forced other boatmen to take them across the river and on to the meeting site.
As news of police arriving at the meeting ground spread, people became agitated. Local freedom fighter Manibej along with others ripped apart the clothes of some policemen and urinated on those. The move was applauded by all those present at the meeting. Slogans of ‘Vande Mataram’ reverberated all across the ground.
Infuriated at this development, the police party that comprising of both British and Indian personnel opened fire. In the gruesome shooting 28 persons were killed on the spot and 56 others were injured. Another person died later in Koraput jail.
To remember this day, the Tourism Development Council in Bhadrak district observes ‘Saheed Diwas’ every year. “This year the event is being observed following COVID-19 rules,” informed Eram sarpanch and member of the council Prafulla Biswal.
PNN
