By IANS,
Patna : Revolutionary freedom fighter Khudiram Bose was hanged by the British on Aug 11, 1908 in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district. But he is now just another forgotten hero as none of the state’s ministers honoured him on his 100th death anniversary.
His 100th ‘balidan divas’ (martyrdom day) Monday was a low-key affair in Muzaffarpur town, about 70 km from here.
“No top politicians or ministers attended the function to mark his 100th martyrdom day,” a district official said Tuesday.
The day saw just a token official commemoration in Muzaffarpur. It was attended by officials, including the district magistrate, superintendent of police and deputy inspector general, who paid floral tributes and visited the jail where he was hanged, an official said.
Many senior politicians, including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, had been invited.
“We fail to understand why top politicians, including ministers and the chief minister, did not attend the function to pay homage to him. We had invited them but none of them bothered to attend. It was a special day as it marked the 100th balidan divas (of Bose),” said Satish Patel, convenor of the Khudiram Bose Samiti in Muzaffarpur.
“It stunned me that ministers missed the day to pay homage. They have time to waste on silly issues, but not to remember a revolutionary hero,” said Arun Singh, who has written a book on the revolutionary.
“The state government did not even come out with an advertisement on the occasion to honour Bose,” he added.
Bose was born on Dec 3, 1889 in Bahuvaini village of what is now West Bengal’s Midnapore district. He was one of the youngest revolutionaries in the early Indian independence movement and was sent to the gallows when he was just 19.
Four villagers from Bahuvaini made it a point to attend the special ceremony.
“How can we forget him … he is our hero, an ideal martyr,” said Prakash Haldar, one of the four villagers.
Disillusioned with the British following the partition of Bengal, Bose joined Jugantar – a party of revolutionary activists. He and Prafulla Chaki were sent to Muzaffarpur to assassinate Douglas Kingsford, magistrate of Calcutta Presidency, and later magistrate of Muzaffarpur.
On April 13, 1908, assisted by Prafulla Chaki, Bose threw a bomb at a carriage that was supposed to be carrying Kingsford, but unfortunately, instead of the British official, two women travelling in the carriage were killed.
Chaki was caught after the attack but shot himself dead. Bose was arrested a day later and fearlessly confesses that he had thrown the bomb to punish the British. He was sentenced to death and hanged.