Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on August 31, unveiled a statue of freedom fighter Mangal Pandey at Ghungoor in Silchar, commemorating his sacrifice and highlighting the contribution of the Barak Valley during the First War of Independence in 1857. On the occasion, CM Sarma also released books on Mangal Pandey, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay, and the revered Assamese saints Srimanta Sankardeva and Sri Sri Madhavdev. Paying tribute to Pandey, the chief minister described the Sepoy Mutiny and earlier rebellions as the country’s initial resistance against British colonial rule.
CM Sarma paid rich tributes to Mangal Pandey, stating that the Sepoy Mutiny and earlier rebellions against British colonialism in history are referred to as the initial resistance against British imperialism. The chief minister said that in the war of independence of 1857, a new type of rifle was given to the soldiers, which required biting the cartridge to activate it and use. “Several brave personalities were martyred in these struggles, which intensified the urge among the Indians to free the country. They realised that freedom was their birthright and they must have it at any cost.
The realisation gradually captured the hearts and minds across the nation, leading to the start of the Congress movement, the arrival of Mahatma Gandhi, and eventually, after a nationwide freedom struggle, the country attained independence,” CM Sarma said. Referring to the Sepoy Mutiny as a very important chapter in India’s freedom movement, the Chief Minister stated that the contributions of the soldiers who participated in the struggle must never be forgotten. CM Sarma said that the bravery shown by the rebel sepoys in the Sepoy Mutiny was not only a proud heroic saga for the Barak Valley but for the entire Assam.
