ETV Bharat Impact | Civic Body Reverses Demolition Plan Of Revolutionary Kanailal Dutta's Birthplace In West Bengal, Promises Renovation

Chandannagore: Amid public outcry, the Chandannagore Municipal Corporation, which had earlier declared revolutionary Kanailal Dutta's maternal home as 'dangerous', reversed its decision.

Earlier, the civic body of West Bengal's Chandannagore district, an erstwhile French colony, was preparing to demolish the structure. The house will now be preserved and renovated.

The sudden change of the decision came after the ETV Bharat report highlighted the dilapidated condition of the structure of historical value. The Chandannagore Municipal Corporation authorities faced criticism following the news report, which was widely read and circulated on social media.

On Friday, the Municipal Corporation Commissioner and Mayor Ram Chakraborty and other officials went to inspect Kanailal's maternal home in Sarishapara. The mayor claimed that the wrong message had been given to the people.

Earlier, the report of demolition created a commotion with historians and common people venting their anger over the decision of the civic body. According to locals, neither the Left Front government nor the Trinamool Congress government bothered to make renovations to Kanailal's maternal uncle's birthplace.

Ram Chakraborty, the Mayor of the Municipal Corporation, who went to inspect the house, said, "We are not in favour of demolishing Kanailal's maternal uncle's house. We are thinking of renovating the damaged part. The CPM and BJP are doing politics on this. The house will be renovated in the future. We are working towards that goal."

The controversy

Speaking on the issue, Kalyan Chakraborty, director of the Rash Behari Institute, said, "It has been the long-standing demand of the people of Chandannagore that Kanailal's house be renovated. It did not happen during the Left-Trinamool era. I don't know why he (the mayor) has turned it into a political issue."

"There should be no political controversy over this. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said three times that Manishi Park will be built in Chandannagar. Why are the administrators who are now not paying attention to the Chief Minister's words?" he questioned.

Residents react

A resident, Shankar Pal, said, "Kanailal's uncle's house is now abandoned. Engineers came to renovate it. The authorities woke up to the need to keep the monument renovated."

CPM Hooghly district committee member Aikyatan Dasgupta said, "What has the Trinamool Congress-led civic body done for the memory of Kanailal for 15 years? Moreover, they wanted to demolish Kanailal's house, labelling it dangerous. Now that the common people and political parties are vocal on social media, the authorities have announced the house's renovation."

BJP's Hooghly district general secretary Suresh Sau questioned, "Reforms are a good thing. Why didn't the Municipal Corporation do it for so long?" Revolutionary Kanailal Dutta was born in this maternal home in Sarishapara, Chandannagar. Although he left the place, he later returned to Farasdanga in Chandannagar and joined the revolutionary activities.

Kanailal joined the Jugantar group through revolutionary Barindra Kumar Ghosh through an armed movement for freedom. Kanailal Dutta was arrested on charges of violating the Arms Act in the Maniktala bomb case. In 1908, Kanailal was hanged to death in the Alipore Jail.