Didn't join movement for award: Freedom fighter
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KOLKATA: The flaked paint and the cracks
in the ceiling are discernable in the rented house of 90-plus
Benoyendra Mohan Banerjee at Chetla. But Banerjee is least bothered.
Contented in his small room, Banerjee is concerned with the freedom we
enjoy. "Is this the freedom for which we fought?"
Banerjee was arrested in 1939 in Dhaka, when he was a student of Class IX, but used to harbour revolutionaries in his home. "My mother Hiranmoyee Devi used to cook for the revolutionaries. But my father Biraj Mohan Banerjee, who was a well-known lawyer, never knew it. A police officer, who was also a relative, informed my father and he came to know the truth when I was arrested. Soon, I came in touch with Maharaj Troilokkya Nath Chakraborty, founder of Anushilan Samity," he said.
While studying intermediate at Jagannath College, Dhaka, he was hounded by the police for his association with revolutionaries. He fled home in 1942 during the Quit India Movement and went to Jharia. "I slept on the premises of a bank to evade arrest. I came to Kolkata and managed a job with the American air depot in Khardah. I worked as a tally clerk keeping stocks of parts of planes which were sent for assembling at Khardah. Salary hike took place every month, as I gained the confidence of my boss, who was a US sergeant.
But soon there was news that Netaji was at Kohima with his INA fighting against the British army. Suddenly, three planes which were sent for Kohima crashed and there was suspicion of a sabotage. Actually, the officers had no clue with my link with the revolutionaries."
Banerjee was later arrested from office for espionage. "I had to face court martial. But, my boss saved me as he pleaded that that I was a civilian, so I do not have to face court martial. I was placed with a British officer, who assaulted me a lot. Unable to withstand the torture, I attacked him and suddenly by the turn of the event he allowed me to go."
"At that time I stayed at Pabitra hotel at Sealdah and found police surrounding the hotel. They allowed none to enter or leave the hotel. The hotel owner on the third day said that he was facing loss for me and requested me to leave. I told the police that I wanted to shift to my brother's home at Babubagan in Dhakuria area. Immediately a police camp was set up to guard me as I was placed under house arrest, which continued till independence. Initially the locals were afraid of the police, later they felt that police presence will stop thefts in the Babubagan.
"But police kept a close watch on me. They followed me wherever I went. Even when I used to go to Dhaka they followed me. Before returning, I had to make GD to inform the police about my route to Kolkata," he said. Once I changed my route and this put a police officer in trouble and to save his job, I had to give another statement. My brother-in-law was a police officer, he would often ask to co-operate with his colleagues and share food who used to travel with me."
Banerjee was felicitated by President Pranab Mukherjee at Raisina Hills last week. But to him, it was a meaningless exercise. "President was too busy felicitating over hundred freedom fighters. He had little time to interact with us. I thought of speaking to him, but it did not materialize. Vice President Hamid Ansari told me in Bengali, 'bhalo kore khan. Amio Kolkatar lok'."
Banerjee who appears hale and hearty even with a pacemaker on, wanted to ask the President how freedom can be really achieved after 66 years of Independence. "I didn't join the struggle for any award and don't want anything from the government. It is a great honour that Mukherjee invited us. I heard that government had earmarked plots for the freedom fighters. So, I had applied. But I did not get any reply. So, I stay in this rented house."
"I did not join the freedom movement for any award and do not want anything from the government," said Banerjee. He recalled the independence day of 1947 was not a happy moment, as the country was portioned and riots were on.
Banerjee was arrested in 1939 in Dhaka, when he was a student of Class IX, but used to harbour revolutionaries in his home. "My mother Hiranmoyee Devi used to cook for the revolutionaries. But my father Biraj Mohan Banerjee, who was a well-known lawyer, never knew it. A police officer, who was also a relative, informed my father and he came to know the truth when I was arrested. Soon, I came in touch with Maharaj Troilokkya Nath Chakraborty, founder of Anushilan Samity," he said.
While studying intermediate at Jagannath College, Dhaka, he was hounded by the police for his association with revolutionaries. He fled home in 1942 during the Quit India Movement and went to Jharia. "I slept on the premises of a bank to evade arrest. I came to Kolkata and managed a job with the American air depot in Khardah. I worked as a tally clerk keeping stocks of parts of planes which were sent for assembling at Khardah. Salary hike took place every month, as I gained the confidence of my boss, who was a US sergeant.
But soon there was news that Netaji was at Kohima with his INA fighting against the British army. Suddenly, three planes which were sent for Kohima crashed and there was suspicion of a sabotage. Actually, the officers had no clue with my link with the revolutionaries."
Banerjee was later arrested from office for espionage. "I had to face court martial. But, my boss saved me as he pleaded that that I was a civilian, so I do not have to face court martial. I was placed with a British officer, who assaulted me a lot. Unable to withstand the torture, I attacked him and suddenly by the turn of the event he allowed me to go."
"At that time I stayed at Pabitra hotel at Sealdah and found police surrounding the hotel. They allowed none to enter or leave the hotel. The hotel owner on the third day said that he was facing loss for me and requested me to leave. I told the police that I wanted to shift to my brother's home at Babubagan in Dhakuria area. Immediately a police camp was set up to guard me as I was placed under house arrest, which continued till independence. Initially the locals were afraid of the police, later they felt that police presence will stop thefts in the Babubagan.
"But police kept a close watch on me. They followed me wherever I went. Even when I used to go to Dhaka they followed me. Before returning, I had to make GD to inform the police about my route to Kolkata," he said. Once I changed my route and this put a police officer in trouble and to save his job, I had to give another statement. My brother-in-law was a police officer, he would often ask to co-operate with his colleagues and share food who used to travel with me."
Banerjee was felicitated by President Pranab Mukherjee at Raisina Hills last week. But to him, it was a meaningless exercise. "President was too busy felicitating over hundred freedom fighters. He had little time to interact with us. I thought of speaking to him, but it did not materialize. Vice President Hamid Ansari told me in Bengali, 'bhalo kore khan. Amio Kolkatar lok'."
Banerjee who appears hale and hearty even with a pacemaker on, wanted to ask the President how freedom can be really achieved after 66 years of Independence. "I didn't join the struggle for any award and don't want anything from the government. It is a great honour that Mukherjee invited us. I heard that government had earmarked plots for the freedom fighters. So, I had applied. But I did not get any reply. So, I stay in this rented house."
"I did not join the freedom movement for any award and do not want anything from the government," said Banerjee. He recalled the independence day of 1947 was not a happy moment, as the country was portioned and riots were on.
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