Freedom Fighters Name In Food Menu Of Alipore Jail Museum Sparks Row: 1947 to 2022, 75 years have passed since independence. Diamond Jubilee, ‘Azadi ki Amrit Mohotsav’ was celebrated across the country with great fanfare on August 15. But do we have sincere respect for that hard-earned freedom? Do we still respect the martyrs who gave their lives for the country? That is the question that has started to arise in a recent incident in Khas Kolkata.
A prison museum has been created in Alipore Correctional Facility to honor freedom fighters and martyrs. The history written in the blood of immortal fighters has been highlighted there. But the goal is to build a part of the museum around the cafeteria menu. Which is named ‘Freedom’. Not only the name of the menu but several dishes have been named after the names of different movements or freedom fighters. One of the platters is named Biwadi (Binay-Badal-Dinesh) and the other one is called Sepahi Mutter. One of the platters is named Santal Rebellion.
And this naming is the problem. Red netizens on cafe authorities. They complain that it is not fair to bring those who have continuously fought and sacrificed their lives to free future India from the slavery of foreigners. Some are even mocking it as bad culture. An attempt was made to contact the Alipool Jail Museum authorities on the matter but it was not possible.
However, prominent members of society do not see the name of freedom fighters on food plates very well. Historian Nrisinghamprasad Bhaduri was contacted by Sangam Pratid. in. His first reaction on hearing the matter was, “Things are not going well. Naming food or food ingredients after those revolutionaries, whom we hold in high esteem, who gave their lives for freedom, is highly ostentatious. I can’t accept it. It’s not right.” According to him, the name of the food should be changed.
Not only him but also the literary Vinod Ghosal. When contacted, Vinod Babu said, “The British would have been right to keep this name, because they had eaten the freedom fighters. But naming food after freedom fighters in independent India is unacceptable. It doesn’t get any more stupid, ridiculous, tragic than this. Such indifference is really unacceptable. I feel very helpless to think that Bengalis are slapping themselves on the cheek today.”
However, cartoonist Achap Banerjee does not see anything surprising in this matter. In his words, “In the 75 years of independence, this incident does not surprise me. Such incidents are scattered all around. This is just a new addition to that list.”
Like the eminent people, we cannot accept this naming. Many people expressed their anger on social media. All in all, the controversy surrounding such naming is raging. In the 75 years of independence, which was not desirable at all, according to informed circles. There is an immediate demand for such nomenclature change. Now let’s see if the authorities open up about it.
