In a poignant reminder from India’s Parliament, Trinamool Congress MP Ritabrata Banerjee shone a light on 12 fearless freedom fighters from West Bengal whose sacrifices have been unjustly overlooked. Speaking during Zero Hour on Wednesday, Banerjee highlighted these unsung heroes exiled to the Cellular Jail in the Andaman Islands following the historic Alipore Bomb Case of 1908-1909.
These revolutionaries, including Barindra Kumar Ghosh, Ullaskar Dutt, and Hemchandra Kanungo, stood unyielding against British colonial rule. Convicted for their daring acts of defiance, they were sentenced to life imprisonment and transportation for life, yet they never wavered or sought clemency.
Barindra Ghosh orchestrated underground networks and bomb-making units as part of the Jugantar and Anushilan Samiti movements. Ullaskar Dutt was the group’s master bomb-maker, while Hemchandra Kanungo brought explosive expertise from Paris to fuel the revolutionary fire. Banerjee emphasized, ‘These were fighters who battled without compromise.’
For years, they endured the horrors of Kala Pani—the Cellular Jail’s infamous isolation cells, grueling oil-extraction labor, and dehumanizing conditions. Despite unimaginable torment, their resolve never broke.
Banerjee lamented how these steadfast warriors are often forgotten or unfairly compared to those who pleaded for mercy. ‘They never filed a mercy petition,’ he asserted, calling for national recognition of their unwavering commitment to India’s independence.
The Alipore Conspiracy Case stemmed from audacious plots, including a bomb attack on a British magistrate in Muzaffarpur. While some like Sri Aurobindo were acquitted, Ghosh and Dutt initially faced death sentences commuted to life terms.
This appeal comes amid growing debates on Bengal’s revolutionary legacy. Banerjee noted that nearly 46 Bengalis were among the jail’s early inmates from 1909-1921. He urged Parliament and the nation to honor these uncompromising patriots and etch their sacrifices into India’s freedom narrative forever.