Maharashtra Minister Ashish Shelar Visits Cellular Jail in Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Maharashtra's Cultural Affairs Minister, Ashish Shelar, recently visited the Cellular Jail in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, where he paid homage to freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. Reflecting on the tortures Savarkar endured, Shelar expressed his desire to establish a memorial in honor of Savarkar. His visit highlights the historical significance of the jail, which housed many freedom fighters during British rule. Shelar's efforts to collaborate with local authorities for the memorial's construction underscore the ongoing recognition of India's struggle for independence. Read more to discover the details of his visit and the historical context surrounding this iconic site.
May 17, 2025, 12:33 IST
Minister's Visit to Historical Site
Maharashtra's Cultural Affairs Minister, Ashish Shelar, recently toured the Cellular Jail located in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a site where freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar was imprisoned during British colonial rule. In a post shared on social media, Shelar expressed his emotions after visiting the dark cell where Savarkar endured his sentence, stating that he bowed his head in front of Savarkar's statue.
Reflecting on Savarkar's Suffering
During his visit, Shelar recalled the tortures faced by Savarkar within the jail's walls, saying, "Touching the walls where Savarkar penned his immortal poems filled me with excitement. Observing the jail, the rope worn by Savarkar, and other artifacts, one can only imagine the severe tortures this great son of Mother India endured... Yet, the meaning of 'Anadi mi Anant mi' also begins to emerge."
Request for Memorial Construction
Following his tour, Shelar met with the Chief Secretary of the Union Territory, Chandra Bhushan Kumar, to seek assistance in establishing a memorial for Savarkar in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He informed the Chief Secretary that he had also written to the Union Home Minister regarding this initiative. Shelar requested support and collaboration from the local administration for the memorial's construction. The Cellular Jail, also known as Kalapani, was a place where numerous Indian freedom fighters served their sentences, including Nani Gopal Mukherjee, Nand Kumar, Pulin Bihari Das, Bhai Paramanand, Prithvi Singh Azad, and many others. The first group of political prisoners sent to Kalapani were those involved in the Alipore bomb case following the bomb incident on April 30, 1908.