Demand To Convert Freedom Fighter Baji’s House Into Museum

Bhubaneswar: Well-known historian and researcher Anil Dhir on Friday requested Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to convert the late freedom fighter Mohammad Baji’s house in Nabarangpur into a museum.

Baji passed away at the age of 103 on Thursday.

Dhir has described Baji as one of the last Gandhian freedom fighters, a true nationalist and a great human being, who waged a relentless struggle against British rule and was jailed for nearly 2000 days.

The historian, who met Baji and interviewed him a few months ago, said in his letter to the CM that Baji’s house was a “den” of Satyagrahis all along the freedom struggle and raided by police several times.

Luminaries such as Jayprakash Narayan, Acharya Vinoba Bhave, Biju Patnaik, Mahadev Desai, Thakar Bapi, Binode Kanungo, Acharya Harihar Das, Godabarish Mishra, Laxman Naik, Sadasiv Tripathy, C F Andrews, J V Kothari, Malati Devi, Rama Devi and Sarala Devi have stayed at this place.

“Even though the house has been unoccupied for years, it is in a good state and in its original form. It would be befitting to convert it into a museum. Besides the personal effects of the humble man, photographs of other freedom fighters too can be displayed. This will be a fitting tribute of this great son of the soil. His nephew, who is heir apparent, is only too willing to convert the house into a museum,” Dhir said in his letter.

He also suggested that the old jail, where Baji was imprisoned many times can also be converted into a museum.

The CM had on Thursday said in his condolence message that in Baji’s death, the country has lost one of its foremost freedom fighters who devoted his life to public service.