JORHAT, Feb 22 � Krishna Nath Sharma, late freedom fighter of Jorhat who owned titles like �Deshaprana� and �Harijan Bandhu� for his selfless activities to reform the society following the path shown by Mahatma Gandhi, is yet to receive proper recognition from the Government and other organisations. Even his tomb is surrounded by weeds and the Ashram, once the abode of Khadi culture, is in a dilapidated condition at Krishna Nagar here due to utter negligence.
�The political leaders came to the Ashram almost twice a day in the run-up to the eve of the birth centenary celebration of Krishna Nath Sharma. But as soon as the function was over, Sharma was forgotten by everyone,� a relative of Krishna Nath Sharma stated in anguish to this correspondent.
Even on the Independence Day, the tomb of the noted freedom fighter lies neglected amidst the wilderness, far away from the sight of the district administration and political leaders taking part in the celebration with pomp and grandeur. Similarly, his birth and death anniversaries are also overlooked by the groups working to propagate Gandhian philosophy.
�Earlier we observed the Independence Day and the Republic Day at the precincts of the Ashram. We requested the Government on several occasions to provide funds for the institution. But the Government has not paid any attention to our appeal�, Tileswar Bordoloi, a member of the committee of the Ashram and a freedom fighter of Jorhat, told this Correspondent.
Born in 1888 at Sarbaibandha, Krishna Nath Sharma abjured his profession as a lawyer under the British Government following the call of Mahatma Gandhi, joined the freedom movement and got imprisoned several times. He was fighting relentlessly against the use of opium among the Assamese people. Sharma was one of the exponents of the Khadi movement in the country and he used to train the people of the region to produce cloth in their own looms. He turned his residence into an Ashram and began to preach and work like Gandhi at Wardha. In 1926, the Indian National Congress session at Pandu was made possible only by the tireless efforts of Krishna Nath Sharma and his companions. The Pandu session was praised highly by Mahatma Gandhi in his writings as having been �erected in the midst of surroundings of great natural beauty on the bank of great Brahmaputra, a city under Khadi canvas�.
On April 8, 1934, during his second visit to Assam, Gandhi opened the doors of the family prayer hall (Naamghar) of Krishna Nath Sharma at his residence for the �Harijans� who were then considered as the untouchables. In that function, Pitambar Deva Goswami, Satradhikar, Garmur Satra and Amrit Lal Thakkar, secretary, All India Harijan Sevak Sangha, were also present. Thereafter, the then orthodox society excommunicated the family of Sharma for mixing up with the low caste people. Sharma also took active part in establishing 12 Harijan schools during that time. It was he who steered the anti- untouchable movement in the State.
With little lust for power and position, Sharma engaged himself in social work by even facing financial hardships. Later, his son Kalidas Dev Sharma, following the path of his father, continued the activities of the Ashram and renamed it as �Krishna Nagar Samaj Unnayan Kendra� along with a child development centre. After his demise, all the activities came to a halt. His family members revealed that the institution was burgled many a time. The tomb of Kalidas Dev Sharma is also lying in a neglected state beside his father�s vault in the campus of the Ashram. The dilapidated building of the Ashram, covered by wild creepers, stands as a testimony to the apathy of the so-called Gandhians and the ruling mechanism of independent India, observers here said.
JORHAT, Feb 22 � Krishna Nath Sharma, late freedom fighter of Jorhat who owned titles like �Deshaprana� and �Harijan Bandhu� for his selfless activities to reform the society following the path shown by Mahatma Gandhi, is yet to receive proper recognition from the Government and other organisations. Even his tomb is surrounded by weeds and the Ashram, once the abode of Khadi culture, is in a dilapidated condition at Krishna Nagar here due to utter negligence.
�The political leaders came to the Ashram almost twice a day in the run-up to the eve of the birth centenary celebration of Krishna Nath Sharma. But as soon as the function was over, Sharma was forgotten by everyone,� a relative of Krishna Nath Sharma stated in anguish to this correspondent.
Even on the Independence Day, the tomb of the noted freedom fighter lies neglected amidst the wilderness, far away from the sight of the district administration and political leaders taking part in the celebration with pomp and grandeur. Similarly, his birth and death anniversaries are also overlooked by the groups working to propagate Gandhian philosophy.
�Earlier we observed the Independence Day and the Republic Day at the precincts of the Ashram. We requested the Government on several occasions to provide funds for the institution. But the Government has not paid any attention to our appeal�, Tileswar Bordoloi, a member of the committee of the Ashram and a freedom fighter of Jorhat, told this Correspondent.
Born in 1888 at Sarbaibandha, Krishna Nath Sharma abjured his profession as a lawyer under the British Government following the call of Mahatma Gandhi, joined the freedom movement and got imprisoned several times. He was fighting relentlessly against the use of opium among the Assamese people. Sharma was one of the exponents of the Khadi movement in the country and he used to train the people of the region to produce cloth in their own looms. He turned his residence into an Ashram and began to preach and work like Gandhi at Wardha. In 1926, the Indian National Congress session at Pandu was made possible only by the tireless efforts of Krishna Nath Sharma and his companions. The Pandu session was praised highly by Mahatma Gandhi in his writings as having been �erected in the midst of surroundings of great natural beauty on the bank of great Brahmaputra, a city under Khadi canvas�.
On April 8, 1934, during his second visit to Assam, Gandhi opened the doors of the family prayer hall (Naamghar) of Krishna Nath Sharma at his residence for the �Harijans� who were then considered as the untouchables. In that function, Pitambar Deva Goswami, Satradhikar, Garmur Satra and Amrit Lal Thakkar, secretary, All India Harijan Sevak Sangha, were also present. Thereafter, the then orthodox society excommunicated the family of Sharma for mixing up with the low caste people. Sharma also took active part in establishing 12 Harijan schools during that time. It was he who steered the anti- untouchable movement in the State.
With little lust for power and position, Sharma engaged himself in social work by even facing financial hardships. Later, his son Kalidas Dev Sharma, following the path of his father, continued the activities of the Ashram and renamed it as �Krishna Nagar Samaj Unnayan Kendra� along with a child development centre. After his demise, all the activities came to a halt. His family members revealed that the institution was burgled many a time. The tomb of Kalidas Dev Sharma is also lying in a neglected state beside his father�s vault in the campus of the Ashram. The dilapidated building of the Ashram, covered by wild creepers, stands as a testimony to the apathy of the so-called Gandhians and the ruling mechanism of independent India, observers here said.
