JORHAT, March 18 - The Piyali Baruah Smriti Rakhya Samiti (PBSRS) has decided to take up a few measures to keep the martyr�s memory alive and remind the new generation about the immense contributions he had made during India�s first struggle for independence in 1857, followed by his ultimate sacrifice a year later.
In an executive meeting held at Choladhora here a couple of days back, the Samiti adopted a few resolutions to revive the memories of Piyali Baruah through a slew of measures. The Samiti has resolved to work for installation of his statue near the western bypass of Jorhat and organise memorial lectures as part of academic activities, according to the secretary of PBSRS, Devajyoti Srutikar.
The Samiti will also organise a public meeting soon to discuss the proposed renaming of the Tarun Ram Phookan Road as Swahid Piyali Baruah Path. It is pertinent to mention that this arterial road was previously known as New Road, Choladhora, before being named after Phookan.
Piyali was hanged along with Maniram Dewan at Jorhat on February 26, 1858, on the charge of inciting Hindustani sepoys against the British. Piyali, the trusted lieutenant of Maniram, had gone to the camp of the sepoys stationed in a village called Nogora, located about 12 km south of Golaghat, to convince them about the ulterior motives of the British imperialists, and motivated them with fiery speeches. The attempts of Piyali, Maniram and their associates to overthrow the British from Assam, however, did not succeed.
There is neither a road named after Piyali in his home district Jorhat, nor has a Government programme ever been held in his memory since Independence. Though the State Government, well over a decade ago, had decided to set up a statue in his memory in Jorhat, the project has remained incomplete.
Assembly Speaker and local MLA Hitendra Nath Goswami and MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa have extended support to the Samiti for initiating the works to keep Piyali�s memory alive. Two academic lectures will be organised in May next in this regard, where former president of Indian History Congress Dr Rajen Saikia and historical researcher Dr Soumitra Pujari are likely to deliver lectures in Piyali�s memory.
