The birthplace of Lokmanya Tilak, known as ‘the Father of the Indian unrest’, at Ratnagiri should be declared a national monument ! : Manoj Khadye, HJS

HJS holds a press conference at Ratnagiri to expose the dilapidated condition of Lokmanya Tilak’s birthplace

Demonstrations will be staged at Mumbai, Pune, and Ratnagiri to wake up the Archaeology Department

Editorial comment

Disregarding the freedom fighters, who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of this country, is a sign of ungratefulness of the Government machinery towards these Great Freedom fighters! It is shameful for the Government ! At least people should not exhibit such ingratitude, but insist to the Government for preserving and maintaining the memorials of the revolutionaries in good condition !

Mr Deepak Joshi, Mr Rakesh Nalawade, Mr Manoj Khadye (speaking), and Mr Sanjay Joshi

Ratnagiri, 20th November – Lokmanya Tilak was sent to Cellular Jail (Kala Pani) for his activities related to the freedom of this country. He spread India’s freedom movement all over the country and was called ‘the father of the Indian unrest’ by the British. His birthplace in Tilak Lane is, however, in a dilapidated condition. The Archaeology Department should take necessary steps for its restoration and Lokmanya Tilak’s birthplace should be declared as a national monument, demanded Mr Manoj Khadye, the Coordinator of Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) for West Maharashtra, the Konkan region, and Gujarat State. Under the movement to be undertaken by HJS for this cause, demonstrations will be staged at Mumbai, Pune, and Ratnagiri, he informed while speaking in the press conference held at Shesharam hall of Maruti Mandir in the city on 20.11.2021. Mr Rakesh Nalawade of ‘Shri Shivapratishthan Hindustan’, Mr Deepak Joshi of ‘Aparant’ organisation, and Mr Vinod Gadikar of HJS were present on the occasion. Mr Sanjay Joshi of HJS first introduced the subject and the eminent personalities attending the press conference.

Mr Manoj Khadye further said,

The tiles of the roof of this birthplace are broken and moss has grown on the walls. There are cracks in walls at some places.

The board displayed by the Archaeology Department has rusted and the matter written on it is illegible.

Hundreds of tourists and students visit this place from all over the country. They ask for a brochure to know more about this place, but there is no such brochure available at the memorial.

There should have been a documentary film made on Lokmanya Tilak and shown at this place to visitors or the books authored by him should be kept here, but there is a lack of all these things at the memorial i.e. his birthplace.

Considering the dereliction of Lokmanya Tilak’s memorial, the ‘Swarajya’ as was expected by him, needs to become a ‘Surajya (good governance)’.

Unfortunately, a press conference has to be held to draw attention to the dilapidated condition of Lokmanya Tilak’s birthplace ! – Rakesh Nalawade, Shri Shivapratishthan Hindustan

The bungalows used by political leaders and administrative officers are renovated regularly, but there is negligence in the case of Lokmanya Tilak’s birthplace. Unfortunately, such a press conference has to be held to draw the attention of the Government to the decrepit condition of this memorial. The Great national leaders who sacrificed everything for the freedom of this country; still such a bad condition of their memorials is like an insult to the great mission they had undertaken. We are, therefore, with HJS in this fight.

The blunt feelings towards the memorial of Lokmanya Tilak need to be sharpened ! – Deepak Joshi, Aparant Sanghatana

The decrepit condition of Lokmanya Tilak’s birthplace is a matter of shame. The leader, who gave us the word ‘Swarajya’, who founded the base of ‘Swarajya’ should be an inspiration for all and it will help in the progress of the District, the State, and the country. The Government needs to take appropriate steps for the same. The local people will not like to see such a pitiable condition of the memorial of Lokmanya Tilak. Such a condition of his birthplace indicates that our feelings towards this great leader have become blunt. We need to sharpen these feelings and we will extend all the help required by HJS for this mission. We will participate in this movement.

Highlights

• The photos were shown during the press conference of the decrepit condition of Lokmanya Tilak’s memorial.
• A good response was received from journalists at the press conference and they congratulated HJS for drawing their attention to this issue.
• Lokmanya Tilak was born in Ratnagiri, studied in Pune, and breathed his last in Mumbai; therefore, the movement to be undertaken by HJS will start from Ratnagiri, Pune, and Mumbai in its first phase. The journalists asked questions on the agitations and the future course of action planned by HJS.
• Mr Manoj Khadye informed them about the Twitter trend to be started in the next 24 hours, on this issue.