Nidhi Mahalik along with nine others had laid their lives to the bullets of the British on September 22, 1942 and the dream of their struggle came true when India achieved independence in 1947. But their family members have been struggling for minimum necessities and Government assistance for decades. Sahid Nagar is yet to get recognition as a place of martyrdom or a place in the tourism map of Odisha.
Even after the lapse of one year of the direction of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in this regard, the State Government is yet to ensure its inclusion in the tourism map.
Supreme Court lawyer and rights activist Radhakanta Tripathy had moved the NHRC for the recognition of Sahid Nagar as a place of tourism and to ensure justice to the family members of the martyrs.
In January last year the NHRC had asked the Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) to consider the case.
“Though Eram has been declared as a tourism spot by the State after intervention of the NHRC and Union Home Ministry on two different petitions by Tripathy, the case of Sahid Nagar remains in the files till date,” said Ramahari Goswami, a freedom fighter who delivered his keynote address along with other dignitaries recently on Sahid Divas celebration at Sahid Nagar.
Attending the meeting as the chief guest Tourism and Culture Minister Ashok Panda said he would look into the public demand. local MlA and former MlAs were
present.