New Delhi: The Ministry of Culture has confirmed that revolutionaries from undivided Bengal formed the largest group of political prisoners deported to the Andaman Cellular Jail during British rule.
#FLASH: 🚨 Bengali Revolutionaries Dominated Cellular Jail 🇮🇳
Rajya Sabha reveals 398 out of 585 freedom fighters exiled to Andaman’s Cellular Jail were from undivided Bengal (1909-1938). @RitabrataBanerj #FreedomStruggle #CellularJail #Bengals pic.twitter.com/zIQSxVgVCm
— The New Indian (@TheNewIndian_in) March 27, 2025
Responding to a Question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat provided a detailed breakdown of the number of freedom fighters exiled to the infamous jail.
According to official records, 585 revolutionaries were imprisoned in the Andaman Cellular Jail between 1909 and 1938. Out of this, 398 were from undivided Bengal, making up nearly 68% of the total political detainees.
State-wise contributions to the revolutionary struggle, as per the records, include:
- Punjab: 95
- Bihar: 17
- Uttar Pradesh: 18
- Kerala: 14
- Andhra Pradesh: 08
- Odisha: 05
- Maharashtra: 03
- Himachal Pradesh, North-West Frontier Province, Tamil Nadu, and Unidentified States: 27
Partial Representation of Freedom Fighters
When questioned about the display of photographs of these revolutionaries at the Cellular Jail, the Minister clarified that only the available photographs are exhibited. This implies that many of the imprisoned freedom fighters still lack visual representation at the memorial.
Legacy of the Cellular Jail
The Cellular Jail, also known as “Kala Pani,” remains one of the most significant symbols of India’s freedom struggle. Many of the most prominent revolutionaries, including Veer Savarkar, Barindra Kumar Ghosh, and Ullaskar Dutta, were among those who suffered imprisonment in its dark cells.
However, a separate Rajya Sabha question has revealed that no busts of Ullaskar Dutta and Barin Ghosh exist at the Cellular Jail, and no proposal for their installation is currently under consideration.
These revelations highlight the significant role of Bengali revolutionaries in India’s independence movement and raise questions about why many of their contributions remain underrepresented in national memorials.
With ongoing discussions about preserving India’s revolutionary history, there are increasing demands from historians and descendants of freedom fighters to properly document and honor all those who sacrificed for the nation.
