India’s cry for freedom began from Meghalaya, DoNER Minister

Nongkhlaw (Meghalaya), Aug 16 (PTI) IndiaÂ’s cry forfreedom from the British empire began in Meghalaya, yearsbefore the first War of Independence took place and a centurybefore Bhagat Singh and others were hanged and long beforeMahatma Gandhi arrived on the scene, DoNER Minister JitendraSingh said today. After paying floral tribute at the bust of U Tirot Singhere, the birth place of the legendary Khasi tribal rulerwho resisted the British army for four long years from1829-1833, the minister said, "His (U Tirot Sing) contributionhappened years before even before the first war ofIndependence. ‘He was also hanged a century before Bhagat Singh andothers were hanged," Singh told a gathering of TirotÂ’s clan,villagers and party workers here, about 70 km away from thestate capital. "This is an indication of the fact that IndiaÂ’s freedomcry began from Meghalaya long before Gandhi arrived on thescene," he said. While this legendary ruler of a small Khasi state inremote Meghalaya has already bore the brunt of his resistanceto the BritishÂ’s annexation, the awakening in the rest of thecountry came only after 1857, he said. Stating that the present Government at the Centre iskeen in honouring unsung heroes of freedom struggle, the DoNERMinister said Governments in the past have failed toacknowledge and give him his due. "That is why we have started the process of honouringsuch heroes who went unsung in a countrywide celebrationwhich began since August 9 to August 23," Singh said. Earlier, the sixth generation ruler of Hima Nongkhlaw(hima aka state) P M Syiemlieh also felicitated the DoNERMinister even as he acknowledged the fact that this is thefirst official recognition made by the Government of India forU Tirot Sing. U Tirot Sing, U Kiang Nangbah and Pa Togan Sangma wereamong the three prominent freedom fighters in Meghalaya andwhose legendary battles against the British do not find amention in history text books. PTI JOP MMRG