For the first time any Cabinet Minister visited the Chak Ramprasad Village, West Bengal to pay tribute to the martyr Churka Murmu who sacrificed his life during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War
Forty-four years ago, during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, when the Pakistani Army entered Chak Ramprasad village of Balurghat district, RSS Swayamsevak made the supreme sacrifice while helping the BSF jawans. This year for the first time a Central Minister visited the village to pay tribute to this great soldier without uniform. S S Ahluwalia, Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Agriculture, paid tribute to the martyr Churka Murmu by offering flowers on the memorial and touching the feet of his sister-in-law. On the occasion he said, “A common Swayamsevak obtains Sanskaras from three sources – home, school and RSS shakha. The values imbibed in RSS shakha inspired Churka to sacrifice his life for the nation.” He also called for including the story of Churka in school text books and assured his personal attention in this regard.
On August 18, 1971, ‘Mukti Bahini’ was at ‘guerilla war’ with ‘Khan Sena’ (Pakistani Army) in East Pakistan. Chak Ramprasad was the frontier village of Balurghat, the district headquarters of Paschim Dinajpur (Undivided Dinajpur District). On that day at dawn a troop of Pakistani Army entered Chak Ramprasad in the guise of ‘Mukti Bahini’ and started firing. Their target was BSF camp of Chak Ramprasad. Being frightened, the villagers started running away. Young Churka (HSC Appeared) was the inhabitant of that village. He observed the matter from a distance. Realising the fact, he informed all the villagers that ‘Khan Sena’ was coming. After that he reached the BSF camp and informed them about the event. There were only four or five Soldiers at that camp. They were ready to attack the ‘Khan Sena’ but they needed the help of some people to carry the ammunitions. No one dared to help them. Then Churka with his two friends rendered his helping hand and started walking with the boxes of ammunitions. Churka and one BSF Jawan hid themselves near a jute field beside a pond. In the mean time the ‘Khan Sena’ encompassed them from two sides. Raising his hands the BSF Jawan surrendered. Churka’s other companions escaped away. Churka could have done the same but he did not. He entered into the jute field with the boxes of ammunitions, by crawling. He thought that it was better to throw them into the pond. He became
successful in his mission but when he was about to throw the last box of ammunitions, he slipped and fell into the pond. Hearing the falling sound, the ‘Khan Sena’ started firing and killed him.
1971 Indo-Pak war ended. India won. Bangladesh got independence. Churka got martyrdom with the
innumerable Indian Soldiers. He did his work and set an example of
patriotism and performance of duties.
‘Churka Murmu Smriti Samiti’ has been celebrating ‘Churka Murmu Atma Balidan Divas’ since 1982 to commemorate Churka’s ‘Atma Balidan’(sacrifice) and inspire the youngsters for patriotism. On the occasion, like every year, Kabbaddi and Archery competitions were
organised. A Rs 1000 scholarship was also awarded to the meritorious student on this occasion by the committee. Many RSS swayamsevaks along with Adwait Charan Dutta, Akhil Bhartiya Sah Pracharak Pramukh, Vidrohi Sarkar, Prant Sanghachalak and Dr Tilak Ranjan, Kshetra Bouddhik Pramukh and Jaladhar Mahato, Uttar-Bang Pracharak were present on the occasion.
—Organiser Bureau
