India
Mustaque’s collections include an old photograph of Netaji with family members of Ashok Banerjee in Cuttack, homeopathy box, rare photos donated by Abdul Hamid Hazzari, and more
Odisha: Three years have passed since the Kendrapara district administration promised a Netaji museum, and as a result, rare memorabilia of the freedom fighter is gathering dust at a lawyer’s house at Bahadat village.
Work has been progressing at a snail’s pace and hence rare photos, books and documents have been left abandoned, according to media reports.
“I am ready to donate all my collections, if the government builds a museum in Kendrapara. I collected many materials relating to Netaji from several places of the state for more than three decades by spending money from my pocket,” said Mustaque, the lawyer who is housing the archives.
Mustaque’s collections include an old photograph of Netaji with family members of Ashok Banerjee in Cuttack, homeopathy box, rare photos donated by Abdul Hamid Hazzari, and more.
Hazzari’s grandfather accompanied Netaji in the early 90s while treating cholera patients.
Other items on display at the lawyer’s house include a handwritten letter of Captain Dr Laxmi Sahgal of the Indian National Army, a gazette notification of Bihar and Orissa of 1913 mentioning that Netaji cleared entrance examination in 1913, and original copies of ‘Forward’ magazine.
District cultural officer Bharat Parida said that the administration had sent a proposal to the government to sanction funds for the construction of the Netaji museum at Kendrapara. He said that after receiving the funds, they will build the museum to showcase all the collectibles that are currently in Mustaque’s possession.
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