Nostalgia rules at Freedom Park

Nostalgia rules at Freedom Park
DH News Service, Bangalore:
The Freedom Park, constructed on the premises of the former Central Jail on Sheshadri Road was inaugurated by BJP leader L K Advani on Saturday.

A walk along the 20 acre park, which has been partially completed, sent several politicians down the memory lane. Advani, himself had been incarcerated in this prison for 19 months during the national emergency of 1975-77.
An emotional Advani expressed his gratitude to Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa for allowing him to revisit the place, where he had stayed during those months. He counted it as one of three most unforgettable moments of his life, saying that the other two was visiting his old house and his school, St Patrick in Karachi. Recalling the times during the emergency, he declared “If Jayaprakash Narayan had not led that struggle, then there would be only one party in power, ruling again and again and the dynastic rule would have continued.”

He narrated an incident, when he had met late Benazir Bhutto during NDA’s rule and asked her why democracy thrived in India, while military rule thrived in Pakistan.

“She answered that there were two factors. One was the fact that the army was apolitical in India and secondly, the makers of the Indian Constitution believed in the democracy intensely,” Advani said.

Turf Club

Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa disclosed that the Turf Club would be shifted in a year’s time and the place would be turned in to a people-friendly area.

He said, “We are consulting various people, but I promise we will come up with a idea that will be a people-friendly initiative.” He remembered the five farmers from Eesur village who were hanged in 1943 at the Central Jail, for taking part in the Quit India Movement. The park is still under construction, but it has been opened to the public. The photo section, state archives, amphitheatre and auditorium have been completed.

The watch tower has been left undisturbed as part of the plan to retain some structures of the jail as heritage building. No ticket fee has been fixed yet and the public can visit the park, free of cost at present. The park is being constructed by Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) at a cost of Rs 17.28 crore.

BJP MP Ananthkumar, Ministers V S Acharya, Katta Subramanya Naidu, R Ashok and Suresh Kumar were also present on the occasion.