A memorial and a park set up in this native town of well-known freedom fighter Lala Laj Pat Rai is fast turning into a haven for the tipplers. The sad part is that this park is located right next to the official building of the Municipal Council but the babudom is doing little to save this place from degeneration.

Notable here is that this great freedom was born in Jagraon on January 28, 1865 and apart from this park, the town has many schools and libraries named after this great freedom fighter..

Deepak Kalsi, owner of Libra Health Club, who also runs an NGO, complains, “I have done some plantation in this park and come here each morning to water them. For the last 10 to 15 days, I have been noticing that each morning, rag pickers would head for this park. On querying them, I came to know that they came here to pick up empty bottles.”

Kalsi added, “These are the empty liquor bottles. On investigating a little further, I came to know that each winter some rehriwallas, selling chicken and eggs, start selling their wares next to the park. Their customers usually are tipplers. The rehriwallas make them sit inside the park and drink while they serve them food items. It is a matter of shame for all of us to see that a memorial that has been set up in the memory of such a great freedom fighter has come to such a pass.”

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