Centre to bring out books on freedom fighters from North East: Smriti Irani

New Delhi: The Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry will bring out books on the contributions and sacrifices of freedom fighters from the North East.

HRD minister Smriti Irani said this at an event organised by the RSS-linked body Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram to commemorate the birth centenary year of Rani Gaidinliu, a Manipuri political leader, who led a revolt against British rule in India.

"Whether it is Rani Gaidinliu or Kanaklataji, all people from North East who sacrificed their lives in the freedom struggle, the HRD ministry will bring out books on them through the National Book Trust to ensure they do not get lost from the pages of history," Irani said at the event where Nagaland CM TR Zeliang was also present.

The HRD minister said she would travel to the North East to launch them, beginning with the book on Gaidinliu.

These books will be available in Hindi, English, Punjabi, Gujarati, Tamil, besides several tribal and other Indian languages, she said.

Irani, in her speech, said she felt "pained" when somebody from the North East referred to the rest of the country as "mainland".

She said she was as much the daughter of India as any daughter from the North East.

Earlier speaking at the event, Zeliang said such events would lead to better understanding of the contribution of freedom fighter Gaidinliu's contribution to the freedom struggle and better integration of North East region with that of mainland India.

Referring to the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, which primarily works in tribal areas, Irani said her maternal grandfather had been associated with it for a long time.