It is only recently that Marxists have changed their views on revolutionaries in Bengal. They might be surprised to know that Bengal's freedom fighters had advocated the Marxist experiment in labour way
back in the early 20th century.

Nine hundred and twenty-two uncirculated copies of Jugantar, the main mouthpiece of the Bengal revolutionaries in the early 20th century, have been found from the record rooms of Alipore Court.
Court officials found the papers over the past few months while going through old documents. About a month back, the last bundle was found inside a steel trunk.

Historians feel the papers could throw new light on the pre-independence history of Bengal, particularly between 1906 and 1908. Jugantar then provided an ideal platform for voicing revolutionary ideas. It
was stewarded by writers like Aurobindo Ghosh, his brother Barindranath Ghosh and other hardliners who faced trial in the Alipore conspiracy case.

The copies discuss among other things:
a) a complete unity among the Hindus and the Muslims for the sake of a more focussed freedom movement.
b) the need to adopt principles as regards the Marxist sympathy for labourers in a free and independent Indian context. The copies quote lines from a book by Arnold Roller called The Social General Strike
c) the role of Ramakrishna Mission in their humanitarian involvement during the famine of 1906-7.
d) drain of national wealth by the British government.
e) need for an armed rebellion against the Raj in an effort to free India.
The copies suggest that revolutionaries had a mass base contrary to popular belief.
Sri Aurobindo Ashram authorities in Pondicherry are planning to bring out a compiled edition of the uncirculated papers. The Sri Aurobindo Institute of Culture, Kolkata, is helping the authorities in Pondicherry in this regard.

Historian, Professor Amalendu Dey, who was attached to Jadavpur University and Asiatic Society has been entrusted with the task of writing an introduction to the edition.

Prof Dey told The Statesman, "The most controversial part of Indian history has been the role of the revolutionaries in the freedom movement. The Jugantar copies would go a long way in clearing certain misgivings about our heroes."