Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said it was ‘unfortunate’ that those who laid down their lives in the Chauri Chaura incident in 1922 were not given due prominence in the pages of history. Addressing the people at a commemorative event in Chauri Chaura, Prime Minister Modi said via video-conferencing, “Incident of Chauri Chaura was not limited to a police station being set on fire. The message of the incident was huge. Due to various reasons, it was treated as a minor incident, but we should see it in a context. The fire was not just in the station but in the hearts of people.”
“It is unfortunate that the martyrs of the Chauri Chaura incident have not been discussed as much as they should have been. Although, they have not been given significance in pages of history their blood is in the soil of the country and keeps inspiring us,” he said.
“Chauri Chaura holds a very significant place in the freedom struggle. I bow to the freedom fighters who gave their lives on the sacred land,” PM Modi said after inaugurating the ‘Chauri Chaura’ Centenary Celebrations in Gorakhpur. He also released a postage stamp dedicated to mark the beginning of the centenary celebrations in Uttar Pradesh. State Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was also present on the occasion.
The Prime Minister said that it is rare to find a single episode in the freedom struggle where 19 freedom fighters were hanged for one event. PM remembered the efforts of Baba Raghavdas and Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya who saved about 150 people from the gallows.
The Prime Minister expressed happiness that the entire campaign is associating the students and youth in the efforts to explore the lesser-known aspects of the freedom struggle.
Mentioning the Education Ministry’s invitation to the young writers to write books on freedom fighters, PM Modi said, “I urge young writers to come forward and write books on our freedom fighters who gave their lives for Maa Bharati. This will be a way of honouring their actions.”
The Prime Minister said it is a true tribute to our freedom fighters that these ‘Chauri Chaura’ Centenary Celebrations are being linked to local art and culture and AatamNirbharta. He also lauded the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath and Uttar Pradesh Government for organizing the event.
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The centenary celebrations and various events planned by the State government have started in all 75 districts of the state on Thursday morning. The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh is gearing up to create a world record during the Chauri Chaura centenary celebrations, which will see thousands of children from across the state recite Vande Mataram. The plan is to make around 50,000 students together sing Vande Mataram in a bid to make it to the Guinness Book of World Records.
Chauri Chaura incident
The Chauri Chaura incident took place on 4 February 1922 at Chauri Chaura in the Gorakhpur district of Uttar Pradesh. A group of freedom fighters participating in the non-cooperation movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi in 1922 was fired upon by police, leading to the death of many of them. In retaliation, The demonstrators attacked and set fire to the Chauri Chaura police station, killing many of its occupants. Mahatma Gandhi had called off the movement due to the violence.
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