Smriti takes part in Tiranga Yatra at Vidurashwatha

Union Tex­t­i­l­es Minister Smriti Irani on Tuesday recalled the sacrifice of 35 people in Chikkaballapur who were martyred while pr­o­testing against the British rule during the freedom struggle.

The incident took place at Vidurashwatha, in Gouribidanur taluk in Chikkaballapur district on April 25, 1938. Irani, on Tuesday, visited Vidurashwatha to pay homage to the martyrs as part of the Tiranga Yatra to celebrate India’s 70th Independence Day.

A memorial, Veera Soudha, has been erected at the spot where the freedom fighters were martyred. Speaking at a public meeting, Irani said Vidurashwatha is known as the “Jallianwala Bagh of the South”. She recalled that one of the 35 martyrs was a pregnant woman. “It is because of the sacrifice of these people that we are enjoying our freedom today. For the first time, the government is celebrating Independence Day with people, like a festival,” she said.

Irani said during the last two years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been celebrating Deepavali with troops guarding the country’s borders. The country was moving towards the path of self-sufficiency and the entire world was looking at India with respect, she said.