Martyrs of Chauri Chaura incident keep inspiring us: PM Modi inaugurates centenary celebrations

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday inaugurated the centenary celebrations of the Chauri Chaura incident in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh.

Recalling the incident, the prime minister said, "The 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 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 it keeps inspiring us," PM Modi said.

The prime minister also released a postal stamp dedicated to the Chauri Chaura centenary.

"At a time when the Britishers were adamant on giving capital punishment, Baba Raghav Das and Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya saved 150 of them from being hanged," Modi said. He said the youth should write research papers and bring new facts to light about this incident.

Talking about the Budget, he said, "Many steps have been taken and announced in Budget 2021 to help farmers. The rural infrastructure has also been increased to benefit farmers and make them ‘aatmanirbhar’".

The centenary celebrations and various events planned by the state government will begin in all 75 districts of the state on February 4 and will continue till February 4, 2022.

A group of freedom fighters participating in the non-cooperation movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi in 1922 were fired upon by police, leading to the death of many of them. In retaliation, protestors attacked and set fire to the Chauri Chaura police station, killing many of its occupants.

The colonial administration tried a large number of people, with many of them executed and many more condemned to life in prison for the incident.