To pay respect to the martyrs of Chauri-Chaura, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered year-long events to mark the centenary year of the historic incident. Along with the beautification of Chauri-Chaura Shaheed Smarak Samiti, the chief minister said it should be developed as a heritage tourist spot. “From February 4 this year to February 4, 2022, there will be daily events reminding us of the Chauri-Chaura incident which played a decisive role in the freedom movement. All the children will be made aware of the importance of this event. Candles and lamps will be lighted at all the martyr monuments and statues of legendary leaders,” a government official said in a statement. He said that the CM intends that the memorial built in the memory of the martyrs of the Chauri-Chaura incident should get fame like India Gate, Jallianwala Bagh and Cellular Jail of Andaman.
“For this, the UP government has beautified the Chauri-Chaura Shaheed Memorial at a cost of Rs 2.17 crore,” the official said.
Along with the Chauri-Chaura Shaheed Memorial, the CM has also beautified the memorial of Pandit Ram Prasad Bismil and Dohria Kala Shaheed Memorial at Gorakhpur jail.
After 60 years of the Chauri-Chaura incident that shook the British rule, the then government had thought of building a memorial. The foundation stone of the martyr memorial was laid on February 6, 1982, but it took 11 years to be inaugurated. Interestingly, the formalities of the inauguration were completed on July 19, 1993, but neglected by the successive governments.
As soon as Yogi Adityanath came to power, he took the initiative to make the Chauri-Chaura Shaheed Memorial a national honor. The incident took place on February 4, 1922, at Chauri-Chaura in Gorakhpur district of the then United Provinces in British India, when over 3000 protesters participating in the non-cooperation movement clashed with police who opened fire. In the protest, three agitators were martyred in this protest. In retaliation, the freedom fighters attacked a police station in which 20 cops died.