The struggle and sacrifices made by people in the Sult region of Kumaon during the struggle for the independence of India cannot be forgotten, said chief minister Harish Rawat. The chief minister was addressing the gathering on Monday after paying homage to those who attained martyrdom at Khumad in Sult during the independence movement.
Rawat said that the revolution in 1942 had affected the whole nation, including the Sult region here. He said, “During that time, the activists had organised public meetings criticising the colonial policies and declaring independence while intensifying the sloganeering demanding colonials quit India. During the movement, on September 1, 1942, the activists had arrived at Khumad. On September 3, the colonial administered police troop fired rounds and reached Bhikiyasain with police force reaching Kwairala on September 5. When this information reached Khumad, protesters began to congregate in the area. The crowd of activists led by Ganga Datt Shastri was unarmed when confronted by the colonial official who opened fire on them killing two blood brothers Ganga Ram and Khimanand who attained martyrhood at the site. Two others—Churamani and Bahadur Singh Mahar met their demise four days later while five other persons including Ganga Datt Shastri, Madhusudan, Gopal Singh, Bache Singh and Narayan Singh had sustained bullet injuries. The participation of the people in Sult in the freedom movement cannot be forgotten,” said the chief minister.
Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Rawat averred that Uttarakhand had achieved a position among the six Indian states leading in execution of developmental works. Exhorting all sections of society and social activists to come forward, he also stressed on the need for making financial empowerment of women as foundation in order to achieve the progressed dreamed by the martyrs in the real sense. The chief minister urged the women to participate in community farming and other economic activities. He further made various announcements on the occasion, including the upgradation of Machod sub-Tehsil into a Tehsil, setting up of a government degree college at Malanchaud, construction of Hasidhunga potable water pumping scheme, about half a dozen motor roads including the road from Kothiyar to Sirsaun, from Haruli to Kaligaon, Tatalgaon to Gadhkot, Marsoli to Melgaon among other works. The chief minister also inaugurated the office of the block education officer costing about Rs 60 lakh at Sult, Chandikhet village cluster potable water scheme Chaukhutiya at a cost of Rs 1039 lakh and other developmental works. Rajya Sabha MP from the Congress, Pradeep Tamta also paid his tributes to the martyrs on the occasion. Integrated efforts motivated by a developmental sense are essential to achieve the state envisioned by the martyrs, he opined. Noted folk singers Narendra Singh Negi and Hira Singh Rana also performed on the occasion.