Chauri Chaura centenary celebrations inauguration: Highlights of PM Modi's speech

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the centenary celebrations of the Chauri Chaura incident on Thursday (February 4) via videoconferencing. 

What was the Chauri Chaura incident?

A group of freedom fighters had set ablaze a police station at Chauri Chaura in Gorakhpur district of the then United Province (now Uttar Pradesh) on February 4, 1922, to protest against the high-handedness of the British regime. The incident claimed the lives of 22 policemen and three freedom fighters. As many as 19 freedom fighters were given capital punishment for this one incident.

PM Modi released a postage stamp to mark the beginning of the centenary celebrations of the Chauri Chaura incident.

The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh attempted to create a world record during the Chauri Chaura centenary celebrations, when around 50,000 children from all districts recited 'Vande Mataram' on February 3 from 10 am to 12 noon on February 4.

The state government plans to make it to the Guinness Book of World Records with this feat. Vinay Kumar Pandey, director, secondary education, said that at present, this record is held by a gathering of 20,000 who sang it together.

Highlights of PM Modi's speech:

1) On the 1922 episode, Modi said, "Whatever happened in Chauri Chaura 100 years ago was seen as a simple incident of arson at a police station. The fire was not only at the police station but in the hearts of Indians as well," he said.

2) The prime minister did not refer to Mahatma Gandhi's decision to call off the non-cooperation movement over the violence by his followers. "Chauri Chaura was a self-motivated struggle of the common people. It is unfortunate that martyrs in this incident were not given a prominent place in the pages of history," he said, appreciating the Uttar Pradesh government's plan to commemorate it.

3) Emphasising the need of unity in the country to achieve the goal of 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' and make India a great power in the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "unity had helped us to achieve freedom from the British rule and it will also help us in achieving our goal for 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'.

4) The prime minister also listed features in the recent Budget that he said will help farmers. "A lot of initiatives have also been taken to empower farmers. Over 1,000 markets were connected with farmers so that they can sell their crops anywhere. Over Rs 40,000 crore for rural infrastructure will help farmers," he said.

5) He also said the government is also focusing on creating healthcare facilities in rural areas so that people do not have to go to cities for better treatment. 

With agency inputs