Outrage erupts in Shahjahanpur as statues of Kakori incident martyrs are allegedly demolished, prompting Congress protests and calls for a thorough investigation into the disrespectful act.
Key Points
- Statues of Kakori incident martyrs in Shahjahanpur were allegedly demolished and dumped, causing public outrage.
- Congress workers protested the demolition with a torch march and a symbolic purification ritual.
- Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered the reinstallation of the statues and action against those responsible.
- An FIR has been lodged, and junior engineers have been suspended following the incident.
- Opposition parties are demanding an independent investigation into the demolition of the statues.
Congress workers on Friday took out a torch march and performed a symbolic "purification" ritual on the reinstalled statues of Kakori incident martyrs in Shahjahanpur, days after the idols were allegedly demolished and dumped at a garbage site triggering outrage.
The protest comes a day after the statues of the freedom fighters were reinstalled at the Town Hall tri-junction following directions from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
The statues of Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan and Roshan Singh, who hailed from Shahjahanpur, were installed at the Shaheed memorial site along a road outside the municipal corporation office here and were regularly garlanded by visiting public representatives.
Freedom fighters Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan and Roshan Singh were were hanged by the British on December 19, 1927 for looting a train that was carrying government funds in August 1925 near Kakori, Lucknow.
Their statues were allegedly demolished on Sunday night. A video purportedly showing the statues being razed and their debris dumped at a garbage site was posted on social media, drawing sharp reactions. Protests were held by the local Congress unit and a Hindu outfit .
On Tuesday evening, Shahjahanpur Police lodged an FIR against the company under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Sections 196(2) (promoting enmity affecting harmony at religious places) and 352 (intentional insult). Superintendent of Police Rajesh Dwivedi said that the municipal corporation's chief engineer lodged a complaint at Sadar Bazar police station.
Congress Response and Ritual Cleansing
Congress district president Rajneesh Gupta told PTI that party workers were deeply hurt by the disrespect to the martyrs. He said hundreds of workers took out a torch procession on Thursday night and later gathered near the statues, sprinkling milk and Ganga water as part of a ritual.
He said the statues had been freshly painted, and the ritual was carried out carefully to avoid any damage. He alleged that while "BJP leaders may disrespect martyrs, Congress workers consider them sacred", adding that damaged idols are traditionally not worshipped and are instead immersed in the Ganga or respectfully buried.
Demands for Investigation and Political Fallout
Demonstrations by various political groups continued for the fourth consecutive day, with protesters demanding an independent probe into the incident. Several groups have alleged that the demolition could not have occurred without administrative approval.
Samajwadi Party (SP) district president Tanveer Khan earlier claimed that the statues were targeted due to political reasons, alleging that they were installed during his tenure and bore his name on the plaque.
The controversy stems from an incident on Sunday night when the statues were allegedly bulldozed in the name of a beautification drive and their remains dumped in a garbage vehicle. The episode sparked widespread anger.
Taking cognisance, Chief Minister Adityanath ordered action, following which a junior engineer and an assistant engineer were suspended and an FIR was lodged against the executing agency.
Meanwhile, opposition parties have intensified their demand for a high-level and independent investigation to fix accountability in the matter.
