What was the Chauri-Chaura incident, and how it changed the history of India
Chaura-Chauri incident and its impact in Indian history
The Chauri-Chaura incident is an anonymous page of the freedom movement, which has not been given any place in the pages of history. This is the same movement which the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi called the crime of Chauri Chaura. Historians also say that Mahatma Gandhi withdrew the non-cooperation movement only because of the Chauri-Chaura incident. The sons involved in the Chauri-Chaura incident shook the British rule.
What is Chauri Chaura Kand
Chauri Chaura is a Village in Gorakhpur District of Uttar Pradesh. Which used to be a big market for clothes and other items during the British rule. During the British rule, Gandhiji started the non-cooperation movement. Whose purpose was to oppose the British rule. During this movement, the countrymen were giving up British titles, government schools and other things and there was fierce protest in the local market as well. Due to this protest, on 2 February 1922, two revolutionaries were arrested by the police. To oppose the arrest, about 4 thousand agitators demonstrated and raised slogans against the British rule in front of the police station. To stop this demonstration, the police fired in the air and when the protesters did not agree, open fire was done on those people. Due to which three protesters died and many people were injured. During this, the bullets of the policemen ended and seeing the protesters getting furious, they hid in the police station itself.
Angered by the death of their fellow revolutionaries, the revolutionaries surrounded the police station and set it on fire. A total of 23 policemen were burnt to death in this incident. In which the then Inspector "Gupteshwar Singh" was also involved. When Gandhiji came to know about this incident, he withdrew his non-cooperation movement.
Chauri Chaura case and punishment
On 9 January 1923, 172 people were made accused for the Chauri-Chauri incident and were sentenced to death. PIL was filed in Allahabad High Court. In this case, Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya fought the case on behalf of the revolutionaries. After which the 19 main accused Abdullah, Bhagwan, Vikram, Duhi, Kali Charan, Lal Muhammad, Luti, Madeo, Meghu Ali, Nazar Ali, Raghuveer, Ramlagan, Ramroop, Rudali, Sahdev, Sampat son Mohan, Sampat, Shyam Sundar and Sitaram were arrested. He was hanged for this incident and the rest were released due to lack of evidence or to say that the court had to leave them by the facts given by Madan Mohan Malviya during the hearing.
Historians believe that if Gupteshwar Singh had not beaten Lord Ahir with sticks on February 1, then perhaps the horrific fire of February 4 would not have happened, nor would Gupteshwar Singh die along with his 23 associates, nor 19 people including Lord Ahir would have been hanged.
Impact of Chauri Chaura kand in Indian Revolution
Gandhiji was very angry with the Chauri-Chaura incident. Due to which he withdrew the non-cooperation movement. Gandhiji was angry with Ramprasad Bismil and his young companions due to this decision. Due to which the Congress got divided into two ideologies. One was the soft party, and the other was the hot party. Many revolutionaries like Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru, Ram Prasad Bismil and Chandrashekhar Azad became the heroes of the Garam Dal.
But it was a matter of misfortune for us that a park was built in the memory of 23 policemen in Chauri-Chaura police station, but there was no memorial in memory of these martyrs for a long time. Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi laid the foundation stone of the Shaheed Memorial Building on 6 February 1982, 60 years after the Chauri-Chaura incident. While the former Prime Minister Mr. Narasimha Rao released it on July 19, 1993. This monument, built in the memory of the agitators of Chauri-Chaura, has become dilapidated today due to lack of maintenance.
