Cong workers 'purify' reinstalled statues of Kakori martyrs in Shahjahanpur
Shahjahanpur (UP), Mar 27 (PTI): 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.
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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 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.
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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.
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Defeat of Constitution Amendment Bill betrayal of nation's woman power: Adityanath
Lucknow (PTI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath termed the defeat of the Constitution Amendment Bill to implement reservation for women in legislatures in 2029 and increase the number of seats of the Lok Sabha "betrayal of the woman power" of the nation.
A Constitution Amendment Bill to implement 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures in 2029 and increase the number of Lok Sabha seats to 816 was defeated on Friday.
In a post on X in Hindi, late on Friday night, Adityanath said, "Today, a dark chapter has been added to the history of India's great democracy. The Opposition's obstruction of the passage of the Constitutional Amendment Bill essential for the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam' is a blow to the honour of 'Bharat Mata' (Mother India). It is a betrayal of the entire woman power of the nation; it is an infringement upon their democratic rights.
"The Congress-led 'INDI' alliance has exposed its anti-women mindset. The women of the nation are watching and understanding everything. They will remember this deceit and injustice, and when the time comes, they will surely give a reply. Under the leadership of our Prime Minister @narendramodi ji, the NDA alliance will continue its unwavering efforts to protect the honour, dignity, and rights of women, and to ensure their empowerment."
While 298 members voted in support of the Bill in the Lok Sabha, 230 MPs voted against it. The Bill required 352 votes for a two-thirds majority.
According to the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, Lok Sabha seats were to be increased to 816 from the current 543 to "operationalise" the women's reservation law before the 2029 parliamentary polls, following a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census.
Seats were also to be increased in state and Union Territory assemblies to accommodate 33 per cent reservation for women.
This was for the first time that a Bill under the Modi government was defeated in Parliament.
