Paradox at Chauri Chaura Shaheed Smarak- people also pay homage to Policemen working for British Government

In reaction of suppression by British Government and zamindars of the area, poor villagers majorly including downtrodden people and farmers torched Chauri Chaura police station in which 22 the occupants of the police station were killed and later the British Government arrested 228 people for this in which 6 had died in the police custody while 172 were sentenced to death. There are two ‘Memorials’ at Chauri Chaura, one is for the martyrs who were hanged to death by the British regime and shamefully there is a memorial at the police station too in which names of the police personnel are placed who were killed in the in that subsequent burning the police station. Both the memorials are known as ‘ Amar Shaheed Smarak’and surprisingly in lack of awareness people and even police officials offer flowers and respect at both the martyr’s memorial.

It is shocking that the British police is also considered as martyr’s in free India. Dr Mumtaz Khan, a theater artist and journalist, says, “In 1997 during first Gorakhpur Mahotsav I went to make a program on Chauri Chaura kand and when I reached the police station the SO gave me a match box and joss stick (agarbatti) to offer homage to the martyr’s memorial in the campus. Later I realized that I paid homage to the British policemen who actually suppressed poor Indians. Platforms (chabootra) for Hindu policemen and Taq ( arch) for Muslim policemen are inside the police station campus and the place is known as Amar Shaheed Smarak. The other martyr’s memorial for poor villagers who were hanged or died in police custody is at a short distance from the police station which was build after 60 years of the incident. Ex Prime Minister Lt Indira Gandhi laid the foundation stone of Shaheed Samarak Bhawan on 6^th February 1982 and after 11 years on 19^th July 1993 ex Prime Minister Lt. Narshimha Rao inaugurated it.  The condition of the memorial is dilapidated though local leaders and administration remember the place on anniversary of Chauri Chaura incident.”

On the samelines, Dr Ashok Srivastav, social activist and writer says, “It is highly confusing as both the places are known as Shaheed smarak. First of all the memorial inside the police station shouldn’t be called as martyr’s memorial as those British policemen can’t be kept in the category of martyr’s.”

On asking the SO of Chauri Chaura police station about offering homage to the martyr’s memorial inside the police station campus, he said, “Yes we offered flowers and also lit scented sticks at the memorial as today is the anniversary of Chauri Chaura kand. People come inside the police station to visit martyr’s memorial and pay their homage at the place.”