“The British spread misconceptions by describing the freedom movement of 1857 as a ?mutiny?. But the fact is that more than three lakh patriotic citizens of the country had sacrificed their lives at that time. But this fact was concealed. Calling such a patriotic movement a ?mutiny? is nothing but treason,? said RSS Sahsarkaryavah Shri Madan Das. He was speaking at a function organised by Gwalior Municipal Corporation on May 10 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of 1857 war of Independence. The Municipal Corporation installed an Amar Jyoti at the samadhi of Rani Lakshmibai. It is the third Amar Jyoti installed anywhere in the country after India Gate (New Delhi) and Jalianwala Bagh (Amritsar). Shri Madan Das and Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shri Shivraj Singh Chauhan alon with other dignitaries formally lighted the Amar Jyoti.
Shri Madan Das further said when Veer Savarkar tried to expose this true history of 1857 in England through a book after fifty years he was mercilessly tortured and put behind the bars even before the book was published. ?Unfortunately, even our own people tried to hide this fact. This truth could not reach many people even now,? he added. Recalling the contribution of Rani Lakshmibai in the freedom movement he said that even the British were astonished to see the valour of an Indian lady who fought so bravely. He said it is the day to draw inspiration from the life of the martyrs and we should be grateful to them. Congratulating the Gwalior Municipal Corporation for installing the sacred Amar Jyoti he said it is indeed a holy task.
Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chauhan said those who do not respect the martyrs are traitors. He said his government would spread the messages of the martyrs. He announced to start a ?Kamal and Roti Yatra? in the state which would go to all houses and all 23,000 villages of the state. He said the dreams of the martyrs would be realised only when the country witnesses an all-round progress. ?The day Madhya Pradesh becomes a developed state only then would we accept that the dreams of the martyrs have truly been materialised,? he added. He appealed to the people to foil the game plans of the anti-national forces, who are trying to destabilise the peace and integrity of the country.
Shri Vivek Narayan Shejwalkar, Mayor of Gwalior, said Gwalior is nothing but a pilgrimage place for the people of the country as Rani Lakshmibai had sacrificed her life here. He said it is just to pay true respect to the freedom fighters that the Municipal Corporation decided to install the sacred Amar Jyoti. He pointed out that a museum and a Shahid Park would also be constructed in the premises of the samadhi.
Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, state president of BJP, described the day as ?Kranti Diwas?. He thanked the Municipal Corporation for installing the Amar Jyoti. He said the new generation must be apprised of the difficulties with which the Independence was achieved. Noted writer Kshama Kaul said the Amar Jyoti would energise the whole nation especially the new generation. Earlier, Shri Madan Das and Shri Shivraj Singh Chauhan honoured a 104-year-old freedom fighter of Gwalior Shri Dongar Singh Kakka by presenting him a shawl and a coconut.
(FOC)
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