FAIRS CELEBRATING THE MEMORIES OF MARTYRS WILL CONTINUE: PROF. BALIRAJ THAKUR

FAIRS CELEBRATING THE MEMORIES OF MARTYRS WILL CONTINUE: PROF. BALIRAJ THAKUR

12-AUG-ENG 2

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA----------------------Those who sacrificed their lives for the country were remembered with great fervor at a program organized by the 'Lok Chetna Manch' at 'Madan Ji Ka Hata' on August 11. The event was presided over by Prof. Baliraj Thakur, President of the Bhojpur District Hindi Literature Conference and a Senator at VKSU. In his presidential address, Prof. Baliraj Thakur stated that the 'August Revolution' proved to be the nation's greatest movement against the British, paving the way for independence. Recalling those historic moments in detail, Prof. Thakur noted that on August 11, 1942, a procession of students carrying the Tricolour was marching towards the Secretariat to hoist the flag. Following orders from the then-Collector W. Archer, gunfire continued for three minutes, resulting in the sacrifice of seven students for the freedom of their motherland. Statues of these seven martyrs now stand before the Secretariat, representing the 'Saptarishi' (Seven Sages). Prof. Thakur remarked that these young school students possessed an extraordinary zeal to sacrifice themselves for independence; this enthusiasm continues to convey an immortal message of patriotism to the youth of the country. He also recalled that on August 11, 1908, 18-year-old Khudiram Bose was sent to the gallows at Muzaffarpur Central Jail. Prof. Thakur concluded by saying that whether or not physical fairs are held annually at the cremation sites of martyrs, fairs celebrating their memories will forever continue in the hearts of patriots. The program was conducted by poet and critic Jitendra Kumar, while the vote of thanks was proposed by Prof. Diwakar Pandey. Among those who pledged to make every possible sacrifice for the country on this occasion were social worker Shivdas Singh, Shashikant Tiwari, Vinod Singh, Harish Upadhyay, poet Janmejay Ojha, Pankaj Thakur, Pankaj Rai, Munna Singh, Dr. Ravindra Kumar Thakur, Pappu Pandey, Dr. Kiran Kumari, and Dr. Renu Mishra, along with many others.