Kakori Train Action Martyrs' Statues Demolished: Why is there outrage in Shahjahanpur?

The demolition of statues honouring Kakori train action martyrs in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, has ignited a political firestorm, prompting demands for accountability and sparking widespread condemnation.

Photograph and video: Kind Courtesy Venkatesh Prasad/X

Key Points

Statues of Kakori train action martyrs Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan, and Roshan Singh were allegedly demolished during road construction in Shahjahanpur.
The demolition has sparked outrage, with the Samajwadi Party and Congress demanding action against those responsible for disrespecting the freedom fighters.
Opposition leaders condemn the act as an insult to the martyrs and a reflection of a 'disturbing mindset'.
The statues were regularly garlanded by public representatives, making their destruction particularly offensive to many.
Descendants of Ashfaqulla Khan have vowed to protest the demolition, highlighting the deep emotional connection to these historical figures.

Statues of Kakori train action martyrs were demolished using a bulldozer allegedly during a road construction work in Shahjahanpur, sparking outrage with opposition parties, including the Samajwadi Party (SP), on Tuesday demanding action against those responsible for it.

The statues of freedom fighters Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan and Roshan Singh, who hailed from Shahjahanpur, were installed along a road outside the municipal corporation office here and were regularly garlanded by visiting public representatives. They 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.

Municipal sources said the demolition was carried out by a contractor engaged in road construction and beautification work. After being dismantled, the remains of the statues were reportedly dumped at a waste disposal site, and the plaques installed at the site were also removed using a bulldozer.

Attempts by PTI to contact the municipal commissioner and the district magistrate for comments remained unsuccessful.

Samajwadi Party (SP) district president Tanveer Khan alleged that the statues were demolished to remove a plaque bearing his name that had been installed during his tenure as municipal chairman.

He termed the incident an "insult to the martyrs" and accused the administration of acting arbitrarily.

Reacting to the incident, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said that beautification can never take precedence over respect for martyrs.

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.

Sharing a news report on social media platform X, the SP chief condemned the demolition, calling it a reflection of a "disturbing mindset".

Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai demanded strict action against those responsible for the demolition.

"If justice is not served, every single Congress worker will take to the streets and fiercely oppose this dictatorship," he said in a post on X.

Rai said that the "BJP government's municipal corporation ran bulldozers over the statues of great sacrificers like Pandit Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaq Ullah Khan, and Thakur Roshan Singh.

"This is a direct assault on every brave hero who laid down their life for the country's freedom and on the sentiments of 145 crore Indians. The Yogi government must immediately take strict action against the responsible officials."

Meanwhile, a descendant of Ashfaqulla Khan said the act was condemnable and vowed to protest against it.

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