Gujarat Govt to Observe Apr 16 as Tribal Martyrs Day

Gujarat Government will observe April 16 as the 'Tribal Martyrs Day' every year in memory of five patriots from the state who were hanged by the British in 1868.

"The stories of rebellion and martyrdom by Gujarat's tribal leaders against tyranny of foreign rulers had remained buried in history and I have unfolded the chapter about the valour of these five forgotten leaders from tribal-dominated town of Jmbughod," Chief Minister Narendra Modi said yesterday after paying tributes to the martyrs in the Panchmahals district.

Joriya Parmeshwar, Rupsingh Nayak, Golaliya Nayak, Ravjida Nayak and Babariya Galama Nayal were sent to the gallows on April 16, 1868 by the Britishers in Jambughoda town of Panchmahals district.

"I had gone to this place to show repentance of the sins committed by the past governments, of erasing the memories of such mute martyrs," Modi told PTI after paying his tributes.

"It is unfortunate that sacrifices of a large number of martyrs, who laid their lives for freedom of our nation, have been deliberately erased by some elements so that people could no longer remember their martyrdom," he alleged.

Without taking name of Congress, Modi said "martyrdom could not be monopolised by a single family as being deliberately and intentionally described by some people".

The chief minister also announced that 'Van Mahotsav' in the memory of a local martyr Govinda Guru will be celebrated after two months.

He named a primary school at Vadek after one of the martyrs as 'Parmeshwar primary school' and 'Dandiyapara primary school' after Rupsinh Nayak.

"A memorial would be built in near future and a Tribal Martyrs Day will be observed every year in tribute to the martyrs," Modi said.