New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Kakori Rail Conspiracy, recalling the courage, sacrifice, and vision of the revolutionaries who carried out one of the most daring acts of the Indian freedom movement.
In a post on X, the Prime Minister said: “On this day, a hundred years ago, the courage shown by patriotic Indians at Kakori highlighted the resentment among people against colonial rule. They were angry at the manner in which people’s money was being used to further colonial exploitation. Their valour will always be remembered by the people of India. We will keep working to fulfil their dreams for a strong and prosperous India.”
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, in his tribute, wrote: “Heartfelt tributes to all the immortal revolutionaries on the anniversary of the ‘Kakori Rail Action’ that shook the foundations of British rule! This saga of bravery by the sons of Mother India is a beacon of inspiration. Their sacrifice, courage, and patriotism will forever inspire us to work with the spirit of ‘Nation First’.”
The Kakori Rail Conspiracy — often referred to as the Kakori train robbery — took place on August 9, 1925, when members of the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA), including Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan, Chandrashekhar Azad, Rajendra Lahiri, and Roshan Singh, stopped the 8-Down train on the Saharanpur–Lucknow line near Kakori railway station in Uttar Pradesh.
The train was carrying government treasury funds, which the revolutionaries seized to finance their armed struggle against British rule.
This audacious act was intended not only to secure funds for the movement but also to send a political message against British exploitation.
The British government responded with a massive crackdown — many of the participants were arrested, tried, and given severe punishments.
Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan, Rajendra Lahiri, and Roshan Singh were executed in 1927, while others received long prison sentences. Chandrashekhar Azad managed to evade capture and continued the struggle until his death in 1931.
(IANS)
