Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], August 8 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited Kakori Shaheed Memorial, dedicated to freedom fighters of 'Kakori Kand', for the closing ceremony on the 100th anniversary of the historic event on Friday.

CM Yogi also celebrated Raksha Bandhan with young girls. Deputy CM KP Maurya and State Minister Jaiveer Singh were also present at the event. He also planted a tree sapling at the Kakori Shaheed Memorial.

The Kakori Train Action or Kakori Conspiracy was a train robbery that took place at Kakori, a village near Lucknow, on 9 August 1925 during the Indian Independence Movement against the British colonial rule. Hindustan Republican Association organised the robbery, and more than 40 persons were arrested in this incident. They were finally sentenced to death by the British government, and also severe punishments were given to those people who helped with this incident.

Uttar Pradesh government under CM Yogi renamed the 'Kakori Kand' to 'Kakori Train action' in the year 2021, as the word 'Kand' denotes a sense of insult to this incident under India's Independence struggle, said the UP government officials.

Earlier, on Thursday, CM Yogi Adityanath inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for 222 development projects worth Rs 659 crore in Bahjoi, Sambhal district.

While addressing a large public gathering, he spoke on the preservation of Sambhal's religious heritage, historical injustices, and political opponents.

Describing Sambhal as a symbol of Hindu faith, CM Yogi targeted foreign invaders, Congress, and Samajwadi Party, warning that 'those who sin with Sambhal will face severe punishment for their actions.'

Yogi Adityanath exposed the historical truth of Sambhal and fiercely attacked the foreign invaders. He stated that there were once 68 pilgrimage sites, 19 holy wells, and parikrama routes in Sambhal, but 'foreign barbaric invaders desecrated and destroyed our pilgrimage sites. All the wells and pilgrimage sites were seized. The 24 and 84 Kos Parikrama routes were obstructed. A despicable attempt was made to erase the truth.'

Describing this injustice as a 'despicable attempt,' the Chief Minister stressed that his government will now take responsibility for renovating these 68 pilgrimage sites and 19 wells.

Giving the example of Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar, he said that just as she renovated the Kashi Vishwanath and Somnath temples, the pilgrimage sites of Sambhal will also be revived. CM Yogi emphasised that development is meaningful only when it is connected to heritage. This, he said, is not just the preservation of heritage but also a campaign to realise the golden dreams of the present and future.

The Chief Minister, while emphasising the religious significance of Sambhal, stated that this place is a collective darshan sthal of both Hari (Vishnu) and Har (Shiva), where Kalki, the 10th incarnation of Lord Vishnu, will appear. Citing the Puranas, he mentioned that Sambhal is discussed in the Shrimad Bhagwat Mahapuran, Skanda Purana, and Vishnu Purana, and will be the centre for Lord Kalki's incarnation in Kaliyug. CM Yogi noted that some might find this topic controversial, as individuals with a controversial background often perceive controversy in Hindu traditions.

However, he made it clear that this cannot be a subject of controversy. He specifically targeted those who try to make Hindu heritage controversial and warned that such malicious attempts would be crushed. (ANI)