2nd October, A Black Day in Uttarakhand’s history

SUNIL NEGI

The lakhs of people living in or outside Uttarakhand have not forgotton the black day of 2nd October 1994 when hundreds of separate Uttarakhand movement activists, including innocent women, men and children were mercilessly assaulted, thrashed, killed from point blank range by the unprovoked and arbitrary police firing and several women lost their dignity by being obnoxiously raped.

It was indeed a most terror stricken night of 2nd October, Gandhi Jayanti when hundreds of peaceful movement activists heading to Delhi’s Ram Lila Maidan’ s massive Uttarakhand rally were forcibly stopped on the way at Mujaffarnagar Rampur Tiraha and lynched for no fault of theirs. About fifteen movements activists died on spot and several others injured including innocent few sexually assauted women having lost their dignity. Shocking and anguishing to note that the erring officers and policemen responsible for this gruesome and barbaric act under the jurisdiction of the then Mulayam Singh Yadav led Samajwadi Party government are still at large and were even promoted handsomely as if they have done a wonderful job. What looks embarassing is the fact that a protracted period of more than 21 years has elapsed by now , several governments changed and even the state of Uttarakhand has assumed an age of 17 years.

This was the most gruesome imcident during the Uttarakhand phase that led to the movement gaining mamentum nationally, finally achiving the separate statehood on 9th November, 2000. The spate of killings in police firing continued even after this terrorising incident of Ram pur Trijunction in Mujaffar Nagar, UP during the movement phase till the year 2000 and in all 46 movement activists who consisted of women, young and old aged citizens lost their precious lives through pellet injuries,on the spot instataneous deaths or in police custody . While nationally 2nd October is commemorated as Gandhi Jayanti in the name of the apostle of peace and non violence in Uttarakhand 2nd October is remembered as the UTTARAKHAND MATYRS DAY when people of Uttarakhand especially the AANDOLANKARIES hold rallies, Dharnas’ and protest meeting at Rampur Tiraha Trijunction and Delhi’s Jantar Mantar to pay their heatfelt tributes to these martyrs of Uttarakhand movement and demand from the Union and Uttar Pradesh governments stringent punishments to the guilty which has not been fulfilled even after protracted 21 years.

What is more shocking, surprising and astonishing is the fact that the successive governments of Uttarakhand whether of Congress or BJP has never ever taken pain or interest in assuaging the feelings, sentiments or emotions of thousands of aandolankaries and filed a writ petition in the honorable Supreme Court of India to demand the penalisation of the guilty officers of the then UP and police administration who are scot free and must have been retired by now after having got number of promotions.  It was only due to the sacrifices of these Uttarakhand Martyrs’ that the long struggle bore fruits and finally Uttarakhand achieved its separate existence.

Uttarakhand witnessed 8 chief ministers and freequent change of governments but notbody had time and interest to respect and assuage the sentiments of thousands of Uttarakhand movement activists. Shame