PHOTOS: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis Inaugurates Chapekar Memorial In Pimpri-Chinchwad
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday inaugurated a memorial dedicated to the Chapekar brothers in Pimpri-Chinchwad, calling it a "fitting tribute" to their courage in India's freedom struggle.
Fadnavis also laid the foundation stone for the National Museum at the Krantiveer Chapekar Memorial, built at Chapekar Wada in Chinchwadgaon.
"The valour shown by the Chapekar brothers is incomparable in the history of the Indian independence movement. They assassinated Plague Commissioner Walter C Rand and faced execution while serving the motherland," the CM said while speaking to reporters after the inauguration.
Fadnavis expressed satisfaction at being part of both the foundation-laying and inauguration of the memorial.
"The use of technology in building the memorial has been phenomenal, and the real-life story of the Chapekar brothers has been brought alive through this space dedicated to them," he said.
The assassination of Rand was a "watershed moment" in India's freedom struggle, he added.
Fadnavis also lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for recognising the contributions of unsung heroes of India's freedom struggle.
"The way Modi ji is honouring forgotten revolutionaries is truly commendable," he said.
A clip of PM Modi hailing the Chapekar brothers was also played, and a letter with a message from him was also read at the event.
Fadnavis urged students to visit the memorial and draw inspiration from the life of the brothers.
"The memorial beautifully unveils every phase of their life. It is important for the younger generation to learn about such revolutionary heroes," he added.
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said every minute detail concerning the Chapekar brothers was incorporated to create this beautiful memorial. He also thanked all the stakeholders for their contribution in making the memorial.
Who were the Chapekar brothers?
Chapekar brothers — Damodar, Balkrishna and Vasudev — and their associate Mahadev Ranade were hanged for their role in the assassination of Plague Commissioner Walter C Rand and his military escort Lt Charles E Ayerst in Pune on June 22, 1897.
Rand, head of the Special Plague Committee, had implemented stringent plague control measures, which were seen as high-handed and intrusive, sparking public outrage that led to his assassination.
Marathi will remain top priority
Speaking at the sidelines of the event, DCM Pawar criticised political parties for opposing the move to make Hindi a mandatory third language for students in classes 1 to 5 in Marathi and English-medium schools across the state.
He said those opposing the decision are raking up "unnecessary disputes for lack of real issues". "Marathi is our mother tongue and will always have first preference in the state," said Pawar.
Hitting out at critics, he said, "Some people are creating disputes over the Hindi language only because they have nothing else to do. English is widely used across the country, and similarly, Hindi is spoken in many states. While there is a dispute over whether Hindi is the 'Rashtra Bhasha', I don't want to get into that."
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