DHEKIAJULI

DHEKIAJULI

Subject: History

Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi made his second visit in a fortnight to poll-bound Assam. On sundaymodi was at the historic “martyr” town of Dhekiajuli,to lay the foundation stone for two medical colleges and launch a road and highway project.

Concept:

Dheikajuli Incident

• Dhekiajuli was home to possibly the youngest martyr of the Indian freedom struggle.
• On September 20, 1942, as part of the Quit India movement, processions of freedom fighters marched to various police stations across several towns in Assam.
• These squads, which were known as ‘MrityuBahini’, or death squads, had wide participation — including women and children — and set out to unfurl the tricolour atop police stations, seen as symbols of colonial power.
• he British administration came down heavily on them. In Gohpur, 17-year-old KanaklataBarua and others fell to bullets.
• And in Dhekiajuli, at least 15 people were shot dead, three of them women, including the 12-year-old TileswariBarua.
• Dhekiajuli town in Sonitpur district observes September 20 as Martyrs’ Day, but outside the town few know of Tileswari who would have been 87 years old today.