uttarakhand movement

Uttarakhand movement is termed to the events of statehood activism within the state Uttar Pradesh which ultimately resulted in a separate state Uttarakhand of the Republic of India. Uttarakhand became a separate state off Uttar Pradesh at 9 November 2000. It is notable that the formation of Uttarakhand was achieved with a very long struggle and heavy sacrifices. The first demand of Uttarakhand arose in 1897 and there had gradually been rising demand for a separate state several times. In 1994, the demand for statehood eventually took the form of mass movement that resulted in the forming of the country's 27th state by 2000.

The important dates and events that played a key role in the struggle for the formation of the Uttarakhand state are:

• As a unit of Indian independence movement in 1913, national general convention of the Indian National Congress was held in Uttarakhand. Most representatives from Uttarakhand participated in the session. The same year in Uttarakhand, Tamta Sudharini Sabha held the convention for the upliftment of backwards and oppressed people of the area, as the Shilpkar Mahasabha.
• In September 1916, the Kumaon Parishad was founded by some young enthusiasts named Govind Ballabh Pant, Hargobind Pant, Badri Datt Pandey, Indralal Shah, Mohan Singh Damarwal Chandra Lal Shah Prem Ballabh Pandey, Bhola Datt Pandey and Lakshmi Datt Shastri with the main objective to solve social and economic problems of the hill region. By 1926, in addition to the local general reforms, certain political objectives were added to the organization's goals. In the Provincial elections of 1923 and 1926 the candidates of Kumaon Parishad, Govind Vallabh Pant Hargobind Pant, Mukundi Lal and Badri Datt Pandey badly defeated their counterparties.
• In 1926 Kumaon Parishad was merged in the Indian National Congress.
• In May 1938, according to official sources in then British Raj, in the national general convention of Indian National Congress held at Srinagar, Garhwal, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru favoured the cause of movement of the residents of hill region to have their own decisions according to their circumstances and supported the movement to enrich their culture.
• In 1940, at Haldwani conference, Badri Datt Pandey voiced for the special status of the mountainous region. Anusuya Prasad Bahuguna proposed the formation of Kumaon - Garhwal as the separate units. In 1954 the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council member Indra Singh Nayal demanded the separate development plan for the highlands to then Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Govind Ballabh Pant. In 1955 the Justice Fazal Ali commission recommended the Government of India, formation of hill region as a separate state.
• In the year 1957, deputy chairman of the Planning Commission, T. T. Krishnamachari suggested special attention to be given to the issues of hill region. In 12 May 1970, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi addressed the issues of hill region and admitted that the diagnosis of the problems of hill region is the responsibility of both State and Central Governments. In 24 July 1979 the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal was founded in Mussoorie with the objective of the formation of a separate hill state. In June 1987 at the party convention of UKD in Karnaprayag, party leaders called for the constitution of conflict and isolation. In November 1987 UKD passed the party resolution for the formation of new state in the memorandum and the party president also sought to include Haridwar in the proposed state.
• Throughout the year 1994, students all over the region participated in the collective movement for separate statehood and reservations. Uttarakhand movement then further intensified in the field by Anti-Uttarakhand statement of then Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Mulayam Singh Yadav. The leaders of UKD held fast-unto-death in the support of their demand for a separate state. State government employees struck work for three months, and the events of Uttarakhand movement got more inestisfied with the blockades and confrontation with the police. Uttarakhand activists in Mussoorie and Khatima were shot down by the police. Under the aegis of the Samyukta Morcha in 2 October 1994 the massive demonstrations and protests for the support of statehood took place in the national capital Delhi. Thousands of the Uttarakhand activists marched to the Delhi to take participation in this struggle. The activists peacefully taking part in the demonstration near Rampur Tiraha crossing, Muzaffarnagar were tortured and openly fired without any warning prior to the firing. Policemen were also alleged for indecent behavior and rapes with women activists.Satya Pokhriyal was leader who leads all the people from the misshappening, other andolankari help other people and shows the bravery. Several people were killed and many were injured. This misadventure by the police added fuel to the fire for Uttarakhand movement. The next day 3 October, the protests were called off for the demolition of firing and several deaths all over the region.
• 7 October 1994, a female activist died after the brutal attack by police in Dehradun while she was protesting against Rampur Tiraha Firings, and the activists in return stormed the police station.
• 15 October, curfew took in Dehradun and one activist was killed on the same day.
• 27 October 1994, then Home Minister of India, Rajesh Pilot held the talks with the statehood activists. Meanwhile, at Sriyantra Tapu, Srinagar several activists were killed in a brutal attack by the police.
• 15 August 1996, then Prime Minister H. D. Deve Gowda announced the formation of new state Uttaranchal from the Red Fort, Delhi.
• in 1998 the BJP-led coalition government in the center sent the 'Uttaranchal Bill' to the Government of Uttar Pradesh through the President of India. With 26 amendments the Uttaranchal Bill was passed by the Uttar Pradesh Assembly and sent back to the Central Government. The Central Government on 27 July 2000, presented the Uttar Pradesh Reorganisation Bill 2000 in the Parliament of India. It was passed by Lok Sabha on 1 August 2000, and the Rajya Sabha passed the bill on 10 August 2000. Then President of India, K. R. Narayanan approved the Uttar Pradesh Reorganisation Bill, on 28 August 2000, and then it turned into Act and on 9 November 2000 the new state Uttaranchal came into existence as the 27th state of India now known as Uttarakhand.

Events of the movement[edit]

There were several violent incidents in the state of Uttarakhand movement which are:

Khatima firing case

1 September 1994 is considered the darkest day of the Uttarakhand movement, such as police brutality since the day before the operation was not to look elsewhere. Indiscriminate firing by the police without warning the activists were up, resulting the death of seven activists.

Fallen Martyrs of the Khatima firing case:

• Martyr Late Bhagwan Singh, Village Sripur Bichhuwa, Khatima
• Martyr Late Dharmanand Bhatt, Village Amar Kalan, Khatima
• Martyr Late Gopichand, Village Ratanpur Phulaiya, Khatima
• Martyr Late Paramjit Singh, Rajivnagar, Khatima
• Martyr Late Pratap Singh, Khatima
• Martyr Late Rampal, Bareilly
• Martyr Late Salim Ahmad, Khatima

Bichpuri resident Mr. Bahadur Singh, Sripur Bichhuwa resident Mr. Puran Chand and Landour resident Mr. Rajendra Singh Panwar were also seriously injured in the police firing.

Mussoorie firing case

2 September 1994 Khatima firing silent march to protest police havoc once again broken out on people. The two real sisters to talk to the administration, the police shot at the office of activists in crèche. Indiscriminate firing by the police was to oppose it, which many people (about 21) was shot and died in the hospital of the three activists.

Fallen Martyrs of the Mussoorie firing case:

• Martyr Late Balbir Singh Negi (22), S/o Mr. Bhagwan Singh Negi, Lakshmi Misthanna Bhandar, Library, Mussoorie
• Martyr Late Belmati Chauhan (48), W/o Mr. Dharma Singh Chauhan, Village Khalon, Patti Ghat, Akodaya, Tehri
• Martyr Late Dhanpat Singh (50), Village Gangwara, Patti Gangwarsyun, Tehri
• Martyr Late Hansa Dhanai (45), W/o Mr. Bhagwan Singh Dhanai, Village Bangdhar, Patti Dharmadal, Tehri
• Martyr Late Madan Mohan Mamgain (45), Nagjali, Kulri, Mussoorie
• Martyr Late Rai Singh Bangari (54), Village Todera, Patti Purva Bhardar, Tehri

Rampur Tiraha (Muzaffarnagar) firing case

Main article: Rampur Tiraha firing case

Going on the night of 2 October 1994 in Delhi rally Rampur Three way of activists, police authorities as repressed in Muzaffarnagar, the instance of any democratic country in the world so far not given any dictator that the unarmed activists night showered bullets were besieged in the dark around the mountain to the plain was abused women. The firing of the state were killed 7 activist. The tablet case, eight policemen guilty address, including three Inspahctor are being prosecuted on.^[1]

Fallen Martyrs of the Rampur Tiraha firing case:

• Martyr Late Ashok Kumar Kaishiv S/o Mr. Shiv Prasad Kaishiv Mandir Marg, Ukhimath, Rudraprayag
• Martyr Late Girish Bhadri (21), S/o Mr. Vachaspati Bhadri, Ajabpur Khurd, Dehradun
• Martyr Late Rajesh Lakhera (24), S/o Mr. Darshan Singh Lakhera, Ajabpur Kalan, Dehradun
• Martyr Late Rajesh Negi (20), S/o of Mr. Mahavir Singh Negi, Bhaniyawala, Dehradun
• Martyr Late Ravindra Singh Rawat (22), son of Mr. Kundan Singh Rawat, B-20, Nehru Colony, Dehradun
• Martyr Late Satendra Chauhan (16), S/o of Mr. Jodh Singh Chauhan, Village Haripur, Selaquin, Dehradun
• Martyr Late Suryaprakash Thapliyal (20), S/o Mr. Chintamani Thapliyal, Chaudah Bigha, Muni Ki Reti, Rishikesh

Dehradun firing case

3 October 1994 in Muzaffarnagar reach Dehradun reported case, people were bound to be fierce. Meanwhile, in this case, Martyr Late Ravindra Rawat situation after the funeral and fierce battles with the police and protesters in the entire Dehradun, which is already prepared to suppress the uprising in any condition The police firing, which has killed three people in the movement.

Fallen Martyrs of the Dehradun firing case:

• Martyr Late Balwant Singh Negi (45), S/o Mr. Bhagwan Singh Negi, Village Malhan, Nayagaon, Dehradun
• Martyr Late Deepak Walia (27), son of Mr. Om Prakash Walia, Village Badripur, Dehradun
• Martyr Late Rajesh Rawat (19), S/o Mrs. Anandi Devi, 27-Chandra Road, Nehru Colony, Dehradun

Late Rajesh Rawat's death was caused by the firing from the house of then Samajwadi Party leader Suryakant Dhasmana.

Kotdwar case

3 October 1994 meeting was boiled in protest scandal Uttarakhand Muzaffarnagar police administration was ready to suppress any kind of them. This link is also movement in Kotdwar, containing two activists by the police beating of rifle killed Bton and poles.

Fallen Martyrs of the Kotdwar case:

• Martyr Late Prithvi Singh Bisht, Manpur Khurd, Kotdwar
• Martyr Late Rakesh Devrani

Nainital firing case

At the opposite extreme in Nainital, but in the hands of intellectuals led by the police could not do anything, but he took it out over the Pacific Pratap Singh, who works at the hotel. Ar0a0f0 soldiers drawn from the hotel to avoid when it ran on Meghdoot Hotel, then was shot dead in his neck.

Fallen Martyrs of the Nainital firing case:

• Martyr Late Pratap Singh

Sriyantra Tapu (Srinagar) case

Srinagar town situated 2 km Sriyantra Tapu activists on 7 November 1994, against all repressive and isolated incidents Uttarakhand for the fast unto death started. 10 November 1994 the police climb to the island caused a havoc, many people have serious injuries, police said two men in order rifles from the dead butt and sticks-poles Alaknanda River was thrown in and the rain of stones, two of which died.

There bodies were not recovered by police till 15 days and Government bodies did not make any attempt to find the bodies, This information got spread and reached out to chairman of ex serviceman group (Virendra Prasad Kukshal), when he heard about the incident he sat for " Amaran Anshan" for 7 days, due to this Government bodies started the search and recovered the bodies. On 14 November 1994 deadbodies of the two martyrs were found floating in the Alaknanda river near Bagwan.

Fallen Martyrs of the Sriyantra Tapu case:

• Martyr Late Rajesh Rawat
• Martyr Late Yashodhar Benjwal