Mangarh massacre not given due place in history, mistake being corrected: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday asked Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra governments to prepare a roadmap to develop Mangarh Dham, the site of the massacre of 1,500 tribals by the British army to crush an uprising in 1913..

“All of us have a strong desire for the magnificent expansion of Mangarh Dham. For this, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra need to work together… It is my request to all the four state governments to hold a detailed discussion in this direction, prepare a roadmap so that Govind Guru’s place too can create its identity in the whole world,” PM Modi said at a function, Mangarh Dham Ki Gaurav Gatha, in south Rajasthan’s Banswara district.

The Mangarg memorial is located on the confluence of three rivers Som, Mahi and Jakhar in the tribal-dominated belt. Also on the dais with PM Modi were Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat chief ministers Ashok Gehlot, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Bhupendra Patel, respectively.

PM Modi said Mangarh Dham was a shared heritage of the people of Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, and symbolised sacrifice and bravery of the tribal people.

“Over 1,500 innocent tribals were killed in firing by Britishers on November 17, 1913, but unfortunately, in the history written post-Independence, this was not given its due place…. In this Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, India is filling this void and correcting the mistakes that were made decades ago,” Modi said.

The prime ministry said the four states can together develop Mangarh Dham under the central government’s leadership so that tribal leader Govind Guru’s place - he led the 1913 uprising and was described by PM Modi as a hero and revolutionary - can create an identity for itself in the world.

“We are indebted to the tribal community and their sacrifice. This samaj has preserved India’s character in nature, environment, culture and traditions. Today is the time for the nation to thank them by serving them”, the Prime Minister said.

Chief minister Ashok Gehlot sought PM Modi’s intervention to put Banswara on the rail route, recalling that his government had earlier proposed the Ratlam-Dungarpur rail link via Banswara under the Centre’s scheme that required 50% contribution by the state government. “We approved the project and… even deposited ₹250 crore to railways, land was allotted and work started but suddenly was stopped,” Gehlot said.

Gehlot - this was the first time in nine years that he shared the dais with Modi - said India has scripted history in the world as democracy in alive in the country even after more than 70 years since it achieved independence. “When Modi goes abroad, he gets so much respect. He gets the respect because he is the prime minister of the country of Gandhi, where the roots of democracy run deep and where, even after more than 70 years of independence, democracy is alive,” he said.