Ayodhya jail admin bans public from Ashfaqullah memorial

Ayodhya: The Ayodhya jail administration has banned public entry to the memorial of freedom fighter Ashfaqullah Khan on the jail premises.

Khan was hanged by the British on November 19, 1927 in Faizabad jail after the Kakori train action.

Ram Prasad Bismil, Rajendra Lahiri and Thankur Roshan Singh were also hanged with him while many others were given life sentence.

Khan was born on October 22, 1900 and every year, people in huge numbers turn out to pay tributes to the martyr at Faizabad jail. This time, however, the jail administration has banned the entry of common people on the occasion of his 119th birth anniversary.

Jail superintendent Brijesh Kumra said, “There is no special reason behind the ban on the entry of people to the memorial. Prohibitory orders have been issued in Ayodhya, so how can we allow assembly of people?” he said.

Trustee of Shaheed Ashafaqullah Khan Shodh Snasthaan Surya Kant Pandey said, “The decision of the jail administration is anti- people and a great dishonour to the martyrs who have laid down their lives for the freedom of the country.”

Ateeq Ahmad, also a member of the organisation, said, “We will launch a people disobedience movement against this order. Citizens of Ayodhya and Faizabad will gather on the gates of the jail on the morning of October 22 and try to enter the martyr’s memorial in a non-violent way,” he said.