Lucknow, Jan 22 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually inaugurate the year-long centenary celebrations of Chauri-Chaura incident in Gorakhpur on February 4.

One of the most ambitious programmes of the Yogi Adityanath government in 2021, the event is designed to express a sense of gratitude towards those who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of this country.

Adityanath has planned a series of events during the whole year starting February 4.

School children will be made aware of the importance of this event and candles and lamps will be lit up at all the martyred monuments and statues of legendary leaders.

Beautification of the Chauri Chaura Shaheed Smarak Samiti is planned and the chief minister wants to develop it as a heritage tourist spot.

The Chauri-Chaura incident took place on February 4, 1922, at Chauri-Chaura in the Gorakhpur district of the then United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh) in British India, when over 3,000 protesters participating in the non-cooperation movement, clashed with police who opened fire.

In the protest, three agitators were martyred and the enraged mob set the police station on fire which left 20 policemen dead.

Mahatma Gandhi withdrew his non-cooperation movement after the incident and later, 228 agitators were prosecuted by the British government while 172 protesters were sentenced to death by the Gorakhpur Sessions Court.

After this incident, the revolutionaries intensified their movement and shook the confidence of the British Government.