Some say that the memorial is for sacrifices made during Mahagujarat Movement, which was exactly a decade later, while others insist that the duo had laid their lives in 1946.
Labourers are busy laying plaster at the 'Shanti Smarak' at Vasant Rajab Chowk in Jamalpur, unmindful of the significance the memorial has in the history of the city. They only know that civic officials will visit the spot on Monday to pay tribute. Even residents in the vicinity are not fully aware of the relevance the small structure has in depicting the supreme sacrifice by two young friends on July 1, 1946, to ensure communal harmony.
Some say that the memorial is for sacrifices made during Mahagujarat Movement, which was exactly a decade later, while others insist that the duo had laid their lives in 1946.
Convenor of Movement for Secular Democracy (MSD), Prakash N Shah narrated the case of Vasantrao Hegishte (a Hindu) and Rajabali Lakhani (a Muslim), two volunteers of Seva Dal and part of a socialist group of the then Indian National Congress.
"In many parts of the country, there was communal tension between Hindus and Muslims in 1946. Ahmedabad was not immune from it. Vasant and Rajabali got information that a frenzied crowd was gathering in the city. Without waiting for anyone, Vasant and Rajab rushed to Jamalpur area. They tried to stop the armed crowd at Khand Ni Sheri and for that laid themselves on the road. However, they were butchered," recalled Shah.
"Congress and Seva Dal were waiting for more people to gather so that they could pacify the crowd. But Vasant and Rajabali had already moved," he said.
The day is being observed as an occasion to maintain communal harmony in memory of these two young friends. Shah, however, dismisses the sacrifice as a mere result of an emotional response of two friends. "They were a part of Seva Dal, members of a socialist group. Ideals of Gandhi, Patel and Nehru had shaped their worldview of creating a just and fair society," said Shah.
The Congress and Seva Dal used to meet every year at this place to pay tribute, but the tradition weakened in following years. MSD revived it in 1970s. Of late, even the mayor and top office-bearers of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation come to this place to pay respects. Mayor Bijal Patel confirmed the visit.
Abdul Karim, a 63-year-old caretaker of the memorial, said that former chief ministers Madhavsinh Solanki and Hitendra Desai and late Congress leader Prabodh Raval had also visited the memorial, but it is not only civic officials and activists of MSD come here on July 1. "Earlier, over a thousand people used to gather here. Now only 10-15 people come," he said. About 6 years ago, Karim told DNA, a niece of Rajabali had come from abroad to see the memorial and he had opened the gates to enable her to pay tribute.
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