Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, January 23:

The first day of the Martyr’ Week began here today with various political leaders and eminent personalities offering floral tributes to the statues of martyrs and holding rallies in the Capital in honour of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for democracy.

The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) officials today offered tributes to the martyrs at Teku, where freedom fighter Sukraraj Sastri was hanged from a tree by the Rana regime 64 years ago.

Speaking at the programme, chief executive officer of the KMC Surya Silwal remembered the contributions of the martyrs in bringing multiparty democracy in the country.

Similarly, Martyrs’ Day Celebration Civil Committee held a rally from Basantapur to Shahidgate (Martyrs’ Gate).

The participants garlanded the statues of the four martyrs who had fought against the Rana regime. Similarly, another group had organised a programme to offer tributes to martyr Sukhra Raj Shashtri. They paid floral tributes to his statue at Pulchowk in the morning.

Different programmes will be organised throughout the week in memory of the four martyrs — Shukra Raj Shashtri, Dharma Bhakta Mathema, Gangalal Shrestha and Dasharath Chanda — who lost their lives in the fight against the Rana regime , and other known and unknown martyrs who fought to usher in democracy in the nation.