Champaran Satyagraha hero Rajkumar Shukla gets commemorative stamp

The Department of Posts will honour all important people who have not been given their due place in history by issuing commemorative postal stamps in their names, Communications Minister Manoj Sinha said Tuesday.

"Our government has made an effort that people who have not been given due importance but have contributed significantly in building nation should be honoured by India Posts by issuing postage stamp. In this series, a postal stamp has been issued on Shri Rajkumar Shukla," Sinha said after releasing commemorative stamp on Shukla.

Shukla is associated with Champaran Satyagraha and is said to have persuaded Mahatma Gandhi to visit Champaran to fight for farmers in the region.

In early 1900 period, farmers in Champaran were forced to produce indigo under the British rule and sell at a price determined by the government.

Sinha said Shukla persuaded Gandhi to fight against the plight of farmers, which is known as Champaran Satyagraha in history.

Member of Parliament (MP) Sanjay Jaiswal said Gandhi visited Champaran as a lawyer, but emerged as Mahatma when he took up the fight for farmers.

BJP MP Satish Chandra Dubey from West Champaran constituency demanded that statues of Shukla should be placed alongside that of Gandhi, starting with one in Lok Sabha premises.

(With inputs from agencies.)