The Statesman reports that even with two years to go, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is preparing to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Sepoy Mutiny, which he will refer to in a more contemporary fashion:
Mangal Pandey and his men will live again, and not because of Ketan MehtaÂ’s feature film The Rising. The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, has constituted a Group of Ministers to celebrate the Revolt of 1857. Only, the government will regard it as the first war of Indian independence.
That the Centre has started planning the celebrations a couple of years ahead could be borne out of the concern that the Opposition parties, in power in some states, do not steal the thunder and take over the “nationalist” agenda.
Can we really call 1857 the first war for indian independence. Has there been other wars since then. If we go ahead and believe that other uprising in various parts of the country constitute wars then we must know that there were other wars before 1857. Can we not call Tipu’s numerous wars a war for independence. Would not Velu Thambi of kerala be a better candidate for the first freedom fighter than Mangal Pandey. Do we not see here a monopolization by the cowbelt states in all patriotic discourse. The incredible diversity of india ensures that very few movements are truly representative of all india. Even 1857 uprising was not truly representative of all India. Hence the only way to come to terms with it as an Indian uprising is to recognize all uprisings as Indian wars of independence. One wishes the prime minister well in wanting to celebrate the anniversary. One only hopes that the other uprisings against the british are given thier due and celebrated in a similar vein.
you’re stupid