Ballia, April 10
Delhi BJP MP Manoj Tiwari has supported the demand to confer the Bharat Ratna on Mangal Pandey, one of the earliest icons of India's freedom struggle. He remarked that while Pandey deserves the country's highest civilian award, his legacy is far greater than any honour.
Speaking to reporters, Tiwari said he had not been fully aware of the demand earlier but now considers it justified.
"It is a very valid demand. Mangal Pandey truly deserves the Bharat Ratna. If Uttar Pradesh Minister Dayashankar Singh takes this initiative forward, I will also support it. In fact, Mangal Pandey is far above the Bharat Ratna, but recognition is important, and I will raise my voice for it," he stated.
Mangal Pandey, whose name resonates strongly in India's independence movement, was born on July 19, 1827, in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh. He served as a sepoy in the British East India Company's 34th Bengal Native Infantry. However, it was his act of defiance in 1857 that turned him into a symbol of resistance against colonial rule.
April 8 marked the 169th death anniversary of the revolutionary, whose actions are widely seen as a catalyst for India's first large-scale uprising against British authority. The unrest was triggered by the introduction of the Enfield rifle cartridges, which were rumoured to be greased with animal fat -- deeply offensive to both Hindu and Muslim soldiers. Although the British denied these claims, mistrust and anger spread rapidly among the sepoys.
Tensions eventually reached a breaking point on March 29, 1857, when Mangal Pandey openly rebelled at Barrackpore and attacked British officers. His actions ignited a wave of resistance that soon spread across northern and central India.
Following his arrest, Pandey faced a court-martial but remained firm in his stance, asserting that his rebellion was a personal decision. He was executed by hanging on April 8, 1857, a moment that became a defining chapter in India's struggle for independence.
Pandey's sacrifice inspired many others, and the uprising of 1857 evolved into a broader movement involving both soldiers and civilians. April 8 is remembered as the First War of Independence, laying the foundation for India's eventual freedom. His legacy continues to inspire generations of Indians.
His contribution to the Indian freedom movement was acknowledged in 1984 with a commemorative postage stamp issued by the Government of India.
- IANS
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