In a major setback to TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee, the Supreme Court has refused to intervene in the SSC scam investigation which is being conducted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), thereby allowing the agency to summon Banerjee.
A bench headed by CJI DY Chandrachud noted that interfering with the case may lead to stifling of investigation at this stage. “We are therefore not inclined to interfere with the Calcutta HC order since the consequence of doing so would be to stifle with the investigation at this stage,” the court said.
The SC noted that the single judge bench of Calcutta High Court held that there is no reason to prevent the investigation from being carried out by the ED considering the ramifications of the matter.
The SC has allowed Mamata Banerjee’s nephew to avail remedies under the law and also deleted the cost of Rs 25 lakh imposed by the HC.
On 13th April, the Calcutta High Court passed an order allowing the CBI and ED to interrogate the TMC General Secretary in the West Bengal Teachers’ Recruitment scam. Following this, Banerjee filed an application to recall the order which was quashed again by the HC on 18th May.
The SC has ruled that the orders passed by the HC on 13th April and 18th May will not restrict Banerjee’s right to seek other remedies as those orders were passed on applications filed in PILs.
Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who is representing Banerjee, has argued that the ED is conducting a “fishing and roving” inquiry against Banerjee without any material. He has alleged that Banerjee’s wife and relatives are being harassed too.
What is the SSC scam?
The West Bengal Teacher’s recruitment scam, more commonly referred to as the SSC scam, is about the recruitment process conducted through the State Level Selection Test (SLST) conducted by SSC from 2014 to 2016.
Candidates who appeared for the State Level Selection Test (SLST) exam alleged that many candidates who secured fewer marks ended up with higher ranks on the merit list. They further stated that the candidates who were not on the merit list were also sent appointment letters.
Further, in the year 2016, multiple allegations of corruption cropped up regarding the recruitment of Group C and Group D employees in secondary and higher secondary schools under the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education. The matter came to light in March this year after irregularities were noticed in the recruitment process of teachers in the state government schools.
Last month, during the course of the investigation into the scam, the Enforcement Directorate discovered a new Rs 200 crore cash for jobs racket in Bengal.
Several TMC netas including Arpita Mukherjee, Partha Chatterjee, Saayoni Ghosh, MLA Manik Bhattacharya, Santanu Banerjee, and Abhishek Banerjee’s close aide Sujoy Krishna Bhadra have been arrested or summoned in the case.
Amidst the heavy rain that has wreaked havoc on the National Capital, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appeared to have surrendered to the situation.
On Monday (July 10), he conceded that Delhi’s systems could not withstand such unprecedented rain. Kejriwal claimed that the city received over 153 mm of rain on July 8 and July 9 this year and that the water level of the Yamuna river is not going to rise too much.
While speaking about the river crossing the danger-level mark, he said, “As per Central Water Commission, Yamuna river is flowing at 203.58 meters in Delhi. It is expected to reach 205.5 meters tomorrow morning. Also, according to weather predictions, the water level in Yamuna is not expected to rise too high.”
दिल्ली में भारी बारिश के हालात और यमुना नदी के बढ़े जलस्तर को लेकर महत्वपूर्ण प्रेस कॉन्फ़्रेंस। LIVE https://t.co/hQKl389kHf
“If Yamuna crosses the 206 metre mark, then we will start evacuation along the banks of the river,” he alarmed. Arvind Kejriwal said that potholes on roads would be filled with stones, and inquiry has been initiated into three different road cave-in incidents.
The Delhi Chief Minister also said the New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) has been directed to address water logging issues.
Earlier, it was reported that the luxurious diplomatic enclave of Chanakyapuri, posh colonies including Bharti Nagar and other areas housing VIPs were inundated as the National Capital witnessed an unprecedented amount of rainfall, shattering a 41-year record.
There were reports of house collapses in several residential colonies, including a newly built wall of a government school building in Atishi Marlena’s constituency.
Waterlogging issues were also observed in diplomatic enclaves such as Chanakyapuri, Kaka Nagar, Bharti Nagar, and other prominent roads and colonies under the jurisdiction of the NDMC.
On the 10th of July, around six people, including three children, were killed in a horrifying attack at a kindergarten school in China’s south-eastern province, Guangdong. One person was also reportedly injured in this attack.
A spokeswoman for the city government informed that the victims include one teacher, two parents, and three students, reported AFP.
She added that one suspect has been arrested so far and the police investigation was underway. However, she didn’t reveal any details about the identities and ages of the victims, nor gave information about the weapon used in the attack.
As per state-backed China News Network, the incident unfolded around 7:40 AM local time on the 10th of July in Lianjiang city which is in Guangdong province.
As per BBC, Police informed that the attack was a case of stabbing. Around 8 AM local time, they arrested a 25-year-old man with the surname Wu. Further, Police have called this a case of “intentional assault”.
A local shopowner told BBC that the crime scene has been sealed for investigation. Beijing has prohibited its state media from publishing full details of this kindergarten stabbing as it fears a copycat attack can take place in that scenario.
As per a Reuters report, the kindergarten stabbing was the top-trending discussion on Weibo with 130 million views as of 12:20 pm (0420 GMT).
An unverified video was doing rounds on social media in which two of the victims were seen lying in a pool of blood outside the school. However, the great Chinese firewall has removed several videos from its video-sharing platform Douyin and its own Twitter-version Weibo. These removed videos were shot by passers-by and were claimed to be linked with the kindergarten stabbing.
Despite the fact that China strictly prohibits its citizens from owning firearms, there have been several cases of stabbings in recent years in China, especially in schools.
Past incidences
As per BBC, at least 17 knife attacks in schools, colleges, and universities have taken place in China since 2010. Out of them, ten cases occurred between 2018 and 2023.
In August 2022, three people were killed and six others were wounded in a knife attack at a kindergarten in China’s southeast province, Jiangxi.
Similarly, in April 2021, a knife-wielding man entered a kindergarten in southern China killing two children. Around 16 people were injured in this mass stabbing in Beiliu City, in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.
Earlier, in June 2020, 37 students and two adults were injured by a knife-wielding attacker at a primary school in southern China.
In 2020, a 40-year-old man was arrested in a “school-related criminal case” in the central Hubei province. The attacker killed eight schoolchildren and injured two others.
In April 2018, nine college students were killed and 12 people were injured outside their school in the northern province of Shaanxi. The attacker was claimed to be a 28-year-old man in that case. He later admitted that he acted out of revenge after being harassed by a student at the same school.
Apart from these knife attacks, in November 2019, one attacker climbed a kindergarten wall in southwest Yunnan province. Later, the man reportedly used a chemical spray to injure a classroom of 50 children.
Considering these fatal attacks targeting students, particularly after the April 2021 attack, the Chinese education ministry mandated emergency evacuation drills in schools.
On the 8th of July, The Sun published the shocking story of an unnamed BBC presenter who allegedly paid a teen 35,000 Pounds over a period of three years for sexually explicit images. The publication cited the victim’s mother’s version while publishing the story against the BBC presenter.
Now, in its exclusive report, the Sun has said that the BBC presenter called the young man twice after the allegations were published in the publication. The report adds that the BBC ‘star’ asked the victim to drop their complaint or stop the ongoing investigation.
The now-suspended TV star was later identified as a male staffer of BBC. The Sun claimed that he called the victim and asked, “What have you done?”
Reporting on the BBC presenter scandal, the newspaper added that the BBC presenter also asked the victim to call their mother and get her to “stop the investigation”.
BBC suspended the accused presenter and launched an internal investigation
Earlier, the BBC confirmed the reports that it had known about the complaint way back in May, this year. However, the state-run British Broadcaster claimed that the new allegations were of a “different nature”. It added that it has suspended the male staffer accused of these wrongdoings.
According to Leading Britain’s Conversation (LBC), BBC said, “The BBC first became aware of a complaint in May. New allegations were put to us on Thursday of a different nature and in addition to our own enquiries, we have also been in touch with external authorities, in line with our protocols. We can also confirm a male member of staff has been suspended.”
However, The Mirror report says that till the time news broke out, the BBC executives were partying with the presenter weeks after allegations were first made in May this year.
Notably, the creation, distribution, possession, or exhibition of any explicit images involving individuals under the age of 18, even if the content was created with the consent of the minor is illegal as per the Protection of Children Act 1978. It’s also illegal to “ask a child to send a sexual image of themselves”.
As per further information, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Lucy Frazer spoke to BBC Director General Tim Davie about the facts of the case.
Secretary Frazer said, “I have spoken to BBC Director General Tim Davie about the deeply concerning allegations involving one of its presenters. He has assured me the BBC is investigating swiftly and sensitively.”
I have spoken to BBC Director General Tim Davie about the deeply concerning allegations involving one of its presenters. He has assured me the BBC are investigating swiftly and sensitively.
She added, “Given the nature of the allegations, it is important that the BBC is now given the space to conduct its investigation, establish the facts and take appropriate action. I will be kept updated.”
Victim’s Mother accused the BBC presenter of ruining her child’s life
It all started on the 19th of May when the family informed the state-run broadcaster about this BBC Presenter scandal. They said that one of their “famous” presenters paid around 35,000 Pounds over a period of three years for sexually explicit images. The Corporation claimed to launch an investigation into the matter which was headed by a cyber-crime expert.
However, it is said that the presenter stayed on air and allegedly kept sending money until the family approached The Sun.
The young person’s mother told The Sun, “All I want is for this man to stop paying my child for sexual pictures and stop him funding my child’s drug habit.”
As per The Sun’s report, when the victim’s mother found out about the alleged exchange of money for sexually explicit images, she begged BBC to make the famous presenter stop sending cash to her child. She also said that the BBC presenter destroyed her child’s life and fed his “spiralling” crack cocaine habit.
She said, “I blame this BBC man for destroying my child’s life — taking my child’s innocence and handing over the money for crack cocaine that could kill my child.”
She also added that her child was happy-go-lucky but changed to a ghost-like crack addict after the money started pouring in.
The mother further said that she saw a picture of the presenter having a video chat preparing for a “show” while in his underwear.
Despite all these claims and allegations, the Police have not received any formal referral or allegation from BBC’s side.
On the 9th of July, a Met Police spokesperson said, “The Met has received initial contact from the BBC in relation to this matter, but no formal referral or allegation has been made. We will require additional information before determining what further action should follow.”
On 9th July, Taslim Ahmed Rehmani, President Muslim Political Council of India, sought time from USA’s Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Uzra Zeya to give his submissions towards her mission “truthfully and purposefully”. Zeya is currently in India on an official visit.
As per an official press release from the Department of State, Zeya is scheduled to meet senior government officials to “discuss the deepening and enduring U.S.-India partnership, including advancing shared solutions to global challenges, democracy, regional stability, and cooperation on humanitarian relief.” She is also scheduled to engage with civil society organisations on freedom of expression and association, and inclusion of women and girls, persons with disabilities, and vulnerable groups, including marginalised religious and ethnic minorities,” as per the official press release.
Namaste, New Delhi! Look forward to productive meetings with Government of India & civil society leaders building on momentum of @narendramodi’s historic State Visit. Together, we are working toward a ? that is more open, prosperous, secure, inclusive & resilient! pic.twitter.com/fsII6pZEeN
— Under Secretary Uzra Zeya (@UnderSecStateJ) July 9, 2023
Before embarking on her visit to India, in a tweet from the official Twitter handle, Zeya wrote, “Namaste, New Delhi! I look forward to productive meetings with the Government of India & civil society leaders building on the momentum of Narendra Modi’s historic State Visit. Together, we are working toward a more open, prosperous, secure, inclusive & resilient world!”
Who is Taslim Ahmed Rehmani
Taslim Ahmed Rehmani is the same person with whom former Bharatiya Janata Party’s spokesperson Nupur Sharma argued during a debate on Times Now in May 2022. Rehmani mocked Hindu beliefs during a debate on the Shivlinga found inside the disputed structure at Gyanvapi. After Rehmani repeatedly insulted Bhagwan Shiva, Sharma lashed out at him and argued about how he would feel if she said similar things about his religion.
Taslim Ahmed Rehmani asked for time from Uzra Zeya. Source: Twitter
Her counterargument was taken out of context after clipping Rehmani’s comments by Alt News’ co-founder Mohammed Zubair that led to nationwide protests against Nupur Sharma. As a result, she was suspended from the party and received death and rape threats from the Islamists.
While Rehmani, who was the reason Nupur Sharma got agitated during the debate, roams free, Sharma has to hide away from public view for her safety. Her whereabouts are known to a select people to ensure Islamists do not find a way to attack her. Furthermore, Hindus, including Kanhaiya Lal from Rajasthan and Umesh Kolhe from Maharashtra, were brutally murdered for supporting Nupur Sharma on social media.
Zeya’s meeting with Dalai Lama angered China
In sync with her previous visit to India, Zeya met Dalai Lama on 9th July. The meeting over the Tibetan issues angered China, which said “no external forces have the right to interfere” in the affairs of Tibet. Opposing the meeting, the Chinese Embassy in India said, “Xizang (Tibet) affairs are purely internal affairs of China, and no external forces have the right to interfere.”
Zeya’s next stop is Bangladesh, where she is scheduled to have talks with government officials over “shared humanitarian concerns, including the Rohingya refugee crisis; labour issues; human rights; free and fair elections; and combating trafficking in persons,” said the official press release.
On Monday (July 10), the Calcutta High Court refused to grant an urgent hearing to a petition, which sought action against the State Election Commission (SEC) for failing to deploy adequate police personnel at polling stations during the West Bengal Panchayat elections.
The matter came up for hearing before a 2-Judge Bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Hiranmay Bhattacharya. The petitioner pointed out that the State Election Commission flouted the order of the court dated July 4, 2023, and did not deploy adequate personnel in polling stations.
The petitioner thus sought contempt of court proceedings against the SEC. While refusing to grant urgent hearing, Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam said, “No urgency. Let it come in regular course. We will hear.”
Calcutta High Court refuses to grant an urgent hearing to a Petition seeking Contempt of Court proceedings against State Election Commission for disobeying July 4 orders and not deploying adequate police personnel in polling stations.
It must be mentioned that on July 4 this year, the Calcutta High Court directed the ‘Force Coordinator’ to deploy central forces at every polling station during the panchayat election in the State.
“Inspector General of BSF who has been appointed ‘Force Coordinator’ may issue appropriate directions so that the deployment of the Central forces can cover all polling stations in the State,” the court stated. It also directed deployment of police and central forces in equal measure for the entire duration of the election process till the declaration of the final results.
The Court said, “It is submitted by the learned Deputy Solicitor General that considering the forces which have been deployed, there will be nearly 65,000 active personnel and the State police forces will be about 70,000 and the deployment on a ratio of 50=50 will solve the issue.”
Violence in West Bengal during Panchayat polls
The panchayat elections held on July 8 in West Bengal were marred by widespread violence across the state. Reports emerged of booth capturing, damage to ballot boxes, and attacks on presiding officers from districts such as Murshidabad, Behar, Malda, South 24 Parganas, North Dinajpur, and Nadia.
Tragically, the violence resulted in the loss of over 30 lives and numerous injuries. The State Election Commission had established a total of 61,636 polling stations for conducting elections to 3,317 grampanchayats, 341 panchayat samitis, and 20 zila parishads in West Bengal.
To ensure the safe conduct of elections, 59,000 personnel from the Central Armed Police Forces and other state police forces were entrusted with the responsibility of guarding the polling stations, including the 4,834 sensitive booths where only CAPFs were deployed.
It is worth noting that under the Trinamool Congress Party’s rule, West Bengal has witnessed a deteriorating law and order situation. Mamata Banerjee’s government has been unsuccessful in containing the escalating violence, particularly the targeted killings of RSS and BJP workers, which have become distressingly commonplace.
The use of bombs as a means of political rivalry has also become alarmingly frequent, even at the block or village level. Despite the significant number of political killings, mainstream media outlets have refrained from labelling it a murder of democracy due to the apprehension of potential vindictive actions from Mamata Banerjee’s government.
The Trinamool Congress party (TMC) on Monday, July 10, announced six candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections. The six persons nominated for the Rajya Sabha seats prominently include RTI ‘activist’, Congress loyalist-turned-TMC member Saket Gokhale who had come under public scrutiny for misappropriation of funds that he collected from Modi haters.
“May they persist in their dedication to serving the people and uphold Trinamool’s enduring legacy of indomitable spirit and advocacy for the RIGHTS OF EVERY INDIAN. We extend our heartfelt wishes to all,” TMC tweeted.
— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) July 10, 2023
The other five TMC members nominated for the Rajya Sabha elections are Derek O’Brien, Dola Sen, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, Samirul Islam, and Prakash Chik Baraik. Six Rajya Sabha seats from West Bengal are slated to fall vacant as Derek O’Brien, Dola Sen, Pradip Bhattacharya, Sushmita Dev, Shanta Chhetri, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray are set to complete their term on August 18.
According to the Election Commission of India, the polls for ten Rajya Sabha seats in Gujarat, Goa, and West Bengal will take place on July 24.
Gokhale was accused of misappropriation of funds
Saket Gokhale, who was once a Congress loyalist, was questioned by several social media users and donors who provided him with funds that he collected in the name of Modi hatred. Despite several donors demanding the details of the utilisation of the funds, he had refused to provide the same.
When I first raised funds, the page clearly stated that it was for my sustenance to do my work full-time without a job (not for Rs. 10 RTI expenses).
The kind people who supported me are aware of it. You don’t promise “audited accounts” for your monthly life expenses.
Hussain Haidry, poet and writer, in the year 2021 said that thousands, especially Muslims donated to Gokhale in small amounts, but no stupendous work has been done by the latter. In the year 2020, social media users calculated that Saket Gokhale had collected ₹22.8 lakhs through his OurDemocracy fundraiser. Meanwhile, in 2021, a Twitter user by the handle @thehawkeye shared that Gokhale has collected over 76 lakhs over 17 months, making approximately 4.4 lakhs per month.
Q. How much it cost to file one RTI? A. Rs. 10.
INC handler & hyper RTI activist Saket Gokhale who admits to just 'survive' on crowdfunding, made Rs 76 Lac in a span of 17 months (avg just Rs 4.4Lac/pm)
Further, in February 2021, a left-liberal AAP supporter named Amit Behere accused Gokhale of wasting money by filing RTIs, which have had absolutely “zero return on investment”. He had alleged that the donations to the then Congress loyalist had obtained no results for the common public.
In March 2021, a complaint was lodged with the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) against Saket Gokhale by the Legal activist group Legal Rights Observatory (LRO), accusing him of earning drug money through the means of crowdfunding.
Gokhale was caught peddling lies against the government
Saket Gokhale is known for spreading fake claims against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), PM Modi, and the Indian government. Gokhale spread lies amidst the anti-CAA protests in January 2020, claiming that the Delhi Police had permitted him to hold a rally and chant “Desh ke gaddaron ko, goli maaro saalon ko.” However, he had no approval letter sent by the Delhi police that could substantiate his claims.
Later in June that year, he peddled a wild conspiracy theory about the ‘ventilator scam’ during the COVID spread. This was after the first batch of ventilators procured using the PM CARES fund was made available to hospitals. He had alleged that ₹750+ crore had gone ‘missing’ from the funds allotted for procuring ventilators under the PM CARES fund. The theory was then amplified by the Congress party. However, the fake claims were then debunked by the CMD of BEL (Bharat Electronic Limited), a professional Defence electronics company in India. In February 2021, BEL filed a ₹1 crore defamation suit against the RTI ‘activist’ for spreading lies.
Stunning details of embezzlement of 750+ crores by PM CARES:
Y'all must've seen this ventilator with PM CARES sticker that has been promoted by the BJP.
Read on to know how a whopping 750+ crores have been stolen by PM Modi & BJP with these ventilators.
Further, during the historic Bhumi Pujan of Ram Mandir at Ayodhya on August 5, 2020, Gokhale filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) before the Allahabad High Court seeking a stay on the event for alleged violation of Covid-19 protocols.
Saket Gokhale was arrested for spreading fake news after Morbi bridge collapse
Gokhale, a former RTI ‘activist’ and current Trinamool Congress leader, was caught sharing a fabricated news report about an RTI query and its response that does not exist. He had claimed that ₹30 crore was spent on PM Modi’s Morbi visit, sharing a news clipping from an unnamed Gujarati newspaper, which was claimed to be Gujarat Samachar. But BJP has said that it is fabricated and no such report was published and there is no such RTI reply, and Gujarat Samachar has also said that they have not published such a report.
Citing the so-called report, Gokhale claimed that ₹ 5.5 crore was purely for “welcome, event management, & photography”. He also claimed that “Modi’s event management & PR costs more than life of 135 people”, as the families of the 135 victims of the tragedy were given ex-gratia of ₹4 lakh each, totalling ₹5 crore.
There was no such RTI and no such media report as claimed by Gokhale.
Rajya Sabha Elections
The Election Commission of India has announced that the voting for ten Rajya Sabha seats in Gujarat, Goa, and West Bengal would take place on July 24. On the same day, there will be a vote count. The deadline for submitting nominations is July 13, and the deadline for withdrawing from consideration is July 17.
The 10 members are retiring between July 28 and August 18 after serving their full six-year terms in the Upper House, according to a statement released by the EC. On August 18, West Bengal’s TMC representatives O’Brien, Dola Sen, Sushmita Dev, Shanta Chhetri, and Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, as well as Congressman Pradip Bhattacharya, will leave office.
The terms of the three BJP MPs from Gujarat whose positions are up for reelection on August 18 are Lokhandwala Jugal Singh Mathurji, Dinesh Jemalbhai Anavadia, and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. In addition, one Goa seat will be up for election since BJP MP Vinay D. Tendulkar’s term expires on July 28.
The struggle for independence from the Imperial British Empire was not a journey of intermittent events, armed revolts, or non-violent political struggle alone. Instead, there were continued efforts to free the motherland from the bondage of colonial rule. Every event had a bearing and a domino effect on the larger canvas of the freedom struggle.
Amongst the stories of the long fight for freedom, the ‘First War of Independence’ in 1857 is often hailed as the first major armed revolt against the British. It is described as the first major instance of a sizable and severe mutiny by Indian soldiers against the East India Company.
However, this description largely ignores the fact that the Vellore Mutiny predates the ‘Sepoy Mutiny’ of 1857 by more than half a century. The Vellore Mutiny took place nearly 51 years prior to the Great Revolt of 1857. Although its scale and size differed greatly, the Vellore Mutiny was a significant incident that impacted subsequent events.
The timeline
Vellore is a small city located in the northern part of Tamil Nadu. It derives its name from the Velan trees surrounding it. At the time of the Vellore Mutiny in 1806, the region of Vellore and surrounding areas were under the control of the British East India Company. Though it claimed to be a trading company, it gradually expanded its administrative influence and territories in India through military conquests, alliances, and treaties.
In 1799, the EIC defeated and killed Tipu Sultan in the Battle of Srirangapatna. Following the death of Tipu Sultan, his wife, and kids were held as prisoners in the Vellore Fort which played its role in infuriating the locals. Afterward, the company annexed his kingdom which controlled a significant portion of southern India, including parts of present-day Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.
Vellore itself was part of the Madras Presidency, which was one of the administrative divisions of British India. The EIC exercised direct control over the region through its appointed officials and military presence. The Vellore Fort where the actual revolt took place, was a stronghold of the British and it served as a military garrison.
The Vellore Fort, Tamil Nadu. (Image Source – The Hindu)
Reportedly, the forces stationed at the Vellore Fort included four companies of His Majesty’s 69th Regiment, three battalions of Madras infantry, and the 2nd Battalion of the 23rd Regiment. According to some accounts, around six companies of the 1st Battalion of the 1st Regiment of Native Infantry were also present at the fort. These companies comprised Mysore Muslims who had earlier served Tipu Sultan. As per Historical estimates, around 370 British or Europeans and around 1,700 Indian sepoys were present in the Vellore Fort when the Mutiny took place.
Usually, these sepoys were camped outside the Fort walls. They lived outside the walls with their families in the huts. However, according to historical accounts, it was on that day when one of the daughters of Tipu Sultan was getting married. So, the sepoys had to be assembled in the fort. The mutineers found this opportune moment and started their revolt in the early hours of the 10th of July, 1806.
The local sepoys of the 1st and 23rd regiments attacked the Vellore fort in the early hours of the day, sparking the Vellore mutiny.
Cause of resentment
Earlier, in 1805, General Sir John Craddock, who was the Commander-in-Chief of the Madras Army passed a controversial order to change the military uniform. As per the new order, the Hindu soldiers were prohibited from applying religious marks like vibhuti or tilak on their forehead while Muslim soldiers were asked to shave their moustaches and beards.
Additionally, the Indian soldiers were also prohibited from wearing turban or customary headwear. It was replaced by a round hat and cockade which created apprehensions among the Indian soldiers that they were being converted to Christianity. It is important to note that back then, the cockade was associated with Christianity. Further, historical records suggest that the troops had received information about the arrival of missionaries in Madras, and the Indian soldiers knew the real motives of the missionaries.
This controversial decision of changing the military uniform created discontent among Hindus and Muslims alike as the new guidelines targeted their religious belief.
According to historians, British officer Craddock completely disregarded the military board’s advice and didn’t take the sensibilities of Indian sepoys into consideration. This hurt the sentiments of both Hindu as well as Muslim soldiers.
General Sir John Craddock. (Image Source – The Great Karoo)
To quel the increasing protest, the EIC administration adopted coercive methods which worsened the situation. Evidently, in May 1806, a few of the protesting sepoys were taken to Fort St.George, Chennai. Two of the protesting sepoys were brutally punished and were whip-lashed 90 times in public. Later, they were also dismissed from the service.
Further, around 19 sepoys were beaten and whipped-lashed around 50 times in public. Additionally, they were asked to seek a pardon from the EIC.
The ill-treatment and imprisonment of Tipu’s family members were additional factors that angered the locals. Sensing the brewing mutiny, Tipu’s sons also extended their support. However, according to some historical records, their initial intention was to incite an uprising in the Mysore Province. But when the actual mutiny started, they were reluctant to fully engage.
Course of Events
In the early hours of the 10th of July 1806, around 500 Indian soldiers broke into the fort. They killed 14 British officers of their own Madras Regiment and moved ahead to slay 115 British soldiers of the 69th command. Colonel St. John Fancourt who was the commander of the Fort was amongst the British officers that were killed by the Indian sepoys. By the time of Sunrise, the Indian soldiers had taken control of the fort.
(Image Source – India Today)
The Indian soldiers climbed the top of the fort and removed the Union Jack (British flag). In place of it, they hoisted the flag of the Mysore Sultanate. Subsequently, they declared Fateh Hyder, Tipu Sultan’s second son as the ruler.
In a blitzkrieg, the Indian soldiers had defeated the EIC officials and the mutiny which only started at midnight was a great triumph killing or injuring around 200 British soldiers. However, the rebellion lacked clear leadership. They did not anticipate and prepare for the eventuality that the British officers will seek revenge and respond with their oppressive pattern.
The Indian soldiers were fighting against the remaining British or European soldiers. In the meantime, one British officer Major Coopes escaped the carnage. He fled from the Vellore Fort and informed the British garrison stationed at Arcot.
The reinforcement troops comprised the British 19th Light Dragoons, galloper guns, and a squadron of Madras Cavalry. They were led by Sir Rollo Gillespie and they marched from Arcot to Vellore. Despite the large reinforcement, they moved at a swift pace and covered 26 km in 2 hours.
When the reinforcement reached the Vellore Fort, they found that around 60 officers of the 69th command had survived the attack of Indian soldiers. They were hiding back and had no stock of ammunition.
Since the Fort gates were barricaded, Gillespie climbed the Fort walls using a rope and he led the bayonet charge against the Indian soldiers who started the mutiny.
Bayonet Charge. (Image Source – Military History Now)
Subsequently, the 19th Light and Madras Cavalry advanced towards the Fort and they blew the Fort gates by using the galloper guns. Once inside the fort, they killed Indian soldiers mercilessly resulting in the deaths of approximately 350 sepoys and numerous injuries.
(Image Source – Dakshinapatha)
Historical records claim that around 100 Indian sepoys who had taken refuge in the fort were arrested and they were lined up against a wall and were shot indiscriminately. Historians claim that the British sought revenge and it was swift. They claim that it was done in a hurried manner like giving ‘vigilante justice.’ The mutiny was crushed and it only lasted one full day. However, the number of casualties during and after the Mutiny speaks for itself about the discontent against colonial rule.
Impact of the Mutiny
The act of vigilante justice and massacre of more than 100 Indian soldiers didn’t suffice for the EIC officials. After hurriedly conducting a farce of a trial, they served the punishment for surviving Indian sepoys which was nothing short of acts of vengeance. In a horrifying act, they ordered 6 Indian soldiers to be blown away by guns, and 5 Indian soldiers were killed by the firing squad. 8 Indian soldiers were hanged and 5 were transported for life. The 3 Madras Regiment battalions which were part of the mutiny were disbanded.
(Image Source – Twitter handle pragyata)
Historians differ on the actual death count. However, WJ Wilson claimed that 879 out of 1,700 Indian soldiers stationed at the Fort died in this one-day revolt. This number is considered the most acceptable among historians.
Similarly, General Harcourt pointed out the actual number of prisoners taken after the 10th of July Mutiny. According to him, there were 466 prisoners in Vellore alone. Additionally, there were many more Indian Soldiers who were taken as prisoners and incarcerated in Tiruchirapalli and in other Indian prisons.
Although, the mutiny ended swiftly and lasted only one full day. It forced the colonizers to make many changes. After the loss of 200 British soldiers, they abandoned the revised military uniform and abolished the punishment system of beating soldiers with whip lashes.
Similarly, John Craddock whose controversial order to change military uniform became the igniting reason for the Mutiny was disgracefully recalled back along with other senior officials. Additionally, the then Governor William Bentick too was recalled.
The royal family of Tipu Sultan was taken away from the Vellore Fort and relocated to Calcutta.
However, the most significant outcome was that the British Empire assumed control shortly after the Vellore Mutiny. In 1807, Lord Minto arrived in India as the Governor-General as a result of this.
According to some claims, the severe and brutal punishments inflicted upon Indian soldiers played a significant role in the southern sepoys’ decision to refrain from participating in the 1857 Indian Revolt.
Despite the fact that the Vellore Mutiny was brutally crushed by British officials, its repercussions were felt in the form of numerous smaller revolts and armed conflicts against colonial rule, which later culminated in the Great Revolt of 1857.
Amelia Farrer who was the wife of St. John Fancourt (slain commander of Vellore Fort) was the only remaining eyewitness to the genuine horror of the mutiny. She wrote manuscripts about this two weeks after the rebellion.
These are some of the horrifying stories that could make it to us, a vast infinity is still to be recollected from the epoch of Indian history. One African proverb aptly covers the gist of historical records, “Until the lions tell their own story, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.”
Stamp issued by the Government of India to mark its 200th anniversary. (Image Source – istampgallery)
Memorial In Vellore
In 2006, the government of India issued a postal stamp to mark the 200th anniversary of the Vellore Mutiny. Similarly, a memorial is also built in Vellore City to honor the Indian soldiers who fought against colonial rule.
On Monday, July 10, a video went viral on social media showing the Army jawans police team, railway staff, locals, and commuters onboard pushing a train to ‘start’ it. The footage was extensively shared on Twitter by several media outlets, opposition leaders and members of the leftist cabal with claims that an Indian Railway train carrying hundreds of passengers stopped all of a sudden and had to be pushed to re-start. The claim, however, turned out to be false.
News agencies like News24, News 4 Rajasthan and India TV shared the video with a caption in Hindi which translated to, “When the train did not run, the jawans pushed and started it, the video went viral on social media.”
The Tweets by most of these news agencies have been deleted after Railways issued a clarification, but the damages were done.
Since the central government is in charge of railways, various opposition leaders from parties like the Congress, the Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Lok Dal, etc. and their loyalists saw this as an opportunity to critique the BJP government at the Centre. The party officials circulated the viral video and mocked the Indian Railway for operating in such miserable conditions under the control of the Central government.
Deepak Katri, the former National Convenor of the Indian Youth Congress and the National Coordinator of Social Media for the Indian National Congress (INC) tweeted the video and expressed despair for the so-called ‘deplorable’ state in which the Indian Railways was operating under the aegis of the central government.
Congress leader Mohd Shamim Khan also posted the video taking a sarcastic jibe at the BJP government at the centre.
Likewise, Samajwadi Party leader IP Singh shared the video posted by New 24 to mock PM Modi. He tweeted in Hindi which roughly translated to, “PM Modi’s Vande Matram train has been transformed into a push plate. The entire nation has been reduced to a push plate over the last ten years. Propaganda is the only place of employment.”
In addition, a number of ardent supporters of the leftist brigade and the Modi “hate club” seized the opportunity to insult the Modi administration and the Indian Railways by disseminating the video.
Jawans & passengers were trying to push a train as it stopped abruptly.
— someone you don't know (@i_am_aslii) July 10, 2023
Despite the fact that the video appears to show army forces and railway employees pushing the train, the narrative weaved around the video is entirely false. There is undoubtedly more than what meets the eye.
After the video went viral, South Central Railways issued a clarification which dismissed the false information that was spread on social media regarding the video. It said, “This relates to Tr No 12703 (HWH-SC) fire incident on 07.07.23 The video is about conscious decision by Rly Personnel & Local Police to detach the rear coaches to avoid further spread of fire. It was an emergency action taken without waiting for help from engine.”
Clarification:
This relates to Tr No 12703 (HWH-SC) fire incident on 07.07.23
The video is about conscious decision by Rly Personnel & Local Police to detach the rear coaches to avoid further spread of fire.
It was an emergency action taken without waiting for help from engine https://t.co/vvH3FAWgDP
— South Central Railway (@SCRailwayIndia) July 10, 2023
The Official spokesperson of the Ministry of Railways also issued a tweet debunking the false claims being attributed to the video wherein Army jawans police team, railway staff, locals, and commuters onboard can be seen pushing a train.
Tagging India TV’s Tweet, which was later deleted my the media outlet, it said, “This relates to Train No 12703 (HWH-SC) fire incident on 7th July, 2023. News of a fire incident is being used in a sensational & irresponsible manner.”
“After the fire incident, promt response was given & an engine was on its way to help to detach the coaches to stop further spread of fire, but instead of just waiting for the engine to come, our alert Railway & Local police personnel took immediate action,” Official spokesperson of the Ministry of Railways added.
This relates to Train No 12703 (HWH-SC) fire incident on 7th July, 2023.
News of a fire incident is being used in a sensational & irresponsible manner. Here are the facts: https://t.co/wAlX2ih9Ov
— Spokesperson Railways (@SpokespersonIR) July 10, 2023
“Railway personnel and Local police joined hands to detach the rear coaches & avoid further spread of fire. Our gratitude to the alert police personnel for responding promptly,” the Railway spokesperson’s Twitter handle posted.
Moreover, railway officials also clarified, “This relates to the Falaknuma Express train no 12703 (Howrah – Secunderabad). On 7th July 2023, there was an incident of fire which led to the damage of S2 to S6 coaches. To restrict the spread of the fire to other coaches, the rear portion consisting of 3 coaches – S1 and 2 General Coaches were detached and manually moved away by dedicated railway staff and local police.
In fact, Deccan Chronicle had on July 8 reported how 30 cops pushed 3 bogies of the Faluknama train to safety after a massive fire broke out in some coaches of Falaknuma Express between Bommaipally and Pagidipally in Telangana, following which it was stopped. All passengers deboarded the train and no injuries were reported.
Report published by Deccan Chronicle on July 8
Six coaches of the Falaknuma Express caught fire on Friday (July 7) morning between the Pagidipalli and Bommaipalli villages in the Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district of Telangana. Close to 300 passengers on board were safely evacuated by the rescue teams and were sent home in buses. Out of 18 coaches, 11 were detached and taken away safely.
CH Rakesh, CPRO South Central Railway said, “Fire accident reported in Falaknuma Express. All the passengers got down. No casualties were reported, and the train was stopped between Bommaipally and Pagidipally. The fire broke out in three bogies, S4, S5, S6.”
All passengers are safely evacuated and shifted in buses after a fire broke out in the Falaknuma Express near Bhongir rural PS limits. Police, Fire Dept, and Railways are working in coordination. So far, no fatalities have been reported. Out of 18 coaches 11 are detached and… pic.twitter.com/TtgD5BzFP6
— DGP TELANGANA POLICE (@TelanganaDGP) July 7, 2023
It is now evident that in the video that went viral, the Railway officials were definitely pushing the coaches, but not because the train had to be ‘started’, as it was claimed by media houses and others, it was the coaches of the Falukmana Express that caught fire and the Army personnel and railway officials were merely pushing it to safety.
A stalled train locomotive can’t be started by pushing it like a car, here is why
Even if a train locomotive fails to start, it can’t be started by pushing it like a motor vehicle. This is because, in motor vehicles, the wheels are directly connected to the engine through the transmission. Moving the vehicle by pushing it causes the engine pistons to move, which starts the engine. Basically, pushing a car is the same as kickstarting a two-wheeler or hand-cranking a generator, it starts the engine by moving its pistons. The battery-powered starter motor also does the same thing to start the engine.
Now, in this video, it is clearly seen that it is an electrified route, power lines above the railway track are visible, which means it will be an electric locomotive. Electric locomotives draw power from overhead lines and use it to run the traction motors attached to the wheels. A stalled electric motor can’t be started by manually moving it, it will only move when it gets adequate electric power. Therefore, it is not possible to start an electric locomotive by pushing it like a road vehicle.
Not just electric locos, even diesel locomotives can’t be started this way. Because, even if they run on diesel, they are actually electric locomotives only. The diesel locomotives have diesel power generators, which power the traction motors attached to the wheels. The engine is not directly connected to the wheels, there is no transmission system. This is because internal combustion engines can’t generate the torque and rpm needed to move a train. Electric motors are best suited for such heavy vehicles, as it also eliminates the requirement of a complex transmission system involving gears and shafts.
That is why they are actually called diesel-electric locomotives. Therefore, pushing them won’t work, because the wheels are connected to the generator via wires, not via gears and shaft, and pushing the train won’t move the engine in the generator.
On Monday (July 10), Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara addressed the issue of the murder of prominent Jain monk Muni Kamkumar Nandi Maharaj and said that there was no need for a CBI investigation. He also said that there was no discrimination happening in the case and that the police were working to arrest the criminals.
“The Police are working to immediately arrest the criminals and take legal action. Legal action is a natural process. There is no question of discrimination. After the incident, Police immediately took action after a complaint was made. The Jain monks in Hubbali were staging a fast, I spoke to them yesterday,” the State Home Minister said.
He specifically added that there was no need for a CBI probe in the case and that the State police is competent enough to punish the criminals. “We have come to give them assurance after hearing their demand for a CBI investigation. Our Police department is competent. No need to hand it over to CBI,” he said.
We have come to give them assurance after hearing their demand for a CBI investigation. Our Police department is competent. No need to hand it over to CBI. Truth will be known after our department's investigation is over. It is not right to make accusations. Legal action will be… pic.twitter.com/YdMUINsmnR
The Minister further stated that the truth would emerge only after the Department’s investigation is over. “It is not right to make accusations. Legal action will be taken. The police are working impartially without any pressure,” he added.
The development came after Union Minister Pralhad Joshi demanded the strictest punishment for the perpetrators. He also indicated that the people were suspecting that the murderers were being protected. He also said that the State was playing appeasement politics while directing investigations in the case.
#WATCH | Hampi | Union Minister Pralhad Joshi speaks on the murder of a Jain monk in Karnataka; says, "The murder of Sri Kamakumara Nandi Mahara is highly condemnable. The accused's name was not even being revealed initially. Attempts were made to force local people to give… pic.twitter.com/UL5F3guzXa
“The murder of Sri Kamakumara Nandi Maharaj is highly condemnable. The accused’s name was not even being revealed initially. Attempts were made to force local people to give statements that he (the deceased monk) was involved in some financial transactions. Attempts were made to give it an angle that his financial habits led to his murder. People suspect that the murderers are being protected. I think this is the height of appeasement politics. Karnataka Govt became active only after pressure. This is wrong…The murderers should be given the strictest punishment,” he said.
On Saturday (July 8), the police officials claimed that the Muni, who belongs to the Digambar sect of Jainism, used to lend money. “Prima facie it appears that the monk was murdered for money related matter,” the official added.
The accused, identified as Narayana Basappa Madi and Hassan Dalayath confessed to having murdered the monk and throwing his chopped body in the borewell. As per the reports, the BJP has also decided to raise the issue in the Karnataka Assembly on Monday (June 10).
BJP has decided to raise the issue of murder of Jain monk Acharya Sri Kamakumara Nandi Maharaj in the Karnataka Assembly today. He was found murdered in Belagavi, Karnataka.
In a shocking trail of events, a Jain muni (monk) identified as Muni Kamkumar Nandi Maharaj was brutally murdered and his body was allegedly dismembered on July 8. The victim was missing since July 6, 2023. The police arrested two suspects in connection with the crime who confessed to the crime.
The cops are currently interrogating them in an attempt to recover the monk’s body. The dreadful incident took place in the Chikkodi area of Belgaum district, where the revered Jain Muni 108 Kamkumar Nandi Ji Maharaj had been residing at the Nandi Parvat Ashram for the past 15 years.
He was the head of the Acharya Kamakumara Nandi Charitable Trust of Hirekodi village near Chikkodi in Belagavi district. His sudden disappearance on Thursday raised concerns among his disciples, who searched for him but were unable to locate him.
The brutal murder of the Jain muni has sent shockwaves throughout the state of Karnataka, raising concerns about the overall law and order situation. The state of Karnataka recently witnessed a change in power, with the Congress party assuming control after a resounding victory in the assembly elections.
However, in the aftermath of this tragic event, questions are being raised about the effectiveness of the newly formed government and its ability to maintain law and order.
The incident has underscored the importance of addressing security issues promptly and efficiently, as citizens rightly expect a safe and secure environment, regardless of the political landscape.
