New Delhi: After ‘Udaipur Recordsdata’, ‘The Kashmir Recordsdata’ and ‘Sabarmati Categorical’, one other movie has been dragged into controversy: Farhan Akhtar’s ‘120 Bahadur’. This time, the row stems from the caste politics of Hindi heartland states.

The battle drama, to be launched in November, has triggered protests from the All India Yadav Mahasabha and BJP leaders from Haryana and Rajasthan. They allege that the movie doesn’t give credit score to Ahir troopers who sacrificed their lives combating the Chinese language within the 1962 battle.

However the movie’s teaser centered on Main Shaitan Singh Bhati, whereas ignoring the Ahirs who performed a key function within the defence, they added.

“Main Shaitan Singh, who led the defence, was not alone in combating 3,000 Chinese language troopers. All the battalion of the Kumaon Regiment of principally Ahirs performed a job. However they haven’t been given prominence within the movie. All the teaser is about Shaitan Singh Bhati,” stated an All India Yadav Mahasabha official.

“The movie ought to give due credit score to Ahir troopers who sacrificed their lives. The Battle of Rezang La was not solely concerning the bravery of Main Shaitan Singh, who led the troops in opposition to Chinese language troopers within the 1962 battle.”

BJP leaders weigh in

The controversy has additionally drawn the eye of BJP leaders in Haryana and Rajasthan.

Former Lok Sabha MP Karan Singh Tanwar stated that through the Rezang La battle, 114 troopers from the Kumaon Regiment “sacrificed their lives” and 90 % of these “sacrificed” have been Ahirs from Haryana’s Rewari and Mahendragarh.

“We salute the valour of Main Shaitan Singh, who led the battle nevertheless it was not solely simply his valour; it was additionally the sacrifice of your entire battalion of the Kumaon Regiment. That’s the reason we’ve demanded that credit score be given to Ahir troopers. In any other case, we are going to protest in opposition to the movie in Rajasthan,” the BJP chief advised the media, opposing the teaser in Jaipur.

Haryana BJP MP Ram Chander Jangra advised ThePrint that Rezang La was a “historic battle” fought by Ahir troopers through which 120 valiants killed hundreds of Chinese language troopers “with restricted artillery help”.

He stated a lot of the troopers have been from Haryana’s Rewari and Mahendragarh area. “We anticipate the producers to depict their bravery, and their identify and roots must be talked about within the movie…, however the battle was not led by one particular person however by a contingent.”

A BJP chief from Haryana highlighted the political significance of the controversy, saying the Ahir neighborhood shaped a key constituency in Hindi heartland states from Haryana and Rajasthan to Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

“In Bihar, Ahirs don’t vote for the BJP, however in the remainder of the states, they do. It’s our responsibility to lift such points to succeed in the core section, notably in south Haryana,” the chief stated.

Rajasthan BJP OBC Morcha head Champalal Gedar stated, “The movie shouldn’t harm the feelings of any neighborhood. Just a few leaders have objected to the content material of the teaser, and it’s anticipated that producers will rectify it earlier than launch.”

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Authorized discover

The All India Yadav Mahasabha had despatched a authorized discover to the movie’s producer and director.

Its basic secretary, Dinesh Yadav, stated within the discover that the Rezang La Memorial, often known as Ahir Dham, in Ladakh’s Chushul sector, was constructed by the Military to honour the 114 troopers of the 13 Kumaon’s Charlie Firm, who died defending Indian territory on 18 November 1962 through the Indo-China Warfare.

“This memorial shouldn’t be merely a army web site, it’s a sacred monument to braveness, neighborhood and nation, and is formally recognised by the Indian Military and Ministry of Defence. The Memorial Plaque bears a quote from Thomas Babington Macaulay’s poem, Horatius,” the discover stated.

It added that the Commanding Officer, Main Shaitan Singh, was rightly awarded the Param Vir Chakra posthumously.

“However the story of Rezang La isn’t nearly one hero. It’s about all 120 bravehearts who stood their floor and fought until the tip. A lot of them died of their trenches, fingers nonetheless on the set off.

The discover named a number of adorned troopers from the battle, saying, “These weren’t simply medals, they have been acknowledgements of a collective act of unmatched bravery.”

The All India Yadav Mahasabha has demanded that the names and native locations of all 114 troopers be given due credit score within the movie and their contributions highlighted. It has additionally sought a particular screening for the “martyrs’ households”.

Rezang La remembered

The movie, ‘120 Bahadur’, relies on the Battle of Rezang La, which is taken into account probably the most brave battles in Indian army historical past. Out of 120 troopers, 114 have been martyred.

Main Shaitan Singh, who commanded Charlie Firm, additionally sacrificed his life for which he was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, the best army ornament given for bravery in battle. Eight Vir Chakras and 4 Sena Medals have been additionally given to troopers of Charlie Firm.

In his ebook ‘The Battle of Rezang La’, Kulpreet Yadav recounts how the Indians detected Chinese language motion the morning of 18 November 1962. Regardless of waves of assaults from a number of instructions, the boys held their positions till they have been lastly overrun.

“With radio communications severed and no reinforcements doable, the boys fought to the final bullet. Some engaged in hand-to-hand fight, refusing to give up,” he wrote.

When a search celebration returned in February 1963, they discovered the our bodies frozen in battle positions. Main Bhati’s physique was recovered and cremated with full state honours.

On the teaser launch, Farhan Akhtar, who directs and performs Main Shaitan Singh within the movie, shouted the battle cry of Ahir troopers of the 13 Kumaon regiment, ‘Dada Kishan ki Jai’.

“The Ahir regiment’s battle cry is ‘Dada Kishan ki Jai’. The Ahirs are descendants of Lord Krishna and so they bear in mind their lord earlier than coming into into battle. It exhibits their bravery and confidence,” he stated.

(Edited by Sugita Katyal)

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