1 Aug 2020, Bengaluru: Disha Bharat kicked off its 15 day video lecture series for the run up to 74th Indian Independence Day this year. On each day till Aug 15, Disha Bharat has organised the lecture series in its Facebook page
On the Day 1 of the lecture series popular orator from Karnataka, Chakravarthy Sulibele spoke about 1857’s First war of Indian Independence. His speech was outlined on the brave book written by popular freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar which had gained the acclamation of being banned before even getting on print.
Chakravarty in his lecture, stated that Swadharma and Swarajya were strong reasons for the 1857 war which was then being termed as ‘mere Sepoy Mutiny’ by the British. He elucidated with examples how in Bharat the people revolted every time there came a threat to practising Dharma and restricting freedom in the Rashtra. To dethrone both dharma and concept of rashtra, the British preplanned the attack on Bharat by activating Christian missionaries and speaking derogatory about the practice of native Dharma he opined. He said that the gurukulas were mocked at; Christian missionary schools were introduced and the Bharatiya education system was premeditatedly destroyed eventually adding fuel to fire.
There was a structured national hatred which was sown in the minds of common people he observed. Chakravarty in his hour long speech spoke about how Dalhousie brought into force some crooked, controversial laws which benefitted the East India Company of the British. The revolt against such laws of the land including the doctrine of lapse stood as reasons for Nanasaheb Peshwe, Jhansi Rani Lakshmi Bai and others to show their revolt against the British.
Chakravarty remembered the heroes of the time including Mangal Pandey, Tatya Tope, Azimullah Khan, Bahadur Shah Zafar among many others who organised to fight against the aggression shown by the British. For today’s country 1857 should not be forgotten as a war which British won and Bharat lost but should be remembered as a war which made the British tremble and owed them sleepless nights. Reinstating self confidence despiting losing is what the 1857 First war of Indian Independence will teach us at all times he concluded.
