03-12-2007, 10:47 AM
More on Mangal Pandey's death.
Deccan Chronicle, 13 March 2007
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Issurie was hanged for âinactionâ
By Akhilesh Mithal
Historical awareness in India, despite 2007 being the 60th year of independence (two generations of Indians have been born free) is mind-boggling. The political parties who are the beneficiaries, battening on the misinformation that causes and cements the communal divide (such as the RSS parivaar and its allies like the Shiva Sena and the Akali Dal), are interested in ignoring and suppressing the truth lest the very ground under their feet disappear to leave them high and dry and out of power which brings daily black money income and pomp and pageant, which feudal lords of the medieval past would be envious of.
As the Congress is second to none in playing the community or caste card, specially at election time, its vaunted "secular" credentials are doubtful if not entirely bogus as demonstrated on December 6, 1992, when P.V. Narasimha Rao and his cabinet of Congress and like-minded parties allowed the destruction of the Ayodhya mosque.
The consequence is that "Bharat Mein Angrezi Raj" (British Rule in India: 1757-1947) continues to be read from the British point of view. Those who perpetrated the worst crimes and atrocities, like what the British did in 1857, lie low wishing to be forgotten lest they be arraigned before world public opinion and asked to apologise and make at least token amends.
The descendants of their accomplices, those who betrayed the Indian nation by siding with the British in 1857 such as the Scindias of Gwalior and the Dogras of Kashmir and the Jat and Ahluwalia rulers of Patiala and Kapurthala, have retained wealth and power and added to it by becoming sycophants of the Nehru-Ghandy dynasty ruling independent India.
The Indian people and others who want the truth about 1857 are made to face silence or distorted history as if 1947 never occurred. Recently, and because of a movie, the name Mangal Pandey has become familiar to Indians. As insufficient research has gone into the making of the film, the image created is that of an almost isolated individual rising in revolt and paying for his act by death through hanging.
Mangal is shown striding up to the gallows in a heroic manner. In fact, Mangal was in no physical condition to even stand up, answer questions, cross examine witnesses or offer any kind of defence.
On the day of the occurrence, March 29, 1857, his musket, turned on himself and fired with the toe, sent the ball furrowing through the flesh and muscles of his torso and the flaming powder set his clothes alight. He suffered such great injury, burns and loss of blood that the senior officer present there, General Hearsey thought him dead and ordered an inquest. It was after the army surgeonâs examination showed signs of life still flickering that a Court of Enquiry was undertaken.
Mangalâs wounds were soon festering and his condition became parlous necessitating an almost dawn to late into the night court examination on April 6 and 7, 1857. The trial of (the dying of burn injuries, blood loss and spreading sepsis) Mangal Pandey was unusual as it took place throughout the those two days instead of the 11 am to 5 pm norm for court proceedings in British-ruled-India.
The prisoner answered questions by moving his head in the affirmative or negative, no questions were asked by him. Mangal was hanged at 5.30 am on April 8. Although an intrepid resolute and skilled warrior, he could not have faced the gallows by striding up to the scaffold. In all probability, he was hoisted from his sick bed and on to the springboard.
Mangal Pandeyâs action continued to reverberate long after his hanging. Jemadar Issurie Pandey was hanged on April 21, after a protracted trial to prove his inaction in the matter of Mangalâs revolt. He provided no succour to the two British officers injured by Mangal and even refused to lend his own sword to one of them after the latter had his own broken by Mangal.
The British report on Jamadar Issurrie Pandeyâs execution, records: "The prisonerâs behaviour and bearing upon the scaffold were manly and becoming the solemn position of one about to be launched into eternity." It is interesting to note that the British assessment in the spring of 1857, was that the Hindus of the Bengal Army were disaffected and the Muslims and Sikhs, loyal.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Deccan Chronicle, 13 March 2007
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Issurie was hanged for âinactionâ
By Akhilesh Mithal
Historical awareness in India, despite 2007 being the 60th year of independence (two generations of Indians have been born free) is mind-boggling. The political parties who are the beneficiaries, battening on the misinformation that causes and cements the communal divide (such as the RSS parivaar and its allies like the Shiva Sena and the Akali Dal), are interested in ignoring and suppressing the truth lest the very ground under their feet disappear to leave them high and dry and out of power which brings daily black money income and pomp and pageant, which feudal lords of the medieval past would be envious of.
As the Congress is second to none in playing the community or caste card, specially at election time, its vaunted "secular" credentials are doubtful if not entirely bogus as demonstrated on December 6, 1992, when P.V. Narasimha Rao and his cabinet of Congress and like-minded parties allowed the destruction of the Ayodhya mosque.
The consequence is that "Bharat Mein Angrezi Raj" (British Rule in India: 1757-1947) continues to be read from the British point of view. Those who perpetrated the worst crimes and atrocities, like what the British did in 1857, lie low wishing to be forgotten lest they be arraigned before world public opinion and asked to apologise and make at least token amends.
The descendants of their accomplices, those who betrayed the Indian nation by siding with the British in 1857 such as the Scindias of Gwalior and the Dogras of Kashmir and the Jat and Ahluwalia rulers of Patiala and Kapurthala, have retained wealth and power and added to it by becoming sycophants of the Nehru-Ghandy dynasty ruling independent India.
The Indian people and others who want the truth about 1857 are made to face silence or distorted history as if 1947 never occurred. Recently, and because of a movie, the name Mangal Pandey has become familiar to Indians. As insufficient research has gone into the making of the film, the image created is that of an almost isolated individual rising in revolt and paying for his act by death through hanging.
Mangal is shown striding up to the gallows in a heroic manner. In fact, Mangal was in no physical condition to even stand up, answer questions, cross examine witnesses or offer any kind of defence.
On the day of the occurrence, March 29, 1857, his musket, turned on himself and fired with the toe, sent the ball furrowing through the flesh and muscles of his torso and the flaming powder set his clothes alight. He suffered such great injury, burns and loss of blood that the senior officer present there, General Hearsey thought him dead and ordered an inquest. It was after the army surgeonâs examination showed signs of life still flickering that a Court of Enquiry was undertaken.
Mangalâs wounds were soon festering and his condition became parlous necessitating an almost dawn to late into the night court examination on April 6 and 7, 1857. The trial of (the dying of burn injuries, blood loss and spreading sepsis) Mangal Pandey was unusual as it took place throughout the those two days instead of the 11 am to 5 pm norm for court proceedings in British-ruled-India.
The prisoner answered questions by moving his head in the affirmative or negative, no questions were asked by him. Mangal was hanged at 5.30 am on April 8. Although an intrepid resolute and skilled warrior, he could not have faced the gallows by striding up to the scaffold. In all probability, he was hoisted from his sick bed and on to the springboard.
Mangal Pandeyâs action continued to reverberate long after his hanging. Jemadar Issurie Pandey was hanged on April 21, after a protracted trial to prove his inaction in the matter of Mangalâs revolt. He provided no succour to the two British officers injured by Mangal and even refused to lend his own sword to one of them after the latter had his own broken by Mangal.
The British report on Jamadar Issurrie Pandeyâs execution, records: "The prisonerâs behaviour and bearing upon the scaffold were manly and becoming the solemn position of one about to be launched into eternity." It is interesting to note that the British assessment in the spring of 1857, was that the Hindus of the Bengal Army were disaffected and the Muslims and Sikhs, loyal.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->