Shiela Dikshit welcomes rally to commemorate 150th year of 1857 revolt

Thousands of volunteers from across the country marched into the Capital on Thursday to commemorate the 150th year of the1857 revolt against British colonialists.

New Delhi, May 10 : Thousands of volunteers from across the country marched into the Capital on Thursday to commemorate the 150th year of the1857 revolt against British colonialists.

Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit received the marchers on the borders of the Capital. They had started a colourful procession from Meerut early this week, retracing a march 150 years ago by dozens of mutinous Indian soldiers.

Singing patriotic songs, the marchers, dressed like Indian soldiers and British officers, staged mock fights with swords and muskets on top of colourful floats.

Their march would culminate at the Red Fort, where a grand commemorative function will be held on Friday, exactly 150 years after the mutinous Indian soldiers stormed the walled city and attacked British officers and their families.

The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a prolonged period of armed uprisings in different parts of the country against British occupation.

Having started as an act of defiance by a handful of Hindu and Muslim soldiers who refused to use rifle bullets said to be greased with beef and pork fat, it became a popular revolt against the British occupation.

This war brought about the end of the British East India Company's rule in the country, and led to direct rule by the British Government of much of the Indian subcontinent for the next 90 years.

ANI