Celebrations to commemorate 150th anniversary of 1857 uprising begin

To commemorate the 150th year of the1857 uprising against British colonialists, a grand function was organised at the historic Red Fort in Delhi on Friday morning.

New Delhi, May 11 : To commemorate the 150th year of the1857 uprising against British colonialists, a grand function was organised at the historic Red Fort in Delhi on Friday morning.

The event was attended by President A P J Abdul Kalam, Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh, NDA Chairman Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee.

As many as 40,000 youth from the Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), the National Service Scheme (NSS), the National Cadet Corps (NCC) and the Scouts and Guides reached here this morning after a march from Meerut's Victoria Park, exactly 150 years to the day that mutinous soldiers stormed the Walled City of Delhi and attacked British officers and their families.

The youth were dressed in red, blue and green, and hailed from various states.

The celebrations were also marked by a cultural programme and creative performances in which 2,000 folk performers from seven Zonal Culture Centres of the Ministry of Culture along with eminent artistes of national and international repute participated.

The celebrations are being organised by the Ministries of Youth Affairs and Sports and Culture.

There will be puppetry shows, acrobat performances, martial arts, dance and various forms of entertainment for the general public in the evening.

Multi-media screens have been put up which will form a backdrop to the important highlights of the uprising.

The Delhi Government has declared a public holiday today to commemorate the event.

Delhi Police and para-military personnel have been deployed to keep strict watch on activities.

The 1857 uprising or mutiny as it was termed by the British, started from Meerut in Uttar Pradesh and later spread to other parts of the country.

The mutiny was seen 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 - considered unclean by both religions.

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

ANI