The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : PIL raises question on status accorded to rebellion

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Thursday, Nov 02, 2006
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Tamil Nadu - Chennai

PIL raises question on status accorded to rebellion

Special Correspondent

Historian wants Centre to declare rebellion of 1800 as First War of Independence

CHENNAI: Should the South Indian Rebellion in 1800 be accorded the status of the First War of Indian Independence, instead of the 1857 `mutiny,' which V.D. Savarkar renamed the Indian War of Independence?

This was the question raised by renowned historian K. Rajayyan in a public interest litigation petition filed in the Madras High Court. He wanted the court to direct the Centre and the State Government to "accord due recognition to the uprising against the British rule in 1800 and to declare it as the First War of Independence."

Though the First Bench of the court expressed its complete understanding of the enthusiasm of the 72-year-old historian, it said such prayers could not be countenanced in judicial proceedings under Article 226 of the Constitution.

"While there can be no final word on the issues relating to historical events, the merits and demerits of particular events cannot be gone into by this court in a petition under Article 226. We must refrain ourselves from commenting on academic issues and it is best left to the decision-making process by academic bodies," the order read.

The Bench, comprising Chief Justice A.P. Shah and Justice K. Chandru, also said, "Courts are not experts in deciding academic matters and it is not for them to decide as to what course should be taught in universities and what should be their curriculum." The judges pointed out that the great political philosopher Karl Marx keenly watched the developments of the 1857 `mutiny' and despatched articles on the matter to U.S. publications.

They said the memory of the historical events leading to the 1857 Mutiny had come to stay and the people of India would always cherish these events.

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