Today is the birth anniversary of the man who avenged the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre – Udham Singh. He was an Indian revolutionary and Freedom fighter who assassinated Michael O'Dwyer, the former lieutenant governor of Punjab in India, on 13 March 1940. 1/10 #UddhamSingh
Michael Francis O'Dwyer was an Irish ICS officer and later the Lieutenant Governor of Punjab, British India, between 1913 and 1919. He is often confused with Reginald Dyer — British officer responsible for the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre. However, O’Dwyer shares the blame too! 2/10
It must be noted that the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre happened during his O’Dwyer’s administration. Infact, his order to arrest Saifuddin Kitchlew and Dr Satyapal was what led to the crowd gathering in Amritsar’s Jallianwala Bagh. 3/10
The brutal massacre even drew condemnation from Winston Churchill (then Secretary of State for War) and British PM H.H. Asquith. Churchill termed it as ‘unutterably monstrous’ but O’Dwyer had endorsed Reginald Dyer's action at Jallianwala Bagh! 4/10
Udham Singh, an eyewitness to the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre was deeply affected by it. The incident filled him with a deep hatred of ‘British Imperialism’ and an eternal thirst for revenge. 5/10
He escaped India and British surveillance via Kashmir, making it to Germany and reached London in 1934. On 13 March 1940, Michael O'Dwyer was scheduled to speak at Caxton Hall. Udham Singh hid a revolver inside a book, which had pages cut in the shape of a revolver. 6/10
As the meeting concluded, he shot O'Dwyer twice as he moved towards the speaking platform. One of these bullets passed through O'Dwyer's heart and right lung, instantly killing him. 7/10
The aftermath of O’dwyer’s assassination saw nationwide and even international support for Uddham Singh but the Indian political elite including M.K. Gandhi and Nehru criticised him. Gandhi termed it ‘an act of insanity’. 8/10
While in the trial when he was asked about his motivation he said, “I did it because I had a grudge against him. He deserved it. He was the real culprit. He wanted to crush the spirit of my people, so I have crushed him…” 9/10
Udham Singh was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. On 31 July 1940, Singh was hanged at Pentonville Prison. In 1974, his remains were exhumed and repatriated to India. 10/10
Very few know about Swami Atmasthananda, whom PM @narendramodi referred to in his podcast with @lexfridman yesterday.
PM Modi dwelt at length on his deep bond with Swami Atmasthanandaji, an interaction with whom became a turning point in his life.
#Thread
During his conversation with Fridman, PM Modi recalled his time at the Ramakrishna Paramahamsa Ashram, where he came in contact with saints and received immense love from them.
He apprised how he developed a deep bond with one particular saint identified as Swami Atmasthananda, who became a guiding force in his life.
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Swami Atmasthananda had arrived in Rajkot in Gujarat in 1966 to head the Ramakrishna Mission Ashram. A young Modi then, inspired by Swami Vivekananda, reached the Ramkrishna ashram to take sanyasa.
When Modi expressed his desire to become a monk, after spending some time in the ashram, Swami Atmasthananda told him that sanyas was not for him and his work was among people and not in seclusion.
Swami Atmasthananda advised him that his true purpose was to serve people and work for the welfare of society
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Jaffar Express Hijack: How it Exposed #Pakistan as a failed state 🇵🇰
The 30-hour-long train hostage situation in Pak has made it clear that the Baloch Rebel forces are growing bolder, with the state remaining on the defensive.
Read #thread to know more
#PakistanTrainHijack
The BLA’s ability to launch an attack, which is unprecedented not just in Pakistan but acknowledged globally, signals its increasing sophistication, high level of operational strength and ability to engage in prolonged combat against Pakistan’s military 1/n
The attack also shows the confidence in the Baloch separatists forces who now believe that the government lacks the capability to contain them. 2/n
AAP Convener and former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s propaganda attempt falls flat. Here is what happened.
#Thread 🧵
Little after 8:30 am on Thursday, Kejriwal tweeted a link of ABP blog by one Hari Shankar Joshi titled: “AAP सरकार की योजनाओं से दिल्ली के हर व्यक्ति हो हुआ औसतन 30 लाख का फायदा और ये जुमला नहीं है।” It was an opinion piece. Except, within hours, the said article could not be accessed. 1/n
It threw error 404 that no records were found and ABP expressed regret that the page we were trying to access had no data. ABP had removed the said opinion piece without any information or acknowledgement. Netizens, too, pointed out how ABP removed the article almost as soon as Kejriwal posted it. 2/n
Interesting #Thread 🧵on alleged India Today journalist Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) and his biased reporting on #MaharashtraElections2024, which he terms as “Bimaru state”
Rajdeep Sardesai once again jumps into the India Today debate with his propaganda over watering down infrastructural developments by Mahayuti in Maharashtra.
According to him, voters should “move away” from seeing Maharashtra through its “lengths and breadths” 1/n
But clearly, it's the “lengths and breadths” of Maharashtra which has made it one of the premier destinations of investment. Infrastructural developments like Atal Setu Bridge, Mumbai Coastal Road, Mumbai Metro Aqua line and Expressways in the state, which has reduced the traffic congestion and reduced time travel for common citizens.
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Ex-RAW official Vikash Yadav has been declared ‘wanted’ by the United States’ FBI accusing him of being involved in the alleged assassination plot of Sikhs For Justice terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
While the US has not provided any evidence to back the allegations, some Indian opposition leaders are pre-maturely passing the judgement as they raise questions about their own country and government!
A Thread 🧵👇
TMC MP Sagarika Ghose — continuing her agenda of questioning the Indian government against foreign forces — raises questions as to why the Indian government is not behaving like a country who follows rules-based order.
Without any info she directly raises aspersions of ex-RAW official being made a ‘fall guy’. Is this how an MP should behave?
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TMC MP Saket Gokhale feels India has faced ‘international embarrassment’ due to this issue and demanded immediate resignations of NSA Ajit Doval and HM Amit Shah. 2/n
A few days back as Congress was releasing its manifesto for Haryana polls, one individual was conspicuous by her absence. Yes, we are talking of Haryana’s tallest Dalit leader Kumari Shelja. And if that was not enough, the Sirsa MP Shelja is still out of action from the electoral scene and the party think tank admits that her prolonged absence from the campaign was a cause of worry.
With Hooda father & son duo now calling the shots in Haryana Congress, Kumari Shelja has been feeling sidelined for quite some time. Her first outburst against state Congress leadership was revealed during the exit of Kiran Choudhry & her daughter Shruti Choudhry from Congress some time back. Shelja had then openly acknowledged that justice was not done to Shruti Choudhry. Shruti was a claimant to the Congress ticket for Bhiwani Mahendragarh Lok Sabha seat during recent general elections, which was denied to her at the behest of Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who gave the ticket to one of his loyalists instead. Kiran & Shruti, who come from Late CM Bansi Lal’s clan though later joined BJP.
Even Kumari Shelja’s supporters are irked with Congress leadership in the state. The recent incident where an individual at a meeting in Narnaund Assembly segment used the casteist slur on Kumari Shelja has infuriated her supporters. Though Bhupinder Hooda strongly condemned the remarks and Hansi police registered a case against the individual under sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, the damage has already been done.