Soldiers hoisted Mysore flag on Vellore Fort : Subramanian Swamy

New Delhi, May 8 (UNI) Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy today accused Dravidian Movement parties of being instrumental in supressing glorious chapters like Vellore revolt, which lasted longer than the 1857 uprising.

In a statement Dr Swamy said Dravidian parties were basically pro-imperialist parties which begged the British to remain in India and could not possibly be proud of the legacy of freedom movement.

Dr Swamy said Indian soldiers of East India Company had revolted in Vellore in Tamil Nadu on July 10, 1907 capturing the Vellore Fort from the occupation of colonialists and hoisted Mysore flag atop the fort.

The reason for such a revolt was that the British had ordered to remove the ''kumkum'' from their forehead.

These soldiers also coronated son of Tipu Sultan as the leader of their forces and declared Mysore Maharaja as their emperor. Their rebellion lasted longer than 1857 revolt, Dr Swamy said.

He said historians like R C Majumdar had viewed Vellore Mutiny as the most serious mutiny having similarity to the 1857 uprising and had concluded that the 1857 revolt was not the first war of independence.

According to him, the author had traced ''Discontent and Disaffection'' since 1740 among the civilian and military people of India.

Dr Swamy said when he met President A P J Abdul Kalam he had mentioned about the supression of facts on history by the governments and wanted him to include Vellore revolt in his speech when he would address the gathering in Central Hall of Parliament on May 10 to celebrate 1857 war of independence.

UNI