Lucknow (AsiaNews) – Hundreds of Hindus are currently protesting against a visit by a group of British, who want toe honour their dead relatives, killed during the 1857 revolt of Uttar, considered by many as the “first seed of Indian Independence”.
The protests are led by Bharatya Janata Party (Bjp, nationalist opposition party) and by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (Vhp, parliamentary formation of extremists). These asked for the cancellation of the visit, at least in its official form.
District magistrate Chandra Bhanu explains: “Though we have no objection to their visit as ordinary tourists, we cannot take chances and expose them to any kind of risk under the prevailing volatile circumstances”.
The English group is led by Mark Hallen Havelock, descendent of major Havelock, the author of the repression of the Lucknow insurgents. According to the group’s spokesperson, the demonstrations are “out of place. All they wish to do is to pay homage to their ancestors, buried on Indian soil”.