The controversy over the legendary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh being labelled as a “revolutionary terrorist” in a Delhi University textbook took a fresh turn when Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani termed the act as a ‘academic murder’.
“If I am to be called intolerant to ensure that Bhagat Singh is not called a terrorist, then that is a tag I will proudly wear,” Irani said in a statement to Times Now.
Meanhwile, Bhagat Singh’s kin Abhey Singh Sandhu described the controversy over the legendary freedom fighter as ‘extremely unfortunate’.
“This is a very sad precedent that even after 68 years of Independence such words are used for the revolutionaries, who gave their lives for the freedom of the nation.”
“The Britishers, who hanged Bhagat Singh, described him as `true revolutionary` in their judgement, even they didn`t use words like terror or terrorism,” he said in a statement.
“Using such words for revolutionaries in an attempt to stir controversy is very unfortunate,” he added.
According to reports, Bhagat Singh, Chandra Shekhar Azad, Surya Sena and others have been refered to as ‘revolutionary terrorists’ by a Delhi University textbook titled ‘India’s Struggle for Freedom’.
The book also refers the Chittagong movement a ‘terrorist act’ and Sanders killing has been called an ‘act of terrorism’.