Chief minister Nitish Kumar at the Veer Kuer Singh Vijayutsav at SK Memorial Hall in Patna on Friday. Picture by Deepak Kumar

Patna, April 22: Speaker after speaker deliberated on how the hero of 1857 mutiny — described as the first war of Independence — Veer Kuer Singh did not represent a caste but the valour of Indians against the British forces. Ironically, all the speakers who described Kuer Singh as the “symbol of bravery” were Rajputs.

In fact, the Rajputs dominated the dais and also the crowd gathered at the functioned organised by the ruling JD (U) to observe Kuer Singh’s death anniversary.

Jaikumar Singh, Sanjay Singh, Damodar Singh, Ashok Kumar Singh and Gyanendra Singh Gyanu (all Rajput legislators) had imposing presence on the dais. While the Rajput strongman and agriculture minister, Narendra Singh, was the chief speaker, the state JD (U) chief, Basishtha Narayan Singh, presided over it.

The organisers headed by Jaikumar Singh honoured the chief minister, Nitish Kumar, who inaugurated the event in a regal style, befitting to the status of the community. They put two flower garlands — one weighing 250kg and the other 100kg — around his neck, making him look like a raja (king).

By all accounts, the celebration turned out to be an event for the party to showcase its clout among the Rajputs — the second largest upper caste of Bihar. The might of the Rajputs was in full display at the party’s function.

Basishtha reeled off a tale at length on how Veer Kuer Singh had a Dalit as his judge and a Muslim as his commander and was above the caste and creed. Gyanu and others deliberated on how Veer Kuer Singh was an epitome against valour in the first battle against the Britons. But Nitish on his turn was quite circumspect and balanced while addressing the enthusiastic crowd.

“The sacrifice of Kuer Singh has not been recognised beyond Bihar. Justice has not been done to the sacrifice of India’s one of the greatest heroes against the British forces,” Nitish said in an apparent bid to win the heart of the Rajputs.

He announced renaming of the Harding Park here as Veer Kuer Singh Azadi Park. Here also, Nitish’s announcement was befitting to the occasion because the park was so far in the name of a viceroy in British-ruled India, Lord Hardinge.

Nitish then dwelt at length on how the state was playing a pioneering role in many aspects of life.

“We were first to introduce 50 per cent reservation for women in the panchayat raaj system which many states are emulating. We have made it mandatory for the public servants to declare their property every year so that we can detect the rise or fall in their earnings. We have brought about the law to confiscate the corrupt officials’ property and open school in them. People are no longer required to pay bribe for obtaining caste and other necessary certificates because we have brought Right to Service Act.”

The BJP, JD (U)’s ally in the government, will commemorate Veer Kuer Singh exactly on the pattern of Nitish’s party tomorrow. The state BJP has invited its former national president and senior leader Rajnath Singh as the chief guest for the function and its Rajput leaders are at work to make it as grand an event as JD (U) made it today.