July is a joyous month for Lucknowallas. On this day on July 8, 1857 about 300 Indian soldiers had jumped into the main residence of the senior most British resident in Lucknow to blow up a mine the British had laid. The city was united then in its fight against the colonialists.

Chinhat is a village eight miles from the Residency on the Lucknow-Ayodhya road where citizens collected this July, at the same spot where the British were defeated by a united force of citizens that included a German soldier who was loyal to Lucknow. It is reported how the area between Ismailgunj and Chinhat was one united moving mass of men, as local freedom fighters had marched steadily towards the British. Eventually the British retreated, making citizens jump up with joy.

Victory came to Lucknow on June 30, 1857 when in the wee hours of the morning, the British resident Sir Henry Lawrence decided to face the challenge of the Avadh forces. Lawrence moved towards Chinhat where citizens fighting India's first war of Independence were present in full strength. The British troops had marched on an empty stomach, with the full force of the summer sun beating down upon them. Despite the thirst, hunger and heat, the local water carriers abandoned the British to quietly disappear into the countryside. The local gunners showed signs of insubordination.

A turn in the road showed that the Indians had drawn up forces in the centre of the road. Forces were seen resting beside a lake. The Indians were a battalion of about 5000 infantry, 800 horses and had in their possession 12 or more pieces of artillery.

It was the unity amongst citizens and their willpower that eventually defeated the British, who had commanded the most powerful army in the world at that time. An eye witness account reports that one cavalry commander of a rebel force was European. He was a handsome well-built man who was about 25 years old, with a light moustache. He wore the uniform of a European cavalry officer with a blue and gold laced cap. He was a German named Schmidt, a former cavalry officer in the army of Wajid Ali Shah of Avadh. Schmidt remained loyal to Lucknow, and had tried his best to help save the city from the British.

The first war of Independence in 1857, is an example that once citizens unite their strength is capable of miracles most unimaginable. Together it is possible for citizens to confront even the most powerful mischief maker alive. That is the lesson the citizens of Lucknow learnt when they came together recently to review their shared history.

Citizens from different walks of life met on the main road in Chinhat this July, to share the city's common cultural legacy with each other and to sing songs of peace and harmony in one voice. Pamphlets of love were distributed to pedestrians, sweets were offered to passers-by and even strangers were hugged so tight that they went away feeling that yes, the city does stand united.

Unchecked Unemployment

Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Jayant Chaudhary is criss-crossing Uttar Pradesh (UP) wondering if the Agnipath military recruitment scheme of the government is to 'punish' the children of farmers for having organised the nation-wide protests in the past against the farm bills. Chaudhary has been consistently addressing the problem of unemployment amongst young citizens.

Talking to a youth panchayat in Shahnagar village in western UP, Chaudhary said that the government will recruit youngsters in the army for four years after which they will again be unemployed. Under the Agnipath scheme, youth will be recruited on contract basis into the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force for a term of four years. But many youngsters dream of a life-long career in the army as an act of patriotism. The desire is to serve the nation. The Agnipath scheme has shattered that dream of the youth, said Chaudhary who vows to continue to oppose the Agnipath military recruitment scheme of the government.

To counter the scheme, Chaudhary has flagged off a campaign to mobilise the youth on the issue of unemployment. The campaign is called Yuva Panchayat and it aims to reach out to the youth who are against the Agnipath scheme. The youthful leader has been talking to youngsters in several districts of UP. For Chaudhary unemployment is a growing concern and he is addressing the problem on the ground along with several academicians and ex-army personnel.

The RLD's plan is to extend the Yuva Panchayat beyond UP, covering Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi, inviting an audience between the age group of 18 and 35 years. The grievances of the youngsters are recorded and will be raised in Parliament and the state assemblies, promises Chaudhary who is a member of the Rajya Sabha.

Unemployment is of great concern to Chaudhary. According to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) unemployment rate in the country was 7.83% in April, it has grown from 7.60% in March. However UP claims to have brought down its unemployment rate from 4.4% to 2.9% in recent times. According to the monthly report of the CMIE, the unemployment rate in UP had reduced in April. In its governance between 2017 and 2022, UP had provided five lakh government jobs to youngsters in the state.

100 Days in Office

The ruling party recently celebrated 100 years in office in UP. A report card of achievements read out in Lucknow included the end of farm loans to the tune of Rs 36,000 crore in the first state Cabinet meeting. The beneficiaries were nearly 85 lakh small farmers.

Illegal slaughterhouses have been banned, despite causing meat shortage in the state. The 'anti-romeo squad' has been activated to keep in check incidents of eve-teasing, public attacks on women, molestation, harassment and rape. Between March 2022 and May 2022, the squad pardoned 3,38,344 offenders, mostly young men and sent them away with a warning.

The Special Task Force of the state's law enforcement agencies cracked down on gas stations that were cheating customers by giving them less fuel for more money. The purchase of the rabi crop was four times more than what the Samajwadi Party government had procured. However, promises to make roads better and to improve the law and order situation in the state still need to be fulfilled.

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MEHRU JAFFER