New Delhi: After ‘Udaipur Files’, ‘The Kashmir Files’ and ‘Sabarmati Express’, another film has been dragged into controversy: Farhan Akhtar’s ‘120 Bahadur’. This time, the row stems from the caste politics of Hindi heartland states.
The war drama, to be released in November, has triggered protests from the All India Yadav Mahasabha and BJP leaders from Haryana and Rajasthan. They allege that the film doesn’t give credit to Ahir soldiers who sacrificed their lives fighting the Chinese in the 1962 war.
Ahir leaders said that the 13th battalion of the Kumaon Regiment, consisting largely of Ahir soldiers, defended the Rezang La mountain pass in Ladakh against Chinese soldiers.
But the film’s teaser focused on Major Shaitan Singh Bhati, while ignoring the Ahirs who played a key role in the defence, they added.
“Major Shaitan Singh, who led the defence, was not alone in fighting 3,000 Chinese soldiers. The entire battalion of the Kumaon Regiment of mostly Ahirs played a role. But they have not been given prominence in the film. The entire teaser is about Shaitan Singh Bhati,” said an All India Yadav Mahasabha official.
“The film should give due credit to Ahir soldiers who sacrificed their lives. The Battle of Rezang La was not only about the bravery of Major Shaitan Singh, who led the troops against Chinese soldiers in the 1962 war.”
BJP leaders weigh in
The controversy has also drawn the attention of BJP leaders in Haryana and Rajasthan.
Former Lok Sabha MP Karan Singh Tanwar said that during the Rezang La war, 114 soldiers from the Kumaon Regiment “sacrificed their lives” and 90 percent of those “sacrificed” were Ahirs from Haryana’s Rewari and Mahendragarh.
“We salute the valour of Major Shaitan Singh, who led the war but it was not only just his valour; it was also the sacrifice of the entire battalion of the Kumaon Regiment. That is why we have demanded that credit be given to Ahir soldiers. Otherwise, we will protest against the film in Rajasthan,” the BJP leader told the media, opposing the teaser in Jaipur.
Haryana BJP MP Ram Chander Jangra told ThePrint that Rezang La was a “historical battle” fought by Ahir soldiers in which 120 valiants killed thousands of Chinese soldiers “with limited artillery support”.
He said most of the soldiers were from Haryana’s Rewari and Mahendragarh region. “We expect the producers to depict their bravery, and their name and roots should be mentioned in the film…, but the war was not led by one person but by a contingent.”
A BJP leader from Haryana highlighted the political significance of the controversy, saying the Ahir community formed a key constituency in Hindi heartland states from Haryana and Rajasthan to Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
“In Bihar, Ahirs don’t vote for the BJP, but in the rest of the states, they do. It is our duty to raise such issues to reach the core segment, particularly in south Haryana,” the leader said.
Rajasthan BJP OBC Morcha head Champalal Gedar said, “The film should not hurt the sentiments of any community. A few leaders have objected to the content of the teaser, and it’s expected that producers will rectify it before release.”
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Legal notice
The All India Yadav Mahasabha had sent a legal notice to the film’s producer and director.
Its general secretary, Dinesh Yadav, said in the notice that the Rezang La Memorial, also known as Ahir Dham, in Ladakh’s Chushul sector, was built by the Army to honour the 114 soldiers of the 13 Kumaon’s Charlie Company, who died defending Indian territory on 18 November 1962 during the Indo-China War.
“This memorial is not merely a military site, it is a sacred monument to courage, community and country, and is officially recognised by the Indian Army and Ministry of Defence. The Memorial Plaque bears a quote from Thomas Babington Macaulay’s poem, Horatius,” the notice said.
It added that the Commanding Officer, Major Shaitan Singh, was rightly awarded the Param Vir Chakra posthumously.
“But the story of Rezang La isn’t just about one hero. It’s about all 120 bravehearts who stood their ground and fought till the end. Many of them died in their trenches, fingers still on the trigger.
The notice named several decorated soldiers from the battle, saying, “These weren’t just medals, they were acknowledgements of a collective act of unmatched bravery.”
The All India Yadav Mahasabha has demanded that the names and native places of all 114 soldiers be given due credit in the film and their contributions highlighted. It has also sought a special screening for the “martyrs’ families”.
Rezang La remembered
The film, ‘120 Bahadur’, is based on the Battle of Rezang La, which is considered one of the most courageous battles in Indian military history. Out of 120 soldiers, 114 were martyred.
Major Shaitan Singh, who commanded Charlie Company, also sacrificed his life for which he was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, the highest military decoration given for bravery in war. Eight Vir Chakras and four Sena Medals were also given to soldiers of Charlie Company.
In his book ‘The Battle of Rezang La’, Kulpreet Yadav recounts how the Indians detected Chinese movement the morning of 18 November 1962. Despite waves of attacks from multiple directions, the men held their positions until they were finally overrun.
“With radio communications severed and no reinforcements possible, the men fought to the last bullet. Some engaged in hand-to-hand combat, refusing to surrender,” he wrote.
When a search party returned in February 1963, they found the bodies frozen in battle positions. Major Bhati’s body was recovered and cremated with full state honours.
At the teaser launch, Farhan Akhtar, who directs and plays Major Shaitan Singh in the film, shouted the battle cry of Ahir soldiers of the 13 Kumaon regiment, ‘Dada Kishan ki Jai’.
“The Ahir regiment’s war cry is ‘Dada Kishan ki Jai’. The Ahirs are descendants of Lord Krishna and they remember their lord before entering into war. It shows their bravery and confidence,” he said.
(Edited by Sugita Katyal)
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