Traffic hit on NH-48 as Ahir community protests film on Rezang La battle

Protesters demand renaming ‘120 Bahadur’ and public acknowledgment of Ahir soldiers’ 1962 bravery, warn of wider agitation ahead.

Members of the Ahir community from 200 villages in Kherki Daula gathered at the toll plaza on Sunday morning, alleging a lack of representation of their community in an upcoming Bollywood movie. The demonstration held up traffic on the Delhi-Jaipur National Highway (NH-48), affecting those living newer residential sectors of Gurugram, the Manesar industrial area, and surrounding areas, such as Bhiwadi and Dharuhera, according to officials privy to matter.

Community warns theatres across Haryana won’t be safe if ‘120 Bahadur’ releases without recognizing Ahir fighters of Rezang La. (HT Photo)

Police inspector Virender Khatri, station house officer of Kherki Dhaula police station, said a large police presence was deployed surrounding the toll plaza, ensuring secure passage for commuters.

“As soon as we received the information about protesters gathering at around 11.30am, heavy police vehicles, including vans, were dispatched to the toll plaza, and with timely barricading, we were able to bring the situation under control,” Khatri said.

The protesters, meanwhile, alleged that the upcoming film, “120 Bahadur” doesn’t give credit to 120 Ahir soldiers of the 13th Kumaon Regiment who defended the strategic mountain pass of Rezang La in Ladakh, against China’s People’s Liberation Army soldiers at an altitude of 16,000 ft (4,900 m) in 1962.

“We would no longer allow the makers of the film to distort our history,” a protester said.

When asked whether they had approached either the makers of the film or the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) with the demands made, Arun Yadav, founder of Sanyukt Ahir Regiment Morcha and leader of protests, said, “We will directly take up the matter at the Supreme Court by filing a petition soon. This protest is an ultimatum to the makers.”

Even though no official statement was released by the makers of the movie, lead actor Farhan Akhtar wrote in a post on Instagram: “120 Bahadur is our tribute to the valor and the indomitable spirit of Major Shaitan Singh and his brave men, who stood their ground against insurmountable odds. Their story echoes through time, reminding us of the price of freedom and the strength of unity, with a special salute to the Ahir community, whose sons displayed unmatched bravery in defending our nation (sic).”

The protests largely remained peaceful and only a few lanes of the toll plaza were prevented from functioning, as per Khatri. “Protesters burned effigies... The subdivision magistrate (SDM) reached the spot to speak to the protesters in order to convince them to stop agitating,” Khatri said.

Yadav said that they want the movie name changed to reflect their community and the actors involved to acknowledge the contributions of the community, by appearing in a press conference alongside members of the fighters’ families.

“If they don’t listen to our demands, not a single theatre where the film will release on November 21 will be safe across Haryana,” Yadav said. He also warned of a tractor march to Delhi on October 26.

The ministry of defence, in its publications, has recognised Major Shaitan Singh for leading 120 soldiers against 5,000 PLA troops as a “significant event” in the history of the Indian Armed Forces. As part of its “Bharat Ranbhoomi Darshan” initiative with the ministry of tourism, the Rezang La War Memorial was revamped in November 2021. At the centre of the Memorial is the “Ahir Dham”, commemorating the soldiers killed in the war.

Meanwhile, commuters complained that they had to bear long waiting times to pass through the already congested toll plaza during the peak hours, typically between 11am and 3pm. “Something as less important as a movie’s name or serious government policies; in every protest, it’s the common man who pays the price,” said Amit (single name), a daily commuter.

“Is it really worth it to block a toll plaza for a movie? This country has many serious problems, which are never talked about,” said Raj Kumar, an auto driver.

The protesters were dispersed by police and the area was cleared at approximately 2pm.