24th March History – India stands still
March 24th History is marked by significant events that have changed the course of history. From the withdrawal of Indian troops from Sri Lanka to the implementation of a nationwide lockdown in India. In this story we explore the key events that took place on this day.
Throughout centuries, human civilization has undergone an evolution, marking significant events along its path. Every day of the year holds a record of important historical incidents and major happenings. As history continues to unfold, we strive to keep our knowledge quotient high by revisiting our past. Today, I share 24th March History by recalling the following notable events that took place on this day in history:
Birthdays
Angarag Mahanta (1975): Angarag Mahanta, also known as Papon, is a prominent Assamese Indian singer and composer known for blending folk and electronic music styles.
Birth Anniversaries
Satyandra Prasanna Sinha (1863): Satyendra Prasanna Sinha was an Indian lawyer and statesman who served as the first Indian Governor of Bihar and Orissa during the British Raj.
Manohar Meher (1885): Manohar Meher was a prominent Odia artist and painter known for his unique style of blending traditional and contemporary art forms.
Significant events from the pages of History of 24th March
Goodbye Sri Lanka
One of the most significant events in the History of 24th March is in the year 1990. It was on this day that the Indian Army withdraw from Sri Lanka. In 1987, India deployed troops to Sri Lanka as part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) to help resolve the Sri Lankan Civil War. The IPKF’s main objective was to disarm the Tamil Tigers, a separatist group fighting for an independent Tamil state in Sri Lanka.
However, the IPKF faced stiff resistance from the Tamil Tigers and other groups, and the conflict escalated. The IPKF was accused of human rights abuses and faced criticism from both the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tigers.
After several years of fighting, the Indian government decided to withdraw the IPKF from Sri Lanka in March 1990. The decision to withdraw was taken due to mounting casualties and a lack of progress in resolving the conflict. The withdrawal was completed by the end of March 1990, and the Indian troops returned to India.
The Sri Lankan Civil War continued for another two decades, finally coming to an end in 2009 with the defeat of the Tamil Tigers by the Sri Lankan government.
The Tamil Tigers, also known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), was a separatist militant organization in Sri Lanka that was active from the 1970s until 2009. The group was led by Velupillai Prabhakaran, who was killed by Sri Lankan forces in 2009.
The Tamil Tigers’ goal was to establish an independent state for the Tamil ethnic minority in Sri Lanka, who had long complained of discrimination by the Sinhalese majority. The group carried out a violent campaign of attacks and assassinations, including suicide bombings, against both the Sri Lankan government and civilians of various ethnicity.
The Day India stood still (Covid lockdown begins)
From the pages of History, I bring to you to the year 2020. It was this day when the government of India declared a complete lockdown for the COVID-19 pandemic. The 21-day nationwide lockdown was a bold decision to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the country. However, it was implemented without proper planning.
The lockdown was announced with very little notice, causing panic and confusion among citizens. The sudden announcement left many people stranded without access to basic necessities, including food and medicine. The lockdown also disproportionately affected the poor and vulnerable sections of society, who were already struggling to make ends meet after the demonetization earlier in 2016.
Furthermore, the lockdown resulted in a massive economic slowdown, with millions of people losing their jobs and businesses being shut down. The decision to implement a nationwide lockdown was also criticized for being taken without consulting with state governments and other stakeholders.
Moreover, the lockdown was not enough to control the spread of the virus. India saw a surge in COVID-19 cases later in the year, resulting in a massive burden on the healthcare system and a high number of fatalities.
In conclusion, while the 21-day lockdown was a necessary step to contain the spread of COVID-19 in India, it could have been implemented more effectively and with better planning to minimize the adverse impact on citizens’ lives and livelihoods.
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