New Delhi: The Scheduled Castes Commission has issued a notice to Defence Secretary asking Why the 'Chamar Regiment' should not be reinstated in the Indian Army.
The commission issued the notice after taking note of the various protests demanding reinstatement of chamar regiment.
Speaking to News18, SC Commission Chairman, Ishwar Singh said, "We have asked the government why this regiment was disbanded and why it should not be reinstated."
Earlier, protests were taken out in many states demanding the reinstatement of the chamar regiment.
Shant Prakash Jatav, who is associated with BJP's Schedule Caste front, had in October 2015 demanded from Centre to reinstate the regiment.
Jatav also claimed that Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar wrote back to him in November 2015 saying he is looking into the matter.
The chamar regiment was formed by Britishers during the second World War, but was disbanded in two years in 1946 after its soldiers joined Indian National Army led by Subhash Chandra Bose in Singapore, a claim made in a letter Dalit activists wrote to Manohar Parrikar.
The regiment was led by Captain Mohanlal Kurel during British period.
Kurel was captured by Britisher and was released only after Independence. Kurel also served as MLA from Safipur Assembly seat in Unnao in 1952 .
Jawaharlal Nehru University's (JNU) Modern History Department has also started a research programme on the role of chamar regiment in the structure of British Army.
A book titled ''Chamar regiment and the story of the revolt by soldiers' has also been written on this regiment.
The book is written by Satnam Singh, who is also doing the research on this regiment in JNU.
"Three of the soldiers-Chunnilal, Jogiram and Dharm Singh-of chamar regiment from Haryana are alive," Satnam Singh told News18.
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