Prime minister Theresa May said on Wednesday (31) that she is scheduled to join a group of MPs in wearing Khadi Poppy to respect the Indian army men who lost their lives in the First World War.
The Poppy Appeal annual fund-raising event for war veterans is taking place this month, in the lead up to Armistice Day on November 11, 1918, when the great war concluded. Britons are known to wear a poppy on their lapels as a symbol of their honour to the war heroes who lost their lives in the war.
A khadi version of the poppy was started by Lord Jitesh Gadhia and the Royal British Legion for the first time in 2018 as a reminder sign of India’s ever memorable support to the British during the war.
"Over 74,000 soldiers came from undivided India and lost of their lives; 11 of them won the Victoria Cross for their outstanding bravery and played a crucial role in the war across multiple continents," the prime minister said in the House of Commons on Wednesday.
"I would like to congratulate the Royal British Legion and Lord Gadhia for recognising this special contribution with the khadi poppy and I will certainly be interested in wearing a khadi poppy as we lead up to Armistice Day," May added.
The prime minister was answering a question by MP Tom Tugendhat, himself a former Army officer, who asked if she would join him and others in wearing a Khadi Poppy to honour the war heroes.
May accepted that the gesture would appreciate and recognise the contribution made by soldiers from the commonwealth countries, including India.
Tugendhat, chair of the Commons' foreign affairs committee which is currently holding a ‘Global Britain and India’ inquiry into India-UK relations, told the British Parliament that the "home-spun cotton remembers Gandhi's and India's contribution to the war effort" and is a significant reminder of the UK's links to India.
Over 1.3 million Indian soldiers fought in the great war across the continents. The Indians made a financial support of which equals current money value of more than £20 billion. India supported the British with 3.7 million tonnes of supplies, over 10,000 nurses and 170,000 animals during the First World War.
Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in northwest of London, in July 2024. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Crossbow murderer found guilty of raping ex-girlfriend
A 26-YEAR-OLD man who murdered three women in a crossbow and stabbing attack has been found guilty of raping one of them, his ex-girlfriend, a British court ruled on Thursday.
Kyle Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in Bushey, northwest of London, in July 2024.
The attack led to a manhunt before Clifford was found injured hours later in a north London cemetery.
A jury at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday convicted Clifford of raping 25-year-old Louise Hunt before killing her.
His sentencing for all the crimes is scheduled for Tuesday.
Clifford had admitted to murdering Carol Hunt, 61, and her daughters Louise and Hannah, 28. He had also pleaded guilty to charges of false imprisonment and possessing offensive weapons but denied raping Louise.
During the trial, the court heard that after killing Carol Hunt, Clifford waited for an hour before attacking Louise, tying her up, raping her, and then killing her with a crossbow. He later killed Hannah when she returned home from work.
The prosecution described Clifford, a former soldier, as committing a "violent, sexual act of spite" and said he was "enraged" after Louise ended their 18-month relationship. They told the court that he had "carefully planned" the attack.
Less than 24 hours before the killings, Clifford had searched for a podcast by social media influencer Andrew Tate, according to the prosecution. They argued that the murders were driven by the "violent misogyny promoted" by Tate.
Justice Joel Bennathan called Clifford’s crimes "dreadful" and "almost unspeakable".
(With inputs from AFP)