British PM Promises to Wear Khadi Poppy in Honor of WWI Indian Soldiers

British Prime Minister Theresa May has said she will be interested in wearing a Khadi Poppy in honor of Indian soldiers who died during the First World War.

She was referring to the linen made poppy, which was created and launched this year to honor 74,000 Indian soldiers who fought for the British in the war.

She promised to wear Khadi poppy while answering a question in parliament asked by Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat, who is also a former army officer. She was asked by Tugendhat that if should wear the cotton woven poppy, reported Metro.

According to a report by British news agency Press Association (PA), May replied, ‘’Over 74,000 soldiers came from undivided India and lost their lives; 11 of them won the Victoria Cross for their outstanding bravery and played a crucial role in the war across multiple continents.”

“I would like to congratulate the Royal British Legion and Lord Gadhia for recognizing 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,” she added.

Every year, Nov.11 is celebrated as Armistice Day to commemorate the armistice treaty signed by Allies of World War I and Germany in France.

Tugendhat, chair of the Commons’ Foreign Affairs Committee, linked Khadi with Mahatma Gandhi and Indian contribution in first world war while saying, “The home-spun cotton remembers Mahatma Gandhi’s and India’s contribution to the war effort,” added the report.

Khadi poppy was launched by Lord Jitesh Gadhia, British MP of Indian origin, and the Royal British Legion this year as a symbol of undivided India’s contributions in war, reported PTI.

The Royal British Legion launched two limited editions of poppies to commemorate the centenary of the end of the First World War, which was fought from 1914 to 1918. One of them is “gold leaf” poppy, which has 1918-2018 written in gold on green leaf. The other is Khadi poppies, which was launched to commemorate Indian soldiers, who died in that war, said Country Living.

These poppies are part of this year’s Poppy Appeal, which is Royal British Legion’s biggest fundraising campaign held every year in November. The Legion expects to raise a significant amount for service men and women, veterans and their families to mark the centenary of ending the First World War.

The first two wearers of unique Khadi poppy are Virat Kohli and Joe Root, captains of the Indian and English Cricket teams respectively. They both wore red cloth poppy during the fifth Test match at Oval in London on Sept. 7.

In its earlier report, Times of India had quoted Lord Gadhia as saying, “The Khadi poppy is a hugely symbolic and highly appropriate gesture to recognize the outsized contribution of Indian soldiers during World War I.”