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How A Punctuation Mark In Javadekar's Speech Saved Nehru And Netaji From The Gallows

In a series of tweets, the minister put a full stop to the controversy.
Minister Prakash Javadekar made a speech that could be the biggest blooper in the Indian history had it not been for a full stop.
Mint via Getty Images
Minister Prakash Javadekar made a speech that could be the biggest blooper in the Indian history had it not been for a full stop.

We are all familiar with those grammar memes that show up on our Facebook timelines, reminding us like schoolmarms to mind our commas and full stops. You know, the difference between, "Let's eat grandma!" and "Let's eat, grandma!"

Yesterday, Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar made a blooper in a speech but then saved himself, all thanks to a full stop.

While paying homage to those who fought for India's Independence, Javadekar said, "We salute our freedom fighters. So many bravehearts -- Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Sardar Patel, Pandit Nehru, Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, all who were hanged, revolutionary Savarkarji and all other great fighters."

Javadekar seemed to be saying that, besides Bhagat Singh and Rajguru, personalities such as Bose, Nehru and Patel had also been hanged by the British.

The video went viral and social media started questioning the minister's knowledge of history or the lack of it.

Eventually, a ministerial clarification restored the 'full stop' and put history back on track.

Clarifying his remarks in a series of tweets, Javadekar said, "I am amused with the news. I paid my respect to all the freedom fighters since 1857."

Javadekar then imparted a few lessons on grammar and reminded us how important punctuation is in the age of digital media.

Pandit Nehru died of illness after serving for 17 years as independent India's first Prime Minister. Sardar Patel, who served as the first Home Minister of free India, also died of natural causes. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose is said to have died in a plane crash on 18 August, 1945, in Taiwan, though some contest this claim.

"There was no confusion in the minds of those who listened,"Javadekar said. What he meant was that we should not emulate the panda in the book, Eats, Shoots & Leaves who read the badly punctuated wildlife manual, then went to a café, ate a sandwich, drew a gun and shot the other patrons there.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.