On June 19, 1998, 25 Hindus were massacred by Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists in Chapnari village of Doda district in Jammu and Kashmir. The victims included men, women, and children. This heinous act sent shock waves across the region. The ruthless cruelty displayed by the terrorists not only took the lives of Hindus but also instilled fear in the hearts of countless people in the region. As time passed, the memories of that horrific day continued to haunt the survivors and the families of the victims in the valley. The killing of Hindus did not stop there; many more killings occurred in the valley after this. Following this most barbaric atrocity, the exodus of Kashmiri Hindus within their own country began. Kashmiri Hindus were forced to live in refugee camps in Jammu and other parts of the country.
On June 19, 1966, Bal Thackeray formed the political party Shiv Sena. At that time, he was a famous cartoonist and founded the party to protect the rights of Marathi people. The main objective of Shiv Sena was to safeguard the interests of Marathi-speaking people in Maharashtra and prioritize them in jobs and other opportunities. The party’s name was inspired by Shivaji Maharaj, the founder of the Maratha Empire. Later, Bal Thackeray started a newspaper named Marmik, where he wrote about the rights of Maratha people. In 1990, Shiv Sena contested the Maharashtra Assembly elections for the first time, winning 52 out of 183 seats. A year earlier, in the 1989 Lok Sabha elections, a Shiv Sena leader reached the Lok Sabha for the first time. The party quickly became very popular. After Bal Thackeray’s death, his son Uddhav Thackeray took over the leadership of Shiv Sena. However, in 2022, the party split when more than 50 MLAs, led by Eknath Shinde, revolted against Uddhav Thackeray and formed their own government. Even when the matter reached the Supreme Court, the Shinde faction was recognized as the real Shiv Sena, leading Uddhav Thackeray to form a new party named Shiv Sena (UBT).
Kuwait was liberated from Britain on June 19, 1961. Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah, the ruler of Kuwait at that time, declared independence by canceling the agreements with Britain. In 1963, Kuwait adopted a constitution and established an elected parliament, becoming the first Arab country to do so. After gaining independence, Kuwait made significant economic progress by extensively utilizing its oil resources, transforming the region into one of the wealthiest countries in the world. Currently, Kuwait is counted among the richest countries globally, and in terms of per capita income, it ranks as the fifth richest country. The value of Kuwait’s currency, the Kuwaiti Dinar, is 272 Indian Rupees. Kuwait holds about 6% of the world’s total oil reserves, which form the backbone of its economy.
Aung San Suu Kyi was born on June 19, 1945. Known as the Iron Lady of Myanmar, she has fought tirelessly against the military regime in Myanmar. Suu Kyi is renowned as a leader advocating for democracy and democratic values in Myanmar. In 1991, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize while under house arrest. In 2015, she led the National League for Democracy to victory in Myanmar’s first national election in 25 years. However, in 2021, the military staged another coup and removed her from power. Between 1989 and 2010, Suu Kyi spent 15 years in military captivity, and her peaceful struggle for democracy has become an inspiring example worldwide.
The International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict is celebrated every year on June 19. The term conflict-related sexual violence encompasses all forms of sexual abuse, including forced abortion, forced pregnancy, and forced prostitution. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness about ending sexual violence, honor survivors, and pay tribute to those who have lost their lives to such violence. It also aims to bring perpetrators to justice and implement legal and policy measures to prevent these crimes. In 2015, the United Nations General Assembly declared June 19 as the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict. This date was chosen because, on June 19, 2008, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1820, which recognized sexual violence as a weapon of war and called for measures to combat it.
Father’s Day was first celebrated on June 19, 1910, in Spokane, Washington, USA, to honor the father of Sonora Smart Dodd. Sonora Smart Dodd, who was raised by her father after her mother’s death, wanted to create a day similar to Mother’s Day to express love and appreciation for fathers. She filed a petition to celebrate Father’s Day in June, which the court approved, leading to the first celebration on June 19, 1910. In 1966, US President Lyndon Johnson proclaimed that Father’s Day would be celebrated annually on the third Sunday of June. Since then, Father’s Day has been observed on this date. In 2024, Father’s Day was celebrated on June 16.
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