by admin | May 25, 2021 | News, Politics
Photos of All India Congress Convention in Bombay 7-8 August 1942 displayed in the month-long exhibition to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Quit India Movement and the Azad Hind Fauj in the Bhopal Regional office of the National Archives of India, (NAI).
By Pervez Bari, Maeeshat.in,
Bhopal, Oct. 09 : A month-long exhibition to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Quit India Movement and the Azad Hind Fauj is underway here in the city at the Bhopal Regional office of the National Archives of India, (NAI), located behind MLB Girls College neat Polytechnic.
The exhibition is based on public records, private papers, photographs, newspaper reports and proscribed literature banned by the British Government which came out during the last phase of freedom movement. Some of original papers are on display in this exhibition.
The exhibition has large digital content which can be accessed through interactive mode. The film presenting the passing of the “Quit India Resolution”, arrest of freedom struggle leaders, the role of INA and Subhas Chandra Bose is also on display.
The exhibition “Quit India” and “Chalo Dilli” – 75th Anniversary (1942-2017) was inaugurated by Ajatshatru Srivastava, Commissioner, Bhopal Division on October 2 and it will continue till November 3rd, 2017. Dr. M. A. Huque, Deputy Director NAI, New Delhi, Mrs. Pranjana Sinha, Assistant Director of Archives, National Archives of India, Regional office, Bhopal, Archivist in the Regional office Mirza Mumtaz Baig and others welcomed the Commissioner with floral bouquets.
Dr. M. A. Huque, Deputy Director NAI, New Delhi, explaining about the papers of princely Bhopal state put up in the exhibition to Ajatshatru Srivastava, Commissioner, Bhopal Division, who inaugurated the exhibition.
Thereafter, Commissioner Ajatshatru Srivastava, who has been a student of History, went round evincing keen interest in each section of the exhibition. Dr. M. A. Huque conducted the Commissioner through the exhibition while explaining the background of each exhibit on display and answered his queries also.
Later, Commissioner Ajatshatru Srivastava giving his impressions about the exhibition told this correspondent that the Quit India Movement helped in the unification of the whole country wherein several princely states joined hands to support the movement to unyoke the British rule from India. It was an important milestone in the Indian Freedom Movement. This movement had international ramifications. He appreciated the NAI for organising such an exhibition which will enable the public at large to be ware what the elders under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi paid price to attain freedom from foreign rule.
Meanwhile, the exhibition is spread over four sections viz. 1. The Prelude to the Quit India Movement; 2. The Actual Movement; 3. The Impact of the Movement and 4. The Indian National Army and Azad Hind Fauj.
(1) The Prelude to the Quit India Movement: The Section displays documents/reports pertaining to the coming of the Cripps Mission to India and its failure, Gandhiji’s description of the offer of the Mission as “post-dated cheque”. The section also depicts the All India Congress Committee resolution of 14 July 1942 at Wardha and its adoption on 8 August 1942 in Mumbai.
(2) The Actual Movement: This section includes the coining of the term “Quit India” and “Do or Die” by Yusuf Mehar Ali, besides Mahatma Gandhi’s message in his own words ‘Karenge Ya Marenge – Mat Puccho Kyon’. Depicting the calendar of events, the section also highlights the role of important personalities like Sarojini Naidu, Suchita Kripalani, Aruna Asaf Ali, Ram Manohar Lohia, Jai Prakash Narayan, J.B. Kripalani and Usha Mehta (who was instrumental in setting up private radio broadcast).
(3) The impact of the Movement: The section reflects the disturbances that occurred all over the country after the arrest of the prominent leaders on 9th August 1942. The exhibits also showcase the parallel governments that were set up in different parts especially in Midnapur, Satara, Ballia, Tamluk (West Bengal) etc.
(4) The Indian National Army and Azad Hind Fauj: The important documents displayed in this section consist of Indian Independence League, Tokyo 1942, message of Rash Bihari Bose 1942, publicity material, including various posters and banners of Azad Hind Fauj etc.
Photgraph depicting massive turn out for “Bharat Chhoro” campaign.
The last portion in the exhibition is assigned to the message of the Prime Minister, who while addressing the nation via “Man ki Baat” on 30th July 2017, gave a call to our countrymen and women to come together to launch a new ‘Quit India’ Movement:
• Filth – Quit India; • Poverty – Quit India; • Corruption – Quit India; • Terrorism – Quit India; • Casteism – Quit India; • Communalism – Quit India.
The need of the hour is not ‘Do or Die’, instead, to resolve, to come together, persevere, and work relentlessly for making a new India.
Meanwhile, giving a regional touch Archivist Mirza Mumtaz Baig has also arranged exhibits from NAI’s Bhopal regional office in the exhibition. Apart from 29 reproduced visual panels and two L. E. Ds displaying various aspects and stages of Quit India Movement, some selected original files from the record holding of National Archives of India, Regional Office Bhopal have also been kept for display in three show cases. These files are unique in a manner that they have been placed on display for the general public and more importantly these are the primary sources and testimony to the related historical events and speak the truth.
Much before the coining of the ‘Quit India’ slogan the British Empire had to face most difficult times of her history in the shape of Second World War that not only plunged the stream of history but also created a great question mark for her survival in Asia. They were so confused that they started seeing every foreigner with suspicion (a secret circular dated 18 April 1941).
Following the ‘Quit India” agitation the British administration instructed its allies and Provincial Governments to ensure safety and security of Postal and Railway services (from Secretary, Civil Defence Department, Bhopal to the Secretary to Govt. of Bhopal, dated 2.9.1942 and, from Political Agent at Bhopal to Political Member, Govt. of Bhopal, dated 31.7.1943). Even the sale of chemicals and explosives were controlled with certain exceptions (Political Agent at Bhopal to Political Member, Govt. of Bhopal, dated 29.7.1943). The release of Congress Security Prisoners from jail or confinement after taking an undertaking that they will not indulge in further subversive activities was criticized by the press and hence the British Administration started celebration to cope up this criticism and search a safe and secure exit for the Congress men (Express letter from Additional Secretary to Govt. of India to all Provincial Govts. dated 22nd October 1943).
Azad Hind Fauj of Subhash Chandra Fauj
Files providing information on the presence and activities of “Khaksars” and Communist Party far “Peoples War” have also been displayed. Two files throw light on the response of the Princely States to the Cripps Proposal. One file gives a brief history of Bhopal-British relationship particularly during the Second World War. Two files provide information on the steps taken by the British Administration to ‘maintain the public morale’ and to remove all subversive elements in order to inculcate in public a feeling of unity “against the Nazism and Fascism”.
And finally a file is related to the Merger Movement in Bhopal when Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma organized a public gathering at Unani Shifakhana Maidan on 6th January 1949 and consequently he was arrested.
It may be mentioned here that from August 9th, 2017 to September 1st, 2017 this exhibition was first held in NAI headquarters at New Delhi. The exhibition was then inaugurated by Dr. Mahesh Sharma, Union Minister of State (I/C) for Culture & Tourism.
by admin | May 25, 2021 | News, Politics
By Pervez Bari,
Bhopal : The Bhopal Regional office of the National Archives of India (NAI), is organising an exhibition, christened as “Karenge Ya Marenge 75 Chalo Dilli”, from October 2 here at its office premises behind MLB Girls College neat Polytechnic.
Addressing a Press Conference Dr. M. A. Huque, Deputy Director NAI, New Delhi, informed here that two big events in Indian history — Quit India Movement (Bharat Chhodo Andolan) call by Mahatma Gandhi asking the British to leave India, and the formation of Azad Hind Fauj (also known as the Indian National Army) by Subhas Chandra Bose — have completed 75 years on August 9 and September 1 this year respectively.
Dr. Huque said that the exhibition will be inaugurated on October 2 at 4.00 pm by Ajatshatru Srivastava, Commissioner, Bhopal Division and it will continue till November 3rd, 2017.
He said the exhibition will have on display thousands of declassified files and documents related to the two events, including those related to slogans “Karenge Ya Marenge” (Do or Die) by Mahatma Gandhi, “Bharat Chhodo” by Yusuf Mehar Ali and others. Both the developments had taken shape in 1942. The culture ministry has decided to hold an exhibition of the declassified documents related to both these events, including that of Bose and INA, for physical scrutiny of people.
He said that people will get a chance to get a glimpse of documents such as a letter by the Mahatma written on August 8, 1942, in which he coined ‘Karenge ya Marenge’. Since the general public believes that the slogan Bharat Chhodo was given by the Mahatma, documents prove it was freedom fighter Yusuf Mehar Ali who had coined this slogan.
The files related to INA would also have as display the enrolment of Capt. Mohan Singh in the INA on September 1, 1942. Propaganda material like pamphlets, banners, posters and others used by INA will also be displayed.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Pranjana Sinha, Assistant Director of Archives, National Archives of India, Regional office, Bhopal, said the Quit India Movement was an important milestone in India’s Freedom Movement. This Exhibition was inaugurated by the Union Minister of Culture (I/C) Dr. Mahesh Sharma in the premises of the National Archives of India headquarters at New Delhi on August 9 last.
Regarding the Regional office of which she is the head Mrs. Sinha said that this Regional Office is the first offspring of the National Archives of India in the post independent era. The record holdings of this office can be largely grouped into 3 categories. First the records of the erstwhile Bhopal State which are mostly in Persian and Urdu Shikasta script and deal with various administrative machinery of the Bhopal State it cover the 19th & 20th Century and give vivid glimpses of the vibrant socio–cultural, economic and administrative aspects of those times.
Mrs. Sinha said so far very little of this precious primary source on Bhopal State & Central India has been explored; this amounts to one lakh 50,000 files and 20,000 volumes. Besides the Bhopal State records we have in our custody a huge number of volumes of Provincial Gazettes covering 50 provinces of British period and independent India which amount to approximately14000 volumes covering period – 1841-1971.
The third collections are the files of the Govt. of India Records which has 11 Departments to name a few Department of Home, Revenue & Agriculture, Railways, Finance, PWD, Legislative, Commerce & Communication etc. covering a period 1860-1938 which amounts to more than 2 lakh 50,000 files.
Talking about Dr. M. A. Haque she said he had graduated and completed his Masters and M. Phil from Aligarh Muslim University and then completed his Ph.D. when he was posted at Bhopal as Archivist (Oriental Records) and then Assistant Director (OR). On promotion as Deputy Director Dr. Haque joined the National Archives of India, New Delhi. He has been guiding the Regional office since he has a deep knowledge of the Persian, Urdu Shikesta script. Moreover he is also the In Charge of all the four Regional Centres at Jaipur, Puduchery, Bhubaneswar and this office at Bhopal.
At the outset Archivist in the Regional office Mirza Mumtaz Baig, who was also present on the occasion, introduced Dr. M. A. Huque and Mrs. Pranjana Sinha.
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Opinions
By Ram Puniyani,
The ‘Quit India’ movement 1942, whose 75th anniversary is currently being celebrated, was the major landmark in the struggle for India’s Independence. On 8th August the Indian National Congress working Committee Meeting at Gowalia Tank Maidan (now August Kranti Maidan) decided to launch the movement against British rule. This was the major popular mass movement after the non cooperation movement of 1920 and Civil Disobedience of 1930. Gandhi’s’ magic of involving the Indian people against the British was the spinal cord of struggle for India’s Independence. Earlier the politics of Congress was exclusively done by the educated and other elite. Gandhi in tune with his philosophy, the major ingredients of which were Satya Graha and non violence, revolved around the involvement of all the people irrespective of their caste, class, religion or gender.
Earlier in May 1942 Gandhi was already telling British to leave India. With this resolution of Congress the biggest battle for Independence came into being. The term for this upsurge, ‘Quit India’, was provided by a Socialist Congressman, Yusuf Mehrali. Most of the Congress leaders were arrested, and thousands courted arrest to make the point of their participation in the direction of Indian nationalism. The revolt was massive to the extent of shaking the British rulers. What were the core values of this movement?
It is true that Congress was the major party unquestioningly standing for this movement, providing the ideology and logistics of the movement. The other political formations like that of Communists and Hindu-Muslim nationalists kept aloof from this. For communists, as Russia joined the war against Germany, this war was labeled as Patriotic War and they supported British. Muslim Nationalism, Muslim League with Jinnah in the leadership, had already talked of separate Muslim Pakistan. They were unconcerned about this movement. They felt an undivided India is synonymous with Hindu raj.
As far as Hindu nationalists are concerned, there were two major streams. Hindu Mahasabha under the leadership of Savarkar, which was opposed to Quit India movement and gave firm instructions to supporters of Hindu Mahasabha to stick to their assigned duties in the state apparatus. The other stream was RSS. Its Chief Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar issued the instruction to all the Shakhas, not to do anything which will annoy British authorities and to abide by law. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the RSS worker, was arrested during this period, but he was quick enough to clarify that he was a mere onlooker and not the part of agitation and so he was let off. The founder of previous avatar of BJP, Bharatiya Jansangh, and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee was at that time leader of Hindu Mahasabha in Bengal. He promised the British that he would do everything in Bengal to defeat the Quit India movement.
The participation of the people of the country was remarkable. This movement was the peak expression of what the concept of ‘India as a Nation in the making’ stood for. As people of all religions fought shoulder to shoulder, Gandhi’s central credo of Hindu-Muslim unity was there for all to see. By this time the support for Muslim League was miniscule and Hindu Mahasabha did not have much electoral support from Hindus. It is these values which culminated in the Indian Constitution.
Today what is happening while we commemorate the 75th Anniversary of a great mass movement? The ruling party which is not aligned with the spirit of Indian freedom movement and so also of Quit India movement has to blow some trumpet for electoral considerations. So our Prime Minister in his ‘Man Ki baat’ expresses the hope that people quit communalism, casteism, corruption etc. This is a noble thought but seems to be mere slogan. We have seen that due to the policies of this Government, communalism has grown by leaps and bounds. Adding on to the divisive issue of Ram Temple, Love Jihad, and Ghar Wapasi has been added a more potent issue of Holy cow-beef eating. This issue itself has led to incitement of mass hysteria leading to lynching after lynching. The IndiaSpend data of last six years of lynching has shown that these incidents have gone up many times over during last three years, since Modi came to power. The insecurity of Muslims has gone up by leaps and bounds; they have been marginalized from the political stream at a rapid speed.
It is during last three years that we have witnessed the atrocities against dalits going up and assuming frightening proportions. The institutional murder of Rohith Vemula, the brutal flogging of dalits in Una is a sampler of the state of dalits in the country. While the economy is taking a rapid downturn for weaker sections of society, the issues of corruption like that of Vyapam are being put under the carpet. The Nobel sentiments expressed by Prime Minster will remain hollow trumpets unless steps are taken to unite the people in the spirit of what Mahatma taught, i.e. Hindu Muslim unity and freezing the issues like that of Holy Cow-Beef for the sake of better social atmosphere.
BJP is launching nationwide ‘Sankalp Se Siddhi’ (Determination for Achievement) program at all India level in which among others film on Savarkar will also be shown. It is a total negation of the spirit of Quit India movement, as Savarkar had strongly opposed the movement, as he was for Hindu nation, for collaborating with British to oppose Muslim nation. The basic ideology and spirit of this great mass movement urges upon us to value the spirit of fraternity and equality rather than paying lip service to Mahatma by making him an icon of cleanliness, to follow him on the path of communal politics. Remarkably Gandhi had refused to endorse to move to ban cow slaughter in deference to the diversity of the country. One hope that the resolution being passed in joint house of parliament will have a mention of Gandhi and Congress, who were the pivot of the struggle for Independence.
