“There are so many ways, As many views are there” – very well-spoken and significant truth said by Ramakrishna Paramhansa Dev. But Why are there so many views and ways? Reasons will be Problem , Confusion , Dissatisfaction . Now the problem is too big when it comes to the emergence of independence . In that kind of situation, it requires a strong solution . The solution may be larger , tougher and troublesome but will never be impossible .
“Independence”- the word comes from a medieval French word ‘depenre’ which means “not hang from” Which clearly describes the achievement of countries by throwing their colonizers. But all of the above needs maturity to understand the importance of being independent . Whether it grows naturally by logical thought and understandable circumstances , otherwise people have to face plenty of hurdles to achieve and understand its urgency .
India is one of those countries which sees the face of independence after a huge fight and many sacrifices of blood and emotions . If you see it like a historical context , it becomes quite hectic to understand because it is contended with different and critical ideological protest theories . But if you see it as a Collection of different stories of the same novel , it gives you inspiration , independent thought , courage and lots of lessons .
The story began in the month of June , 1757 . The British East India company defeated the nawab of Bengal in the field of Plassey and it started the journey of captivating India step by step . From 1757 to 1857 , British East India company introduced different policies to colonize India from north to south. It started from diarchy introduced by Robert Clive which transferred the wish of doing business into the wish of ruling . Thereafter Lord Wellesley introduced the policy of Subsidiary alliance in 1798 and then Lord Dalhousie introduced the annexation policy . This annexation policy was an extreme form of imperialism which made the political field of India extremely unstable . The local kings were bound but wanted to be vocal against the East India company. At last the time came , the limit of tolerance broke . Mangal Pandey , a Indian sepoy who acted as a key part in the 1857 revolution , protested against the inhuman behavior and discrimination made by British . The “suited-booted invaders” come British declared his execution . This sacrifice spread the flame of protest . Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah II , Nanasaheb , Begum Hazrat Mahal of Ayodhya to Jhansi Queen Laxmibai picked up the fight against British East India company . Not only was it a revolution of Local Chiefs , the farmers , Labors disagreed with this British Raj . Savarkar said that the 1857 revolt was the first war for independence .
Another flow of protests came against the British monopoly in 1860 . The British businessman forced Indian farmers to plant indigo instead of food grains . Then a new group of revolutionaries emerged from the rural sides of India . Various tribal communities took weapons against them . Sidhu , Kanuho to Titumir, famous tribal leaders, carried on the war of independence. Though the war was associated with land ownership , agricultural freedom but the fact was meeting independence of doing your things without any alien force. It showed a great scenario of people’s hardships from different sectors and cultures .
If a long time neighbors whom you know very well leave the place and went another place , Do you feel good ? Yes, it will be so sad . Like this , British thought that they needed to part away Hindu and Muslim which broke the unity and power and they could easily rule . But when the bond was grown by a century above , it is quite tough to do that . The partition of Bengal was announced by lord Curzon in 1905 . The people of nation started to follow up a way directed by a simple framed , thin and sharp men Gandhi . They boycotted all foreign products and only used made in India products . It was one of the strongest and successful protest against these British political policies . In Bengal , the village ladies also participated in it by doing Vrata and reciting various patriotic verses. Rabindranath Tagore introduced “Raksha Bandhan utsav” to encourage the native people to stay united. Songs to poems , Paintings to architecture influenced people . Abanindranath Tagore drew the picture of Bharatmata at that time which signifies the importance of nation and importance to save it .
The story took a high point when it got a strong support of a strong minded commander “Gandhiji”. In 1919 Rowlaat commission curbed the people’s right to expression . The police started to be autocratic . Along with that history witnessed the great massacre of jallianwala bagh. Then Gandhiji having the dream of Purna swaraj in his eyes addressed people to join in the non-cooperation movement where the people can show their unfaith towards British . A mass of people accompanied Bapu in his dream along with fulfilling their own dream of free life . People totally avoided foreign products . Great poet Rajanikant Sen wrote “Mayer dewa mota kapor,Mathay tule ne re bhai “ . But Gandhi himself stopped this movement when the Chauri Chaura incident broke the principles of the movement .
Another phase of movement started in 1929 when the Indian National Congress in its lahore session demanded full independence . They pledged with a lot of people for full independence .It was known as the civil disobedience movement which is the effect of Simon commission which permitted only British members to look into Constitutional function . Gandhi Bapu marched for 24 days to protest against the British salt monopoly and tax on salt .But when a way takes time to work , another makes it faster . The same happened with Indian nationalists . The ideas did not match and it created two groups – 1. Moderator 2. Extremists . The extremists thought it was only to take weapons and fight with them . Khudiram Bose , Bhagat Singh , Chandrashekhar Azad to Binoy,Badal, Dinesh and Lal Bal Pal sacrificed their Life for their nation which created thousands more protesters who could sacrifice their Life.
When independence was very near but hard to achieve , Gandhi again addressed the nation “do or die”. But the British government imprisoned the INC leaders . At that time various small associations were built up and protested British rule . Matangini Hazra of Paschim Midnapore died after being shot in this movement . But the inner conflict and distress failed this movement . And then who lightened a new path was Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose . After escaping from house arrest Bose met international Political figures to gather army support against British government . German leader Adlof Hitler supported him by giving submarines. The Japanese Government supported him by offering armies. Then he along with Mohon singh built INA and started the journey to India through the east . Japanese army supported them . The charisma of his “jai Hind” made the troop joyous but it was short lived .
In 1946 again a mutiny took place in naval staff where Indian naval staff defied British officers orders which took a form of war . Actually the time came when people did not want British any more . Everywhere they showed protest and realized those British that they had to leave . In HIMS Talwar ship , 8 soldiers died . But it introduced a new India with the tag of independence.
The 1947 Indian Independence Act gives India a new horizon . As the Muslim league sought a independent dominance , the country was parted in to two separate part . One became India and one Pakistan. The British Prime Minister , Attlee announced on 20 th February 1947 that India will get a self rule government with a self Constitution . Lord Mountbatten along with INC , Muslim league, Sikh leaders designed a final plan . The 15 th August of 1947 was declared as the date of Independence Day in India . Jhawarlal Nehru hoisted the national flag in Red fort . India became independent , restored its glory .
India witnessed from side to side how much Indians fought . It was not only Past events , a life long lessons which teach the youth about struggle , hardships . And also tells us to be independent from thought which can secure our society from being captivated under regulations of the past .
By Pratibhas
the finest is the addition of tribal revolution which is ignored by most of us
Thanx…………..