30 January 1948 – Mahatma Gandhi was Assassinated

Tribute to Gandhi

His Excellency’s Broadcast talk on the 12^th February 1948 from the All-India Radio on the “Immersion ceremony”.

    The bird escaped at 5 p.m. on Friday, the 30^th January. The body remained with us and the lingering smile on the face kept the illusion going for some time. But on Saturday, the 31^st of January, on the banks of Jumna we consigned the body of our beloved leader to the flames in accordance with the wisdom of our ancestors. Then we scraped together all that was left behind. Devotion made us see Bapu in the ashes and the orphaned people fondly held on to the thought. But the solemn wisdom of our ancestors again called us to consign the ashes to the elements and turn our thoughts to God. So we have entrusted the ashes to Holy Ganga and prayed. And we are returning home with heavy hearts feeling a void all around. May our thoughts every day at the hour when Bapu fell turn to him, our beloved teacher, our ajatasatru, our Satyadharmaparakramah who to countless millions was an unfailing physician, who removed fear and ever thought and sought to increase love.

            … Let us every day thus spend a couple of minutes at that hour in the evening in silence and prayer for universal goodwill in India. Even our grief tends to find solace and shape in anger and violence. Eternal must be our vigilance against this original sin which poisons our natures. Suppression and State-coercion cannot be avoided in this imperfect world. But let us clearly and once for all realise that goodwill cannot be achieved except by goodwill. Evil cannot be overcome except in the way that our beloved leader taught. There is much war-like talk about peace and much belligerent demand for goodwill. …. May we remember the wisdom of love which our departed leader has left us for an inheritance – his teaching and the memory of the life he lived.

            Do not demand love. Love is never obtained that way. Begin to love and you will be loved. Increase your love and more love will be induced and will flow towards you. This is the law and no statute or logic can alter this. …. But if we do not follow the law as taught by him and let the law die with the teacher….

            May I take this opportunity to thank all those who worked so hard and enabled the immersion ceremony to be performed with due solemnity and in a befitting way. I am grateful to the men and women who though numbering so many lakhs co-operated so admirably in maintaining order and solemnity. I thank those who kept the essential services and the buses and trams running in spite of the sacrifice involved which was great. They deserve the thanks of us all.

Vayur anilam amrtamathedam

bhasmantam sariram

Om Krato smara Krtam Smara

Krato smara krtam Smara.

Source: C.Rajagopalachari Papers (V Inst.),MSS, NMML

30 January – Mahatma Gandhi Assassinated

Remembering the Mahatma – Sri Prakasa

MAHATMA GANDHI – my first meeting

It was in my home-city of Kashi (Banaras or Varanasi) and the occasion was the laying of the foundation stone of the Banaras Hindu University. The then Viceroy, Lord Hardinge, had come to perform the Ceremony. At the invitation of Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, the founder, a large number of dignitaries from all over the country including Mahatma Gandhi, had come to participate in the functions. The foundation was formally laid by the Viceroy on Feb. 4, 1916.

....Mahatma Gandhi was invited to be the speaker on one of the evenings. I happened to be in charge of the arrangements at the meetings. That was where I saw Mahatma Gandhi….

          ….Mahatmaji got up to speak. It seems that he had gone just before then to worship at the temple of Vishwanath, the presiding deity of the ancient city of Kashi or Varanasi. He was appalled at the dirt that he saw in the precincts of the temple. He began by castigating all those who allowed such filth in their cities and round their temples.

 Then he spoke of the poverty of the people, contrasting it with the splendour of the few rich. He then turned at the princes and said: “Princes, go and sell your jewels and use your riches for the poor”. At this there was some commotion on the platform, and whispering among those who sat in front. The audience cheered Mahatmaji loudly; and when the President asked him to stop, the audience asked him to continue….

          ….Mahatma Gandhi referred to the official arrangement made for the supposed safety of the Viceroy and expressed great unhappiness at the form it had taken. And then he said: “It were better that the Viceroy had been shot than that the people of a whole city should be so terrorised”.

 The commotion that then took place can be easily imagined. High local civil officers were present at the meetings. They all got up to leave. The princes stood up also to go. The audience went on shouting asking Mahatmaji to continue as he stood unruffled on the platform. Then he also came down and left. I accompanied him to the portico. He seemed surprised at all that had happened and said to the people around him; “What did I say? I said nothing improper”. Some persons in the crowd were heard to say: “We have been to many meetings. We had known the audience leaving. We had seen speakers asked to sit down. We have, however, never seen the President departing from his seat”.

 In any case the meeting ended in confusion. Pandit Malaviya anxious about the upshot, went up to the Commissioner in the evening, and found him preparing a note for the district magistrate asking him to issue an order for Gandhiji to leave the city at once. Pandit Malaviya was able to induce him not to issue any such order. He said he would himself see to it that Gandhiji left the town.

            ….This took place in 1916…. To me this speech of Mahatmaji’s in my own old Central Hindu College where I had studied for ten years, marks the beginning of the new age when the fight for freedom was started in true earnestness. During these decades I had occasions to meet Mahatmaji scores of times in different situations and at different places; but this incident stands out most prominently before all others, [even though I] may have reason to be unhappy at the shape our freedom finally took having been accompanied by the tragic partition of the land. Mahatma Gandhi himself was most unhappy at it. I saw him for the last time on January 3, 1948, twenty seven days before his cruel assassination. Obviously referring to Hindu Muslim hostility which was the basis of the partition of the country, he said to me:“The whole work of my life has gone down the drain (MERI ZINDAGI KA SARA KAM MITTI MEN MIL GAYA)”.

 We for ourselves may also be unhappy at various things that we see around us which may make us despair, but there is no doubt that a light was lit that evening in Banaras by Mahatmaji which was to lead us to Freedom; and if we are not able to utilise the opportunities to the best purpose, that Freedom has given us, and if we are mis-using the power that has come in our hands surely no fault lies with the great Master, who led us to freedom; who for himself, told us that the means should be as pure as the end; who himself wanted us never to accept partition but to come away from Government and keep the country one, whoever the rulers might be; who always exhorted us to follow the path of righteousness in all circumstances, and whom even when we prove unworthy ourselves of him, rightly and reverently call

THE FATHER OF THE NATION

Source: Sri Prakasa Papers, MSS, NMML

26 January - Republic Day

Rajaji’s address on the occasion of the Republic Day

17^th January 1950

Every form of government and every kind of economic ordering can produce happiness for the people. But only if people feel joy in doing right and instinctively abhor wrong. Otherwise, no social order, no polity can lead to social well-being.

Let not independence mean that every one has a chance to work for one’s own personal advantage. No doubt in a free republic new rights accrue to the people, but rights are merely the shadows of corresponding duties. Only if every one performs his duties efficiently can society prosper. To pine for rights without giving thought to the proper performance of duties would be like cutting down the trees and longing for the shade. From political freedom and republican government flow rights, but they demand the performance of many duties. We may not, as wise men and women, ignore the duties of republican citizenship and concentrate on getting privileges and advantages. If we do so, we invite national disaster.

Let us then revere Dharma and conduct ourselves well. This alone is the shield of liberty. Else we shall be chained again in slavery amidst a growing multiplicity of governmental regulations. Foreign rule is not the only form of slavery. A life of helotry can prevail even though we are not subject to any foreigners’ will and we are politically independent. We can have a society in which the individual can have joy in his soul fulfilling the duties that fall to be performed by him. That is one way. Another way is to invite a growing body of restrictive controls and orders of an inquisitorial government and to pass the days in fear. Either this or the other, there is no other way. If the first way does not obtain, the second will inevitably follow. Recent Chinese history teaches this.

Which is preferable, doing our duties in accordance with Dharma and with individual liberty or so to conduct ourselves as to invite despotic rule? If we prize personal freedom and national liberty, let us follow Dharma and eschew Adharma

As to what is Dharma and what is Adharma, all scriptures teach the same thing. Let each one do his duty honestly, not worrying himself about how other men behave. Let him say to himself: “What is my duty? Let me do it with joy and care. That is enough for me. If I go on fulfilling my duty, my example will influence others.” If one does this, one’s life will not have been in vain.

-----x-----

Source : C. Rajagopalachari Papers (Vth Inst.), MSS, NMML 

The Book launch - MY ENEMY'S ENEMY

25 January 1971, Himachal Pradesh came into being

On Making of Himachal Pradesh (Extracts)

LAND TENURE SYSTEMS IN HIMACHAL PRADESH

Himachal Pradesh was formed as a separate entity on April, 15, 1948 as a centrally administered territory by the integration of several princely states. In 1954, Bilaspur another part of C state was merged with H.P. In November, 1956, it again became Union Territory having a Territorial Council and Administrator designated Lt. Governor. It was on July1, 1963 that an Assembly was restored. The process took new turn in November, 1966 when the erstwhile areas of Punjab were merged with the Pradesh thereby making it large and compact. On January 25 1971 H.P. became the 18^th state of Indian Union.

            The State of H.P. lies in the north-east corner of the country. Geographically it is located between latitude 30°22’40’’ north to 33°12’ 40’’ north and longitudes 75°45’55’’ to 79°04’20’’ east. The state is bounded by J&K in the north-west, Tibet and U.P. in the east and Haryana in the south. The state is divided into 10 districts namely Simla, Sirmur, Mandi, Mahasu, Kinnaur, Kulu, Kangra, Lahaul & Spiti, Chamba and Bilaspur.

            The land within the boundaries of the Pradesh measures 56,430 sq. km. The state is almost wholly mountainous with altitudes ranging between 460 metres to 6400 metres above the mean sea level. It has a deeply dissected topography. Physiographically, the State can be divided into three regions – outer Himalayan, inner Himalayan and Alpine pasture. The normal rainfall of H.P. is above 152 cm. It varied between 76 cm to 178 cm per annum.

            According to 1971 census the population of the state was 32,24,332 and the density of population per sq. km. was 62 ….According to 1971 census, out of total workers, 75.85 percent depended on agriculture alone for their means of livelihood, while the remaining 24.15 percent followed non-agricultural pursuits.

            ….Area under forest was 21.77 percent. Forests are the back-bone of the Pradesh’s economy in so far as about 37 percent of the state’s revenue is from forests alone.

            The principal crops of kharif in the districts were maize, paddy, smaller millets and potato while wheat and barely were in the rabi season.

            In the field of horticulture, as much as 1,05,050 acres of land* is now under orchards with annual production of fruits in the range of 1.49 lakh tones.

Land Policy

Before 1955

Before the reorganization of Himachal Pradesh, there were two dominating system of land tenure prevailing in erstwhile estates:

i)                    Pattidari

ii)                  Bhaichara System

Present Position

            The following are the main types of land tenure system prevalent in the State:

1.  Zamindari (a) Land Lord (Khalis)

                       (b) Communal (Mushtarqua)

2.  Pattidari    (a) Perfect (Mukamil)

                       (b) Imperfect (Gair-Mukamil)

3.  Bhaichara  (a) Perfect (Mukamil)

                       (b) Imperfect (Gair Mukamil)

In addition to this following types of Tenancy is also prevalent:

(1)   Maurusi (occupancy tenants)

(2)   Gair-Maursi (Non-occupancy)

(3)   Kismi tenants (Non-occupancy)

(4)   Basiku Opahu

*Economic Review of Himachal Pradesh 1971 pp. 2

            Source: Asok Mitra Papers, MSS, NMML

23 January - Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s Birth Anniversary

Presidential Address delivered by Subhas Chandra Bose at the Maharashtra Youth Conference, First Session, Poona on 22 December 1931

My Maharashtrian Friends,

….Today the youth movement in Maharashtra has attained maturity and it is a factor to be reckoned with by all those who want to understand their country men aright and shape their policy and programme accordingly.

….The youth movement has come to stay and we can no longer ignore its existence. Youth all over the world is impatient with the present order of things. It has a dream, a vision, of its own - a vision of better order of things - and it is now struggling everywhere to translate that dream into reality….

There cannot be any doubt in any quarter that we are now hungering for freedom. This hunger is acute and intense and the freedom that we are hankering after is full, all-round freedom….We believe that freedom is good for all and the more of it we can have, the better for ourselves and for the human race. The first taste of freedom may tend to unbalance us - it may even cause a reeling sensation - but it is bound to sober us before long and then we shall find that freedom is a source of infinite strength and irresistible power.

…you sometimes notice a conflict between Congress organisations and youth organisations in some parts of the country….

The debacle that has arisen in connection with the Round Table Conference is in my humble opinion, due largely to the fact, that at the time of the ill-starred truce, the voice of youth was more or less ignored.

….Consequently, the Conference met, not to discuss the exact form of Swaraj which India was to get - but whether India was to get Swaraj at all or any fractional dose of it….

….The proclamation of truce brought about the release of the Satyagrahi prisoners, but the Meerut Conspiracy Case and other revolutionary conspiracy cases in different parts of the country went on in full swing and the revolutionary prisoners confined in different jails all over India were either forgotten or ignored. The most serious blunder was the non-release of the detenus who had been imprisoned without trail.

….The inability of the Congress to stop what I would call official terrorism is largely responsible for the weakening of the hold of the Congress on the youths in some parts of the country – and particularly in Bengal.

….You have also heard of the suppression of the Naujawan Bharat Sabha organisations in some parts of the country and the banning of Naujawan Bharat Sabha Conference in other places…

Friends, as I followed the deliberations of the Round Table Conference and of the various committees when they were in session, I used to feel that too much effort was being wasted in trying to placate individuals or parties who never meant to fight the British Government for the attainment of India’s freedom. On the other hand important militant groups in the country, including the left wing of the Congress seemed to be ignored by the Government on the one side and the official Congress on the other.

….I stand for a free India and for a socialistic state in this country. I stand for full, all-round freedom for our people - regardless of the fact that it may displease or injure certain vested interests in this country. I stand for a better race and a better type of manhood and womanhood in this country, which free India will help to create. Last but not the least, I stand for human personality, the creation and development of which, our institutions and environment should always aim at.

I only hope that in fulfilling our purpose and destiny, we shall not forget our past history and tradition - our National genius or our National exigencies. The endeavour to ignore these factors will not only fail but will prove to be harmful and even suicidal. In these days of internationalism, we should not forget either that internationalism, always presupposes nationalism.

I believe, that we have something new and original to contribute to world culture and civilization; and I believe that India can so live and act as to contribute to the happiness of mankind as a whole. Let us, therefore, rise to the full height of our manhood and achieve salvation for our country believing firmly, as I always do, that India freed means humanity saved. 

BANDE MATARAM

Source : G.R. Abhyankar Papers, MSS, NMML