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Home , March 1930, Purna Swaraj

ISSN 0970-8669 Odisha Review

Clarion Call for 'Purna ' and Its Response in Odisha

Dr. Janmejay Choudhury

The Indian Congress under the Presidentship of recognize, however that the most effective way passed the resolution on of gaining our freedom is not through violence. complete Independence at on the last day We will, therefore, prepare ourselves by of 1929, the Government saw in it a direct threat withdrawing, so far as we can, all voluntary to the empire. The Viceroy Lord Irwin came to association from the British Government, and will believe that the resolution would result in a prepare for including non secession movement and revolutionary violence. payment of taxes. … We, therefore, hereby The Secretary of State advised him: “Try and solemnly resolve to carry out the Congress avoid action which will force you to deal with instructions issued from time to time for the masses, but rather pick responsible leaders and purpose of establishing Purna Swaraj (Complete deal with them whoever and whatever they are. Independence)”. Keep up moral authority of Government and rally round it those who respect law and order and In the middle of 1929, the Labour Party whose political instincts will defend India from came to power in Britain and Ramsay Macdonald, revolutionary movement while pursuing the new Prime Minister, invited Lord Irwin, the evolutionary politics”. Viceroy of India, for consultation in London. On his return, Lord Irwin issued a statement on 31st The attention of the people and of the as follows: Government centered on from the beginning of the new Year. He was himself in “I am authorized on behalf of His search of his step to begin the movement. When Majesty’s government to state clearly that, in their Rabindranath Tagore met him at the Sabarmati judgment, it is implicit in the declaration of 1917 Ashram on 18th January Gandhi told him: “I am that the natural issue of India’s constitutional furiously thinking and I do not yet see any light progress, as there contemplated, is the attainment coming out of the surrounding darkness.” Arising of Status.” out of Gandhi’s serious thought, the nation was Such a declaration led to an all-parties’ first asked to take the Pledge conference in Delhi on the next day. But the th on 26 in the following words: political leaders were soon disappointed to learn “We hold it to be a crime against man from the Viceroy that he was unable to give any and God to submit any longer to a rule that has definite assurance for the immediate grant of caused this fourfold disaster (economic, political, dominion Status to India. A few days later, the cultural and spiritual) to our country. We annual session of the

8 January - 2017 Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669 was held at London. Momentous decision was procession was also taken out in the town. At taken in that session by a resolution moved by Baleswar, Harekrushna Mahtab and Nanda Gandhiji himself. Nothing but complete Kishore Das took prominent part in organising independence or Purna Swaraj was now the the function. At Bhubaneswar the national flag was national demand and the Congress was hoisted at the top of the Lingaraj temple. Some determined to reach the goal by mass disobedience leading Congressmen like Acharya Harihar Das, movements throughout the country. Lingaraj Mishra, Krupasindhu Hota and By the call of the Lahore Congress it was Bholanath Sahu were arrested at Puri on the decided to celebrate 26 January as the occasion. Besides, in many places the function Independence day throughout India. A long was organized by the Congress and the people declaration of Independence, drafted by Gandhi, were aroused to the call of the nation. (The was adopted by the Congress Working Samaja, 29 January 1930) Committee. Such a declaration was to be read While the British Government proceeded out to the people throughout the country and they to hold the Round Table Conference in London were full of enthusiasm, 26 January was to decide India’s future constitution set up, the celebrated and the people once again decided to National Congress under plunge into the struggle for liberation of their prepared for launching Civil Disobedience motherland. A new phase of our freedom struggle Movement. The Congress Working Committee had begun. at its meeting held at Sabarmati in the mid However, Pandit Gopabandhu Das, who , authorized Gandhiji to initiate had led the people of Odisha in the Non- Civil Disobedience Movement in the country. Cooperation Movement, was no more on the Gandhiji finally decided to launch the movement scene. After the death of Pandit Gopabandhu by breaking the salt law at Dandi, a village on the Das, Gopabandhu Choudhury took the leadership sea coast in Gujarat. Such a decision was received of the Congress of the Odisha. He was a very with much enthusiasm by the Congress leaders in active leader and from the days of Non- Odisha. As noted before, Odisha was the centre cooperation, he had concentrated his attention in for production of very lucrative source of revenue. the constructive programmes of Gandhiji. He But subsequently the production was stopped and became the president of the Provincial Congress the people of Odisha inspite of long sea coast, Committee in 1929 and then in 1930, he took were bound to purchase foreign salt for their daily charge of the organization as its secretary. consumption. Many attempts were made to Harekrushna Mahtab shouldered the receive the industry by the nationalist leaders. responsibilities of leading Odisha in the Civil Gopabandhu moved a resolution in the Legislative Disobedience Movement. As the New Year Council of Bihar and Odisha in March 1918 for opened, the 26 January 1930 was observed as revival of salt industry in the province and the the day of Purna Swaraj or Independence Day Government was also anxious for its development. all over India. The salt tax was considered ‘the most iniquitous of all from the poor men’s standpoint’ and hence On 26 January 1930 mass meetings were Gandhiji decided to break it. Mahatma Gandhi organized in different parts of the province to decided to initiate the Civil Disobedience celebrate the Independence Day. In a large Movement himself with 78 followers by breaking gathering at Cuttack, Gopabandhu Choudhury the Salt law at a place named Dandi on the read the declaration and after listening silently, the seashore of Gujarat. To reach that distant place people gave their assent to it by raising hands. A he made a long journey which was famous as the

January - 2017 9 ISSN 0970-8669 Odisha Review

‘Dandi March’. The famous Dandi March was people of Odisha had achieved a spectacular begun on 12 March 1930. From Sabarmati success in Salt . Ashram people marched towards the seacoast As the movement spread, the with the mission to break the salt law and thus to Government resorted to severe repression. Large inaugurate the Mass Civil Disobedience scale arrests were made. Meetings and Movement in the country. Only 78 disciples processions were broken up. Lathi charges and marched with him which included one Motibas firings became the order of the day. But people Das, a student of about 20 years of age, continued to manufacture salt on the seashore, from Odisha. The procession covered the and laws were broken systematically elsewhere. distance in 24 days with wide publicity and it Leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and Khan Abdul naturally created unprecedented enthusiasm Gaffar Khan were arrested. Finally, Gandhi was throughout the country. Gandhiji broke the salt arrested in the night of the 4th May and taken to law, as scheduled, on 6 . It was decided Yaravda Central Jail. In the meanwhile, all to start the movement in Odisha soon after the prominent Congress leaders of Odisha and breaking of the salt law by Gandhiji at Dandi. hundreds of volunteers were imprisoned. In the meanwhile, the Utkal Provincial The Government, therefore decided to Congress Committee (UPCC) met at Baleswar. step down for a compromise with Gandhi. The On 16 March 1930 they decided to start the Civil Viceroy was obliged to open door for negotiation Disobedience Movement by breaking the salt law. which he had earlier closed. On 17th January, Gopabandhu Choudhury was given the 1931, he praised Gandhi in following words: responsibility to chalk out the programmee. The “However mistaken any man think him to be and UPCC also appealed to the people for all kinds however deplorable may appear the result of the of help in order to make the movement a success. policy associated with his name, no one can fail The District Congress committees were directed to recognize the spiritual force which impels Mr. to recruit volunteers to take active part in Salt Gandhi to count no sacrifice too great in the cause, Satygraha. (The Samaja, 19 March 1930) The as he believes, of the India he loves.” On 26 Congress leaders especially H.K. Mahtab and , Gandhi and the members of the Surendra Nath Das prepared the ground at Congress Working Committee were released Inchudi, a place ten miles away from Baleswar from prison. The Viceroy was ready to negotiate on the seacoast, for the beginning of the with the Mahatma for a settlement. The talks movement in the province. In fact, they could so resulted in the Gandhi-Irwin Pact of 5th March, thoroughly drill nationalistic ideals into the minds 1931. According to the terms of the Pacts, Gandhi of the villagers and rouse their patriotic sentiments agreed to discontinue the Civil Disobedience that they showed exemplary tenacity and courage Movement, and the Government agreed to throughout the movement. On the basis of the withdraw repressive ordinances and to release government report, it was claimed that the Salt all the prisoners, except those who were Satyagraha at Inchudi occupied the second place connected with violence. The government also in India, the first being Gujarat where Gandhiji invited the Congress to attend the Round Table himself led the movements. (Mahtab H.K, Conference. Sadhanara Pathe, Odia Autobiography, Edn.2, Cuttack, 1972, p. 129) The movement gathered spectacular momentum in a short time. Thus, under Dr. Janmejaya Choudhury, Lecturer in History, the inspiring leadership of the Congress, the Sri Jagannath College, Kaipadar, Khurda.

10 January - 2017