Issn-2394-6326 Revolutionary Upsurge in Indian Freedom Struggle with Special Reference to Kanpur
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ISSN-2394-6326 Journal de Brahmavart REVOLUTIONARY UPSURGE IN INDIAN FREEDOM STRUGGLE WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO KANPUR Dr. Rajeshwar Shukla The contribution of revolutionaries is of weaponry in the world. It was a one of those gray areas in the annals of progressive capitalist force enriched Indian freedom struggle, that have not with intense feelings of new born been researched in depth. Whatever nationalism. It virtually provided it work has been done that remains with a cohesiveness and made it confined to handful revolutionaries. impregnable for any divisive force. On Countless patriots laid down their lives the other hand India being a feudal for the sake of the nation, still pages of country in its very core could not history kept mum over their heroic withstand aggressive British Raj. deeds and remained oblivious of them. Establishment of British Raj It was entirely a strange phenomenon was a gradual process and most likely and needs to be probed. same was the case with revolutionary In order to understand upsurge. British rule in India was never revolutionary movement in its entirety, guided by the Principle of equality and It is necessary to have a feel of social justice, it was a plunderer state circumstances in which the seeds of that eventually created large scale revolt began sprouting. India was not discontentment in form of revolts. enslaved in a day or two, it was rather Hence English rule and revolutionary a result of continuous intricate virus grew together and prepared the conspiracies over a century. It is also base for future clashes. not fair to put entire blame over British A microscopic analysis of the Raj for Indian submission. The fact is revolutionary trend in Indian freedom that no institution can ever be so struggle reveals that they were nobody severely damaged unless it is perished else but revolutionaries who evolved within itself and British could not have freedom movement and compelled so easily burgled into its very roots. English to quit India. It is a sheer Even during the rule of Aurangzeb. thanklessness of nation to call Mughal empire started shedding its revolutionaries as less gangsters. luster and soon became vulnerable to Manmath Nath Gupta justifies this various indigenous forces. It is beyond revolutionary upsurge, "On the one doubt that some of these forces had hand the peasants who grow corn for enough strength to give a death blow to all, starve with their families. The the empire but they really lacked in art weaver who supplies the world market of building ahen new one. Though with textile fabrics can not find enough they had capabilities of vanquishing to cover his own and his children's the Mughal empire yet they could not bodies. Masons, smiths, carpenters, do so, as at this juncture the British who build magnificent places lived and forces unexpectedly jumped in perished in slums. On the other hand, between and shattered the dreams of capitalists, exploiters, parasites of other Indian forces that were aspiring society squander millions on mere to be the masters of India. whims."1 This was the era when the Bipin Chandra, in his book British Empire was undoubtedly an "Nationalism and Colonialism in industrial giant and possessed the best modern India" says, "countless Indians refused to be in such inhuman state and 14 ISSN-2394-6326 Journal de Brahmavart rose in revolt and gave their blood to its culmination point, cannot be ruled the foundation of free India. How can out. India being the land of diverse there be any parameter to measure social patterns and scarce economy their contribution ? Revolutionaries of would certainly have been vulnerable Northern India during 1920's became to these vital factors. Economic popular heroes in their own life time hardships inflicted by British rule and have remained so since then. There compelled the common people of India are few to question the magnanimity of to live wretched life and it eventually the noble ideals they cherish and the paved the path of revolution. grand sacrifices they have offered"2 This paper will also make an Manmath Nath Gupta further outlines attempt to bring forward the first ever the role of revolutionaries, say, "At the references of those Indian revolts that time of First World War, when the somehow slipped from the formal British Government stood at the history of Indian freedom struggle. threshold of glorious victory, was not One such uprising was "Sanyasi worried about any body and anything Revolt" in the year 1700. Saints, forest except the revolutionaries. The dwellers, Santhals and Bhils held the congress had been there since 1885, string of this revolt against the British but it was not even mentioned in 226 Raj. This revolt was spread from banks pages report of Rowlatt Committee. of Ghraghra, in the then United Tilak and Aurobindo were mentioned, Province (U.P.) to the banks of because they were revolutionaries, not Brahmaputra river. We also come because they were congressmen."3 across instances of Hindu Sanyasin and The revolutionaries were not Sufi Faquirs comming together to scared of chaos or anarchy which so challenge British rule. Bankim frightened the middle class Chandra wrote historical novel "Anand intelligentsia of the time. The task of Math". It was not merely a fiction distruction was essential before work. It was in fact based on real regeneration could occur. The happenings between Bhawani Pathak 'Revolutionary' published by the HRA and Sufi Majnu Shah6. Dudhar Singh in January 1925 had proclaimed and Mishri Khan, rulers of Burdwan "Chaos is necessary to the birth of a got the help of Sanyasis and Sufis new star and the birth of life is against British rule in 1719, Nawab of accompanied by agony and pain." The Bengal, Mir Kasim sought the help of manifesto of the HSRA (1929) fully Sanyasins in 1700. endorsed this anarchistic streak.4 These small embers of local According to the philosophy of the unrest eventually transformed into a Bomb, "the revolutionaries already see volcano in 1857. Keeping aside their the advent of the revolution in the mutual differences, various leaders restlessness of the youth, in its desire from different parts of India assembled to break free from the mental bondage under the banner of last Mughal and religious superstitions that hold Emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar to them.5 challenge their common enemy. It is beyond any doubt that Though this revolt was brutally foreign rule itself was very seed that muzzled yet it sent tremors to very gave birth to revolutionary upsurge in roots of English rule in India. Keeping India. But the role of various in view its almost national character, it socioeconomic forces instrumental in is considered to be the very first war of 15 ISSN-2394-6326 Journal de Brahmavart Indian Independence. Opposite to this Saheb. Eventually, English surrendered there is another school of thought that and accepted the terms of Nana.7. does not agree with this and calls it Among the main subordinates mere a sepoys' muting. There is no of Nana Saheb, who assisted him, were doubt that participant groups had Azimullah, Baba Rao, Jwala Prasad divergent aims yet they were and Tikka Singh etc. Apart from them unanimous on their primary goal, that a number of reputed people of Kanpur was immediate expulsion of foreign also supported him: regime. Had there been a better 1. Chaudharies of Bithur coordination among leaders of this 2. King of Thathia uprising, most likely they would have 3. Moti Singh given a last nail to the British coffin. 4. Rajputs of Panki - Gangagnaj and Whatsoever was the outcome but it Kakadeo was certainly a great revolutionary 5. King of Shivrajpur, Sati Prasad effort that further enriched the 6. King of Sachendi, Durga Prasad revolutionary cult and gave a fillip to 7. King of Nar-Dariyav Chand the growth of Indian Nationalism. They all participated in siege of Revolution knocked the doors Wheeler. Besides them, Zamindars and of Kanpur also. In the mid night of 4th Powerful people of Bithur, Jajmau, June Revolt began with firing. Next Shivrajpur, Narval and Rasulabad day, platoon no. 1 of Indian troops rose openly participated in revolt. But this in revolt but they did not harm any victory could not last for long. On 17th English officer. They proceeded July, Kanpur once again slipped into towards Nawabganj and plundered the hands of English forces. Nana treasury and court gate of the jail was Saheb fled away and took shelter in opened with the help of two more Bithur to organise his forces again. On platoons that rose in revolt later. Nana 16th August, General Havelock Saheb was declared the King and attacked Nana Saheb. A fierce battle Subedar Tikka Singh was deputed with took place between revolutionaries and Leadership of platoon no. 53. English forces which resulted in a lot The flag of freedom was put on of causalties. Finally, English emerged an elephant and a procession was taken victorious and General Stephenson out. It was declared that the reign of occupied Bithoor with the help of Sikh Nana Saheb had begun. and English force. General burnt the On 6th June, Nana Saheb palace of Nana Saheb and plundered attacked the fort of English and three its treasure9. days later, platoon no. 48 staying at November 10th, Tatya Tope, an Chaubepur also revolted. All English able army chief of Nana closed officers were killed except one named Yamuna river to attack English forces Bolton who succeeded in fleeing away. at Kanpur and occupied Bhognipur, On the same day, from Fatehgarh, 60 Shivla, Akbarpur, Shivrajpur and half to 70 English men, women and of the Kanpur.