The struggle of India’s freedom is one of the most glorious moments in human history dedicated to an unending innovative freedom fighter’s toils. Although freedom fighters not known by their names today, they fought with Britishers and paid supreme price for India to be free.
In this podcast you will learn the events and personalities that define India’s struggle to gain independence, it admires all the fighters of freedom.
The Revolt of 1857: The First Spark of Rebellion: Freedom Fighters
The process of Indian independence rose by the Indian Mutiny which is widely known as the first war of Indian independence. The spark that led to this uprising was the issuing of a new rifle by the East India company; the cartridges to be used with this rifle had to be bitten off, and they were said to be greased with cow and pig fat. The act was regarded as blasphemous by the Hindu and the Muslim soldiers, which created a riot. One of the first people to stand up against this ill treatment was a soldier in the British army Mangal Pandey who rose up to start the mutiny that later swept across the northern regions of India. Even though the rebellion was put down, the spark of rebellion was set and it burned for decades.
The Rise of Regional Rebellions: Manipur and Munda Movements
The following rebellions in various regions seized British power after the year 1857. Another important episode of the struggle for freedom was in 1891 when the Manipur Kingdom led by the Military officer Panao Bijabashi resisted the British quite rigorously. However, the British were able to put down the rebellion; however this was the fighting spirit of the Indian people.
Likewise, the Munda rebellion abetted by the legendary Birsa Munda, in the Chota Nagpur plateau in another important revolt. Although the uprising failed is another important revolt, it provided an essential means for the tribal populations to organize themselves against the colonial power.
The Swadeshi Movements: Avoiding British products
The later part of the 19th century and early 20th century also witnessed a strong movement following the partition of Bengal 1905. The severance of Bengal on the religious demarcation by the British brought about some challenging resistance and hence birth of nationalist leaders such as Surendranath Banerjee, Bipin Chandra Pal, Aurobindo Ghosh. It called for Indians not to purchase products from Britain and to focus on locally produced and manufactured goods to put into practice the idea of self-reliance.
Mahatma Gandhi and the Non-Cooperation Movements
This was revolutionized when Mahatma Gandhi joined the freedom struggles in 1917. Some people emulated Gandhi’s ideologies of non-violence and civil disobedience thus in the 1920s there was a start of non- cooperation movement. This movement affected a number of boycotts to Britain institutions, products and services. Though later- called off after the Chauri Chaura incidents in 1922 it was a landmark in the fight for independence in India.
Revolutionary Activities: Both Bhagat Singh and the Kakori conspiracy: Freedom Fighters
Where we have the likes of Martin Luther King using the tactics of nonviolent protest, there were other emancipators that were more aggressive. Batukeshwar Dutt in 1929, threw a bomb alongside Bhagat SIngh at the Central Legislative Assembly in Delhi to symbolize opposition against British dominance. The Kakori Conspiracy of is similar having taken place in 1925 and led by Ram prasad Bismil and Ashfaqualla Khan were the revolutionary group attempted train robbery to support their activities. Such acts also helped in awakening the spirits of the next generations of India to struggle for freedom.
The Quit India Movement: The Final Push: Freedom Fighters
A Quit India Movement which started in 1942 under the leadership of Gandhi was the final blow to the British empire in India. They adopted the slogan “Do or Die” and demand for Independence now, and this prompted a series of boycotts, strikes and demonstrations. Even more so, harsh crackdown notwithstanding, the movement was a turning point in the struggle for independence because the British knew they had little future in India.
The use of Indian National Army and Subhash Chandra Bose
In tandem with such movements, there occurred the movement of Subhash Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army that helped in the country’s liberation. However, with the support of Japan, ‘Bose’s’ provisioned Indian National Army did engage the British in the east front and failed. However, which is beyond doubt, the INA exerted a tremendous impact in inducing the British to finally decide in favor of the grant of freedom to India.
Conclusion: celebrating the Legacy of Freedom Fighters
Indian independence was not a single day victory, it was a long night of freedom fighters who fought for Indian independence and most of the time at the cost of their lives. From Revolt 1857 to Quit India Movement, the independence for India was getting closer and closer. In rejoicing the heroes who have sacrificed a lot for the cause of freedom, it becomes appropriate to emulate them in as far as the fight of liberty, equity and justice is concerned.
Also Listen: The Spark of Freedom: Known as the First War of Indian Independence by Indian
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