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INDIA
Asian Voice - Saturday 21st November 2009
Britain based Indians in freedom struggle – A century ago Continued from Page 22
To name some of the foremost - the socialist leader of France Monsieur Jaures, German nationalist leader August Bebel, Karl lie cknecht, Rosa Luxemburg, British leader H M Hyndman, Mikhail Pavlovich, Mohamed Farid and Kamal Pasha of Egypt, Editor of ‘Galic American’ George Freeman, Mairon Philips – the founder of India House in New York, Geon Long - Grandson of Karl Marx, Editor of ‘Positive Review’ S H Swinni, Harry Kwilek – Editor of ‘Justice’, F. Oddonel and others. Others who supported India House included Dadabhai Naoroji and his grand daughter Parin Naoroji. Revolutionaries and inmates of India House include VVS Aiyer, Lala Hardayal, Madanlal Dhingra and many students who made India House their home in London. Many of them had come to Britain with scholarships by Pandit Shyamji and Sardarsinh Rana. Key names include Abdulla AlMamoon Suhrawardy (later on, he went on to become the Chief Minister of Bengal), Sharadchandra Mukherji, Parmeshwari Lal, Saed Abdul Majid, Sheikh Abdul Aziz, Moinuddin Mohamed, Kanaiyalal Varma, C N Prabhat, R G Pradhan, Vinayak Manohar, Madanlal Dhingra, Vir Savarkar and so on. In the first parliament after India gained Independence, there were atleast 50 MPs who had availed the scholarships and studied in Britain and France. Ms. Laxmi Menon, who later went on to become the Minister of State for External affairs was also one among them. Now, let us have a glimpse of the other Gujaratis who were involved with the India House and had put in relentless efforts to achieve the goal. Dadabhai Naoroji was the first ParsiGujarati President of the Indian National Congress, the first ever Indian who was elected as an MP to the British Parliament, the ‘Moderate’ leader who made a detailed study and portrayed the facts of “India’s Poverty” before the world. He was one of the front ranking leaders who supported Pandit Shyamji Krishna Varma initially. He was also a witness to the foundation of India Home Rule Society, opening of India House, the establishment of ‘Indian Sociologist’ newspaper etc. Barrister Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi’s meeting with Pandit Shyamji Krishna Varma? Yes, on 20th October, 1906 Barrister Gandhi came to London from South Africa. He was still not known as “Mahatma”. For the Indians of Africa, he was “Gandhibhai”. He also decided initially to stay at India House. He met Shyamji Krishna Varma, Vir Savarkar and others on three Sundays. They had discussed a few things. In 1909, he again visited England. Gandhiji had than participated in the ‘Vijayadashmi’ celebrations at the invitation of VVS Aiyer. The venue of the celebrations, organised by the revolutionaries of the India House was The Nizamuddin Restaurant. 70 Indians attended the celebrations. Gandhiji and Savarkar had given speeches on ‘Shree Ram’ and his ‘Incarnation – deeds’. Madam Cama was highly popular in the West as the “Mother of Revolutionaries’. She used to run the ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Madan Talwar’ newspapers. She toured various places including Russia, Holland, Egypt, France, Germany and developed contacts with people there. She also was instrumental in spreading the voice of India, demanding her independence. In August 1907, at the International Socialist Conference held in Stuttgart, Germany, she gave a speech on India’s slavery and said while unfurling the Indian national flag for the first time, “This flag is of Indian Independence. Behold!, It is born. It is already sanctified by the blood of mar-
tyred Indian youths. I call upon you, gentlemen, to rise and salute this flag of Indian Independence. In the name of this flag, I appeal to lovers of freedom all over the world to co-operate with this flag in treeing on-fifth the human race.” Barrister Sardarsinh Rana was the third person who had a very close association with India House. He was maternal uncle (Mama) of Gujarati poet Kalapi. The correspondence between the two has been preserved. Rana got into the business of jewellery in Paris. Deepchand Zaveri, who was a close associate of a famous saint – Shree Mota, was Rana’s partner in the Paris business. Rana awarded scholarships not only to business students, but even to those students who were interested India’s fight for freedom got scholarships from ‘Indian Sociologist’. The Home Rule Society was founded in France. He had attended almost all the programmes at India House. Rana also accepted to be the chairman of many of such meetings. He was also in close contact with Rabindranath Tagore, Subhash Chandra Bose, Vithalbhai Patel among others. He provided financial support and documentary material to Indulal Yagnik for writing a book on Shyamji Krishna Varma’s life. Indulal completed the book in 1935, the book was written in English. It was printed in 1950. An abridged version in Gujarati was penned by Gokuldas Bambhadai, also known as ‘Kutch’s Gandhi’. During the World War I, Sardarsinh and his son were put under house arrest at Vichy and Bordeaux. Madam Cama also served prison term here. Rana’s son died during this house arrest. Vir Savarkar tried to escape as a prisoner at the Marcellus Port. He was being tried at the Hague court. Madam Cama and Sardarsinh Rana were very active in company of Paris Mayor, trying to defend Savarkar. Rana was the last person of the India House trio of heros who survived to witness Indian Independence. Shyamji Krishna Varma passed away at Geneva on 31st March, 1930. His wife also breathed her last after two years, on 22nd August, 1933. Madam Cama died at Mumbai’s Cama Hospital on 12th August, 1936 with her last message: “He who loses liberty, loses his virtue. Resistance to tyranny is obedience to the God.” Among other Gujaratis who did contribute significantly to India’s freedom struggle is Chhagan Kheraj Varma alias Khemraj Damji alias Hussein Rahim! This man with many names, a businessman, born in 1865 at Porbander, left the native place at the age of 30 years and reached Vancouver in Canada. He fought legal battles against the harassment to Sikhs and other communities who had gone to Canada for jobs. Chhagan Kheraj was active at the “Yugantar Ashram”, founded by Lala Hardayal in San Francisco, USA. He played a role in the foundation of “Ghadar” party, became the Editor of the Gujarati edition of the newspaper “Ghadar”. This newspaper was being published in four languages. The first issue of this weekly was published on 1st May, 1914. Chhagan Kheraj wrote in the inaugural issue that a revolution, a change can only be brought through the mother tongue. Those responsible for the uprising were sent to India in the ship “Komagata Maru”. Chhagan Kheraj again tried to lead a sequal to the 1857 uprising in Singapore in 1915, amongst the Indian soldiers in the British army there. British rulers there either blew him up with a gun or hanged him there. He was in touch with “India House” and published Shyamji Krishna Varma’s and Veer Savarkar’s articles in “Ghadar”. He also serialised the book “The Freedom Struggle of 1857” in the weekly. I have been able to find out a few other names of Gujaratis who were associated with “India House”. Parin Naoroji; J. M. Parekh; Manilal Patel; Nitisen Dwarkadas (Brother-in-law of Shyamji
Krishna Varma); Munchersha Barjorji, P. Godrej; Dr. D. E. Pereira; Dr. S. D. Oza; V. G. Patel; N. D. Zaveri; Khemchand Banker; Maneksha Sorabjee Master etc. All these people have made valuable contribution to the independence struggle of India. A thorough research needs to be done and details regarding their activities at India House in London need to be brought in the public domain. Natvarlal Vidhyashanker Acharya was born at Patan in 1879. He reached Paris in 1903 and started diamond business. A firm named “Gunvantlal Vidhyashanker Zaveri Company” was established. He came into contact with Sardarsinh Rana and Shyamji Krishna Varma and joined the freedom struggle. He was arrested and jailed. Natvarlal returned to India on 4th July, 1909 and again went to Paris in 1911, joined the freedom struggle. M. S. Mansuri was a Gujarati Muslim from Sindh province (now a part of Pakistan). Born in Kherpur, he came to London in 1909 and studied in Cambridge. On his return to India, started his underground activities under the influence of Veer Savarkar, his friend. He again came back to London in 1910. There were inquiries about his activities. Nitisen Dwarkadas was born in 1878, in Mumbai. He was the son of Dwarkadas Lallubhai, a wealthy family and resident of the Nalbazar area of the city. He went to London in 1902, secured admission as a student of law at Lincoln’s Inn. Later, he also founded a company known as ‘Eastern Export and Import Company.’ With the aim of fighting for India’s independence, he joined the India House and worked there as a secretary. He brought 250 copies of the legal case on Lokmanya Tilak from India and distributed them in London. His residence in London – 128, Halland Park Avenue was a well known as the meeting place of Indian freedom fighters. Nitisen, Savarkar and Aiyer had applied to get the dead body of Madanlal Dhingra after he was hanged. Their requested was however not granted. Nitisen also fought a legal battle to secure the possession of the personal belongings of Madanlal Dhingra, but he could not succeed. He went to Paris in 1910. When he wanted to return to India, things related to India’s freedom struggle were found from his luggage and he was not allowed back to India. Nitisen’s last days of life were over in Paris itself. Munchersha Barjorji Godrej was the brother of A B Godrej, the founder of the wellknown Godrej group of Industries. He was connected with Sardarsinh Rana and India House in London for long; was actively involved with India’s freedom struggle. Govind Amin was the son of Zaverbhai Ghelabhai Amin. He was born in a Patidar family at Virsad village of Borsad Taluka in Kheda district in 1883. He studied only upto Std. 6 and went to South Africa in 1901 as a cloth merchant. In 1907, he came back to India and almost soon after, went to London with Chaturbhuj Amin. In London, he stayed at ‘India House’. Govind sent a report of the celebrations of the Guru Gobind Singh anniversary celebrated in London to ‘Dhyan Prakash’, a Gujarati magazine. He also used to send such reports and related material to ‘Shakti’ magazine, published from Surat those days. He used to have a revolver. All members of the Free India Society used to practice shooting, use it near Tottenham Court. Dhingra also practiced using the firearm here. From London, Govind Amin went to Paris on 25th July, 1909. Shyamji Krishna Varma announced the “Shaheed Smarak Scholarship” for him. He joined the revolutionary activities and also worked alongwith activists like Virendranath Chhattopadhyay, Madam Cama, MPT Acharya and others. The British Intellegence has however noted that, during his last days, Govind Amin had turned promiscuous and was seriously ill.
M. S. Master alias Munchersha was born in 1860. He studied at Elfinstein College in Mumbai, worked as a teacher in Hyderabad. Munchersha also tried his hand at Hotel business there, but could not achieve success. He went to London in 1907. Shyamji Krishna Varma announced the “Edmond Berk Scholarship” for him. He started working for the Free India Society, organised meetings in the memory of Dhingra. He had even made an application for being allowed to remain present in the prison at the time of the hanging of Dhingra. He was the representative of ‘The Parsi’ magazine, being published from Mumbai. At the celebrations of the 1857 uprising in 1910, he was one of the leading Parsis in London. Parin Naoroji was the grand daughter of Dadabhai Naoroji. Her father was a doctor in Bhuj, the headquarters of Kutch district. She worked with Madam Cama, Shyamji Krishna Varma and Vir Savarkar in London, New York and Paris. Her sister – Ms. Goshi was a London resident. Parin participated in the Indo-Egyptian conference and also recited “Vande Mataram”. She remained with Madam Cama during her last days. In the later years, Parin also took part in the Satyagraha programmes of Mahatma Gandhi. Jethalal Motilal Parekh was native of Kathlal town of the Kheda district. He had married a British lady and was an activist at the India House. He was a ‘Bar-at-Law’. He was the president of a programme when the 1857 uprising was celebrated at Shaftsbury Avenue in London. In company of solicitor Dalgado, he provided legal support to the freedom fighters. He had also argued the case of Vir Savarkar at the Hague court. He played a prominent role in the ‘Hind Biradari’ established by Bipinchandra Pal. J M Parekh’s correspondence with Mahatma Gandhi is also an important part of the movement. Shapoorji Dorabji Saklatwala worked as a manager of the Commercial Mill in Ahmedabad, in 1911. He married Jerbai, the sister of Jamshedji Tata. He was ill for long time. He had set up a business in England in 1910 at 19 Brazenose Street, Manchester. Saklatwala had also married Sara Marsh. He had invited Bipinchandra Pal to come to Manchester, remained in close contact with Madam Cama. He also participated in the socialist movement with Arthur Smith. Salkatwala had a noteworthy contribution in England’s trade union movement. Popular as ‘Biradar’ (comrade or brother) Saklatwala, the Parsi gentleman was a very prominent speaker. He had played a major part in getting Dadabhai Naoroji elected to the Parliament. Amulakh Mohanlal Shah was born at village Sudamada of Surendranagar in 1885. He studied in a school there and later also became a teacher. He also worked in one of the textile mills in Ahmedabad. Later, he joined the company of Gulabdas Amrutlal Zaveri and came to Paris in 1906. There, he met Gunvantlal Bhavsar. The duo participated in the independence movement under the leadership of Sardarsinh Rana, Nitisen and Shyamji Krishna Varma. Krishna Varma even had played a key role in the establishment of the Labour Party in Britain. All this contributions, anecdotes are the milestones of “Swarnim Gujarat”. A poetry by Gujarati poet Zaverchand Meghani aptly describes the tribute that these unsung heros deserve. For the benefit of those who understand Gujarati, here is the prose: “Kadi Swadhinta Aave, Vinanti Bhai Chhani” “Amoney Smari Lejo, Jari Pal Ek Nani” (If independence comes some day, brothers - there is a secret request, do remember us also, even if it may be for a brief moment).