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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 17th August 2013
As I See It
Five years and five months that transformed the world 9th August 1942, was the historic day on which Quit India movement was launched under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi at Manibhuvan, near Chowpatti in Mumbai and all over India, especially in Mumbai where the leadership was deliberating the next step of the freedom struggle in front of Manibhuvan. Thousands had gathered in the peaceful protest against the British who had sucked up India in the Second World War without any consultation and announcement about the future of India after the war. The security forces solidly surrounded the area, armed police were ready to use their power on the completely nonviolent protesters, huge hue and cry were made in urge to hoist the tricoloured flag on the building roof. It seemed virtually impossible in view of the ban and security apparatus. Usha Mehta, an average sized Indian woman, but as brave as Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi, climbed on top of the roof and hoisted the tricoloured flag. The nationwide campaign of Quit India was launched in a Usha Mehta unique way by a woman. And as we celebrate an International Year of the Woman, let us salute Usha Mehta, and millions of Indian women who took part in the fight for independence. The world of August 1942 was a very different scenario than now. The British Empire was the biggest the world had ever seen. Great Britain, a small country with a giant heart was fighting the war of attrition against Nazi forces, who were supported by Russia and Japan.
Although USA came around to the side of allied efforts, the result of the war was, as it seemed then, not entirely in favour of Great Britain and its allies. The brave British people fought 'tooth and nail' and the rest is history. They won the war, in the general elections of 1945. Clement Atlee inspired by Harold Laski won the power for labour party and very shortly India gained its independence on 15 August 1947. In 5 years and 5 days the world's political map had changed for good. It was the greatness of Great Britain to relinquish the power of what was described as the jewel in the British crown in such a dignified and graceful manner. Such a historic change happening within a short span of few months was repeated in early 1990s when the apartheid regime collapsed in South Africa and Nelson Mandela was released from Robben prison and became the President of a free nation. Mandela also gave credit to Mahatma Gandhi and his successful experiments
in his own country (South Africa) and then in India. In the comments this week, the present scenario prevalent in India is mentioned. I would like to look back a bit more on the days surrounding 9th August 1942. In the Boer war in South Africa, in the beginning of 20th Century, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi had organised local Indians into an ambulance service and provided a very valuable service of carrying wounded British soldiers on stretchers. Gandhiji and his friends were even awarded medals for their yeoman's service (though he was obliged to return the medals during another protest, but that's another story). Gandhiji returned to India for good on 9th January 1915. During World War I (1914-18), British Indian army was in need of more and more soldiers. After all India had provided a huge resource of man power in the First World War. Gandhiji and Sardar Patel travelled to various parts of Gujarat and recruited over 200 men for the army- not a mean achievements in those days when very few Gujaratis joined the armed forces. This background was known to several British opinion makers and some of them understood Gandhiji's demand for 'consultation' and afterwards a 'decision' about India's future destiny in those fateful days of 1942. Winston Churchill, the Prime Minister of Britain was completely unwilling to relinquish British power in India. Gandhiji's deliberations with the Viceroy and the India Office establishments in London had reached a stonewall. By August 1942, India had provided the largest contingent of soldiers and funding for the British war efforts (overall in Second World War 2.5mn Indians joined the frontline, 1.6mn others in various aspects of the war. The Indian Exchequer had lent some £800 mn to the British Treasury in those days). Gandhiji’s demand of a decision on Indian independence after the war was not without proper reasons. There was another factor. Japan was still a very big power in the east and they had reached the borders of India and were about to reach Kohima in Assam. Within the Indian political activism the Muslim League had raised its ugly head and it was supported covertly by some members of the bureaucrats in London and Delhi, as well as some other forces. The average Britons did not know much about the ongoing efforts of 'Divide and Rule'. Gandhiji, Sardar Patel, Pandit Nehru and some other top stalwarts were deeply concerned about the communal conflict in the future. On August 16th, 1946 Muhammad Ali Jinnah organised an Action Day in Kolkata, where Muhammad Ali Soharwardi was the Chief Minister of Bengal, and Jinnah openly declared his followers 'to set an example'. Some 12,000 Hindus were butchered in Kolkata. Eventually and most reluctantly Lord Louis Mountbatten persuaded Sardar Patel and Pandit Nehru to prevail on Gandhiji to agree on the partition of India. Another aspect to remember is that in the Quit India movement, the North West frontier province was led by Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan- Sarhad Gandhi. He was able to turn fierce Pathans in
2013
LILY Foundation is the sponsored charity of Asian Achievers Awards 2013
The LILY Foundation supports GNK in Bharatpur Lady Mohini Kent Noon
The LILY Foundation supports substantially the Bharatpur project, Gram Niyojan Kendra (GNK). It is run by Dr Sutupa Mukherjee and her husband, Dr K.K. Mukherjee, two academics who have devoted their lifetime to the cause. GNK operates in the heartland of the Bhedia tribal community, who are notorious for putting their girls into prostitution at an early age. Fathers and brothers are the pimps in this case. Everyone is making money on these girls. Trafficking is high in the catchment area of 40 villages with a population of about 15,000, most of them are from scheduled castes, Bhedia and other tribes such as Nuts and Kanjars. Many of these communities are traditionally involved in prostitution and other illegal activities such as the preparation of illicit liquor. For example, when Guddi (name changed) resisted her father Prem Singh’s efforts to send her to Delhi’s red light district G.B. Road to join her older sister, he was furious. Guddi’s mother sided with her. Prem Singh threatened both mother and daughter with violence and he would have succeeded had it not been for the support of the GNK team. They took up Guddi’s cause and eventually defeated Prem Singh. Instead of becoming a prostitute, Guddi went to the GNK school. She is now married and has a family of her own. After years in rented premises, GNK built its own school last year. The LILY Foundation gave the funds to equip the classrooms and also pur-
chased two school buses to transport the children safely. It is estimated that the number of students will soon grow to 700. Student, especially girls, who wish to go into higher education, are assisted to join colleges in Agra, Jaipur and beyond. Rangoonwala The Foundation is generously supporting GNK with grants to create and run a skills training institute on the premises. Many students there find it diffi-
cult to cope with academic studies because their families have been illiterate for generations, and they will benefit tremendously from being taught skills that could lead to employment. At present, there is an absence of adequate training facilities in the area. The project aims to provide employable skills to about 600 students, youth and members of the GNK Self Help Groups over the next three years. The Rangoonwala Foundation grant will also help provide training to further develop entrepreneurial skills. So far, 59 women from 15 villages have started their own businesses running grocery stores, dairies, goat-keeping, making candles and detergent powders.
13977 girls and women have been trained in eleven different skills by the GNK project, including tailoring, embroidery, painting, dress designing, beauticians, soft toys and candle-making. Now computer training programmes are being organized in collaboration with NIIT (National Institute of Information Technology). Dr Mukherjee has now requested £12,000 in order to buy solar panels for the school. India’s villages get an hour or two of electricity supply a day, at most. However, there’s no lack of sunshine. The practical solution is for the school to install solar panels of good quality. They also need £10,000 to develop a computer and mobile phone repairs training centre, run by a qualified computer instructor. Training will include confidence building, personality development, training for job interviews, and budding entrepreneurs will be assisted to obtain bank loans. Women’s empowerment is central to alleviating poverty. It is the women who raise children, the women who create a home and give stability to society. Every penny a mother has will go towards raising her child. The GNK programme aims to create a just and equitable society where girls and boys are educated and can choose from a range of employment. The LILY Foundation helps them to give the children freedom to lead a life of dignity.
For more information go to http://www.ipartnerindia.org/lily-foundation.php OR contact us at info@ipartnerindia.org/+44 20 7841 8919
the peaceful Gandhain mode of protest and thousands of Pathans were arrested, many beaten and some also paid the price with their lives. Let all Indians, irrespective of religion or provincial background recollect events of those 5 years and 5 days and let their children, grand children and great grand children know that India was not given independence on a platter and it is a precious possession, which have cost
Indians heavily. It is also to be remembered that today Indo-British relations are very strong and growing steadily. The credit goes both to British and Indians- the leadership and people. On 67th independence day, may I say Jai Hind and Jai Great Britain. - CB