Whenever there a discussion of India’s struggle for freedom, Mahatma Gandhi and his passé get the credit. The principle of non-violence is touted as the sole reason for poor India’s victory over the big bad wolf – England.
Yes, what Gandhi and his followers did for India is beyond words. Their movement against the foreign rule was the center stage of freedom fight. The achievements of key leaders like Nehru and Gandhi cannot and should not be diminished.
While Gandhi and non-violent struggle was significant towards Indian freedom, we often forgot to mention those who fought their own battles towards the same end – India’s freedom. The likes of Subhash Chandra Bose and Bhagat Singh waged a bloody war against the foreign rulers, waking them up, sending a strong signal that India is not going to take the brutal and insulting treatment from British Umpire sitting down.
We often fail to give credit, where the credit is really due. We often forget the battle that was waged by the Indian youth against British Empire. It was this battle, combined with non-violent movement, that made the English rulers decide against staying in India any longer. It was a loud and bold message to the English establishments that rand through the London parliament, and was a key factor in their decision to leave India to the Indians.
So next time, when you talk about Indian Freedom fight; or when you feel like humming ‘Sarfaroshi ki tamannaa…’ or ‘Mera rang de basanti chola…’, remember that these freedom songs and slogans were born out of the shared passion of Indian youth to fight the British establishments head-on, in India and abroad.
Today, March 23, marks the anniversary of Bhagat Singh’s execution at the hands of British rule.
Long live the freedom and long live the memory of the fighters like Bhagat Singh who made the ultimate sacrifices for mother India.
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