Inspiring Marathwada @ 75

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

Marathwada Mukti Sangram Movement (or Hyderabad Liberation Movement) witnessed participation of thousands of freedom fighters from the region. However, we cannot ignore that the family members and dependents of these freedom fighters also contributed their bit.

India got freedom from Britishers on August 15, 1947, but Marathwada got freedom from the Nizams on September 17, 1948.

This gap of one year, one month and one day was full of struggle by people from different walks of life, literate or illiterate, for freedom. On the occasion its 75 years completion, Lokmat Times, spoke to the wards of few freedom fighters, who are octogenarians today, but had also contributed their tiny bits, in the past. The newspaper wanted to bring to notice of the GenNext that the Day is not just an occasion to observe and enjoy the holiday, but saluting many unsung heroes as well.

The 80-year-old paralysed Raghunath Namdeo Ingle (from Shirasgaon-Waghrul village in Bhokardan tehsil) said, “My father was a freedom fighter. When I was 5-year-old I and my mother accompanied him to a gathering called to voice against the ruler. The ‘razakars’ (a voluntary police of Nizams) tried to disperse the public, resorted to lathi-charge and even fired bullets. My father dodged a bullet coming in his direction, but coincidentally, I was standing behind him. It pierced in my left leg knee and passed out. My mom lifted me with lightning speed and kept me under house arrest to evade police arrest. It took a long time to heal the wound, but I am surviving on crutches since then, but I had never ever given hope of a Samrudh Marathwada since then."

Adds an 85 year-old Shripati Limbaji Jawale (of Mendha village in Dharashiv (erstwhile Osmanabad) tehsil, “ The delay in our freedom by 13 months was very much stressful. Incidents of harassment and torture to farmers and citizens active in the freedom movement by officials and personnel became frequent. I was 10 years old and my father was an active in the movement. Once we had stored white jowar in our farm. On learning, the officers to harass us came and demanded for the stock. They were having labourers and a carting vehicle with them. My father requested them not to take it away as it was the ration of the family for the whole year. If taken, the family members and kids would be pushed to starving. My helpless father stood crying in one corner and mother in another. I then mustered courage and started throwing stones on them. The news spread like wild fire and people from nearby villages also came. We encircled them. Seeing the aggressiveness, the team fled away from the spot and never returned then.”

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The movement celebrated 50 years in 1998. On the insist of the state government, the Head of Drama Department of the then Marathwada University (now BAMU) and Guinness World Record-holder, Dr Laxman Despande, as a social responsibility directed a stage play titled ‘Marathwada Muktisangram: Ek Varsha, Ek Mahina, Ek Divas’. The story was penned by noted writer Ajit Dalvi.

Recalling his efforts, the 77-year-old retired headmaster of Sharda Mandir School, Vijaya Deshpande (wife of Dr Laxman Deshpande) said, “The first show was performed at Sant Eknath Rangmandir in presence of freedom fighter Govindbhai Shroff. The hall was jam packed with an audience. Its shows were also held in Mumbai and other cities. Sir (Dr Deshpande) was of the opinion that the next generation should know it. Hence he put in all his best to bring the history alive through the play. The rehearsals took place for a long time in the hall of our house on the first floor from 11 am to 11 pm. The cast was huge and included more than 50 students and former students (of different cultural backgrounds) of the Drama Department. Prior to it, he referred to libraries; books; met with freedom fighters and also met the wards of freedom fighters for details. He included one important incident of conflict (with Nizam's rule) from each district as a representation in the play. The drama also intended to inform people of other regions in the state about the struggle in the post-Indian Independence period and the sacrifices made by the sons of the soil during this period.”