Volumes on India's Freedom Struggle Martyrs

[Hindustani78]

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http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...-freedom-struggle-martyrs/article17006953.ece

The last two volumes of a comprehensive, five-volume dictionary on around 15,000 freedom fighters who became martyrs during the struggle for Independence are yet to see the light of day though work on them has been completed.

This has led to speculation that the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) could be sitting on them.

The Council has, however, denied the allegations and insisted that the work is in process.

Funded by the Ministry of Culture, the project has been carried forward from the UPA government. Three volumes of the compendium were published between 2011 and 2014.

The collections cover individuals across regions, castes and communities, with authenticated details on how they were killed and precise references to related official documents.

“The list showcases our diversity, as up to 30 per cent of the martyrs happen to be Muslim,” said a former ICHR official, requesting anonymity.

Only the last volume, published in 2014, has an introductory note by the present Council chairman Y. Sudershan Rao. The work was done by an advisory committee — which functioned through scholars and coordinators from different States. These coordinators. in turn, employed researchers regionally, who reported back to the committee, which would look at the detailed manuscripts and documents on those who were killed in the freedom struggle from 1857 to August 15, 1947.

“The advisory committee has not met since the new chairman took charge around July, 2014. The volumes are ready and could have been brought out easily by now,” veteran historian Arjun Dev, member of the advisory committee since its inception, told The Hindu.

Another member of the advisory committee, who also did not wish to be named said: “Volume-4 was complete more than one year ago. It has details about martyrs from Bihar, Bengal, Odisha, Assam and Jharkhand. Page proofs were also seen.

All that remained was the signing of a contract between the ICHR, the ministry and the publisher and the release. Vol-5, which comprises Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka, is also ready.”

The ICHR on its part says that the two volumes have been sent to the Ministry of Culture so that they are jointly published by the ICHR and that ministry after an MoU, approval for which is going to come soon.

“The Culture Ministry has approved both the volumes. This time ICHR and Ministry of Culture will have an MoU for joint publication, which will be signed very soon. After that, these will be sent to the publisher,” explains officiating member-secretary S.K. Aruni.

Volumes-1 and 2 dealt with northern and central Indian states and Vol-3 with Maharashtra, Gujarat and Sind.

The volumes cover only the freedom struggle, with a proposal that the martyrs of places like Hyderabad or Goa, which were liberated later, be kept for a separate section. Earlier the thinking was that the martyrs from Hyderabad and Goa, who laid down their lives after 1947, should also be included, but the Council decided to make 1947 a cut-off year.

The 2014-15 annual report of ICHR made it amply clear that the work was almost complete.

 

[kvpak]

Why is it starting in 1857?

What about Maruthu Pandyar revolt of 1801?
What about Vellore mutiny of 1806?

http://www.tamiltribune.com/04/0501.html

 

[Hindustani78]

“The Patharughat uprising of 1894 occupies a special place in the history of India’s freedom struggle. It was one incident where over 140 peasants had attained martyrdom in a remote village in Assam over 122 years ago,” Sonowal said

Written by Samudra Gupta Kashyap | Guwahati | Updated: January 28, 2017 10:38 pm

Assam on Saturday paid rich tributes to over 140 persons who had lost their lives in a peasants’ uprising at Patharughat in Darrang, about 60 kms from Guwahati, way back in 1894, with chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal describing it as one of the biggest peasants’ revolt in India under British rule. “The Patharughat uprising of 1894 occupies a special place in the history of India’s freedom struggle. It was one incident where over 140 peasants had attained martyrdom in a remote village in Assam over 122 years ago,” Sonowal said at a function after paying floral tributes at the martyrs’ memorial at Patharughat on Saturday.

The uprising was triggered by a British government decision in 1893 to increase agricultural tax by 70 to 80 per cent. While peasants across Assam began protests through a series of raij-mels (people’s conventions), it turned violent on January 28, 1894 after the police opened fire to disperse the agitating peasants at Patharughat.

The Assam chief minister, who underlined the need to take to story of sacrifice by such a large number of people to the entire nation, also announced his government’s plan to develop Patharughat as a tourist destination. “The government of Assam will develop Patharughat as a tourist destination which chronicles the valiant history of the martyrs of 1894 peasants’ revolt in Assam. This way, we will also make its history known to the new generation and the visiting tourists,” Sonowal said.

Expressing his government’s commitment to ensure a respectable position of the farmers’ community in every strata of society and vowed to work for giving them a life full of dignity, Sonowal also said that a Farmers’ Training and Research Centre would be set up as a befitting tribute to the peasant martyrs.

“The best tribute to the martyrs however can be paid only through hard work. I appeal to the young generation to join hands with the government in bringing about an agricultural revolution in the state. Assam has the potential to emerge as a front-runner in agricultural production in the country and can outsmart many agriculture intensive states if the farmers of the state make best use of their agricultural skills,” he said.

© The Indian Express Online Media Pvt Ltd


The Amrit Bazar Patrika dated February 14 of 1894 while differentiating the uprisings in Assam from peasants-artisans movements in other parts of India with reference to the historic peasants uprising at Patharughat.. The peasants belonging to both the Hindus and Muslims were brutally killed by the oppressive British rulers as the peasants were assembled only to lodge their protest against the increased hike in land revenue in quite a peaceful manner.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://zeenews.india.com/india/taty...eresting-facts-about-the-patriot-1997127.html

New Delhi: One of the most outstanding leaders of India’s First War of Independence, Tatya Tope, was hanged to death on April 18, 1859 at Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh.

The patriot of the highest order was captured by the British Forces on April 07, 1859 and after a hurried trial for waging war against the East India Company, he was hanged on April 18.

On the occasion of his Martyrdom Day today, here are some of the facts about the patriot:

• Ramachandra Pandurang Tope was born in Nashik, Maharashtra, in 1814. He was the only son of Pandurang Rao Tope and his wife Rukhmabai.
• He is better known by his nickname Tatya Tope, which is also transliterated as Tantya Tope or Tantia Topi.
• He was one of the notable generals of the 1857 revolt.
• In May 1857, Tantia Tope won the battle over the Indian troops of the East India Company at Kanpur.
• A personal adherent of Nana Sahib of Bithur, he progressed with the Gwalior contingent after the British reoccupied Cawnpore and forced General Windham to retreat from the city. Known for his guerilla tactics, he came to the relief of Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi and with her, seized the city of Gwalior.
• He was defeated by General Napier's British Indian troops at Ranod and after a further defeat at Sikar abandoned the campaign.
• He was executed by the British Government at Shivpuri on April 18, 1859.
• Last year, Dr Mahesh Sharma, the Minister of State for Culture and Tourism and Civil Aviation, had released a Commemorative Coin of Rs 200 and a Circulation Coin of Rs 10 on Tatya Tope.
• Tantya Tope had the ideology one-nation ‘Bhartavarsha’ which include India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, says historian Makkhan Lal.
• Dr Rajesh Tope, one of the fourth generation descendants of Tantya Tope, explored Tope’s Operation Red Lotus in 1857 as a Maratha-Mughal alliance against the British and highlighted that 1857 was a battle that was “lost, but the war was won”.

 

[Hindustani78]

Etawah is a city on the banks of Yamuna River in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. It is the administrative headquarters of Etawah District. The city was an important center for the Revolt of 1857

H. H. Maharajadhiraj Raj Rajeshwar Sawai Shrimant Yashwant Rao Holkar (Marathi: यशवंतराव होळकर) Bahadur, belonging to the Holkar dynasty of the Marathas was the Maharaja of Indore allied to the Maratha Empire. He was born on 3 December 1776. He was a gifted military leader and educated in accountancy as well as literate in Persian and Marathi

Vithojirao Holkar, Fatthesinh Mane, Aamir Khan, Bhawani Shankar Bakshi, Zunzhar Naik, Govardhan Naik, Rana Bhau Sinha, Balaji Kamlakar, Abhay Sinha, Bharmal Dada, Parashar Dada, Govind Pant Ganu, Harmat Sinha, Shamrao Mahadik, Jiwaji Yashwant, Harnath Chela, Vazir Hussain, Shahmat Khan, Gaffur Khan, and Fatteh Khan had joined the army of Yashwantrao Holkar.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...freedom-fighters-grandson/article18192355.ece


Descendants of freedom fighter Laxmi Indira Panda on Saturday staged a protest at Jeypore in Koraput district, demanding expeditious police investigation to trace her grandson, Babula Panda, who went missing on April 16 at the railway station here.

Babula’s parents, Surendra Panda and Sujata Panda, were among the descendants of freedom fighters felicitated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Raj Bhavan here. Babula had accompanied his parents to the function.

Laxmi Indira Panda had joined Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army in the Rani Jhansi Regiment when she was only 14 years old, and fought against the British for the country’s Independence.

Separated at station

Just an hour before Babula and his parents were to board the Hirakhand Express from Bhubaneswar to return to Jeypore, the three got separated at the railway station.

While Babula’s father Surendra Panda reached Jeypore a day later, his mother Sujata Panda boarded a wrong train and landed in Balasore, from where she was rescued. But Babula could not be traced.

Subsequently, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik directed the police to find Babula, but the police had made no headway till Saturday. “It is duty of the government to find our son,” said Ms. Panda.

Originally from Burma (now Myanmar), where her parents were settled, Laxmi joined INA along with her younger brother Nakul at the age of 12 soon after she lost her father and mother. “I was inspired by Netaji’s call,” she says. Laxmi was drafted to the Rani Jhansi regiment and Nakul became a part of the Bal Sena. At the Rangoon camp, she got training on how to use the rifle and sword to fight the British.

After the Rangoon camp was dismantled, she moved to Singapore. When she was caught by the British army during 1945-46, she pretended to be deaf and managed to escape to Burma and then Calcutta by ship. After staying at Netaji’s house in Calcutta for two days, she returned to Pital village in Ganjam district, the native place of her foster-father Krushna Chandra Tripathy, an INA leader.

In 1951, Laxmi married Khageswar, a fellow INA member and resident of Belpur village of Buguda area in Ganjam district. Khageswar worked as a dozer operator in Hirakud and Rourkela and after his retirement, the couple settled in Jeypore.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...s-puja-at-lingaraj-temple/article18071055.ece

Prime Minister Narendra Modi felicitates a family member of a Paika rebellion freedom fighter in Bhubaneswar on Sunday. | Photo Credit: Biswaranjan Rout


“Unfortunately, narratives of our great freedom struggle were restricted to few families, few dynasties and few events in our country”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday lamented that narratives of India’s great freedom struggle were limited to few families, dynasties and events.

“Unfortunately, narratives of our great freedom struggle were restricted to few families, few dynasties and few events in our country. But, the freedom struggle was people’s movements filled with sagas of dedications and sacrifices spanning over 700 to 800 years,” said Mr. Modi while felicitating descendants of 16 families associated with armed rebellion against British colonialism, called the Paika rebellion of 1817 and other freedom struggles of Odisha at Raj Bhawan in Bhubaneswar.

“For a self-respecting country like India, it is essential to recall all those incidents,” Mr. Modi said.

“In human history, the remembrance of history is important. We should always strive to go further up in development ladder and avoid sliding down. I feel privileged to have met the descendants of martyrs who fought in freedom struggle,” the Prime Minister said.

Stating that tribals in several States had fought against British for over 100-200 years ago, Mr. Modi said their contribution is unparalleled. “The contribution of the tribals to Indian freedom struggle is being showcased through a virtual museum in 50 prominent places.”

“The new generation should know the sacrifices made by all sections society. In Odisha, many were hanged and hundreds spent their life in prison,” he pointed out.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paying obeisance at the Lingaraj temple in Bhubaneswar, Odisha on Sunday. | Photo Credit: Biswaranjan Rout

Seeking blessings of descendants of martyrs associated armed rebellions, the Prime Minister said dedications and sacrifice made by their ancestors would be recognised when the country would celebrate 75th years of independence in 2022.

Dayananda Mohapatra, a descendant of Jayee Rajguru, who led the Paika rebellion, Subhalaxmi Dei Mohapatra and Baxi Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra successors of Baxi Jagabandhu, Lal Birendra Sai of Veer Surendra Sai, Mukunda Nayak of Saheed Laxman Nayak, Hajuri Bhimsen Khuntia of Chakhi Khuntia and Jageswar Majhi of Rendo Majhi were among who were felicitated by Mr. Modi.

“My great-great grandfather, Rendo Majhi had fought with Britshers in 1853 before being imprisoned deceitfully in 1855. Few were aware about the legend of bravery exhibited by Rendo Majhi 160 years ago. The recognition brought his sacrifice back to prominence again,” said Jogeswar Majhi, great-grandson of Rendo Majhi, who hails from Lubengarh of Kalahandi.

In the feet of Shaheed Rendo Majhi

 

[kvpak]

Why is freedom history book funded by Indian gov start at 1857? What about Maruthu Pandiyar (Tamil Nadu) who fought against the British in 1801? What about Vellore mutiny of 1806?

Read Ignored South Indian and Tamil Nadu History

@Nilgiri @Rajaraja Chola

 

[Hindustani78]

Why is freedom history book funded by Indian gov start at 1857? What about Maruthu Pandiyar (Tamil Nadu) who fought against the British in 1801? What about Vellore mutiny of 1806?

Read Ignored South Indian and Tamil Nadu History

@Nilgiri @Rajaraja Chola

Vande Mataram , Fakir Sanyassi rebellion is way before that , actually Indian nation is fighting invaders since the last 700 years.

 

[kvpak]

Indian nation is fighting invaders since the last 700 years.

There is no Indian nation. There was never ever a Indian naTIon. What we had was a British empire enslaving South Asia. What we have since August 15, 1947 is Hindi Empire enslaving most of the South Asia.

 

[Hindustani78]

There is no Indian nation. There was never ever a Indian naTIon. What we had was a British empire enslaving South Asia. What we have since August 15, 1947 is Hindi Empire enslaving most of the South Asia.

You live in your strange world.

Original Ashoka Stambh in the Museum

Pieces of the Original Ashoka Chakra in the Museum

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/freedom-fighters-kin-rescued/article18261486.ece

Babula Panda had been traced at Mancheswar in critical condition
Babula Panda, grandson of freedom fighter Laxmi Indira Panda, who had been missing for more than 10 days, was rescued from the Mancheswar area here in a critical condition on Thursday.

Around 1.30 p.m. the city police received information that a youth was lying near a canal in the Mancheswar area here.

A police vehicle spotted the youth and admitted him to a private medical college hospital.

“Mr. Babula Panda was severely dehydrated. He was incoherent and hardly able to speak. Subsequently, we rushed him to the SCB Medical College Hospital, Cuttack, where senior doctors were attending on him,” Satyabrata Bhoi, Deputy Commissioner of Police, told The Hindu.

 

[Hindustani78]

Prime Minister's Office
10-May, 2017 13:17 IST
PM attends event to mark introduction of digital filing as a step towards paperless Supreme Court

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today uploaded the Integrated Case Management Information System on the Supreme Court website, which marks the introduction of digital filing – a step towards paperless Supreme Court.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Justice of India, Shri Justice J.S. Khehar, recalled the Sesquicentennial Celebrations of Allahabad High Court on 2nd April this year. He said that on that day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made a strong case for introducing technology to ease the working of courts. Explaining the benefits of the digital filing application, the Chief Justice of India described this initiative as the biggest leap towards introducing technology in the judicial system.

Making a presentation on the application, Shri Justice Khanwilkar said the new initiative would be an illustration of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas.”

Union Minister for Law and Justice, Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad appreciated the Supreme Court for this digital innovation.

In his remarks on the occasion, the Prime Minister greeted the gathering on the occasion of Buddha Purnima. He also recalled that today – 10th May – marks the anniversary of the beginning of the First War of Independence in 1857.


The Prime Minister recalled the Chief Justice of India’s appeal at Allahabad on 2nd April, for the higher judiciary to take up hearings of cases on at least some days during the vacation. He said the appeal was inspirational, and he has heard very encouraging news in this regard from the Supreme Court and the High Courts. He said this spirit brings about a positive change, and engenders a sense of responsibility. He added that it also creates trust among the common people, which is the key to ‘New India.’

The Prime Minister said that technology had often been equated to hardware in the past, and therefore, it is important to bring about a change in mindset. He said technology can only be embraced collectively within an institution. He said paperless initiatives save the environment, and are therefore a great service for future generations.

Speaking of the benefits of technology, the Prime Minister recalled the recently organized “Hackathon,” where 400 issues across Ministries in the Government of India were identified, and 42,000 students from Indian Universities spent 36 hours in an attempt to solve them. He said that Ministries were adapting many of the outcomes of this exercise.

The Prime Minister expressed confidence that the combination of “Information Technology” and “Indian Talent” would create “India Tomorrow.”

Dwelling on the theme of technology, the Prime Minister spoke of the implications and possibilities that “Artificial Intelligence” could bring about.

The Prime Minister mentioned several occasions in the recent past, when people from various walks of life had come forward to help the poor. In this context, he recalled the success of the “Give-It-Up” movement to give up LPG subsidy. Similarly, he mentioned the initiative taken by doctors across the country to treat poor pregnant women free of cost on the 9th of every month. In the same vein, he urged lawyers to come forward to provide pro-bono legal aid to the poor and needy.

Shri Justice Dipak Misra and Shri Justice J Chelameswar were also present on the occasion.

***

 

[Hindustani78]

President's Secretariat
15-May, 2017 19:57 IST
President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee delivers first Bhairon Singh Shekhawat memorial lecture on the topic ‘History of Parliamentary Democracy in India’

1. I am honoured to be invited to deliver the inaugural Memorial Lecture instituted in memory of our former Vice-President Shri Bhairon Singh Sekhawat, an outstanding statesman, humble son of the soil and a man of the masses.
2. Shri Shekhawat and I share a long history of friendship. We served together in the Rajya Sabha in the 1970s. Later, while he was Chief Minister of Rajasthan, I was Vice Chairman of the Planning Commission, I had opportunity to see his extensive knowledge about problems being faced by citizens of Rajasthan, and his will to eradicate these day to day problems. I was deeply impressed by his commitment to the downtrodden and poor.
3. During his illustrious public life spanning over five decades, he held several important offices. He was a member of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly for over a period of forty five years beginning 1952 and also a member of the Rajya Sabha for about three years. He served as the Chief Minister of Rajasthan for three terms and also held the office of the Leader of the Opposition of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly. He was elected to the august office of the Vice-President of the country in August 2002 and served till July 2007. As ex-officio Chairman, Rajya Sabha he conducted the proceedings of the Upper House with great distinction and added grace and elegance to the office. Besides holding these high offices, Shri Shekhawatji was associated with several welfare projects which touched the lives of ordinary citizens. Today, his rich legacy remains with us and he is fondly remembered as a sagacious statesman, a distinguished legislator and a committed votary of humanitarian values.
4. Ladies and Gentlemen,

I have chosen the topic of “History of Parliamentary Democracy in India” for today’s lecture.

1. Our modern Parliamentary system of governance and legislative institutions owe their origin and growth to our British legacy. Yet, these institutions attained organic growth on the Indian soil because India was home to republican forms of government, deliberative representative bodies and self-governing institutions in many parts of country from as early as the Vedic age, circa 3000-1000 B.C. The rulers of ancient India were bound by Dharma, which was akin to the rule of law, constitutionalism or limited government. The Rigveda and the Atharvaveda make mention of Sabha (General Assembly) and Samiti (House of Elders). Besides, the Aitareya Brahmana, Panini's Ashtadhyayi, Kautilya's Arthashastra, the Mahabharata, Ashokan pillar inscriptions, Buddhist and Jain texts, among many others, bear witness to the existence of several republics during the post-vedic period in our history.
2. Representative bodies at the village level like the Gram Sanghas, Gram Sabhas or Panchayats continued to function and flourish through many dynasties, including the medieval and Mughal periods till the advent of the British rule.
3. The origins of the modern day legislative process can be traced back to the 1601 Charter which authorized the Governor and the East India Company “to make, ordain and constitute such and so many laws, constitutions, orders and ordinances”, as shall seem necessary and convenient for good government. The Charter of 1726 vested, for the first time, the Governors and the Councils of the three Presidencies with legislative power.
4. The Regulating Act of 1773 holds a special significance in the legislative history of India because it marks the beginning of parliamentary control over the government of the Company. This Act is also said to have started the process of territorial integration and administrative centralization in India. It accorded supremacy to the Presidency of Bengal and the Governor of Bengal was appointed as the Governor-General. A Council consisting of four members was constituted to assist the Governor-General.
5. The Charter Act of 1833 terminated the trading rights of the Company and rendered it merely an administrative agency of the Crown in India. The Governor-General of Bengal was, thereafter, designated as the Governor General of India and empowered to administer the whole of British India. For the first time, the Governor General’s Government was known as the Government of India and his Council as the Indian Council. This Act set up one legislative council for all the British territories in India and introduced an element of institutional specialization by differentiating the law-making meetings of the Council from its executive meetings. Legislative functions of the state was thus for the first time separated from its executive functions.
6. In 1852, the British Indian Association of Kolkata petitioned the British Parliament for establishment of a legislature in India possessing a popular character reflecting the growing political consciousness of the period. It was perhaps for the first time that Indian opinion was being expressed on the subject of legislative reforms.
7. Under the Charter Act of 1853, discussions in the Council, when acting in its legislative capacity, became oral instead of in writing. Bills passed through the usual three stages and were referred to Select Committees. Legislative business was conducted in public instead of in secret and reports of proceedings were officially published. Standing orders were adopted to conduct and regulate proceedings. The new Council conceived its duties not to be confined only to legislation but also began to assume the character of a miniature representative assembly, assembled for the purpose of enquiry into and redress of grievances.
8. The Act of 1853 gave the legislature for the first time the right to frame its own rules and procedure. Shri Prasanna Kumar Tagore was appointed to the post of Clerk of the Council and he went on to provide the Council with a parliamentary form of procedure and encouraged it to assert its independence as a separate organ of government. Public were allowed to witness the proceedings of the Council and press reporting was permitted in 1856. Despite the progressive establishment of legislative practices and procedures, there was, however, no Indian participation in the Council.
9. The Government of India Act 1858, initiated for the first time non-official participation in the Council. The Governor-General was authorized to nominate to his council ‘not less than six nor more than twelve’ additional members at least one half of whom were to be non-officials. In 1862, Viceroy Lord Canning appointed three Indians- Maharaja Sir Narendra Singh of Patiala, Raja Deo Narain Singh of Benares and Raja Sir Dinkar Rao Raghunath of Gwalior to the newly constituted Legislative Council. Between 1862 and 1892, forty-five Indians were nominated to the Legislative Council. Most of them were ruling princes or chiefs and rich zamindar families. During the Viceroyalty of Lord Rippon, Durga Charan Law, a merchant, Raja Shiva Prasad, an Inspector of Schools and Syed Ameer Ali, a Presidency Magistrate were nominated. Editor of the Hindoo Patriot, Kristodas Pal recommended by the British Indian Association and after his death Peare Mohan Mukherjee were also nominated to the Council by Lord Rippon. Intellectuals such as Syed Ahmed Khan, V.N. Mandlik, K.L. Nulkar and Rash Behari Ghosh were among those nominated to the Council during 1872-92.

1. The nominated Indian members however took little interest in the discussions and usually read out short prepared speeches. They remained docile and presented little opposition to the Government. There remained at the same time strong opposition to Indian involvement in the Councils on the part of many Englishmen. A satirical pamphlet in 1883 argued “any encouragement to the Bengalee Baboos would result in nothing less than complete extinction of British rule, that a self governing India would prove an abortive parliamentary democracy which would run into chaos and subjected to military dictatorship”.
2. Introduction of the Criminal Procedure Amendment Bill (1883-84) or Ilbert bill led to the first meeting of the first National Conference at Kolkata on 29 December 1883. Surendranath Banerjee and Ananda Mohan Bose were its leading organizers. Bose depicted this conference as the first stage towards the formation of a National Indian Parliament. The Conference demanded introduction of representative assemblies for the advancement of the people of India. The National Conference was in many ways the precursor of the Indian National Congress.
3. The founding of the Indian National Congress in 1885 hastened the evolution of responsible Government. At its very first session, the Congress passed a resolution asking for constitutional reforms and for the admission of a considerable proportion of elected members to the Legislative Councils and the right to discuss the budget. Delivering his Presidential Address at the first session in Kolkata, W.C. Banerjee described the Congress as the National Assembly of India.
4. The demand for reform and expansion of the Legislative Councils continued to be made by every annual Congress and became more vociferous from year to year. The Congress considered the reform of the Councils at the root of all other reforms. At the same time, Viceroy Lord Dufferin publicly dismissed Congressmen as “a microscopic minority” and said democratic methods of government or the adoption of parliamentary system to India would be a very big jump into the unknown.
5. In response, speaking on the resolution on the reform of Legislative Councils at the fifth Congress Session at Bombay (1889), Bannerjea said “If you get that, you get everything else. On it depends the entire future of the country and the future of our administrative system”.
6. The Indian Councils Act of 1892 enlarged the Legislative Council to consist of ‘not less than ten nor more than sixteen’ additional members. In the case of the Governor-General’s Legislative Council, or the Indian Legislative Council as it came to be known, five more ‘additional’ members were brought in, one being nominated by the non-official members of each of the four Provincial Councils and one by the CalcuttaChamber of Commerce. Though the term ‘election’ was scrupulously avoided, the fact that non-official members of the Provincial Councils recommended and returned their nominees to the Central Council, indicated implicit acceptance of the principle of indirect election.
7. The system of preparing an annual budget and laying it before the Legislature was first introduced in India in 1860 by James Wilson who was a Member of the British Parliament, sent to India as Finance Member of the Viceroy’s Council. The first budget was presented on 18 February, 1860. While discussion on the budget as such was not allowed, this was sometimes sought to be made possible by linking the budget with some proposal for taxation. During 1861-62, there were 16 occasions when budget was discussed in that manner. The Council had no right to vote on the Budget.
8. The Act of 1892 conceded to both the Central and Provincial Councils the privilege of financial criticism or the right to discuss the budget under certain conditions for the first time. Members of the Council however still had no powers to submit or propose any resolution or to divide the Council in respect of any financial discussion.
9. Under the Act of 1892, Members were for the first time granted the privilege of asking questions and interrogating Government Members. The first question was asked on 16 February 1893. The questioner was the Maharaja of Bhinga and the question concerned hardships caused by the system of collecting supplies of provision for government officers on tour. During the two years – 1905 and 1906 – only 13 questions were asked and the subjects were Services, Railways, Revenue and Exchange. Sometimes information could be denied on the ground that an answer would involve lengthy preparation by officials.
10. The entry of elected members marked the beginning of the new era in the life of the Council. Congress veteran Sir Pherozeshah Mehta, the first elected Indian Member was frank, bold and vigorous in his criticism of government policies. Sir Pherozeshah Mehta was known as ‘Lion of Bombay’ for his contributions to the city and at the same time, ‘Ferocious Mehta’ because of his role as a Legislator. In order to stem the growth of the nationalist movement in India, Lord Lytton decided to censor the vernacular press. Pherozeshah Mehta vehemently opposed the move. He believed that the press should be as free as possible, and that it was the fundamental duty of the government to educate the masses. “England must raise India to her own level, or India will drag her down to hers,” he warned. Sir Pherozeshah Mehta’s career was summarized by a leading British journalist who said that Mehta "had stood alone against the bureaucracy, had displayed a courage equal to Gokhale's, an eloquence hardly second to Surendranath Banerjea's, and power of sarcasm hardly rivaled by Motilal Ghose’s".
11. During 1890-1909, besides Sir Mehta, the Council had great stalwarts like Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Ashutosh Mukherjee, Rash Bihari Ghose, G.M. Chitnavis, P. Ananda Charlu, Bishambarnath, Muhammad Rahimtullah Sayani and Salimulla who made full use of limited opportunities for ventilating the grievances of the people on political, economic and social issues. Gokhale whom some people had started calling ‘The Leader of the Opposition’ was a great authority on economics. He exposed the Government’s contention that budget surpluses showed the health of the economy and showed with facts and figures the extent of dismal and deepening poverty in India resulting from heavy expenditure on the Army, policy of heavy taxation, imposition of excise duties on indigenous industries like textiles, lack of irrigation facilities for farmers etc.
12. The shortcomings of the Act of 1892 were obvious. There remained an official majority in the Councils. The Government could always pass Bills disregarding opposition by Indian members. The vehement criticism by Indian members proved ineffective in preventing the Government from following a policy of repression, large scale imprisonments, deportations etc. following the agitation against the partition of Bengal, natural calamities like the Great Famine and Plague epidemic etc. which in the 1880s resulted in the death of a large number of people.
13. At its 22ndsession at Kolkata presided over by Dadabhai Naroji in 1906, the Congress declared Swaraj as its goal and demanded immediate expansion of the Legislative Councils to secure larger control over the financial and executive administration of the country. The Indian Councils Act of 1909 empowered the Governor General to nominate one Indian member to the Executive Council leading to the appointment of Shri Satyendra Prasanno Sinha as the first Indian member.
14. The Government of India Act 1909 increased the number of members of the Indian Legislative Council from 16 to 60. Elected members were to be returned by constituencies, such as municipalities, district and local boards, universities, chambers of commerce and trade associations and groups of persons such as land-holders or tea planters.
15. The Act of 1909 created non-official majority in all the Provincial Legislative Councils, but maintained official majority in the Central Legislative Council. The constituencies were small, the largest of them comprising only 650 persons. Out of 27 elected members in the Central Council, only 9 were supposed to represent the people of India as a whole. It is this Act which regrettably introduced for the first time the principle of communal representation in India and created separate electorates.
16. The 1909 Act also for the first time gave members of the Council power to move resolutions on any matter of general public interest and to divide the Council upon them. This was the beginning of non-official resolutions. The first resolution under the rules was moved on 25 February 1910 by Gopal Krishna Gokhale recommending prohibition of indentured labour for Natal in South Africa. On the Rowlatt Bill, Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya spoke for two and a half hours. Similarly, on Indemnity Bill he spoke for four hours continuously and in all, he spent six and a half hours speaking on the Bill. It was very rare that non-official members could have their way. Still, they made their presence felt by moving amendments, resolutions and asking questions.
17. The Rules of the Council framed in 1909 also enlarged the scope of discussion on the Budget. The Budget was considered in two stages. The presentation of a preliminary budget called the financial statement was followed by a general discussion. Some items of expenditure such as that of the Army were however treated as non votable.
18. The right to put questions for seeking information from the government was provided in 1892 but right to ask supplementary questions was not conceded until 1909. Though non-official members were in no position to defeat government measures in the Council, they took question procedure very seriously. While in 1911 only 151 questions were put and answered, the number rose to 397 by the year 1919.
19. Two Bills, the Indian Criminal Law Amendment Bill and the Indian Criminal Law Emergency Powers Bill, commonly called the Rowlatt Bills were introduced in the Council in February 1919 with a view to give extensive powers to the government to put down revolutionary nationalist movements. These were met with bitter and prolonged opposition both inside and outside the Legislature. Debate went on for eight hours extending over two days in which as many as 20 non official members took part. The Indian members opposed the Bill not only at the introduction stage but at every stage.
20. During the course of the passage of the Bill, the Council was divided 16 times. On all occasions, Indian members voted solidly together. Some members such as Malaviya and Sukul resigned their membership of the Council in protest.
21. The Government of India Act 1919 introduced the system of ‘dyarchy’ in eight major Provinces known as Governors Provinces. This system established a dual form of government in each province. Control of some areas of government called the “transferred list”, were given to a Government of Indian ministers answerable to the Provincial Council. At the same time, all other areas of government (the ‘reserved list’) remained under the control of the Viceroy. The ‘reserved list’ included Defence, the Foreign Affairs and Communications. The ‘transferred list’ included agriculture, supervision of local government, Health and Education.
22. Under the 1919 Act, the Imperial Legislative Council was enlarged and a bicameral legislature introduced. The lower house was the Legislative Assembly of 144 members, of which 104 were elected and 40 were nominated with tenure of three years. The upper house was the Council of States consisting of 34 elected and 26 nominated members and tenure of five years. The 1919 Act also provided for classification of subjects of administration as Central and Provincial and for the devolution of authority in respect of provincial subjects to local governments; and for the allocation of revenues and other moneys to those governments.
23. I have mentioned earlier the role and contribution of Sir Pherozeshah Mehta, Shri Gopal Krishna Gokhale and Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya. This address will be incomplete without a special mention of ‘Swarajists’ like S. Satyamurti, Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru, Pandit Motilal Nehru, C.R. Das, Srinivasa Sastry etc. These leaders disagreed with the Congress policy of non-cooperation with the Government on the matter of entry into the Council. They believed that work within the legislatures could be an equally effective instrument for furthering the nationalist cause. It could highlight the deficiencies of alien rule and at the same time, demonstrate to the British our ability to master the nuances of the parliamentary system.
24. Satyamurti, a lawyer and outstanding orator, entered the Madras Legislative Council in 1923 and his fame as a legislator spread all over the country. He excelled himself in the question hour and became a master of the art of interpellation. He was known as the ‘terror of the question hour’. His brilliant and effective speeches earned him the name “Trumpet Voice”. When the time came for elections to the Madras Legislative Council, Gandhiji declared that it was enough if one Satyamurti was sent to the Legislatures. Shri Satyamurti was member of the Central Legislative Assembly from 1935 to 1939 where his success as a legislator led Gandhiji to remark that if there had been ten Satyamurtis in our legislatures, the British would have quit long ago.
25. Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru broke openly with the Congress after the ascent of Mahatma Gandhi, who advocated non-violent civil disobedience against British rule. Sir Sapru was opposed by those who considered the legislatures to be unrepresentative "rubber stamps" for the Viceroy. However, many Congress politicians respected Sir Sapru as an eminent jurist. His ties with the British made him valuable as a mediator and Sir Sapru mediated between Gandhi and the Viceroy Lord Irwin, helping to forge the Gandhi-Irwin Pact. Sir Sapru also mediated between Gandhi, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and the British over the issue of separate electorates which was settled by the Poona Pact. Sir Sapru was chosen as the representative of Indian Liberals at the Round Table Conferences of 1931-1933. His last prominent role was as one of the main lawyers engaged to defend captured soldiers of the Indian National Army.
26. Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das as leader of the Swarajya Party in Bengal Council assisted by H.S. Suhrawardy, Kiran Sankar Roy, Tulsi Goswami etc. shook the foundation of the British rule with his oratory and parliamentary skill. At the same time, Pandit Motilal Nehru as leader of the Swarajya Party in Central Council laid the basic foundation of constitutional government in India. Both Motilal and Chittaranjan were able to keep the Muslims with the Swarajya Party to project a united India.
27. The 1919 Act was followed by the enactment of the Government of India Act, 1935 which introduced federal features and provincial autonomy in the system and also made provisions for the distribution of legislative powers between the Centre and the provinces. The Government of India Act, 1935 which, among others, envisaged a 'federation of all-India', consisting of the British provinces and the Indian states willing to join it. Till the Round Table Conference of 1930, India was a completely unitary state and whatever powers the Provinces had were given to them by the Centre. That is, the Provinces were only agents of the Centre. The 1935 Act for the first time provided for a federal system which would consist of not only the Governors' Provinces of British India but also the Chief Commissioners' provinces and the princely states. It finally sought to break up the unitary system under which British India had hitherto been administered. The principle of the constitution of 1919 had been decentralization rather than federation. Under the new Act the Provinces were for the first time recognized in law as separate entities, exercising executive and legislative powers in their own field, in their own right, free in normal circumstances from Central control, in that field. However, even after the enactment of the Government of India Act, 1935, the constitution of the Central Government in India, by and large, remained what it was under the Act of 1919. The federal part of the 1935 Act never came into operation.
28. The Constituent Assembly, the first representative body of the people of India, commenced its momentous task on 9 December 1946. The members of the Constituent Assembly were chosen through indirect election by the members of the Provincial Legislative Assemblies. The Indian Independence Act of 1947 enacted by the British Parliament declared the Constituent Assembly to be a fully sovereign body and the Central Legislative Assembly and the Council of States ceased to exist from 14 August 1947. With the dawn of our Independence on the midnight of 14-15 August 1947, the Constituent Assembly assumed full powers and took over as the Legislative Assembly of Independent India. The two functions of the Constituent Assembly, that is Constitution-making and Legislation, were clearly separated and the Constituent Assembly (Legislative) commenced functioning from 17 November 1947.
29. The Constituent Assembly, with Dr. Rajendra Prasad as its President and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar as the Chairman of the Drafting Committee, held intensive deliberations in the Central Hall of Parliament House for a long period of 2 years, 11 months and 17 days spread over eleven Sessions and gave an outstanding parchment, an ideal for a resurgent India. Thereafter, the Constitution was adopted by We, the People of India, on 26 November 1949 and the members of the Constituent Assembly appended their signatures to it on 24 January 1950. The Constitution which came into force on 26 January 1950 had 395 Articles and 8 Schedules and the distinction of being the lengthiest Constitution in the world. Immediately before the commencement of the Constitution, the Constituent Assembly became the Provisional Parliament of India and functioned as such until the first General Elections based on adult franchise were held in 1952. Ever since, the nation has been guided by the ennobling ideals laid down in the Constitution which has turned out to be one of the finest republican Constitutions.
30. Friends, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I have expounded in such great detail the history of representative Government for a specific purpose. It is to underline the fact that if prominent legislators of pre-independence days with limited powers, could have done so much, how much more can be done by our MPs, MLAs and MLCs of today.

1. Our modern day legislators must recognize that the Constitution of India places our Parliament and Assemblies at the centre of governance and conceives them as the primary instrument of good governance and socio-economic change. The job of a legislator is a 24x7 responsibility. Legislators must at all times be sensitive and responsive to the problems and concerns of the people. They must give voice to the grievances of the public by raising them on the floor of the Legislature and act as the link between the people and the Government.
2. Legislation is the first and foremost responsibility of a Parliamentarian. It is most unfortunate that time devoted towards legislation has been gradually declining in our Parliament. To illustrate, the first Lok Sabha from 1952-57 had 677 sittings in which 319 bills were passed. In comparison, the fourteenth Lok Sabha from 2004-2009 had 332 sittings and passed just 247 bills. The fifteenth Lok Sabha had 357 sittings and passed 181 bills while the sixteenth Lok Sabha has had 197 sittings and passed only 111 bills (upto the 10thsession).
3. Figures are available for the time lost due to interruptions/adjournments from the Tenth Lok Sabha (1991-96) onwards. 9.95% of total time was lost due to interruptions in the Tenth Lok Sabha, 5.28% in the Eleventh Lok Sabha, 11.93% in the Twelfth Lok Sabha, 18.95% in the Thirteenth Lok Sabha, 19.58% in the Fourteenth Lok Sabha, a shocking 41.6% in the Fifteenth Lok Sabha and about 16% in the Sixteenth Lok Sabha (upto the 10thsession).
4. Presiding Officers Conferences have time and again reiterated the need for holding a minimum of 100 days of sittings every year. With the heightened complexity of administration, legislation must be preceded by adequate discussion and scrutiny, if not, it will fail to deliver the desired results or meet its objectives. There is need for collective thinking by political parties and leaders of our country on how to ensure smooth running of our Parliament and Legislative Assemblies.
5. At independence, India was faced with apparently insurmountable challenges such as poverty, illiteracy, ethnic and linguistic diversity, diverse castes and classes and the rural base of the economy all of which militated against India’s democratic transition. The odds were stacked high against its political consolidation as civil strife on grounds of religious identity tore society apart at Partition. But, our critics have been proved completely wrong.
6. Today, India has a vigorously free press, a robust system of political parties, an independent and active judiciary, an apolitical military and a thriving civil society. Its democracy has an array of institutions such as an effective Election Commission, an autonomous Union Public Service Commission, a proactive watchdog of public accounts in the Comptroller and Auditor General, an independent National Human Rights Commission, to name but a few. The institutional efficacy of these democratic institutions is beyond doubt.
7. India’s democratic transition was a courageous leap for a country that was emerging from colonial rule. It was an audacious decision of India’s leaders to adopt a constitution that enshrines liberal democracy as the guiding principle for its polity in one masterly stroke, while democracy evolved in a gradual manner over a long period in the older democratic states in the West. India’s democratic transition and consolidation owes much to the dominant legacy of the national freedom movement. Men and women, in millions, rose to the nationalist call and took active part in the mass movement. India has not only sustained its democracy but is today the world’s largest democracy and a thriving one.
8. India’s parliamentary democracy is safeguarded by the zeal of the Indian people for democracy. Our people have through their overwhelming and enthusiastic participation in 16 General Elections given the seal of approval for our political system. In the last general elections in 2014, nearly 66.3 percent of the 84.3 crore plus electors voted to choose 543 representatives to the Lok Sabha.
9. India’s institutions of democratic governance are hailed across the developing world as a model political system, just as India’s hugely multi-cultural society is seen as a beacon light for those transitional societies, which are struggling to cope with complexities of race, religion, language and culture. Today, the developing world looks up to India with admiration and rightly so, as India successfully treads the difficult path of democratic governance with a billion-plus people.
10. Despite the successful working of our parliamentary democracy, many people still live under conditions of poverty, deprivation and illiteracy. A substantial section of our society still remains untouched by the lofty ideals and objectives of our governance. It is only when we succeed in making a positive impact upon the lives of those sections of people, can we claim that the democratic system of governance we adopted has become relevant for all our people.
11. The challenge before us is to realize the guiding principle of Indian democracy as envisioned by our Father of Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, namely, “It is one where the weakest should have the same opportunity as the strongest.” Democracy should provide for an enabling environment which helps every section of the society to fully participate in the process of governance.
12. In conclusion, I congratulate the organisers for putting together this event. I request the State Government of Rajasthan Government to do its best to carry forward the life, beliefs, memories and legacy of Shri Shekhawat.

Thank you, Jai Hind.

***


President's Secretariat
15-May, 2017 19:56 IST
President of India delivers first Bhairon Singh Shekhawat Memorial Lecture

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee delivered the 1st Bhairon Singh Shekhawat Memorial Lecture on the topic “History of Parliamentary Democracy in India” today (May 15, 2017) in Jaipur, Rajasthan. He also presented the 1st Bhairon Singh Shekhawat Life Time Achievement Honour in Public Service to Shri Pawan Kumar Chamling, Chief Minister of Sikkim on the occasion.

Addressing the gathering the President said he was honoured to be invited to deliver the inaugural Memorial Lecture instituted in memory of our former Vice-President Shri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, an outstanding statesman and a man of the masses.

The President stated that Shri Shekhawat and he shared a long history of friendship. Both of them served together in the Rajya Sabha in the 1970s. Later, while Shri Shekhawat was Chief Minister of Rajasthan and the President was Vice Chairman of the Planning Commission, he had opportunity to see Shri Shekhawat’s extensive knowledge about problems being faced by citizens of Rajasthan, and his will to eradicate these day to day problems. He was deeply impressed by Shri Shekhawat’s commitment to the downtrodden and poor.

The President also congratulated Shri Pawan Kumar Chamling, Chief Minister of Sikkim on being conferred the 1st Bhairon Singh Shekhawat Life Time Achievement Honour in Public Service. He said that Shri Chamling has made unique contribution to the State of Sikkim which has emerged as a role model.

In his Memorial Lecture, the President spoke about the History of Parliamentary Democracy in India. He said that he had outlined the history of representative Government for a specific purpose which was to underline the fact that if prominent legislators of pre-independence days with limited powers, could have done so much, how much more can be done by our MPs, MLAs and MLCs of today.

The President said that the 3 Ds – Debate, Dissension and Decision are essential in a Parliamentary system of democracy. Democracy should provide for an enabling environment which helps every section of the society to fully participate in the process of governance.

***

The President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee delivering the first Bhairon Singh Shekhawat Memorial Lecture, at Jaipur, in Rajasthan on May 15, 2017. The Governor of Rajasthan, Shri Kalyan Singh, the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Smt. Vasundhara Raje Scindia, the Chief Minister of Sikkim, Shri Pawan Kumar Chamling and other dignitaries are also seen.

The President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee presenting the first Bhairon Singh Shekhawat Life Time Achievement Honour in Public Service to the Chief Minister of Sikkim, Shri Pawan Kumar Chamling, at the first Bhairon Singh Shekhawat Memorial Lecture function, at Jaipur, in Rajasthan on May 15, 2017. The Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Smt. Vasundhara Raje Scindia is also seen.

 

[kvpak]

@Hindustani78

You are yet to answer my question why these books funded by Indian gov start at 1857? Sepoy Mutiny of the south is well before that. Maruthu Pandiyar of Tamil Nadu proclaimed freedom before that. Why you start at 1857? Does India consider south not part of India?