The August 1542 Student Movement

 

The August 1542 Student Movement: A Struggle for Patriotism and Freedom

 

 

 

In the city of Nandarvad, on August 6th, students heard the news of the arrest of the country's leaders, upon which they organized a small procession. The procession comprised boys and girls aged 5 to 15 years.

As the procession passed through the market, someone

attacked the police constable of the 6th Julis. It was alleged that there was opposition to the constable, and the person who was opposed to him intentionally fired shots. The boys were unarmed, but the constable panicked

for no reason and fired shots at the children. The children started running. A 14-year-old boy held the Congress flag. The police did not arrest him, but a trigger-happy constable fired shots at the boy. In this incident, 5 people were

killed and 12 were seriously injured, including a girl. The police fired shots at the students without concrete evidence.

Shrimati Aruna Devi

 

In the Dhule district of Bombay, a constable also fired shots at the students' procession, injuring a 14-year-old boy. Students in Vadodara were also shot at, even with rifles.

 

Did the riots become the cause of Gujarat? After the arrest of the leaders, the government imposed a ban on all kinds of gatherings and processions. The public was angry, and due to this ban, their anger only intensified. Wherever this ban was in place, people violated it. The government resorted to lathi charges, firing, and tear gas. The firing was so severe that it became a daily occurrence for the people. In Ahmedabad and Kheda districts, police officers killed 6 people. Their names became well known throughout Gujarat. Due to the activities of the underground gangsters, the police were troubled, but no one was caught. The police spread terror in the villages, so that no one could help the truth. To intimidate people, unjust and baseless collective fines were imposed on them, and in many places, people were fined so that they would not stop protesting. For this, the police increased awareness and kept an eye on the people so that no one could escape and the situation remained calm without any reaction.

 

The movement in the United Provinces and Bengal gained a lot of attention throughout India. The activists here took steps that proved to be very important in immobilizing the government's machinery. It is useful that Gujarat also participated in it. It cannot be said that there was no violence in Gujarat, but most of the activities remained constructive. The movement here started with a general strike and boycott. It lasted from three days to three months. There was a general strike for a month in Nadiad and for three and a half months in Ahmedabad, and all factories, mills, and markets remained completely closed. Governments opposed people with the policy of carrot, stick, and division, but its effect could not be felt. The strike was led by laborers and their supporters, and they are credited with its success. Even after facing difficulties for such a long time, the strike remained effective, but some government supporters and their supporters ended the strike, otherwise it would have continued for two more months. During the strike days, all of Ahmedabad followed the regime of non-violence.

 

Indeed, the August 1542 movement was a student movement. Although students in Gujarat could have stayed away from this movement! If all the programs after the general strike had been called the program of the students, there would have been no objection. The students initiated the movement against the opposition of schools and colleges. The boycott of colleges continued in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, and Kheda for a full 6 months. The students who boycotted colleges participated fully in meetings and processions and opposed the government's oppressive actions, violating orders, and introduced their patriotism. This movement left its mark all over Gujarat. The government, which was trying to destroy Indian independence, was rejected by the students and challenged the government's rule.

 

In these activities, many students became martyrs while sacrificing. Their lives were lost due to bullets and beatings. Vinod Kinariwala was martyred by the police while fighting against national corruption. Rasik Jani, Gandhi Shap, Yushpabdan, and Himmat Lal Kedia sacrificed for the country's independence. Along with them, many unknown students and female students also became martyrs, but nothing was written about them in government and non-governmental reports. But their sacrifice for the country's independence is not ordinary.

 

-. Sartaj Ali