Almost 150 freedom fighters were martyred during the movement in Odisha, which seldom is mentioned.
8th August 2020 marks the 79th anniversary of The Quit India Movement Day. On 8 August 1942 at the All-India Congress Committee meeting in Bombay, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi propelled the ‘Quit India’ development. The following day, Gandhi, Nehru, and numerous different pioneers of the Indian National Congress were captured by the British Government. The hauling of India into the war situation of World War II by the British Government and the expected plan of Japan to catch India, made Gandhiji proclaim the Quit India movement suddenly in India. On the commemoration of the Quit India Movement, the country commends the day recollecting the brave fortitude of the political dissidents who sacrificed their lives for the nation. “Quit India” and “Do or Die” were the battle cries of the Indian people during the Quit India movement. This movement made the Indians more united with each other with the common aim of evading off the Britishers.
Odisha wasn’t left untouched by this clarion call of Gandhiji against the Britishers. Dr. H.K. Mahatab, the famous Congress pioneers of Orissa was one of those pioneers who was captured in Bombay and sent to the Ahmadnagar Jail. The Quit India Movement in Odisha was the best mass tumult in the area mainly due to the anti-colonial sentiment it projected. The administration of Orissa proclaimed all Congress bodies, their workplaces, and other partnered associations unlawful and the police claimed those informed places as fast as could be expected under the circumstances. Inside about fourteen days, the capture of the significant pioneers of Orissa caused solid hatred among the individuals. The locals turned resentful after their leaders were arrested.
The British Government’s technique to smother the uprising through firm control of the urban people turned out to be disastrous. The circumstance appeared to be typical and calm after these captures. Be that as it may, after about fourteen days, instances of the progressive revolution were accounted for from the distant towns of Odisha where the police were not set up to handle the peace issue. The students of the esteemed Ravenshaw College sorted out gatherings, parades and supporting the call of Mahatma Gandhi boycotted the classes. As a sign of dissent against the capture of their pioneers they set out to violate laws and turned vicious, burning down Government workplaces and ambushing the officials
The Quit India Movement took the character of a mass revolt in the regressive locale of Koraput which was, for the most part, Adivasis populated zone. The Adivasis turned out to be so infuriated against the Britishers that they took steps to pull down all Government organizations in the locale. Taking a gander at this, the British Government stifled the development by capturing the pioneers. Despite that, the development was begun at Jeypore by two young men. These two young men, conveying Congress banners, lectured the message of unrest on 13 August 1942. It was trailed by hartals and crusades for non-installment of charges. The Congress laborers composed large social affairs in different significant spots of the Koraput locale and a few specialists were captured on 16 August 1942. The most heroic deed was done by a man named Laxmi Naik who attempted to catch the police headquarters with a mob. The mob was thrashed. Later on, he was condemned to death on 29th March 1943 in Berhampur Central Jail. Right up to his absolute final gasp, he was found to have recited “Mahatma Gandhi Ki Jai,” which resounded the Jail grounds.
At Cuttack, underground activities were started by Surendra Dwivedi. He circulated revolutionary bulletins that boosted the high patriotic values of the individuals. But he was spotted soon and was arrested.
In Gadjat States of Odisha, the Quit India Movement had its profound effect. In Talcher, the individuals surrendered peacefulness and began guerrilla battling against the ruler’s power. In Dhenkanal, the Satyagrahis began outfitted encounters with the police. The individuals of Nayagarh, Athagarh, and Mayurbhanj began disturbances. All of these movements turned viciously violent even though they set out to be non-violent.
The most frightful slaughter that occurred at Eram in the Balasore area is a significant occasion throughout the entire existence of India’s Freedom Struggle and it is befittingly called the Jallianwala Bagh misfortune of Orissa where 28 people were executed also, 56 people were harmed. Eram has been named “Rakta Tirtha” for the same as nowhere in India were so many people killed at once during the Quit India Movement.
Most of the demonstrations and movements were suppressed by 1944. The moment Gandhiji was released from prison, he instead of giving up started with the agitation again by bringing in people together against the British government.
