This piece by Mohammad Ali on Sep 16, 2013 has been reproduced from the Online edition of The Hindu Newspaper, Delhi.
The Shah Auditorium at Civil Lines here was abuzz with the Punjabi word for revolution —‘ghadar’ — on Sunday. The venue saw several organisations coming together to celebrate the birth centenary of the Ghadar Party.
This piece by Mohammad Ali on Sep 16, 2013 has been reproduced from the Online edition of The Hindu Newspaper, Delhi.
The Shah Auditorium at Civil Lines here was abuzz with the Punjabi word for revolution —‘ghadar’ — on Sunday. The venue saw several organisations coming together to celebrate the birth centenary of the Ghadar Party.
It was a movement led by Punjabi immigrant workers in California to liberate India from the clutches of the British Empire.
Launched formally in 1913 with a weekly newspaper, Ghadar , which carried the caption Angrezi Raj Ka Dushman (An enemy of the British rule) on the masthead, the movement against all forms of exploitation quickly spread through several continents within a short span of two years.
Speakers from several groups, which were inspired by the Ghadar Party and its ideals of equality, freedom and fraternity, spoke about the contemporary relevance of the revolutionary party to a packed audience, which had youngsters in large numbers.
Speaking on the occasion, Prakash Rao of the Communist Ghadar Party declared that the present day Indian Republic is a legacy of colonialism. “Labour and resources of our people are being looted, exploited and plundered by capitalists. The irony is that rulers of this country defend this exploitation , using brute force to silence those who resist it ,” he said.
“Why shouldn’t we elect a new Constituent Assembly to formulate a new fundamental law and a new Constitution to enable Hindustan to march on the high road of civilisation in this 21st Century?” he asked.
The “oppression” on the Maruti workers of Manesar plant by the Haryana Government was also mentioned by the speakers.
Castigating the political class for being a “slave” to capitalists, Birju Natyak of the Mazdoor Ekta Committee asked: “Are we any freer now than what we were before Independence? The rich are getting richer and poor turning poorer! ”
Concluding that the goal for which the Ghadar Party was formed was yet to be realised, the public meeting resolved to “continue the struggle to achieve a radical rupture with the colonial legacy”.
Launched formally in 1913, the movement quickly spread through several continents within a span of two years