FREEDOM MOVEMENT IN KERALA

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FREEDOM MOVEMENT IN KERALA:-

Kerala has the unique distinction of being a region where patriotic Indians revolted against the British rulers even before the first freedom struggle of 1857, which was labelled by the British as ‘Sepoy Mutiny’. In the three zones of Kerala, namely, Malabar, Cochin and Travancore, there were uprisings against the British in the end of 18th century and in the beginning of 19th century. In Malabar, it was a native prince, Kerala Varma, Pazhassi Raja who led the revolt, while in Cochin it was spearheaded by Paliath Achan, the Prime Minister of Cochin State and in Travancore by Veluthampy Dalava, the Prime Minister of the State. All these revolts were brutally suppressed by the British. Towards the close of the 19th C National movement was spreading in India. Many prominent persons worked for Indian National Congress from Kerala. G.P. Pillai, Sir. C. Sankaran Nair and Rairu Nambiar deserve mention. C. Sankaran Nair of Ottapalam was the first Malayali who president over the congress sessions. He was the president of the Amaravathi Session of the Congress in 1897. By 1919 Congress activities gained momentum in Malabar. Gandhiji’s influence was increasing. Non co-operation and Khilafat movement and Salt Satyagraha fired up the national spirit in Malabar. Some of the early leaders were K. Kelappan, Muhamed Abdurahiman, K.P. Kesava Menon, and K. Madhavan Nair. It was after the First World war that the first signs of dissent surfaced. In 1922 the students protested against the fee hike in educational institutions. This soon became a rallying point for pro-home rule agitation. But it was the Khilafat Movement that really focussed the issue more forcefully. Hindus and Muslims stood as one against the British and the Landlords in the Malabar region. Severe police action and Martial law followed. But the movement lost its bearing when it finally took on communal overtones when armed Muslims targeted Hindus. This then became a simple law and order problem and the British gained complete supremacy by ruthless deployment of police, notably the Malabar Special Police, which to this day is a feared symbol of colonial oppression.The Independence movement at the National level had a direct bearing on Kerala’s political landscape too. The Salt Satyagraha found its echo here. The Vaikom temple entry Satyagraha for permitting lower castes entry into the temple gained the recognition as a direct challenge to the existing political and hierarchical supremacy of the rulers and by extension the British rule.

By the end of 19th century, people of Kerala began to take interest in the affairs of the country as they felt a new hope of liberation, with the advent of the Indian National Congress in 1885. The earliest leader of the organisation from Kerala was G.P. Pillai, the well-known Editor of “Madras Standard” who had initiated agitations for civil rights in Travancore State. A forceful writer and orator, he had wide contacts in India and Great Britain and became General Secretary of the Indian National Congress twice. Gandhiji who was then emerging as a leader, had acknowledged the help and guidance given to him by G.P. Pillai in the South African Indian issue and also in the Temperance Movement (Prohibition). C. Sankaran Nair, the noted jurist, was another person from Kerala who adorned the leadership of the nationalist organisation. Sankaran Nair has the distinction of being the only Keralite to become the president of the INC during its long history spanning over a century.

The fifth Malabar District Political Conference held at Manjeri on April 28, 1920 in the presence of Anie Besant adopted a resolution rejecting the proposed Mongague-Chelmsford Reforms and this generated widespread enthusiasm among the people who wanted radical constitutional reforms and freedom from British regime.

In 1921, while trying to address a banned public meeting in Madras K. Madhavan Nair, U. Gopala Menon, Ponmadath Moideen Koya, Kurur Neelkantan Namboothiripad and Moothedath Narayanan Menon were arrested and sentenced to six months imprisonment. In the same year in April, people all over Malabar, Cochin, Travancore assembled on a common platform and held the first All Kerala Political Conference at Ottapalam under the presidency of Andhra Kesari T. Prakasam.

Vaikom Satyagraha

Historic Vaikom Satyagraha, which attracted all India attention was started on March 30, 1924. The Satyagraha was started to establish the right for all people to walk through the temple roads. Leaders like K.P. Kesava Menon and T.K. Madhavan led the agitation.

A ‘Savarna Jatha’ proceeded to Trivandrum and presented a mass petition to the Regent Maharani of  Travancore requesting her to remove ban and give freedom to all people to walk through the Vaikom temple roads and to put an end to the practice of untouchability in the State. Gandhiji held discussions with the authorities of Travancore and later had correspondence with them. When Satyagraha entered the twentieth month, the temple roads, except the one on the eastern side, were opened to all people and the Vaikom Satyagraha ended.

Non Cooperation Movement and Salt Satyagraha

As decided at the Nagpur session (1920), Non Cooperation movement was started throughout the country.In Kerala, too, there was widespread boycott of foreign goods, courts and educational institutions. The Malabar Rebellion of 1921 and the students agitation of 1922 in Travancore were events of great political significance during this period.

The Salt-Satyagraha under the leadership of Gandhiji had its own repercussions in Kerala. Payyannur in Malabar, was the main venue of the Satyagraha in Kerala. Many batches of Satyagrahis from different parts of Kerala marched to Payyannur to take part in the Satyagraha.

Many leaders like K. Madhavan Nair, K. Kelappan and Muhammad Abdur Rahiman were arrested for breaking salt-law and were sentenced to rigorous imprisonment. Side by side with the Salt Satyagraha, picketing of toddy shops and the boycott of foreign goods were also organised and large number of satyagrahis courted imprisonment. As there was no salt satyagraha in native States, freedom fighters from Cochin and Travancore went outside the States and broke salt law in British Indian provinces and were imprisoned. Civil disobedience movement came to an end with the release of Gandhiji and Gandhi-Irwin pact was signed on March 4, 1931.

Temple Entry for Untouchables

At the fifth All Kerala Political Conference held at Badagara from May 3 to 6, 1931 under the presidency of J.M. Sengupta, many important resolutions including the one demanding temple entry for the so called untouchables, were passed. The famous Gurvayur Satyagraha (1931-32) was an off-shoot of this resolution. As Zamorin Raja, the hereditary trustee of Guruvayur Sreekrishna Temple did not agree to allow the untouchables to worship in the temple, local leaders decided to launch a satyagraha for achieving this end. Appeals of eminent people throughout India including Gandhiji, Mahakavi Rabindranath Tagore and others to allow the untouchables into the temple had no effect on the adamant Zanmorin.

A satyagraha was started under the leadership of K. Kelappan, with many satyagrahis being manhandled and arrested. As a last resort, Kelappan began ‘fast unto death’ to achieve the aim. When Kelappan’s condition became critical, and there were numerous appeals to save his life, Gandhiji intervened and persuaded him to end his fast. After that, a referendum regarding temple-entry of untouchables was conducted among the Hindus of Ponnani Taluk, where the temple was situated and a huge majority of the people voted in favour of throwing open the temple to them.

Quit India Movement

The Quit India Movement launched in August 1942 was widespread in Cochin and Malabar, though not so extensive in Travancore. During the Quit India Movement there were sensational and violent incidents in Malabar involving disruption of communication and attack on government offices and police stations. The Keezhariyur Bomb case, in which 27 persons including Dr.K.B. Menon, Socialist leader and Secretary of Indian Civil Liberties Union were charge-sheeted, was the important episode of the struggle in Malabar. Even underground papers like ‘Swathantra Bharatam’ were brought out during the struggle.

Agitation in Travancore and Cochin

After the Haripura session of the Indian National Congress which decided that separate organisations should be formed in native States for the agitation for responsible government, the Travancore State Congress and the Cochin State Prajamandal were formed.

Both in Travancore and Cochin the autocratic regimes tried their best to suppress the agitation for responsible government and complete Independence. In Cochin State, the Government’s attitude was more liberal than that of Travancore government. In Travancore, Dewan Sir C.P. Ramaswami Iyer declared that Travancore will remain independent without joining the Indian Union, after the British left India. People of Travancore continued their struggle and they had to fight against ‘Independent Travancore Plan’  also. As a result of the agitation, at last, Dewan Ramaswami Iyer had to leave Travancore State. With India achieving Independence in August 1947, Travancore and Cochin acceded to the Indian Union.

Struggle in Mahe

Even after the British left India, the Portuguese and French governments were not prepared to leave their settlements on Indian soil. So the people in these settlements had to wage war against these powers. In Mahe, which was a French enclave on the Malabar coast, the people underwent a heroic and prolonged struggle till the French left their settlements in India. Freedom fight in Mahe forms a part of the struggle for freedom in Kerala. It may be mentioned that Kerala had a proud share in the Indian Independence Struggle.

 

 

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