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July 1-15, 2007
Progamme to commemorate 150 years of Ghadar of 1857 in Padgha, Maharashtra

The Maharashtra Committee of the Lok Raj Sangathan took an important initiative to organize a cultural programme in Padgha on 5 May 2007 that celebrated the "Ghadar Jari Hai" call. The program was held in the Zilla Parishad school, which is located in the main market area of Padgha, and people from dozens of nearby villages participated in the program. Padgha is the main centre of commercial activities of the Taluka consisting of more than 25 villages and hamlets each with a population of a few thousands.

An organising committee comprising of several village sarpanches, local activists and LRS activists was formed to plan the event. Thousands of leaflets, in Hindi and Marathi, were distributed in more than a dozen villages, explaining the aim of the programme and elaborating the details. It was an unusual sight in these villages when the organizers marched around in the scorching sun making announcements about the program on the megaphone. The village people were met individually and in groups to mobilize them to come for the program.

The most important aim of organising this function was to bring the people of Padgha and the villages around together, cutting across religious, caste and party affiliations, to start addressing their collective problems of drinking water, education, transportation and livelihood. The function on 5 May drew inspiration from the great revolt in which our people united together in the Ghadar of 1857 to wrest their destiny from the British plunderers. The call "Ghadar Jari Hai" indicating that the tasks for which lakhs of our martyrs laid down their lives is still not complete, struck a chord with many people.

The celebration was marked by drama, poetry and dance by the Krantikari youth group from village (Bokri) and youth from Padgha, Bhiwandi, Thane and Ulhasnagar.

Several speakers spoke on the occasion, highlighting the historical struggles of the people of the area against the colonial exploiters and calling for the struggle against the present-day exploiters to be taken to its conclusion.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Bharat, the convenor of the Maharashtra Samiti of the Lok Raj Sangathan, argued for the necessity for lok raj, rule by the people. He said that empowering the people means that people will have a direct say in the economic and other affairs of the society. For this to happen in practice, people have to come together in sangharsh samitis so that it will be possible for people to voice their needs and to wage struggle to achieve them. LRS was committed to build and strengthen such fighting organisations of the people everywhere, so that the people's agenda came to the centre-stage.

He highlighted the fact that the Ghadar of 1857 was not just a revolt of the feudal lords as some historians make out, but had mass participation from the productive forces of society who were getting crushed under the weight of colonial oppression. How else could it be explained that after crushing the revolt, the colonisers sent lakhs of people to the gallows for taking part in the revolt?

In the aftermath of the Ghadar, the British took measures to implement their "divide and rule" policy. They enforced communal division amongst the people. They started dealing with the people only through their religious leaders. They created educational institutions on the basis of religion. They created mistrust and suspicion between different religious communities by sometimes targeting and sometime favouring one community over the other in a demonstrative fashion. They were afraid that Indian people would rise up together once again and overthrow their rule. Therefore, the British colonisers created privileged sections from among the Indian population whose economic interests and privileges were tied to the continuation of the British raj, and imbued them with Eurocentric ideas.

Even after 1947, the state apparatus and policies used by the British have been largely left intact and exploitation and oppression of the toiling Indian people continues. With the power going from the hands of the British into the hands of the Indian ruling class, people continue to be deprived of political power. Comrade S. Kapare, leader of the Ladaku Garment Mazdoor Sangh, which has been active in defending the interest of the workers in the nearby garment factory, explained what tricks are used by the factory owners to circumvent already weak labour laws that are supposed to protect the workers. He explained how the whole state apparatus works to defend a tiny minority of exploiters. Thus today, as we celebrate the 150 years of the Ghadar of 1857, we are deeply aware of the challenges that face us – to complete the task that our martyrs laid down their lives for.

The gathering was also addressed by Goshte Sir (from Taloli village), who has been a Zilla Parishad member and is very well respected in the area. Sarpanches and prominent people were also present from Arjoli village, Padgha Borivili village, Amane (near Khadoali) village, etc.

Sonawane Sir, who was compering the program, mentioned how Padgha was important in the freedom struggle. The famous Chafekar brothers were in hiding in Padgha when they were being hounded by the British. He recalled the advise (given by someone) to Bahadur Shah Zafar to give up fighting and save his life by saying,

Dum damein mein dum nahin, ab khair mange jaan ki

Aiyeh Zafar thandi huyi shamsher Hindostan ki!

In response, Bahadur Shah Zafar is said to have said,

Gaajiyon mein boo rahegi jab talak iman ki

Tab to London tak chalegi teg Hindostan ki!

Which means that as long as a tinge of determination lingers in the hearts of the martyrs, the sword of Hindostan will hang over the heart of England!

With this spirited recital of Zafar’s poetry, Sonawane Sir announced the drama with the title "Ghadar Jari Hai ". This was a vivid dramatisation of the exploitation of the toiling people from ancient times, as well as the struggle against it, including the struggle against British colonial plunder.

The program included a Rangoli competition in which several women from the Padgha area participated and displayed their beautiful creations.

 
 
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