In the latter half of the second decade of the 20th century political and social conditions were changing fast. The British tyranny was scaling new heights.
The patience of the natives was running out. The tolerance of the people was reaching the break limit fast. The political situation was at the flash point.
On 18th March, 1919 the British imposed the Rawlett Act on India. It was a draconian law designed to make the country a police state.
The country exploded in anger.
The nation was rocked by protest marches meetings and demonstrations. Never before had the Indians arisen at such massive scale and with such unity of purpose. The pent up anger in the Indian hearts against the British was finding a release. To suppress the British had decided to stoop down to any level of cruelty or oppression.
On 13th April, 1919 Jalianwala Bagh massacre was enacted at Amritsar by General O’Dyer. On Baisakhi day he ordered police firing on the crowd that had gathered in the enclosed Bagh to celebrate the fair. Hundreds of innocent men, women and children were killed, maimed, crippled or injured.
Martial Law was imposed on Punjab. Hunter Committee Report, Montageu-Chemsford Reforms and inhuman treatment to Khilfat leaders rallied the country against the barbaric British rule.
Anguished by these developments Gandhi started ‘Non-Cooperation’ movement which snowballed into a massive movement which threatened to engulf the British rule.
For students national schools and colleges were set up. Village panchayats were resurrected to replace the government courts. The people opted for the home spun cloth Khadi in place of imported material.
Patriotic persons resigned from high posts and titles were returned. It shook the colonial rulers.
Hoards of prominent lawyers and barristers quit their practices and joined the movement. It included
Pt. Motilal Nehru, Chittaranjan Das, Saifuddin Kichlew, C. Rajagopalachari, Vallabhbhai Patel etc. Their participation gave the movement needed boost and the logical power.
The spinning wheel became a symbol of native pride and defiance to the alien rulers. The Congress party began collecting funds through the membership campaigns.
Meanwhile, incacerated in British jails and subjected to relentless harassment, the doyen of Indian freedom effort, Bal Gangadhar Tilak passed away on 1st August, 1920.
His death added fuel to the non-cooperation movement fire.
The Non-cooperation movement culminated into Civil Disobedience movement on 2nd February 1922. Two days later a violent incident took place at Chauri-Chaura near Gorakhpur in which 21 policemen were burnt to death by agitators.
Gandhiji wanted no violence. In anguish him, he suspended the agitation.
Many leaders criticized Gandhi’s action. The government regardless to it arrested Gandhi and other leaders.
The police repression was on. The sudden suspension of the movement dismayed and angered the youth. They were in do-or-die mood. The revolutionary movements tapped the angry youth and militancy picked up.
Vidyarthi was contributing his mite to the freedom struggle at two levels. At one level he was lending his full support to the movements launched by the Congress. At the same time he was sympathetic towards the young revolutionaries who were risking their lives and fighting against heavy odds. He was helping them out in whatever way he could including providing logistical support wherever possible. When things became hot for Sardar Bhagat Singh in Punjab he came to Kanpur.
Vidyarthi employed him in his editorial department of Pratap. Later, he sent Bhagat Singh to Shadipura village to serve as a teacher in National School when Kanpur too became unsafe for him. Chandra Shekhar Azad, another fiery revolutionary youth also used to visit the office of Pratap. It was in this office that Vidyarthi one day introduced the two revolutionaries. This introduction resulted in the two revolutionary stars coming together and writing a new inspiring chapter of the freedom struggle of India.
During this period Ganesh Shankara Vidyarthi kept exhorting the youth to rise in the cause of the nation’s freedom. He said—
“Young folks of India! The task that challenges you is daunting. This country needs the services of not hundreds, not thousands but millions of youth to achieve the sacred goal it is fighting for. If you want to became a true man learn to use your education for the just causes.
This present education system has produced lawyers, barristers and government officials. Now the motherland needs true patriots and volunteers. Give up selfishness. Take a vow to live frugal instead of life of comforts and luxuries. You have the examples of Tilak, Lajpatrai, Hansraj, Munshiram, Gokhale, Ashwini Kumar, Gandhiji etc. to emulate.
Education, female education, Harijan upliftment, social reforms, journalism, political agitation, whatever the field you decide to join, dedicate everything you have to your mission. That is the way to save the motherland. Remember that poverty, pains, miseries, fears and worldly lures should not weaken your resolve.
You must not fall victim to the communal thoughts or bias. The unity of all the countrymen is the need of the hour. Do not let social evils prevail over you.
There should not be any lack of moral power and resolve in you. The organisations are made for humans and not vice versa. All the institution however good they may be in the beginning became corrupted, out- dated or counter productive. Then, they need to be replaced or destroyed. The same rule applies to the customs and the traditions. Keep in mind that progress and blind traditionalism are contradictory situations.
…The future of country is in your hands. The motherland is expectantly looking at you to redeem her. You are the ones to build the future nation.
…Only praising others, singing songs of the greatness of Europe and Japan or priding over ancient India will get you nowhere. Our country will not benefit by the praise of the others and indulging in self delusions of the greatness of bygone India or mythology. Our ancestors were great, no doubt. So, is not a matter of shame for us that we are not like them? You must work hard to create anew your own and the country’s greatness.’
The police knew that Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi was involved with the revolutionaries as well but they could do nothing in the absence of any clear proof. He was only helping the revolutionaries in a harmless way without getting involved directly in their activities.
In 1923, a mass convention was organised at Fatehpur. Thousands of people had gathered there. For the first day Motilal Nehru acted as the chairman of the convention.
The next day the responsibility was passed on the Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi.
The address of Vidyarthi to the convention was revolutionary and full of zeal. He detailed the atrocities perpetuated by the British on the Indians in a very forceful way. He painted the colonial rulers as monsters who were wreaking barbaric horrors on the helpless and poor native Indians.
His speech was so gravely anti-British that it had become a certainty that he would be arrested and implicated in some case.
One month after the convention he was arrested, tried and sentenced to one year in prison. Naini central Jail was where he was sent to serve his term.
He came out of the jail one year later, a hero.
He was accorded a grand reception at Kanpur and felicitated. A profusely garlanded proud figure of Vidyarthi thanked the public. On this occasion Shyamlal read out a long ode written by him in praise of Vidyarthi. The ode became so popular that it was read out at other meetings too that followed.
