Freedom Struggle HP

AO Hume

• Profile: British Civil Servant from Scotland.
• Residence: Rothney Castle (Shimla) in Jakhu Hill.
• Legacy: Proposed the idea of the INC (Indian National Congress).

Hardev Ram of Mandi (1913)

• Journey: In 1913, left his job as a teacher and reached Japan.
• Route: Traveled via US to the Japan, then to Shanghai (covering Japan and China).
• Turning Point: Met Dr. Mathura Singh (Leader of the Ghadar Party) and consequently joined the Ghadar Party.
• Return: In 1914, he returned to India carrying the literature of Lala Hardayal.

Mandi Conspiracy (1914)

• Influence: Ghadar Party.
• Region: Mandi and Suket.
• Prominent Members:
  1. Rani Khairgarhi (Lalita Kumari) – Wife of Raja Bhawani Sen (She also supported Lala Lajpat Rai).
  2. Mian Jawahar Singh.
• The Plan: Formulated in secret meetings held in December 1914 & January 1915:
  1. Murder the Superintendent and Wazir of Mandi.
  2. Loot the Treasury.
  3. Blow up the Beas Bridge.
  4. Seize Mandi & Suket.
  5. Join the Punjab Revolutionaries.
• Outcome:Failure.
  1. The conspiracy was discovered.
  2. Achieved only partial success in the Nagchala Dacoity.
  3. Rani Khairgarhi was expelled from Mandi.
• Arrests:
  1. Jawahar Naryal
  2. Mian Jawahar Singh
  3. Badrinath
  4. Siddha Kharara
  5. Jwala Singh
  6. Sharada Ram
  7. Dalip Singh
  8. Longuram

Hardev After the Mandi Conspiracy

• Fled to Badrinath in Garhwal.
• Name Change: Changed his name to Swami Krishnanand.
• Joined the Congress Party.
• Entered the Non-Violent Movement of Sindh in 1917.

Subsequent Movements & Political Alignments

• 1916: Ghadar Revolutionaries in Mandi, Suket, and Una were reactivated, but were subsequently jailed. Only Rishikesh Ladh (of the Krantik Dal of Una) managed to flee to Iran and join the Ghadar Party.
• 1920: Chaudhary Sher Jung (Nahan) and Pt. Rajendra Dutt (Sirmaur) joined the Congress. Lala Kashiram (Palampur) and Baba Kanshi Ram (Dehra-Gopipur) also joined.
• Other Congress Workers:
  1. Tholi Ram
  2. Sidhu Ram
  3. Pancham Chandra Katoch
  4. Sarv Mishra
  5. Kripal Singh

Mahatma Gandhi’s Visits to Shimla

11 May 1921: Gandhi’s First Visit to Shimla

• Accompanied by Other Members:
  1. Maulana Mohammad Ali
  2. Shaukat Ali
  3. Lala Duni Chand
  4. Lala Lajpat Rai
  5. Madan Mohan Malviya
• Timeline of Events:
  • May 13: Met Viceroy Reading.
  • May 14: Addressed women at the Arya Samaj (Lower Market, Shimla).
  • May 15: Addressed a gathering at Idgah.

Other Visits:

• 1931 (Visited 3 times), 1939, 1945, and 1946.
• 1945 Residence: Stayed at Manorville, the residence of Raj Kumari Amrit Kaur (Mandi).
• 1946 Residence: Stayed at Chadwick in Summer Hill.

1st Shimla Congress Organisation (May 1920)

• Chief: Maulvi Ghulam Muhammad
• Deputy Chief: Bhagirath Lal
• Secretary: Anand Umar Numani
• Deputy Secretary: Dwarka Prasad
• Cashier: Lala Gunghar Mal
• Executive Committee Members:
  1. Maulvi Abdul Gani
  2. Chiranjilal Adli
  3. Swami Ramanand
  4. Gokul Chand
  5. Harishchandra
  6. Ram Kishan Bajaj
  7. Hoshiar Singh
  8. Pyare Lal
  9. Kedarnath Sood
  10. Mohan Lal Sood
  11. Harish Chandra Sood

Samuel Evans Stokes (Satyananda Stokes)

• Background: An American citizen who settled in Kotgarh in the upper Shimla hills.
• Activism: Deeply influenced by Gandhiji, he launched a movement against forced labour across the hill states.
• Transformation & Arrest: He embraced Hinduism, took the name Satyananda Stokes, and was arrested for participating in the non-cooperation movement.
• Post-Release: After his release from Kaithu Jail on March 24, 1923 , he continued driving political awakening and social reform in the region.

Baba Kanshi Ram & The Taal Incident

• 1927 Taal Conference: A gathering in Taal (near Sujanpur) was brutally attacked by Baloch soldiers.
• Key Figures: Thakur Hazara Singh, Baba Kanshi Ram, Gopal Singh, and Chatur Singh were involved.
• The Black Clothes Oath: When soldiers snatched their Gandhi hats, Baba Kanshi Ram took a solemn vow to wear only black clothes until India achieved independence.
• Conferred Titles:
  • ‘Pahari Gandhi’: Bestowed by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru at the Garhdiwala Jansabha in 1937.
  • ‘Pahari Bulbul’: Bestowed by Sarojini Naidu.

Administrative Reforms

• Mandi: The Raja formed the Mandi Vidhan Sabha Parishad in 1933 and passed the Panchayati Raj Act. Mandi became the first Shimla hill state to enact this act.
• Other States: Bilaspur, Bushahr, and Sirmaur also initiated administrative reforms.

Arrival of National Leaders

• 1906: Lala Lajpat Rai visited Mandi.
• 1916: Annie Besant arrived in Shimla.
• 1921: First Shimla visit by Mahatma Gandhi, Maulana Mohammad Ali, Shaukat Ali, Lala Lajpat Rai, and Madan Mohan Malaviya.
• Muhammad Ali Jinnah: Visited Shimla to meet Viceroy Lord Reading.
• Gandhi’s Shimla Visits: 1921, 1931, 1939 (3 times), 1945 (stayed at Manorville), and 1946 (stayed at Chadwick Summer Hill).

Key Agitators & Revolutionaries

• Rishikesh Lath: Started Una’s revolutionary movement in 1915.
• Yash Pal: Hamirpur lecturer who joined the struggle in 1918. acted As Chief Commander of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army(after death of Chandrasekhar azad), he received life imprisonment in 1932.The Philosophy of the Bomb was written by bhagwati Charan vohra in consultation with yashpal and Chandra Shekhar azad
• INA Titles: Major Mehr Das (‘Sardar-e-Jung’), Captain Bakshi Pratap Singh (‘Tamgha-e-Shatru Nash’), and Hari Singh of Sarkaghat (‘Sher-e-Hind’).
• Martyrs: Gorkha brothers Durgamal and Dal Bahadur Thapa from Dharamshala were hanged in Delhi.
• 1930 Arrests: Baba Lachman Das and Satya Prakash “Baghi” were arrested in Una for running the Civil Disobedience Movement.

Incidents of the 1920s

• 1920: The non-cooperation movement began in Himachal.
• 1921: The first representative body of the Congress was established in Shimla.
• 1921: The Chamber of Princes (Narendra Mandal) was formed by the rulers of the princely states.
• December 1921: The arrival of England’s Prince of Wales in Shimla faced opposition.
• 1922: Lala Lajpat Rai was transferred from Lahore and locked in Dharamshala.
• 1925: Viceroy Lord Reading inaugurated the “Central Council Chamber” (the present assembly) in Shimla.
• 1928: Protests against the Simon Commission’s arrival took place in Shimla and Kangra.

Congress Reorganization and Key Figures

• Active Congress Workers: A large group of members continued to drive Congress activities, including Maulvi Ghulam Muhammad, Dwarka Prasad, Dr. Nand Lal Verma, Lala Gendamal, Dinanath Aandhi, Pyare Lal Meharchand, Swami Ramanand, and Lal Ghunghar Mal, among others.
• Prominent Hill State Agitators: Leaders from various hill regions extensively participated in Congress works within Shimla Nagar. Notable figures included:
  • Bhagmal Sohta of Jubbal
  • Satyananda Stokes of Kotgarh
  • Pt. Padamdev of Bushahar
  • Surat Ram Prakash of Theog
  • Kanhaiya Lal Butail of Palampur
  • Thakur Gauri Dutt of Koti
  • Babu Kanshi Ram of Kunihar

Civil Disobedience Movement

• Regional Participation: Congress workers in Shimla and Kangra actively organized rallies and processions.
• Prominent Shimla Arrests:
  • Lala Gendamal,
  • Dr. Nand Lal Verma,
  • Dwarka Prasad,
  • Dinanath Andhi
  • Roop Lal Mehta,
• Prominent Shimla Arrests of women :
  • Satyawati Khosla
  • Lakshmi Devi,
• Mass Incarceration (Shimla): Starting July 20, 1930,around 500 Satyagrahis were arrested and sent to prisons in Shimla, Ambala, Ludhiana, Multan, Lahore, Montgomery, and Amritsar.
• Mass Incarceration (Kangra): By October 1930, an additional 700 Satyagrahis were arrested in the Kangra region.

Relevant Events: Gandhi-Irwin Talks (1931)

• Initial Meeting (March 1931): Viceroy Lord Irwin invited Gandhiji to Shimla to address the Civil Disobedience Movement. He was accompanied by Jawaharlal Nehru, Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Madan Mohan Malaviya, and Dr. Ansari.
• Follow-up (May 5, 1931): Gandhiji returned to Shimla for further talks and delivered a speech at the Ridge Maidan.
• Signing the Agreement (August 25, 1931): Gandhiji visited Shimla again to sign the Irwin-Gandhi agreement. He was accompanied by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and Sir Prabhashankar Pattani.

Relevant Impact of World War II (1939)

• Continued Political Activity: Following the start of WWII on September 3, 1939, large Congress political conferences continued in Kangra and other hill areas.
• Congress Expansion: Around 60 Congress Committees were established across the Kangra and Hamirpur regions.
• British Suppression: To counter the growing influence of the Congress , the British government filed false claims against major leaders, made arrests, and enforced the Defense of India Act.
• Kangra Arrests: Baba Kanshi Ram, Baisakhi Ram, and Brahmananda were arrested and held in Dharamshala Jail.
• Shimla Arrests (October 22, 1939): Active Congressmen including Dr. Nandlal Verma, Dinanath Andhi, Munshi Ahmad din, and Hariram Sharma were captured. Dr. Nand Lal Verma and Hari Ram Sharma were released unconditionally, while the others received a 6-month sentence.

Relevant Details of the Individual Satyagraha Movement

• Shimla Leaders:
  • Padamdev
  • Congress Chief Shyam Lal Khanna
  • Mahamantri Shaligram Sharma.
• Slogans: The initial slogan ‘Na Bhai Do, Na Pai Do’ strongly reverberated in the mountains and was later adapted by Pt. Padam Dev into ‘Bhai Do Na Pai Do’.
• Arrests & Imprisonment: After speaking publicly at Ganj, Padam Dev was caught by police, sent to Kaithu Jail, and spent 18 months incarcerated across Ludhiana and Gujarat jails.
• Kangra Committee (Nov 1940): Formed to conduct the satyagraha, led by Thakur Hazara Singh, Pt. Parsa Ram, and Brahmanand, with Lata Mangatram Khanna as chief of Kangra Nagar.
• Peak & Conclusion: The movement and its slogan gained massive popularity by April 1941. Gandhi officially stalled the movement on December 4, 1941, resulting in the release of all arrested leaders.

Relevant Details of the Dhami Bullet Scandal

• Initial Meeting (July 13, 1939): Volunteers of Dhami Princely State met under the chairmanship of Bhagmal Sohta, leader of the Shimla Hill States Himalaya Riyasati Praja Mandal.
• The Refusal: The Dhami Prem Pracharini Sabha requested the removal of a ban, which the Rana of Dhami refused.
• The March & Arrest (July 16, 1939): People marched toward Dhami under Bhagmal Sohta’s leadership, but he was arrested at Ghanahatti.
• The Shooting: The Rana ordered firing on the mob that had gathered near Halog Chowk, killing two people and injuring many others.
• Investigation: At the command of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru appointed lawyer Dunichand to investigate the tragic incident.

Relevant Details of the Quit India Movement

• Proposal & Launch: The Congress Working Committee passed Gandhiji’s ‘Quit India’ proposal in Wardha on July 14, 1942.
• Execution Decision: The formal decision to run the movement under Gandhiji’s leadership was made at the All India Congress Committee’s Bombay meeting on August 8, 1942.
• Regional Activity: In mountainous regions like Shimla and Kangra, marches began and slogans such as “Quit English India” and “Bhai Do Na Pai Do” gained prominence.
• Arrests in Shimla: Numerous agitators were captured, including Bhagmal Sohta, Pt. Hariram, Chaudhary Diwan Chand, Shaligram Sharma, Nand Lal Verma, Tufail Ahmad, Om Prakash Chopra, Sant Ram, and Harichand.
• Imprisonment: Those arrested faced stringent imprisonment and were relocated to jails in Punjab.
• Underground Resistance: With Gandhi in custody, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur maintained the movement from Shimla and continued publishing the “Harijan” magazine.
• Kangra Participation: Kangra Congress workers heavily supported the Satyagraha. Notable contributors included Mangat Ram Khanna, Hemraj Sood, Comrade Ramchandra, Paras Ram, Sarala Sharma, Brahmanand, and Pt. Amar Nath.
• Decline: The movement naturally slowed down after Mahatma Gandhi was released from prison in May 1944.
• End of Arrests: The arrested leaders from Himachal were finally released in September 1944.

Relevant Details of the Wavell Plan

• Announcement: On May 14, 1945, India Secretary M.L. Emery announced a political solution in the London Parliament, known as the “Wavell Plan”.
• Shimla Conference: Viceroy Lord Wavell invited Indian political parties to negotiate in Shimla on June 25, 1945.
• Conference Attendance: A total of 21 delegates participated at the “Viceregal Lodge”.
• Key Congress Figures: The delegation included President Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and several other prominent leaders.
• Advisory Role: Mahatma Gandhi traveled to Shimla to give advice, staying at the residence of Rajkumari Amrit Kaur at Manorville in Summerhill.
• Muslim League Representation: Muhammad Ali Jinnah attended as the Chief Representative of the Muslim League.
• Outcome & Failure: Congress expressed dissatisfaction with the Muslim League’s communal views. The conference ultimately failed due to the League’s persistence and officially ended on July 14 with the Viceroy’s announcement.

Relevant Details of the Formation of Interim Government

• Cabinet Mission: In May 1946, a cabinet-mission from Bartania arrived to talk to Indian leaders.
• Shimla Meetings: Negotiations involving Indian leaders, Viceroy Lord Wavell, and the Cabinet Mission took place from May 5 to May 12, 1946.
• Interim Government Creation: Despite the Muslim League’s initial fanaticism, Viceroy Lord Wavell successfully established an interim government.
• Official Formation: The Congress officially formed the interim government in India on September 2, 1946.
• League Integration: Muslim League leaders eventually understood the wisdom of participating and joined the government on October 26, 1946.