Hamirpur in Nagpur Flag Movement

In 1924 after Chauri Chaura massacre Mahatma Gandhi once said  that he will not start the movement until the environment of violence will not stop in the country. At the same time, some people in Nagpur Civil Lines, was trying to hoist the flag. At that time only British colony was there. They said to the revolutionaries not to fly the flag in civil lines only our flag 'Union Jack' can be flown. The issue rises quickly all over the country,Congress started Jhanda Satyagrah at Nagpur, against the local law prohibiting the use of flag in Nagpur. Soon people from all the states began to reach Nagpur. they were beaten and arrested and were jailed by British on charges of breach act 144 . Agitators from all over the india began to reach there and Nagpur flag movement was started.but no any person from Bundelkhand was reach there. so Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru called Deewan Shatrughan Singh to his home Anand Bhawan Allahabad and demanded some agitators for Nagpur flag movement.

5 revolutionary from Jarakhar was ready to go in Nagpur flag movement. SripatiSahay Rawat, Kirat, Indrajit, pancham Luhar and grove AB. They all dressed and reached Allahabad where Pt Nehru explained about the brutality of police and provided identity card. They reached Nagpur through Jabalpur and Gondia. There were total of 150 volunteers train from Uttar Pradesh. they fly the flag in the train and announced that no one will not remove any of these flags until the single revolutionary alive.Some Englishmen were also traveling in the train. When the train stopped at the Balaghat  station a rail guard  came to the agotators coaches and said "Tum log paidal jana mangta" agitator replied that "hum train se jana mangta lekin jhanda nahi hatana mangta" The train arrived Nagpur at 5 pm .

they all got out through a different gate. Police team surrounded them and beaten through the gun bunk until they were bled. Some people's bones were broken. Shripati Sahay Rawat deeply injured to his chest. After then they were sent to jail by the truck.The Chain of iron were put on at the foot of each Satyagrahis. and provided iron pan to eat and a bowl to drink water. Pot of soil used for the toilet. On the second day in court Section 109 imposed to all of them . Which means to stray-man were sentenced to jail for one year . In Nagpur jail the behavior towards prisoners  was inhumane by the British. The paper was made in jail. Old and useless paper files were put in the tank to rot . These files were attached bu iron pins which  causes the pain.If they refused to do work the jailer trapped by heavy wooden stick between his two legs . thus they feel difficulty in walking and sitting. sometimes they put handcuffs and nailed to the wall. They were given rotten pulses and bread  of coarse flour to eat.

The warden of Nagpur  jail was a resident of Ireland who always used comments on prisoners . on the other hand flag movement was on in full swing. The British began tensioned . He had no idea that this phenomena will spread all over India and will turn to movement. The whole MP jails were filled by the patriots and the case was mounting continuously. A meeting of MP council was held and a bill was passed that the India's national flag can anywhere in India.

A Congress procession was marched out under Makhan Lal Chaturvedi . The British government became silentl and MP government left all the prisionars together. All the five revolutionary of Hamirpur returned to Kulphad by train.

Credits: Samar Gatha by Dr Bhawani deen
Image: www.hoix.org

Categories: History