Nationalist mobilization in Kanpur City (1919-1947)

Abstract

The city of Kanpur has a glorious and heroic tale to tell in this epoch-making period of Indian history (i.e. 1919-47) which marks the most stupendous and influential period of Indian independence struggle. The first chapter is a study of the evolution of Kanpur city, covering its geography also but more emphasis has been laid on its growth as a major cantonment town and heightened political activity which acquired considerable pace during the closing years of the nineteenth century. The revolt of 1857 constitutes an important landmark as Kanpur was one of the major centres of the rebellion and had two of the most notable people associated with that seminal event- Dhondu Pant alias Nana Saheb and Azeemullah, Nana Saheb s chief adviser. This period also marks the genesis of Indian National Movement (INM) and Kanpur had an enlightened and resourceful pantheon of leaders like Pt. Prithvinath Chak, Maulana Hasrat Mohani, Narayan Prasad Arora, Jawaharlal Rohatgi, Ganesh Shankar Vidhyarthi, Hamid Khan etc. The activities carried out in the city during the first decade of the twentieth century were to act as a catalyst for the upcoming struggle which is mainly identified with Gandhian era. The second chapter marks the period of my thesis and it covers the nationalist activities that went on in the city from 1919- 25. From the beginning of anti Rowlatt satyagraha which marks the entry of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi as the undisputed leader of the Indian National Congress, the paramount force of the freedom struggle. Leaders like N.P.Arora, G.S.Vidhyarthi, Hasrat Mohani and Rohatgi Brothers (Murarilal and Jawaharlal) made great efforts to mobilize the masses in the city and with the launching of the Non-Cooperation and Khilafat movements in 1920, Kanpur had fully landed itself in the cause of freedom. Muslim participation was immense as the city had a substantial Muslim population (mainly in tannery industry) and the issue of Khilafat ignited their passions as the case of Machchli Bazaar Mosque incident of the city.