Dr. Hedgewar was monitoring all movements/struggles striving to achieve complete independence of India. That was the reason that Doctor ji devoted all his time to develop Swayamsevaks or freedom fighters in lacs despite his deteriorating health. He had correctly anticipated the crumbling of British empire before and after impending world war-II. He had foreseen possible alignments of different countries on the emerging world stage. According to him time was ripe for giving a final deciding blow to British imperialism to achieve complete freedom for undivided India.
Unsung Farsighted General of Freedom Fighters
It was not only Dr. Hedgewar but also Trilokyanath Chakravarty of Anushilan Samiti, Veer Savarkar, Subash Chander Bose, etc. who shared Nationalist and visionary action plans of Dr. Hedgewar. They believed that by taking advantage of Britain’s delicate and precarious situation, we had a golden chance to win independence. Totally ceased of the fast-changing political scenario at the world stage Doctor ji had planned an armed revolution against British rule.
Noting that world is fast heading towards world war, farsighted Doctor ji had said “Losing this opportunity will be foolishness. If we fail to strike at this right time decisively, the Britishers will become stronger and they will leave us only after dividing our country. There is a need for a well-planned armed revolution to foil the design of British government to divide our country. Once the torch of revolution for freedom is raised, our army Jawans will also join us and rise against British rule.”
History is witness to the fact that Doctor ji’s forecasting and warning proved true. There was rebellion among three wings of armed forces at several places. Subhash Bose took the command of Azad Hind Fauj and launched his campaign against British imperialism from the east. Whole Nation participated in the Quit India movement. At the same time, Doctor ji had warned that if a strong and formidable Hindu force was not organised, Muslim league, some elements of Congress and Britishers will conspire together to divide this centuries old Nation.
War- Strategy of Subhash, Savarkar and Dr. Hedgewar
Veer Savarkar, Subhash Bose, Trilokyanath Chakravarty along with Dr. Hedgewar were busy planning an unstoppable armed revolution against British government. It is important to know that both Doctor ji and Subhash Bose had similar views. Both were strongly against dominion status. Nothing short of total independence for undivided India was acceptable to them. To achieve their goal, they were in favour of all types of movements, violent or nonviolent, through any viable and feasible means. Both were against any partition of India. Both were waiting for the opportunity that seemed very close to the happening of world war. That moment seemed very near.
Doctor ji had predicted the second world war just after the first world war. The Congress party had made a mistake of supporting British imperialism in the first world war. At that time “great rebellion” (Mahavipplav) being coordinated by Doctor ji had failed to take off because of Congress support to Britishers. This time Doctor ji wanted every step to be taken very cautiously. During that time in January, 1938 Subhash Chander Bose on his tour of England and Australia, also sensed impending world war in the European political scene. He was in favour of dual political strategy. On one hand an intense Nation-wide agitation to be launched at the domestic front and on other hand support from enemy countries of Britain to be sought. Dr. Hedgewar and Savarkar were in favour of this strategy. But it created a deep rift between Congress led by Gandhiji and Subhash Bose. Gandhi ji favoured nonviolent approach while Subhash Bose wanted every means (violent or nonviolent) should be used to defeat the Britishers to achieve the goal.
Leaders favouring Gandhiji compelled Subhash Chander Bose to resign from the post of president of Congress on 29th April, 1939. Subhash Bose formed Forward Block with his supporters in the Congress on 3rd May, 1939. He launched a campaign to unite all Nationalist forces outside Congress party. He came to Mumbai with that purpose and contacted Veer Savarkar, a leader of Hindu Mahasabha. After detailed discussions they sent two famous Nationalist leaders Dr. Sanjagiri and Balaji Huddar to Nagpur to consult Dr. Hedgewar. They told Doctor ji that they were in favour of taking advantage of the prevailing political scenario and launching an armed revolution against Britishers. Doctor ji agreed on this and suggested a coordinated joint Nationwide revolution.
Growing Sangh-Network and Fast Deteriorating Health of Dr. Hedgewar
The opportunity for which Dr. Hedgewar had waited for 20 years, was in front of him but his body was not supporting him. Speed of deterioration of Doctor ji’s health was more than the speed of Sangh expansion as if both were competing against each other. Dr. Hedgewar went to Rajgir in Bihar for treatment on the insistence of some senior Sangh leaders on 31st January, 1940. Even there he could not calm the turbulence undergoing in his mind about freedom of our country. One day just after taking food when he had just slept, he started whispering in his sleep “See 1941 is approaching, we still are not independent. But we will get the independence at any cost.” He was worried about the Nation even while in his sleep. His thought of armed revolution was taking real shape. Gandhiji’s ‘Quit India movement had rocked all the Nation and some of Indian soldiers rose in rebellion against British government. RSS workers leaving aside their Sangh identity joined the Quit India movement with full devotion. According to historian Devender Swaroop, initially the outcome of war was going against Allied Nations in Europe. Hitler overran France on 13th June, 1940. On 16th June Mussolini of Italy jumped in the war against Allied Nations. British forces retreated from France and fled to their country. Subhash Bose and Doctor ji were eager to take advantage of the situation. Subhash Bose had to deal with Gandhi leadership on one hand and British government on the other hand. On the other hand, Doctor ji was thinking about Sangh work and his approaching death.
Struggle for Complete Freedom till his Last Breath
Doctor ji had astonishing self-control and strong will power. A few days before his demise, Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee had come to see Dr. Hedgewar. During those days a Sangh training camp was being held in Nagpur. He knew about the illness of Dr. Hedgewar. He wanted to enquire about his health and have some discussion about Muslim attacks on Hindus in Bengal. Doctor ji welcomed him warmly even in that extreme weakness. Dr. Hedgewar had have a temperature of 104 degrees at that time, even then he discussed different issues for half an hour. Dr. Hedgewar had consented to the plan of armed revolution by Veer Savarkar and Subhash Bose.
Flowing Tears were Expression of his State of Restless Mind
Right from childhood to his last breaths, Doctor ji worked relentlessly for freedom of the Nation. This dedicated and totally committed soldier of freedom struggle, had his last wish to see his undivided country as completely independent. But his passionate prayers were not heeded by his body nor by God. One Marathi poet has expressed Doctor ji’s state of mind which translated in English “Oh the God of death! You go back this time. Let me see with my own eyes my childhood dream of seeing my motherland in total freedom heading majestically towards her lost throne of pristine glory. After this I shall myself come to you very happily.”
On 19th June,1940, Subhash Chander Bose came to discuss the planning of revolution against Britishers. Almost at the same moment Doctor ji had a spell of much needed sleep. Seeing this Subhash Bose told attendants not to disturb him. He told them to let him sleep and that he would come later. When Doctor ji came to know about this he was greatly upset asking why he was not awakened when such a great patriot had come to meet him. He further said that it was not fair and that Subhash Bose be called back. But by then Subhash Bose had left.
On the 21st June, 1940, Dr. Hedgewar left his mortal body. Eye witnesses of that moment have mentioned that Doctor ji had wept profusely. It is surprising that a person who had sacrificed all his personal and his family’s ambitions and desires, would have some regrets during his last moments. A person of iron strong personality would feel so weak that he would weep. Answer lies in the fact that his childhood desire for which he sacrificed all his life and personal ambitions, could not be fulfilled in his lifetime. This agony flowed in the form of a stream of tears from his eyes.
………………to be continued
(Writer is senior journalist and columnist)
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