Dogs & Indians Not Allowed: The Signboard That Sparked a Lifetime of Resistance
2
Nagpur: At 95, her voice still carries the conviction of youth. From the verandah of her modest Nagpur home, surrounded by fading black-and-white photographs, Leelatai Chitale recalls the precise moment that set her life's course.
Outside a British-run hotel in the early 1940s, she saw a signboard that read: "Dogs and Indians Not Allowed." "It was not just an insult to me," she said, her eyes moist yet defiant. "It was an insult to every Indian - to our dignity, our humanity. I knew then that I had to fight, whatever it took."
A Turning Point in Adolescence
Chitale was just 10 when she encountered that signboard. British officers were welcome inside; Indians were not.
"We were made to feel like intruders in our own land," she recalled. The sting of that humiliation became the cornerstone of her political awakening. She began attending meetings organised by student activists and was soon part of underground networks - distributing pamphlets, participating in protests, and helping fellow freedom fighters from police crackdowns.
Facing the Crackdown
Nagpur was a hub of resistance during the 1940s, and British repression was swift.
Chitale narrowly escaped arrest during a 1942 student protest. "The police were brutal. We were chased, beaten, and threatened. I narrowly escaped arrest only because I was underage, though I still spent several hours being held at the police station. But fear had no place - the humiliation we endured was far worse than any beating." She credits the courage of the women who fought alongside her, often defying both colonial power and conservative social norms.
"We didn't just fight the British; we fought mindsets that believed girls should stay home. As women, we were very determined."
Ideals That Endure
Even now, Chitale remains active in community work, often speaking to schoolchildren about the freedom struggle. Her reverence for both
Mahatma Gandhi
and B.R. Ambedkar is unwavering. "Gandhi gave India its conscience; Ambedkar, its structure. Without either, the Constitution is incomplete."
She warns that it must be harder to amend, to prevent political misuse. Religion in politics draws her sharpest criticism. "We fought to unite this country, yet leaders today use religion to divide. My only identity is Indian."
From Camps to the Constitution
A veteran of youth camps that taught service before self, Chitale laments that today's generation is encouraged to accept before giving. Her advice to young Indians is blunt: "Think for yourself.
Don't be a pawn. Learn your rights and defend them." Her memories mix admiration and disillusionment - praising former Premier Indira Gandhi's early leadership but calling the 1975 Emergency a betrayal. She also joined Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra, finding him "genuine and sincere" with "the qualities to make a remarkable Prime Minister.
"
The Tiranga and the Unfinished Fight
For Chitale, the Tiranga remains more than a flag - it is a reminder of unity, courage, and justice. "From August 15, 1947, we became Indians first. The fight for India didn't end that day - it will never end. It is yours to continue."
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