Youth pay tribute to freedom fighters on anniversary of Quit India movement in Mysuru

The Hindu

3 days ago

The younger generation took the lead in marking the Quit India movement anniversary and made floral offerings to the bust of Mahatma Gandhi at Subbarayanakere Grounds, here on Saturday.
Activists and students gathered for a quiet remembrance of the historic call for freedom from the British when Mahatma Gandhi gave the Quit India call on August 8, 1942, in Mumbai (then Bombay), with the movement officially beginning on August 9, 1942.
The occasion was also remembered by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who was in the city on Saturday. He extended his greetings to the people, recalling the Quit India Movement and the sacrifices made by millions that culminated in the country gaining independence from the British rule.
The Quit India movement was also the final phase of India's freedom struggle; but for Mysuru, this holds even more significance as it heralded the entry of the region to the mainstream national movement against British imperialism.
Historians attribute the late entry of the Mysuru region to the freedom movement to the benevolent nature of the rule of the latter Wadiyars, which provided cushioning from the despotism of the British rule.
The Mysore Gazetteer notes that national consciousness had already permeated among the masses during the early 1900s, and inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, there were social movements promoting 'khadi', seeking ban on liquor, promotion of swadeshi goods, temple entry movement, etc.
Tagadur Ramachandra Rao had started Khaddar movement to popularise the use of 'khadi' to help rural communities earn their livelihood, a cause supported by Mahatma Gandhi, who visited Mysuru twice.
When the Quit India call was issued, the student community and activists in Mysuru were on the forefront, and inspired by the national tide, the region witnessed rallies, processions, and snap strikes.
The decades of groundwork done to improve social conditions had also paved way for an undercurrent of nationalistic sentiments, culminating in students' participation in the movement in a big way.
Till recently in Mysuru, anniversaries of important events associated with freedom struggle used to be graced by the generation which participated in those events. But with each passing year, their numbers are on the decline and that generation is fast fading away. But given the importance of the event, the spirit of the struggle and the reverence for their sacrifices, continue to be recalled.