72nd Independence Day : 9th to 15th August Observe a Week of Azadi Ka Paigam (Message of Freedom)

Message from India’s Freedom Struggle

Resolve to Re-live the Unity of Indians against Colonialism, Subjugation and Exploitation!

Uphold the Sovereignty of India against Sell Out of Our Economic Independence at the Hands of Foreign Financial Institutions!

‘Divide and Rule’ Strategy Could Not Save the Colonial Rulers, Let It Not Help Shielding of Today’s Company Raj As Well!

This 15^th August India will celebrate the 72^nd Independence Day. Millions of Indians fought the battle against colonialism and defeated an empire that took pride in the saying that ‘The Sun Does Not Set in British Empire”. 15^th August, 1947 marked the strength of will of Indians against subjugation, inequality and colonialism.

As we prepare to celebrate the 72^nd years of our freedom, let us look back at the nature of the colonial rule. Let us look back at what was it that we fought, what is it that defines our nationhood, what is it that makes us proud in our history.

The Nature of Colonial Rule- Economic Exploitation, Racist Subjugation of Indians, Brutal Silencing of Dissent and the Strategy of ‘Divide and Rule’:

Colonialism arrived in India through the blood sucking profiteering of the British East India Company. India was a source of cheap labour, wide market and vast resources for the colonial rulers.

The plantation industry of the British Raj in North East as well as in other British colonies flourished on the blood and sweat of Indian workers who were treated as slaves in these industries.

Our agriculture was destroyed to serve the purpose of the British Raj. Forceful imposition of commercialization destroyed economic sustainability and financial independence of Indian farmers. Our traditional industries were destroyed so that India becomes a market of the Industrial products of United Kingdom.

The economic subjugation of India was maintained through forceful political subjugation of the Indian people by the British Raj. The racist rule of the British Raj was maintained through innumerable black laws such as the Rowlatt Act and the Public Safety Bill that were imposed to suppress dissent of Indians against the colonial rule.

India’s Struggle for Independence- the Glorious Fight of Indian People that Shaped Our Nationhood:

The British East India Company spread its economic control over Indian land through regional battles with different kings. It was the revolt of 1857 that showed them the might of unity of Indians for the first time. The spirit of the revolt of 1857 to reclaim the motherland from colonial rulers as expressed in the song written by Azimulla Khan ‘Hum hai iske malik, ye Hindustan hamara’ shook the basis of the colonial rule. Although the revolt of 1857 was crushed brutally by the colonial rulers, the ignited mind of millions of Indians continued the battle against colonialism.

As we approach the 72^nd Independence Day, let us remember the sacrifices made by innumerable Indians to attain freedom. Let us celebrate the unity of people of our land against subjugation. Bahadur Shah Zafar, Rani Laxmi Bai, Khudiram Bose, Batukeshwar Dutt, Binay-Badal-Dinesh, Chandrashekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh, Asfaqulla Khan- these are only names among the thousands of Indians who sacrificed life for freedom.

Celebrating the spirit of freedom struggle, AISA will observe a week of Azadi Ka Paigam- the Message of India’s Freedom Struggle from 9^th August to 15^th August.

9^th August- The Historic Quit India Movement Started in 1942. People of India Declared the Final War against Colonialism.

11^th August- Khudiram Bose, a brave freedom fighter was hanged at the age of 18 by Colonial Rulers in 1908.

13th August- Tikendrajit Singh and Thangal General were hanged by British Colonialists in 1891 in Imphal for ‘Waging War’ against the British Empire.

15th August- The Sacrifices and Martyrdom of countless Indians for their own country, against the rithless colonial regime brought us independence.

Today’s Rulers Following the Footsteps of British Raj?

Fight Back All Attempts by the Present Government to Compromise Our Hard Earned Sovereignty, Integrity and Unity-

In the first parliamentary session of the Modi 2.0 regime, the government passed several laws, amended many others that have dangerous implications for the rights of Indian citizens and sovereignty of Indian nation.

• The first budget of the Modi2.0 regime welcomed the free flow of Foreign Direct Investment in aviation, insurance and deference. In the name of creating 5 trillion dollar economy, the Finance Minister declared taking loan from foreign financial institutions. The combined effect of these policies is going to make Indian Economy hostage at the hands of foreign financial institutions. The come-back of Company Raj similar to the days of East India Company must be fought back by Indians who inherit the glorious legacy of the freedom struggle.

• In the first session of the Parliament the Modi 2.0 regime has amended the Right to Information Act making way for hiding crucial information from citizens. It has introduced dangerous amendment to laws like the UAPA that will render individual citizens as ‘terrorist’ whenever the party in power feels threatened by questions being raised. These amendments remind us of the black laws during colonial regime like the Rowlatt Act or the Public Safety Bill (Bhagat Singh and his comrades were arrested for rebelling against this bill) that were used to suppress dissent against the British Raj.

• Two dangerous anti-worker bills have been passed from Parliament- Code on Wages 2019 (WC) and the Occupational Health, Safety and Working Conditions Code 2019 (OHSC). These two bills will give free hand to corporates and companies to deny every right of the workers. The government is freeing the companies to comply with labour rights such as minimum wages. These bills remind us of how the British Raj exploited the Indian workers to guarantee super profit of the economy of the United Kingdom.

• The Draft National Education Policy 2019 proposes a design of closure of government schools and colleges. The Draft proposes a law to invite Foreign Universities. It gives a free hand to private schools and colleges to proliferate and charge high fee for ‘selling’ education. Today’s regime is more interested in appeasing the foreign education mafia to fetch profit from Indian education than to guarantee equitable and accessible education to millions of Indians.

• The Constitution of India that defines the sovereignty of Indian people in determining their future is being subverted in every possible way today. The BJP government is hell bent in killing federalism. The way Article 370 and article 35A that respected the existence of Kashmir within Indian federal structure have been discarded by the BJP ruled central government in the most authoritarian way. After deploying heavy military forces in Kashmir, imposing curfew, placing leaders in house arrest, Amit Shah declared scrapping of these two articles.

• The ‘Divide and Rule’ policy of the colonial rulers seems to be the favourite strategy of today’s rulers as well. The RSS that controls today’s BJP led central government thoroughly sided with the British Raj while Indians were fighting for freedom. The strategies communal division adopted by the British Raj are thus the favourite strategy of the BJP today.

Indians fought the mighty British Raj forging Unity across religion, language and regions. AISA calls upon the student-youth to observe a Week of Message of Freedom Struggle from 9^th to 15^th August to reassert the spirit of freedom struggle. Let us defeat the poison of communal division. Let us unite to reclaim our rights that our hard earned freedom promised us.

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