Republic Day 26 January 1930
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| 26 January 1930 |
“Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom”.
Most Indians recognize 26 January as Republic Day, but not many are aware that on 26 January 1930, exactly 20 years before India became a republic, the Indian National Congress in an electrifying resolution declared Purna Swaraj — complete freedom from the British Raj. From then on, it was a question of when — not if —India would become free.
By 1920 Indian nationalist leaders were convinced that contrary to what the British government had promised during World War 1, few, if any, of their demands, would be met. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre, the disturbances in Punjab and the Rowlatt Act (which indefinitely extended ‘emergency measures’ enacted by the government during the war) added to the sense of gloom. The British failure to heed the grievances of the leaders of the Khilafat movement over the disintegration of the Turkish Empire alienated a large section of Indian Muslims. All this culminated in the non-cooperation movement that was launched on 1 August 1920. The Khilafat movement, which Mahatma Gandhi endorsed, ran parallel to the non-cooperation movement.
‘Non-cooperation’ was a call to Indians to surrender all titles and government posts, boycott functions of the British government and shun foreign articles. It also stressed on developing small-scale industries, using swadeshi articles and maintaining communal harmony.
Gandhi called the non-cooperation movement after a mob in Chauri Chaura set a police station on fire, killing 22 people. As the first mass movement of its kind in India, it led to tangible gains. In their book, India’s Struggle for Independence Bipan Chandra and other historians write: “After non-cooperation, the charge of representing a ‘microscopic minority,’ made by the Viceroy, Dufferin, in 1888, could never again be hurled at the Indian National Congress. Its reach among many sections of Indian peasants, workers, artisans, shopkeepers, traders, professionals, white-collar employees, had been demonstrated…The capacity of the ‘poor dumb millions’ of India to take part in modern nationalist politics was also demonstrated.
Gandhi was arrested in March 1922. He was released from jail in February 1924 on health grounds. Meanwhile, there was a split in the Congress ranks, with a section calling themselves ‘Swarajists’ in favor of working with the councils instead of boycotting them. The most important Swarajists were C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru. Gandhi intervened between the two sides and brought about a rapprochement, agreeing that the Swarajist Party would work in the legislatures on behalf of the Congress.
Motilal Nehru called for the framing of a new Constitution to transfer real power to India in the first session of the central legislative assembly. The demand was passed. There were other moral victories for the Swarajists. The government faced severe criticism for its repression of dissent. C.R. Das said: “Repression is a process in the consolidating of arbitrary power — and I condemn the violence of the government for repression is the most violent form of violence.
However, as the 1920s progressed, the nationalist movement seemed a little confused and lacking in coherence. Ironically, it was the British who provided a spark which re-ignited a nationwide struggle. This was the infamous Simon Commission, which was set up ostensibly to discuss further reforms for India, but without a single Indian on board. The backlash was immediate. In January 1928 Gandhi wrote in Young India: “The act of appointment (of the Simon Commission) needs for an answer, not speeches, however heroic they may be, not declarations, however brave they may be, but the corresponding action.
As soon as the Commission arrived in Bombay on 3 February 1928, it was met by protestors carrying black flags. Protests spread to major Indian cities, with the Congress at the forefront of the opposition. In one such protest in Lahore, the senior Congress leader Lala Lajpat Rai was severely injured in a brutal police lathi-charge and later died on account of his injuries.
The Congress appointed its own commission, led by Motilal Nehru, to propose constitutional reforms for the country. The Nehru Report called for self-government for India under dominion status of the British Empire. However, a younger generation of Congress leaders such as Motilal’s son Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose felt the demand for dominion status was asking for too little. Eventually, in its December 1928 session in Calcutta, the Congress passed a resolution calling for the British to grant dominion status to India within one year: failure to do so would lead to a Congress call for complete independence.
With no concessions forthcoming from the government, the stage was set in December 1929 for the Congress to pass a historic resolution at its Lahore session.
The “Indian Declaration of Independence” of 26 December 1929 boldly stated: “We believe that it is the inalienable right of the Indian people, as of any other people, to have freedom and to enjoy the fruits of their toil and have the necessities of life, so that they may have full opportunities of growth. We believe also that if any government deprives people of these rights and oppresses them; the people have a further right to alter it or to abolish it. The British Government in India has not only deprived the Indian people of their freedom but has based itself on the exploitation of the masses, and has ruined India economically, politically, culturally, and spiritually. We believe, therefore, that India must sever the British connection and attain Purna Swaraj, or complete independence.”
The Congress declared 26 January 1930 as ‘Independence Day’, when the Declaration of Independence was officially promulgated. However, since 15 August became the official Independence Day in 1947, the new Indian Constitution took effect on 26 January 1950, to mark the 1930 declaration. That’s why 26 January is a special day in India’s history in more ways than one.
Why Do We Celebrate Republic Day?
The importance of the Republic Day of India goes well beyond the fact that it is one of the three national holidays of the country. It is the day which marks the adoption of the Constitution of India by the people. The pledge in the preamble to our constitution talks of India as a “sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic, republic”. Each of these is an idea that forms the foundation on which this nation is built. Republic Day reminds us of the elevated values enshrined in this sacred document that we call our Constitution.
The Republic Day is a day of national pride. The grand display of military pride serves as a reminder that the security of our territorial sovereignty comes at the cost of many sacrifices. The development that we achieve each year takes us further ahead on the path that our freedom fighters had dreamed of. It is a reminder that we may claim with dignity the Fundamental Rights that our Constitution guarantees but at the same time we are also bound to perform the Fundamental Duties that this very Constitution prescribes.
Republic Day Celebrations
Each year we look forward to our Republic Day with great excitement and enthusiasm. The arrival of the President, the unfurling of the flag, the 21 gun salute, the marching regiments, the state tableaus, the performances by school children – each of these leaves us full of pride, each of these lends meaning to our Republic Day. There is, however, much more to the Republic Day celebrations. The President’s visit to the Amar Jawan Jyoti at the start of the day is a homage to all those who sacrifice their lives at the altar of patriotism. The gallantry awards awarded on this day are meant to teach us the value of courage and valor. The appearance of young children, recipients of the National Bravery Award, is meant to inspire us into selfless acts.
The Republic Day is also an exercise in direction setting for the country as a whole. We look forward to the Chief Guest – usually a dignitary, a head of state or government from a friendly country. This is of great significance. It tells us of the diplomatic, economic, and military relations between that country and our own. This year we are set to witness an unprecedented occurrence. The heads of 10 South East Asian countries – Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam – are set to attend the Republic day celebrations as Chief Guests. It speaks of the great importance that India places on building relationships with other countries in the continent.
Conclusion
When we are asked “What is Republic Day?” we can merely choose to refer to the parade and the fact that it is a national holiday. We can, on the other hand, choose to reflect on the deeper significance of the day, the various conventions that are followed, and the importance of the Constitution which is an all-encompassing document which embraces India’s diversity and upholds equality, justice, and liberty.
This year when we talk about our Republic Day let it be from a place of deep personal commitment to the national building process. Our nation may be vast but we are its building blocks and our Republic Day brings with it a reminder to strengthen ourselves and dedicate ourselves to bringing our country its due pride. Let this be our dream, our ambition, and our pledge on 26 January this year.
