________________
Jallianwala Baug massacre, a nation-wide Majumdar were working with dauntless courage. programme of boycotting the British titles, courts Latika Ghosh, an oxford educated teacher and academic institutions as well as the picketing organised the Mahila Rashtriya Sangha in 1928 to of liquor-shops was launched. Gandhi asked mobilise women for political work. Its women women to respond with their might and women did members wanted Swaraj and an improved status not disappoint him. Women contributed generously for women. Latika Ghosh mobilised women by to Tilak Swaraj Fund by giving money and jewellery. evoking the stories of the battles between Devis Gandhiji's language had a direct appeal for women. (goddesses) and Asuras (demons), the Shakti He compared the British rule with Ravan-rajya, and image and the deeds of the Rajput women. In 1928, said that as Sita did not co-operate with Ravana, Subhash Bose decided that uniformed women so the Indian people must not co-operate with this volunteers would march with men in the procession Rakshasi - Sarkar (devil's rule).
to inaugurate the annual Congress meeting in The programme of boycott of courts and schools
Calcutta. He made Latika Ghosh a Colonel and was accepted by the Congress on August 10, 1920. gave her responsibility for this which she performed In September 1920 the non-cooperation resolution very well. In response to the call of the Congress, was put in the Congress session at Calcutta and
Nari Satyagraha Samiti was formed in 1929 in was ratified at Nagpur in December same year.
Calcutta with Urmila Devi as its president. April 6-13, 1921 was declared Satyagraha week,
ek Jyotimayee Ganguli as vice-president, Santi Das women started participating in meeting organised
and Bimal Protiba Devi as joint-secretaries. during this week. They started Rashtriya Stree
Women from middle class families attracted public Sangh in Bengal. Volunteers responded to C. R.
attention when they joined the processions or Das's call to sell Khadi on streets of Calcutta. His
picketed the foreign-goods shops. Some women's wife Basanti Devi and his sister Urmila Devi were
organisa-tions in Calcutta like Nari Satyagraha among the arrested on 7 December 1921, but
Committee and Rashtriya Mahila Sangh, had played released soon. Soon crowds gathered to exert
an important role in breaking the salt law. pressure on the police to release women. The next
Gujarat was not to be left behind. Women day, December 8, 1921, the city was in commotion, participated in Borsad Satyagraha of 1923-24 in When women from Das family resumed picketing large numbers
large numbers. Thousands of women came to cloth shops and selling Khadi, many women
Gandhi's meeting, and remained firm even when volunteers and students joined them. Gandhi urged their cattle and property were confiscated by the women from other parts to follow the example of police. The Bardoli Satyagraha of 1928 also women from Bengal. Basanti Devi presided over witnessed increasing participation of women. the Bengal Provincial Conference at Chittagong and Women supported men in their decision of not Kasturba chaired the Gujarat Provincial Conference paying taxes, even when their cows, buffaloes and in 1922. Rameshwari Nehru started a Kumari land were confiscated. Sardar Patel noted that Sabha in Allahabad to encourage girls for public women were better than men in firmness and speaking and discussions.
forthrightness. Maniben Patel, Mithuben Petit and Women had impressive demonstrations in
Bhaktiba Desai were in the forefront of this Bengal. They sold khadi, picketed cloth and liquor
Satyagraha. Participation of thousands of rural shops and made salt. Women like Hemprabha wom
women in the Satyagraha had made it a special (૧૦૦) સત્ય-અહિંસા-અપરિગ્રહ) પ્રબુદ્ધ જીવન : ગાંધી સાર્ધશતાબ્દી વિશેષાંક (ઑકટોબર- ૨૦૧૮)
