Samipya 1991 Vol 08 Ank 01 02

Author(s): Pravinchandra C Parikh, Bhartiben Shelat
Publisher: Bholabhai Jeshingbhai Adhyayan Sanshodhan Vidyabhavan

Page 75

thrown in the eyes of the chawkidars of the schools and two policemen were also encuffed.46
They prepared bombs also at Rambag in Dhari.47 A letter with wet phosphorus was dropped in a Post Box and it resulted in the burning of the letters of that box. Shri Gunvantrai Purohit, Jashwant Mehta and Ratubhai Adani had cut telephone wires at Chalala and Dhari*8 and had fallen down 32 telephone polls also. Their slogan was “Azadi Leke Rahenge Ya Marenge".
In Porbandar State the fishermen known as the Kharvas played important role in this movement. Due to Praja Mandal and its activities this socially and economically backward community was awakened. They organised public meetings and demonstration opposing export of goods badly needed by the people of their state. The leaders were arrested and it provoked the common people. Digubba and Fatubha of Limbdi State were the brothers of the Rani of Porbandar. They were notorious for their atrocities on people of their state of Limbdi in 1939. They were invited here and they dealt with the situation with heavy hand. They employed the Mers who arrested not only Gandhian agitators but also the businessmen and middle class people. So the state lost the sympathy of the common people.
Thus we can say that in many princely states of Saurashtra, the Quit India Movement had taken place and a good number of people participated in it or sympathized with it. A number of public meetings were held with attendance varying from 50 to 2000 people. Strikes were observed by students and the educational institutions were picketed. Many of the picketers were arrested.49 The majority of the active participants were of 15-40 age group. Most of them were pleaders, teachers, businessmen or peasants. Many of them were from Bania, Brahmin and Nagar families. Women also participated in this movement quite actively and proved their worth. A section of freedom fighters were the believers in violent means. Though there was an ideological difference of opinion about the Gandhian theory of non-violence. The activities like to cut telephone wires to damage postal boxes, to remove fish plates of railway, to plunder trains and to loot postbags, had the support of Gandhiii. He held the British Raj responsible for this condition. The staunch supporter of nonviolence and follower of Gandhiji's ideology, Mr. Kishorlal Mashruwala had also considered violent activities of sabotage as non-violent opposition. But there were nationalist leaders following two different and quite opposite to each other ideologies. Thus their means were different but the aim was common of getting independence. The nationalist workers could breathe with satisfaction that they were also with the main stream of the country and they were not isolated. For the first time the people of British India and Princely India had marched together with common programme to get freedom. Except the specified activities they had also done many constructive activities. The leaders and workers of the Princely Saurashtra made a name in social
Quit India Movement in Princely States of Saurashtra
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