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Purna
Swaraj
Platinum
Jubilee of Declaration of `Purna Swaraj' Celebrated
 NEW
DELHI: A public meeting organized by the Freedom Movement
Memorial committee to commemorate the `Platinum Jubilee
of the Declaration of Purna Swaraj,' held on 27.01.2005
in the premises of Secular House, 1- Aruna Asaf Ali Marg,
New Delhi, was inaugurated by Shri M.V. Rajasekharan, Minister
of state for Planning and presided over by Shri Shashi Bhushan,
ex-M.P. The meeting was addressed by Dr. K. Keshava Rao,
president of Andhra PCC, Shri Francis Fanthome, M.P, Prof.
Tulsi Ram of Jawaharlal Nehru University, Shri Ram Babu
Sharma, president DPCC, veteran freedom fighters Sardar
Harbans Singh, Shri Amrish Gautam, MLA & Shri Ramesh
Dutta, Dy. Mayor of Delhi.
The
speakers highlighted the historic role of the Indian National
Congress in galvanizing the struggle for freedom by declaring
`complete Independence' as the cherished goal of the Congress,
calling upon the people of India to observe 26th
January every year as the `Independence Day". The Declaration
had given a new turn to the freedom struggle led by Mahatma
Gandhi and Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru.
A
resolution was unanimously passed reiterating the pledge
to combat the forces of fundamentalism, fascism and neo-imperialism
who opposed our freedom struggle and are still pursuing
the same policies which are divisive and parochial.
Resolution
The
resolution was proposed by Shri Daljit Sen Adel, general
secretary, Freedom Movement Memorial Committee and seconded
by Shri B.M. Sehgal, Shri Harbans Singh, Shri Amrish Gautam,
MLA, Shri Mir Singh, Councillor, Shri Ramesh Dutta, Dy.
Mayor, Shri Prashant Chandar and Shri P.C. Shekar Reddy.
Seventy
five years ago, on 29th December, 1929, Indian
National Congress, the premier political organization spearheading
the campaign for the freedom of our country, on a resolution
moved by Mahatma Gandhi in the Congress Session at the banks
of Ravi in Lahore took an historic decision. Pt. Jawaharlal
Nehru, who presided over the Congress Session declared "Purna
Swaraj" as the ultimate goal of the Congress and called
upon all people to observe 26th January every
year as the "Independence Day."
The Declaration reaffirmed that it is the inalienable right
of the Indian people to have freedom and enjoy the fruits
of their toil and have the necessities of life so that they
may have full opportunities of growth. It reminded the people
that the British Government which which has deprived the
Indian people of their freedom and has based itself on the
exploitation of the masses, and has ruined India economically
and politically, culturally and spiritually, has no right
to stay in power. The people of India who were oppressed
and victimized by the British colonialists that India must
severe the British connection and attain "Purna Swaraj".
The
political situation at that time was ripe for a mass action
because barring fundamentalists, all people with patriotic,
progressive, revolutionary and social reformist outlook
were ready to combat the forces of imperialism. Mahatma
Gandhi had clearly envisaged that the declaration of complete
independence will strengthen the movement of the people
of other colonies to liberate themselves from the colonial
yoke.
The
Declaration was in fact the magna carta of Independence
and the movement that followed witnessed a tremendous rise
of people against the alien rule. Millions suffered imprisonment
and hundreds of them faced bullets and embraced gallows.
The pulsating spirit of patriotism forced the Britishers
to leave India lock, stock and barrel.
Today
when we celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of the Declaration
of "Purna Swaraj", we bow our head in salutation
to the martyrs of our freedom movement and also to those
who took part in the freedom struggle. But this day also
reminds us the words of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru who said "Eternal
vigilance is the price of Liberty." Today, when our
country faces a serious threat from those very forces of
fundamentalism who opposed our freedom struggle, a duty
is cast on us to remain vigilant and intensify our struggle
against neo-imperialist, fascist and fundamentalist forces
who are trying to disrupt our national unity and impede
the progress of our country.
On
this day, we take a solemn pledge that we will uphold the
cherished ideals of Democracy, Secularism and Socialism
which guided the struggle for "Purna Swaraj" with
commitment to strengthen the unity and integrity of our
nation and reiterate our firm resolve to defeat the forces
of fundamentalism and neo-imperialism.
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