The Beginning of the Freedom Struggle in Marathwada
Although the Indian National Congress had launched several movements for independence against the British, the people of Marathwada faced a unique dual challenge – they had to fight against both colonialism and feudal oppression under the Nizam.
Inspired by the larger freedom struggle of India, people in Marathwada organized underground groups, student movements, and peasant protests. Their demand was simple yet powerful: integration with a free and democratic India.
Influence of National Movements
The Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–22), the Civil Disobedience Movement (1930), and the Quit India Movement (1942) had a strong impact on Marathwada. Though Hyderabad was technically outside British India, the ideas of Mahatma Gandhi, Subhas Chandra Bose, and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel spread through underground newspapers, secret meetings, and traveling preachers.
In 1942, during the Quit India Movement, youth in Marathwada staged processions, hoisted the tricolor, and distributed pamphlets calling for the end of both British and Nizam rule. Many of them were arrested, tortured, or even executed by the Nizam’s police.
Student and Youth Movements
Colleges in Aurangabad, Nanded, and Latur became centers of nationalist activity. Students formed secret groups, wrote slogans on walls, and smuggled in banned literature. Many young activists became martyrs, but their sacrifice kept the spirit of resistance alive.
Farmers’ and Workers’ Struggles
The agrarian population of Marathwada suffered most under the Nizam’s taxation policies. Heavy land revenue, forced labor (called vethi), and confiscation of crops were common. Farmers began organizing themselves into protest groups.
Similarly, workers in mills and factories participated in strikes demanding better wages and working conditions. These movements gradually linked themselves with the larger political struggle for liberation.
The Rise of the Hyderabad State Congress
In 1938, under the inspiration of the Indian National Congress, the Hyderabad State Congress was formed. Its aim was to fight for civil rights, political representation, and eventually the merger of Hyderabad with India.
The Nizam, however, banned the organization and declared it illegal. Despite this, the Congress continued to mobilize people secretly. Leaders like Swami Ramanand Tirtha, Govindbhai Shroff, and Vasantrao Naik (who later became Maharashtra’s Chief Minister) played a key role in uniting people.
The Hyderabad State Congress Movement soon became the backbone of the Marathwada Mukti Sangram.
The Role of Razakars and Escalation of Violence
The Nizam’s refusal to join India and the growing popularity of the liberation movement alarmed him. To crush the movement, he encouraged the Razakar militia led by Kasim Razvi.
The Razakars expanded rapidly, numbering over 200,000 armed men at their peak. They targeted villages where people supported the Congress or hoisted the Indian tricolor. Stories of atrocities – loot, rape, forced conversions, burning of houses – spread fear across Marathwada.
But instead of silencing the people, the Razakar terror made them more determined to fight. Villagers began forming self-defense groups, and young revolutionaries carried out daring acts against Razakar camps.
Key Incidents in the Struggle
Jalna Satyagraha (1938–39): Protesters in Jalna hoisted the Indian flag, leading to brutal police action. Many were arrested and beaten, but the movement gathered momentum.
Patoda Struggle (Beed District): Farmers revolted against unjust land taxes and Razakar harassment. Several villagers were killed, but the revolt became a symbol of agrarian resistance.
Vande Mataram Movement: In Aurangabad, students openly sang “Vande Mataram” in defiance of the ban. This led to clashes with Razakars, but it demonstrated the courage of the youth.
Armed Resistance: By the late 1940s, underground groups in Latur, Nanded, and Osmanabad had started collecting weapons to defend themselves from Razakars.
Leadership and Inspiration
The movement had many faces:
Swami Ramanand Tirtha – Spiritual and political leader of the Hyderabad State Congress, who provided moral guidance.
Govindbhai Shroff – Known as the “Lion of Marathwada,” he organized satyagrahas and underground activities.
Vasantrao Naik – Mobilized peasants; later became Maharashtra’s longest-serving Chief Minister.
Digambar Rao Bindu, Annasaheb Laturkar, and others – Local leaders who became symbols of resistance.
These leaders worked tirelessly to keep the flame of freedom alive, despite imprisonment and torture.
✅ That’s Part 2
Previous’s Part 1 (Introduction + Historical Background + Nizam Rule) Marathwada Mukti Sangram Din – Remembering the Liberation Struggle
Next, I’ll continue with Part 3: Operation Polo, Liberation of Hyderabad, and Marathwada’s Freedom on 17 September 1948.
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