Independent India very much remembers the August Kranti- the day that Gandhiji moved the Quit India resolution on the 8th August, 1942, in Gowalia Tank , now known as August Kranti Udyan. Both the politicians of the time and the tribe of subservient scribes have made the occasion unforgettable. It really deserves their action. But what is unpardonable is the action of same persons to completely wipe out even a reference to the Mother of Revolution, an epithet deservedly earned. She was Madame Rustomji Bhikaiji Cama, a Parsi girl, born in Bombay. She carried on her revolutionary Krantidari activities far away from her motherland. The climax came on 18th August, 1907.
Before an international gathering of world socialists she thundered in a passionate and patriotic voice, with the National flag in her hands: "This is the flag of India's independence. Behold, it is born. It is already sanctified by the blood of martyred Indian youths. I call upon you, gentlemen, to rise and salute the flag of Indian independence."
She gradually became more active in her revolutionary crusade and brought out her own magazine. She had borrowed the name, Vande Mataram, from Bengal, where a magazine by the same name was suppressed by the government. Look at the irony. What was permissible in England was suppressed by the British rulers in their own colony. Freedom of expression was a reality in England. To prove it further, she was allowed to publish another magazine with impunity. It was called Madan's Talwar to commemorate the name of the first Indian martyr on British soil. Her magazines found their way even to India through Sriniwas Chari, Editor of India in Pondicherry, a French possession and, therefore, safer.
A less known but more bold action of the brave Mother of the Indian Revoltion was her sending through Chaturbhuj Amin, a cook at India House, 20 Browning Pistols for some overt actions in India. These were used for killing Jackson, the collector of Nasik by Kenhere, as also, later, by Wanchi Iyer, for doing away with the Collector of Tinnevelle. On arrest Amin turned an approver.
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