The Modern Period
Part VIII

When the Simon Commission visited Nagpur in March 1929 the Youth League and the Students Organization were on the forefront of the protests and demonstrations. The educational institutions in the city became active centres of youth agitation. On 14^th July, the National Flag was hoisted on the Hislop College. As a sequel to Government warning against such actions all colleges in Nagpur were closed for sometime.

With Gandhiji's historic march form Sabarmati to Dandi the Satyagraha movement spread throughout the length and breadth of the country. On 16^th April 1930, the Nagpur War council was formed with Abhyankar as its president. Among the other members of the Council were Jamnalal Bajaj, Mahatma Bhagvandin, Khare, Punamchanda Raka and Nilakanthrav Deshmukh. In Berar Brijlal Biyani, Bapuji Aney and Vamanrav Joshi led the movement.

Abhyankar was arrested. Bapuji Aney was arrested for cutting grass in the Pusad forest. Anusayabai Kale was arrested for picketing. Nagpur people gave a food account of themselves in the Civil Disobedience Movement.

After the passing of the Act of 1935, the Congress decided to contest the elections. It had clear majority in five provinces. When the new constitution came into force in the Madhya Pradeshh a new ministry was formed with Khare as the Chief Minister, on 14^th July 1937. At the time of forming the ministry Khare had to drop Harkare from the list of Ministers at the instance of Vallabhabhai Patel. Because of serious differences between N. B. Khare and his Mahakosal colleagues and also because of his differences with the Congress High Command, he had to resign his office of Chief-Ministership. He later published his case in the papers under "My Defence"

After the outbreak of the Second World War the Congress working committee which met at Wardha from 8^th September 1939 took the following momentous decisions:-

1. It condemned Nazism and Fascism.
2. No foreign Government had the right to decide the issue of war and peace for India. It must be decided by the Indian people.
3. The British Government should declare its war aims.
4. Great Britain must establish democracy in India. A free India would willingly help free nations for mutual defence.
5. Any declaration of war aims must be given effect to immediately.

On these fundamental questions no compromise was possible and the Congress Ministries from different provinces resigned. A deadlock became inevitable. Gandhiji started his individual Satyagraha and Vinoba Bhave was the first volunteer to launch it on 17^th October 1941. In 1942 when the Quit India Call was given by the Congress, arrests, repression, underground activities and violence became a matter of daily occurrence. On the 12^th August, the police fired on the Nagpur mob killing even woman and children. At Ramtek in Nagpur district there was no government for sometime. The atrocities at Ashti in Wardha and Chimur in Chanda are too well-known during the freedom struggle. On the 12^th August 1942, the Itwari Railway Station Godown and Post office were set on fire. The underground movement was very active in Nagpur under the leadership of Maganlal Bagdi.

After the end of the war, in Madhya Pradeshh, the Cabinet was sworn in with Ravi Shankar Shukla as the Chief Minister on 27-4-1946. When freedom dawned finally on the 15^th August 1947, the Nagpur people celebrated it by hoisting the National Flag on the historic fort of Sitabuldi. Ravi Shankar Shukla was the Chief Minister and Mangaldas M. Pakvasa the Rajyapala.

With the reorganisation of State in 1956, Nagpur along with the other districts of Vidarbha region became a part of the bilingual State of Bombay. In 1960 the state of Maharashtra came into existence of which Nagpur district forms a part.