Vandemaataram Movement in Hyderabad State

 

 

Q5: Vandemaataram Movement in Hyderabad State

Vandemaataram Movement in Hyderabad State took place during 29 November 1938 – 30 December 1940 C.E.

Mir Osman Ali Khan issued a farman on 26th April 1917 to establish a University. In the year 1918, Osmania University was established. On 28th August 1919 Art College started functioning.

 

About Vandemaataram Song ‘Vande Maataram’ means ‘Hail to the mother’. This song was written addressing Goddess Durga. Later it was applied to Bharath Maata. ‘Ananda Matt’ is a Bengali novel written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee. Vandemataram song is a part of Ananda Matt. The theme of Ananda Matt is Sanyasi Rebellion. By keeping in mind the heroic deeds of Vasudev Balvantarao Phadke during freedom struggle, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee authored the book. Ravindranath Tagore was the first popular person to sing the song Vande Maataram in 1896. It was a great source of inspiration for our patriots. At Vaaranaasi Indian National Congress Session, in 1905, Indian National Congress announced it as National Song. Poet Sarala Devi Chaudurani sang the song in the Benares Congress Session in 1905. Dadabai Nauroji was the president of Benaras Indian National Congress Session.

How Vandemaatram Movement was started in Hyderabad?

In 1938 on the eve Dussehra festival celebrations ‘B’ Hostel students of Osmania University sang the song Vademataram. Singing Vandemaataram song was banned by Nizam Government. Students had a Hindu prayer hall in the hostel. Objection was raised by the Muslim students, who complained to the university authorities when the students of B – Hostel sung the song Vandemataram. University authorities warned the students against it and closed the prayer hall. In spite of this hostel students did not stop singing Vande Maataram. They started singing Vandemaataram in hostel veranda. .              www.osmanian.com

Hostel was closed for Ramzan holidays and reopened it on 28 November 1930. University authorities warned the students not to sing Vandemaataram in University Campus and they also ordered students to wear blue coloured Sherwani and Paijamas. Achyutha Reddy,  student of B- Hostel, condemned this and called for Vandemataram Movement in Osmania University on 29 November 1938. Due to this students were suspended from the hostel and they were forced to vacate it. The students of Osmania University P.V. Narasimha Rao, Marri Chenna Reddy, Dharma Bhiksham, Hayagriva Chary and others participated in Vademataram Movement. Nizam Government instructed other Universities not to give admission to the banned students.

Abid Hussain Ansari, the student leader of Nizam College, showed solidarity to the movement. Mahadev sing of Nizam College also participated in the movement.

The Nizam college student leaders Abid Hussain, Ansari, Mahadev Singh and others announced their solidarity to Osmania University Vademataram Movement.

Inspired by the Osmania University Vandemaataram Movement, similar movements erupt in Mahabub Nagar, Nanded and Aurangabad cities.

Gandhi, Subhash Chandra Bose and Nehru showed their solidarity to the movement with their letters. .              www.osmanian.com

For the banned students shelter was provided in Jain Mandir and food was provided in Vaaman Rao Nayak Bhavan.

To impart justice to the students, Raja Bahaddur Venkata Rama Reddy appointed a committee. Achyutha Reddy was the leader of that committee.

Achyutha Reddy Committee consulted Sarvepalli Radha Krisha, the then Vice Chancellor of Benaras University, and Kattamanchi Ramalinga Reddy, the then Vice Chancellor of Andhra University, requesting admission to the suspended students. Their appeal was rejected.

Mr. Kedarnath Patri, Vice Chancellor of Nagpur University, gave admission the arts in Jabalpur college and in to the science students Nagpur college. Akbar Hydari, Chancellor of Osmania University, approached Inter Universities Council, to take revenge on Kedarnath Patri. Enraged Kedarnath Patri, with full confidence, made an announcement that he would give admission to the nationalist students, if any University bans them.

Vandemataram Students Union – Committee of Action

The students, who joined in Nagpur University, in June 1939, formed Vandemataram Students Union. Committee of Action was appointed to provide financial assistance to the students.  Varadaraajulu, famous lawyer, from Warangal made generous donation to the students.  Kaloji Naaraayana Rao also college funds for the students.

During this time Ramachandra rao gave “Vandemataram” Slogan with loud voice and came to be called as ‘Vandemataram Ramachandra Rao’.

On 12 December 1938, Nizam Government banned the students who participated in the movement. The prominent students who were banned include P.V. Narasimha Rao, Dharma Bhiksham, Achyutha Reddy, Marri Chenna Reddy, Hayagriva Chary and Nukala Ramachandra Reddy. .              www.osmanian.com

Nizam Government tried hard to suppress the movement using force. The hundreds of students who participated in this movement were suspended from the colleges and denied admission in any of the university colleges. With stringent measures Nizam Government suppressed the movement by 30 December 1938.

            The students, who were banned from Osmania University during University Vandemaataram, finally completed their education and later played important role in Indian independence struggle and in the development of nation after independence.