Akshay Azad
Vinod Kumar Dutta, 68-year old, was quietly watching anyone and everyone entering the hall to have a glimpse on the posters pasted on its walls. His wrinkled face was wearing a quiet, contented look, with a gleaming hope in his eyes covered by the glasses which rested on his nose. Anyone, who would come closer to him, he would ask him or her to pay him Rs 2 and in return, he was offering them a booklet with revolutionary Bhagat Singh’s photo on its cover. Besides the book, he was distributing a pamphlet appealing the people and the youth in particular to adopt the path shown by the revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh.
Posters were pasted on the walls of the hall in a particular arrangement. In the series of the posters, the first poster was depicting the origin of universe and origin of life on the earth, followed by the posters of scientists. They included both the social and environmental scientists viz., Charles Darwin, Karl Marx, revolutionary hero of Indian freedom struggle Bhagat Singh.
Communalism was depicted on the posters as the main evil affecting the society not just in India but across the world, other posters were projecting imperialistic expansionism, tactics of capitalist powers, ruthless attacks on Afghanistan and Iraq in which numerous innocent citizens were brutally killed. Miserable condition of Indian society, the problems of malnutrition, poverty, farmers’ suicides, unemployment, female foeticide, inflation, starvation and the pitiable condition of farmers and proletariat class too were depicted in the posters. How the basic four pillars of the Indian system of democracy viz., Judiciary, Executive, Legislature and Media, have failed in their responsibility and are playing in the hands of influential, big corporate houses, leaving behind the common masses in lurch was also aptly projected in one of the posters.
There were certain posters, which were taking a dig at the contemporary scenario where the youth have become selfish and their life style is guided by a simple principle of “me and my life.” Mobile phones, internet, movies, cricket etc., are among their priorities and the simple funda of life is “Khao Piyo Aish Karo.”
Dutta, born on January 2, 1941, himself had made these hundreds of posters reflecting secular and political ethos, in which he had great faith. His posters were decorating the walls of Gadar Memorial Martyrs Hall at Jalandhar. He had come for the first time there in the 18th Martyrs’ function organized by Desh Bhagat Yadgar Committee in the memory of the martyrs of Gadar Party, who sacrificed their lives in the freedom struggle movement of India.
Dutta’s life history too was a story of great struggle against conservative traditions. Born in a Brahmin Hindu family, Dutta was against retrograde culture. Dutta’s father was against his son’s revolutionary thoughts so when he rose against his feudal father, he was ousted from the house by him (father). He left his family for the values he believed in and started giving tuition to students for a meager amount of Rs 2 per month. In early sixties, he got admission in Sham Sunder Memorial College and the head of Zoology department of the college helped him. He completed his B Sc and then went to Rajasthan where he served as a teacher for Rs 130 per month.
He had to leave his job after his clash with the college principal. He returned to Mathura and did PG in Botany. As he had taken shelter in a temple in Mathura, he used to closely watch the miserable life of widows, being exploited by pundits and other influential persons of nearby localities. He left the temple.
He actively participated in the protests against the discrimination in education system under the aegis of a union. Some union leaders started creating dissension within the union, irked over the attitude of such union members, Dutta decided to start fast unto death. Some other members also joined him in the fast unto death. He could save the union from getting divided. Later, the government conceded to the demands being raised by them in the agitation. Dutta made thousands of posters as he participated in many agitations for the social cause and many a time went to jail.
He considered the religion as the basic hurdle in unity of all the people. He has no trust in the parliamentary system of democracy as he feels that more than 360 MPs are billionaire while 70 percent of country’s population is living on meager daily income of Rs 20 per day. Dutta describes the religious preachers as the biggest threat to the country.
Having strong belief in the philosophy of socialism, he claims that the grievances of majority population of country can only be redressed in a society with socialist pattern.
Both his daughters are doctors and he uses his whole pension money for making posters. Dutta has been honoured with the National Integration Award, Sadbhawna Award, Kala Samman, Shaheed-e-Bhagat Singh award and many more given by Non-Governmental Organizations yet he never accepted the government awards. He believes that the youth is the main motivating force which will reform the society and a new chapter would be written. Socialist system will be in place in every country as the development of society is also a science, Dutta avers.
Although he had come for the first time in the Gadar Party fair but he was pleased to see a large gathering of progressive people there. “The dreams of martyrs are incomplete which would only be achieved by strong scientific thinking and will of the youth,” he states.
The hall was surrounded by book stalls being thronged by the people. There were certain mobile book stalls also, outside the hall. These mobile stalls were actually the vehicles, parked outside the hall, carrying the books. Among one of these book stalls, erected outside the premises of Gadar Party Memorial Hall, a woman along with a male partner too was selling books. Majority of the books displayed on these book stalls pertained to the revolutionaries viz., Karl Marx, Fredrick Engels, Vladimir Iliac Lenin, Joseph Stallion, Mao-Tse-Tung, Bhagat Singh and his comrades, Che Guevara etc. The books related to Fidel Castro, Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez and a collection of literature by Indian writers Prem Chand, Mahashweta Devi and many more too formed part of this treasure-trove. Novels and booklets on migration, farmers’ conditions in India as well as in the world, Palestine- Israel conflict, secularism, communalism were available in the stall.
Owner of the stall Sunita Kumar, who was also the owner of Danish books publications, maintains that the sale of general books may be a simple job but to sell revolutionary literature is a tough task. Sunita Kumari was also booked under the dreadful law of Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) for selling revolutionary literature.
Born in 1962, Sunita Kumari has done her post-graduation in Sanskrit from Patna University and M Ed. from Ranchi University. She has been actively involved in organizing women as members of Nari Mukti Sanstha. She has worked with Centre for Education and Communication as Documentation Officer, with National Commission for Women as Counsellor, with Miranda House, Delhi University as Counsellor and with Institute of Economic Growth as Research Associate. She has been working on a study on status of marginal farmers in India covering eight major states of the country under Joshi Adhikari Institute of Social Studies as research supervisor.
Since 1998 onward, she has been active in setting up a distribution network for alternative and independent publishing. Her activism vis-à-vis sale of revolutionary books has taken her to different parts of the country participating in not only book fairs, but also the gatherings of activists, academicians. Wherever she goes, she catches the attention of activist groups and other people in general. And this was considered by the Indian state a hostile activity vis-a-vis powers that be. Hence in October 2006, while she had set up a book stall at Chandrapur during the event commemorating the embracing of Buddhism by Baba Saheb Ambedkar, she was virtually arrested and questioned for more than 72 hours continuously. A case under dreaded Unlawful Activities Prevention Act was filed against her. This further strengthened her determination to spread knowledge far and wide. Every year she comes at annual Gadar Party Fair being organized for the last many years at Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Hall at Jallandhar.
Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Committee
Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Committee is situated in a two-storey building having a library, an exhibition hall, conference rooms and some rooms used for residential purposes. This complex is situated along Grand Trunk Road, Jallandhar in the Centre of the city. The building is spread on three acres of land. The land for the building was purchased in 1955.
As Gadar activists were released from Andaman Jail after serving life imprisonment, they decided to form ‘Desh Bhagat Parivar Sahayk Committee (Patriots’ Families’ Support Committee) aimed at taking care of the families of Gadar activists who were still in jail or had been incapacitated through prolonged confinement or their properties had been confiscated by the government. Baba Wasakha Singh became its chief organizer who raised money for many needy families. This Committee continued its activities till 1947 when India gained its independence.
Then, Bhagat Parivar Sahayk Committee was registered under a new name of ‘Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Committee’ transferring its entire fund to the new organization. Sohan Singh Bhakna, founder president of the Gadar Party was elected president of the Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Committee.
Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Committee, in order to keep alive the memory of the Gadar Party, decided to establish a memorial for all those who had laid down their lives for the liberation of the country. A prime site was chosen and bought in Jalandhar in 1955. On December 14, 1957 following the death of Sant Wasakha Singh at Dadher, an appeal was made for funds for construction of building on this site. Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Committee members contributed funds with Amar Singh Sandhwan and Bhag Singh of Jai Singh Wala, Ferozepur offered magnanimously. In 1958, Gurmukh Singh Lalton, Karam Singh Cheema, Bhooja Singh and Bhola Singh Cheema were deputed to collect donations from Punjabis in Britain and Canada. As sufficient funds were raised, the foundation stone for the Memorial building was laid by Amar Singh Sandhwan on November 17, 1959.
The Memorial building houses an auditorium, an exhibition hall displaying portraits of Gadar activists and other revolutionary nationalists, a library, a public hall for social gatherings, a lecture theatre for informal gatherings and some rooms along with the Committee office.
(Originally published in the Kashmir Times on January 24, 2010)
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