Explainer – How Hedgewar fought for freedom in his own way

Many times a person is recognized so much by his one work that his entire personality and history gets hidden in it. Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar is such a person. If to know Dr. Hedgewar properly, he has to be seen differently, especially his whole work and passion. Usually people stop after knowing him as the founder of Rashtriya Swayam Sevak. Although this is not his complete introduction. He was also a worker who contributed loudly in the freedom struggle of his time, such a person who considered the freedom and service of the country as his everything.

sense of patriotism from childhood
Hedgewar was born on April 1, 1889, in a Telugu-speaking Deshastha Rigvedi general Brahmin family in Nagpur. His father’s name was Baliram Pant Hedgewar and mother’s name was Revatibai. Childhood education was done at Neil City High School, Nagpur, where he sang the song Vande Mataram during the inspection of an English officer, on which he was expelled from the school.

became a revolutionary after becoming a doctor
He did his studies in Yavatmal and then in Pune. After matriculation, he studied medicine in Calcutta. Few people know that Hedgewar was also a revolutionary. When there is a discussion about him, it is argued that he was active in the Congress for a long time with a completely dedicated spirit. But this is also very limited information. In fact, after completing his medical education, he also joined the Anushilan Samiti of Bengal.

disillusionment with revolutionary activities
He was entrusted with the distribution of revolutionary materials and weapons etc. across the country. It is said that he learned organizational skills from the experiences of Anushilan Samiti. But soon he got away from Anushilan Samiti, because he realized then that it is very difficult to connect people through revolutionary activities. That’s why he decided to join Congress, so that he can connect people for the freedom of the country.

Activism in Congress
Dr. Hedgewar had participated in the Kanpur session of 1916. Along with contemporary Hindu leaders, he was also greatly influenced by leaders like Hindu Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee. After joining the Congress, he worked to unite the youth. In the National Convention of Nagpur in 1920, for the first time in the Congress, he presented a resolution about making complete independence the goal, which was not passed then.

proposal for complete independence
Dr. Hedgewar’s name is also included in those who went to jail for the country while being in Congress. In 1921, he also participated in Gandhiji’s non-cooperation movement. Like other leaders, the British also arrested him and put him in jail. He was in jail for almost a year. During this, it was clear that his aim was to get freedom to the country. However, he was not the one to blindly follow the Congress leaders.

Disillusionment with Congress
Soon, like other people of the country, he too became disenchanted with the Congress. The Non-Cooperation Movement was withdrawn. He saw how attention was given to the Khilafat movement while the country’s Hindus needed to be awakened. In such a situation, it did not take him long to reach the conclusion that his and the Congress’ paths are different.

Rise of Hindus
If it is to be noted, the time after the end of the non-cooperation movement was the time for the people of the country to go away from the Congress. The youth were on their way to become revolutionaries. In such a situation, Dr. Hedgewar decided to adopt the path of awakening of Hindus. He said that cultural and religious heritage should be the identity of India’s nationality.

fought for freedom in his own way
On the day of Dussehra in 1925, he founded the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak, whose goal was the cultural and spiritual revival of the Hindu community through which the independence of a unified India could be achieved. When the Congress adopted the goal of complete independence in the Lahore session in 1929, Dr. Hedgewar’s happiness knew no bounds. On 26 January 1930, like the Congress, the Sangh also celebrated Independence Day. Even after this, Dr. Hedgewar and his Sangh continued their work and dedication for the freedom movement and the awakening of Hindus in their own way.

Forum for Hindus
In 1922 and after that, when the people of the country got disappointed with Gandhiji, communalism started raising its head in the country. Riots took place at many places in which Hindus were the victims in large numbers. In such a situation, Dr. Hedgewar felt the need to build a platform for Hindus. It was from here that the seeds of the establishment of Swayam Sevak Sangh were sown, in which Dr. Hedgewar paid more attention to the self-upliftment and awakening of Hindus instead of being a victim of communalism.

Moved the Sangh forward to enlighten the country
Hedgewar’s work was not only to connect the Hindus with the Sangh but also to work against the atrocities of the British. The British kept a close watch on him. In 1930, while participating in the Jungle Satyagraha, he was arrested by the British. He was also sentenced to 9 months in this case. Even after having differences with the Congress, he supported the Congress in the freedom movement on many occasions, there was no bond with his volunteers. But yes, the Congress was definitely worried about the expansion of the Sangh. But Hedgewar was committed to awakening the country and always remained so.

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Tags: History of India, India, religion, research