When we think about India’s struggle for Independence, the first name occurs in our mind is Mohan Das Karam Chand Gandhi. India gained Independence under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, who was the founder of Satyagrah, the non-violent way of protest. He is therefore called as the Father of the Nation. With him, many other freedom fighters like Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Lala Lajpat Rai, Sardar Ballav Bhai Patel, Bipin Chandra Pal, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Subhash Chandra Bosh, Chandrashekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh etc have got identity in national level, but on the other hand some other freedom fighters are rarely remembered. Their contributions were no less. This writing is about one of those freedom fighters who finds very little mention at national level. He is Kushal Konwar the Martyr, who was hanged by the British for revolting against the colonialists. He was the only martyrs in the entire country to be awarded with capital punishment during the quit India movement. Though by birth an ordinary citizen but he died a glorious death at the prime of his youth for the country. The present generation shouldn emulate his patriotism and self sacrifice.
Childhood of Kushal Konwar:
Kushal Konwar was born on the day of 9th Chot, 1905, in a middle class family of Chaodang Chariali, Ghiladhari Mouza of Golaghat district (then Sivasagar district). His father was Sonaram Konwar and mother was Kanakeshwari Konwar. Kushal Konwar’s ancestor was Laloi Konwar. He lived in Lakua Village, near by the Lakua train station. His elder son Nadaram Konwar came to Balijan village of Golaghat during the attack of Burmese armies and started to live there. The son of Nadaram Konwar was Khatang Konwar and his son was Sonaram Konwar. Sonaram Konwar’s children were Senduri, Dharmeshwar, Sarumai, Kunti, Kushal, Mechanji, Purna and Sonadhar. Kushal Konwar’s father Sonaram Konwar was interested in independent business. He too had interest in both cultural field and education. At that time, he started his own Timber business in collaboration with a businessman named Mr. Meagre Wilson.
Kushal Konwar’s formal education started in 1912 when he was about 7 year old. His father admitted him in Balijan Primary School of Changdang Chariali. At that time, two prominent teachers were teaching there. They were- Sayyad Muhibuddin and Sarbeshwar Sharma Rajkhowa. Both of them helped Kushal Konwar in every field of education and encouraged him too. Kushal was interested in games and sports in the school days. In the year 1918, Kushal finished his primary education and was admitted in Golaghat Government Bezbaruah Mid English School for his higher education. He studied in Golaghat living in a small room. The owners of the room were- Rajani Barua and Uma Barua. The other two students who lived with Kushal in the room were- Dimba Phukan and Bhadra Phukan. There were discussions about the various situations of the country among Kushal Konwar, Bhadra Phukan and other students. They were very much concern about the happenings in the country. In this way, change took place in their lives.
Kushal Konwar in Freedom Movement :
Kushal Konwar’s life started to change while he was studying at Golaghat. The various incidents happening around the country adversely effected his imagination. At that time- the freedom movement of the country more intense and in 1921, Non-Cooperation Movement was initiated in the whole country. With the other states, this movement affected Assam also. Thousands of young boys and girls, students left their schools and colleges to fight for their country’s independence. In 1921, Kushal Konwar too returned back to his village and joined the freedom movement.
After the notorious and horrific massacre of Jalianwalla Bagh in 1919, the freedom movement spread like fire around the country. The perpetrator of Jallianwalla Bagh Massacre was Sir Michael O’ Dyer, who was the Governor of Punjab then and Harry Dyer, Brigadier General of Punjab. To take revenge of this notorious incident of Indian History, a young, 20 years old boy Udham Singh took oath to eliminate the culprits, On 13th March, 1940, Udham Singh fulfilled his determination by shooting down Sir Michael O’ Dyer in a meeting of Indian Association, in London. In that year itself, Udham Singh was hanged on 10th June.
The British rulers planned to dominate the Indian people by running ‘Roulet Act’ after watching the movements led by Indian people. The people protested against this Raulet Act of 1919 responding to the request of Mahatma Gandhi. Under the command of Gandhiji, all the people of India, young boys and girls, students gathered together under the National Flag and joined in the Freedom movements. Mahatma Gandhi travelled all over India after preparing all the plans and programmes of Non-Cooperation Movement.
In the year of 1921, Mahatma Gandhi visited Assam. He elaborated his plans and programmes of Non-Cooperation Movement in the meetings of Guwahati, Tezpur, Nagaon, Jorhat, Dibrugarh and Golaghat. The visit of Mahatma Gandhi to Assam ignited a new consciousness and new sense among the Assamese people. Provincial Congress Committee was constituted in Assam. In Assam freedom movements were led by Deshbhakta Tarun Ram Phukan, Karmaveer Nabin Chandra Bordoloi, Chandradhar Sharma, Kuldhar Chaliha, Rohinikanta Hatibarua, Gopinath Bordoloi, Bishnuram Medhi, Hem Baruah, Mahammad Taibullah, Ambikagiri Raichoudhury etc. To support the movements, many lawyers boycotted the court, students also boycott their schools and colleges. In Golaghat, Maheswar Baruah, Taraprasad Baruah, Nabin Chandra Goshwami, Gakuleshwar Hazarika, Gangadhar Borthakur, Kamal Sharma etc, who led the freedom movements, were imprisoned. Gunin Baruah left the job in British Army, Bhola Baruah went to jail after leaving the job. All these individual and collective initiatives spurred the agitation all over Golaghat. In the year of 1921 itself, a revolutionary at heart, Shankar Baruah took active part in the freedom movement as enunciated by Mahatma Gandhi. He resigned from his Government job and joined Congress. Then he came to Golaghat and started living there permanently. Baruah sacrificed his whole life for our motherland by creating “Volunteer Bahini”. During that time, Gandhiji requested the people to be independent by adopting Swadeshi philosophy. Shankar Baruah followed the words of Gandhiji in letter and spirit. The Ashramas he established were the camps of mass communication. Here different types of education like education of self-defence, self discipline, work culture, different practices and exercises necessary for independent living were taught. The camps executed different swadeshi activities and educated people about the expansionis designs of the British. In South Hengera, the first Ashrama of broadcasting the philosophies and ideologies of Mahatma Gandhi was established. Keshab Sonowal gave the land for the Ashrama established in Burhagohain Khat in 1924. The Manager of the Ashrama was Madhabi Sonowal-wife of Keshab Sonowal, Minaram Thengal, Ananda Baruah, Gerela Chutia, Tilak Sonowal, Kularam Koch. Shankar Baruah established an Ashrama in the midpoint of Golaghat town and he himself managed the Ashrama. Later the workers related to this Ashrama were- Bhola Baruah, Pratima Sundari, Kanak Das, Uma Das, Dhiren Dutta, Somkanta Baruah, Hemkanta Baruah etc. The Ashrama of Bakatiyal was managed by Thagiram Bora, Khaniram Kakati, Bhadreswar Bora, Nomal Bhakat and Bodheswar Bora. Kehoram Hazarika gave the land for establishing an Ashrama in Siyale Khati. This patriot was murdered by some wicked elements inside the Ashrama itself. Lokeshwar Bora and Baputi Kalita took the responsibility of establishing an Ashrama in Borkathoni on themselves. Nogora Ashrama was managed by Hireswar Kalita. Dhaneswar Phukan and Bhola Gogoi took responsibility of establishing an Ashrama in Ahomgaon. Haliram Patra Bora, Kanak Das and Uma Das managed the Sensowa Ashrama.
The workers participated in the non-cooperation movements were known as Congress Volunteer in the society. In the year of 1921, like the other students, Kushal Konwar also engaged himself in the activities of publishing the plans and programmes of non-cooperation movement among the common people by finishing his education life. At that time Kushal Konwar was only of 17 years old.
Working life of Kushal Konwar :
Kushal Konwar’s father Sonaram Konwar was engaged in timber business. At first he got lots of profit in this business and he was financially quite affluent. But gradually his business started incurring loss. At the same time his collaborator Mr. Wilson returned to his home contry England. Therefore, Sonaram Konwar decided to go to Rengmai of Sarupathar in search of farm land by leaving his paternal base in Balijan. In 1924, the Konwar family of 11 members started to live in Rengmai by selling half lands of Chaodang Village. Kushal’s father did cultivation there and also started a shop also. Kushal helped his father through the shop. Kushal Konwar was very much concerned and familiar with every people. In a very few days, Kushal became one with the social and religious lives of the people of his new place. Kushal started to publish the ideologies and philosophies of Gandhiji among those people as a social worker and organizer. Rengmai became a new chapter of Kushal Konwar’s life. A primary school was established there with the cooperation of the common people. A school house consisting of three rooms was started by the donation and physical hard works of the local people. Classes were started after two days of Magh Bihu in January, 1925. People appointed Kushal as a teacher in that school. Kushal Konwar focused on teaching the students for a year. After that, he appointed another teacher as an Assistant teacher in the school. This new teacher was Jogeshwar Bora. Both of them did their duties without getting any salary. At that time, local people were financially weak and therefore both the teachers were working without any salary.
On the other hand, Sonaram Konwar’s business did not yield much profit. They became financially very weak. Therefore, Kushal was advised to do some job in other place, but Kushal refused to comply. . He later gave up the job in school. After that, Sonaram Konwar gave a job of clerk in the tea garden where the younger brother of Mr. Meagre Wilson, Mr. C. Wilson was the manager. After working there for some time, Kushal refused to continue working under a British. Kushal’s father’s plan did not work. Kushal again started to search for a job in tea garden after being economically too much hard pressedd. At that time, an Assamese businessman from Jorhat named Bisheswar Sharma started a tea garden in Balijan. Kushal Konwar’s father tried second time for Kushal’s job in the tea garden by talking with the Assamese businessman. Bisheswar Sharma appointed Kushal being attracted by his health body and personality. In that tea garden Kushal Konwar did his duties as a clerk for 9 years from the month of June of 1927 to 30th June of 1936.
Kushal Konwar’s main aim to do this job was to escape the financial crisis of his family, but he was not satisfied with this job. Instead he gave much importance to fight for freedom of his motherland. He frequently interacted with the Congress workers and also participated in their meetings.
Kushal Konwar’s father was worried about his association with with freedom seeking congress party. He decided to get Kushal married to make him more attentive to his family duties. At first Kushal did not respond as his father wanted, but later he agreed to this request of his parents and neighbours. On 24th of Fagun, in 1929, Kushal Konwar got married to Prabhabati, daughter of Premananda Duwara, of Marangi Konwar village of Golaghat. Later he became father of two children- Khagen and Nagen.
Many small incidents occurred in the tea garden life of Kushal Konwar which proved that he was more interested in working for freedom of his country. One day, 4 pm on 19th April, 1935 to be exact. the sounds of dhol-pepa, gogona of Bohag Bihu reverberated around the Balijan tea estate Kushal Konwar was so busy with his work that he forgot that it was Rongali Bihu time of merrymaking. That day, in the afternoon, 5/10 cows of the manager of Jamuguri tea garden, of Borhat Tea Company entered the Balijan tea garden. Kushal Konwar kept the cows in the tea house of his garden by persuading the gatekeeper. Kushal sent a message to the labourers who came to take the cows back to their garden, Kushal Konwar told them- “Tell your Euopean boss that if he comes himself, then only the cows will be released. After getting the message of Kushal Konwar, the manager of Jamuguri tea garden, Mr. Wilson arrived at Balijan office at 4 pm. At first Kushal talked gently with Mr. Wilson, though he disliked the behaviour of the foreigner. Kushal told Mr. Wilson that if Mr. Wilson did not pay the fine not, a single cow would be freed. There were altercation in Hindi and English between Kushal Konwar and Mr. Wilson. Enraged, Mr. Wilson took out his whip, and in retaliation Kushal also took one sandal from his foot and told the Sahib bluntly that there would be no peace before you foreigners are not kicked out. Mr. Wilson shouted ‘We will see you’ to Kushal Konwar and went out. After that, Konwar freed the cows to the local government pounds through the gatekeeper. This is the burning example of Kushal Konwar’s mentality towards the British.
It was the second level of freedom movement of India. On 26th January of 1930, Congress accepted the proposal of full freedom. This increased the national awareness among the common people and the frenzy of movements also got more brisk. Salt Act was defied , the Defiance of British Law Movement started with fast unto death agitation by Gandhiji in 1939. The Salt Act prohibited the people to produce and sell salt except the government. Therefore, the common people protested against this act and under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, people started to produce salt in Dandi. Mahatma Gandhi started this journey with his 79 trustworthy volunteers. This rally marched 240 miles (384 km) on foot from Sabarmati Ashrama to Dandi, for 24 days (10 miles every day). During the journey, hundreds of people joined the rally enroute. Keshab Sonowal, Kanak Das of Burhagohai Khat, Golaghat subdivision, also went to Dandi. But Kanak Das was arrested by police while he was producing salt and he was sent to jail for one and half month. At that time Shankar Barua stayed in Golaghat to make anti British Law movement successful. In this movement, Bhadrakanta Phukan, Bhola Borua, Bharat Tati and Golapi Gogoi were sent to jail for seven and half months, 1 year, six months and six months respectively.
In 1930, Lord Arwin came to Jorhat. The volunteers of Sivasagar district decided to show him black flag. A team of workers of Golaghat subdivision also went there. A youth named Purnachandra Goshwami led the team by taking a black flag in the meeting held in Chinamora, Jorhat. The other workers of the team were- Shankar Baruah, Nandeshwar Gogoi, Bogai Saikia, Dhiren Dutta, Thogiram Kakati, Dharmeshwar Thakur etc. They protested against the government policies by showing the black flag. At that time the education department of the British Raj issued a circular banning students from joining the movement. There was a huge protest against this circular in the whole Assam. In Golaghat, Bhadrakanta Phukan boycotted the government school. In this movement, with him, the others who took part were- Rajen Baruah, Shankar Baruah, Dhiren Dutta, Mohan Chandra Mahanta and Bhola Barua. The British rulers punished Dhiren Dutta and Som Baruah in a dark cell like room in jail for participating in the movement. In the movement of 1932, two volunteers of Golaghat became martyrs inside the jail for participating in the movement. One of them was the wife of Anandiram Das, Dwariki Das. She picketed in Drugs Prevention movement and was sent to jail for 5 months and passed away in Sivasagar jail. The another was Biju Baishnab. He took his last breath in Jorhat jail.
Inspiration of Shankar Barua in Kushal Konwar’s life:
On 19th June,1936 Kushal Konwar focused on freedom movements as a freedom fighter after leaving his job in the tea garden. During this period, he came more close to the revolutionary Shankar Baruah. Kushal Konwar became a devoted worker of Congress after getting encouragement from Shankar Baruah. From then, his life took a new turn.. He started to wear Khadi clothes boycotting the foreign clothes. He had some new habits like Geeta reading regularly, taking vegetarian foods etc. The revolutionary Shankar Baruah formed a service team and through the members of this team, he took some new steps like- prevention of drugs, picketting in shop, boycotting the foreign good, refusing to pay taxes, removing the untouchability etc. Kushal Konwar participated actively in all these programmes. At that time volunteer team sang patriotic songs among the common people through rallies.
Harijan Movement and Gandhiji’s visit to Golaghat :
Mahatma Gandhi came to Assam after travelling whole over India due to activities of Harijan club. New plans and programmes were formed in Golaghat in the second visit of Gandhi to Assam. Gandhiji arrived in Golaghat on the day of 15th April , 1934. He lived in Jorhat for three days and collected money for the Horijons. There are no Horizons in Assam, the country of Sri Manta Sankar-Madhab. But there is a class of people, who come to cities for cleaning from outside, they are called as Horijons. On the day of Rongali Bihu, the visit of Gandhiji purified the minds of the local people of Golaghat. Almost 700 men-women volunteers received Gandhiji in Farkating station. The Editor of Akhil Bharatiya Horijon Sewak Sangha, Amritlal Thakkarji, also came with Gandhiji. In Assam, the president of Harijan Sewak Sangha was the Satradhikar of Garhmur Satra, Sri Sri Pitambar Deva Goshwami. At that time, he established 12 schools in Jorhat and managed it systematically.
It was the evening of 15th April of 1934. Gandhiji gave lecture from Pramodabhiram Park, located in General Field, Golaghat. In this meeting almost 30 thousand people were gathered. Gandhiji told in his lecture- “It was extremely expensive felicitation for me. It is undesirable. Service to Harizan is service to God and nothing else. It seems to be sin for preparing such an expensive felicitation for a servant of Harizan. I need promises of help from you in the activities of servicing Harizan. At the end of the meeting, the Congress volunteers collected money from the crowd in the command of Gandhiji. Swarnalata Baruah, wife of Rajendra Nath Baruah, paid her service to Gandhiji by giving a golden ring and some cash to him in Farkating, when Gandhiji was returning.
The Quit India Movement of 1942 and Golaghat :
It was the September month of 1939. The Second World War has started. The freedom movement was in full swing. The proposal of Quit India was accepted in the meeting of Congress Working Committee which was held in Wardha from 7th to 14th July, 1942. This proporsal was presented by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. Sardar Ballav Vai Patel supported this proposal and Mahatma Gandhi explained this proposal in details. This proposal was sent to British Viceroy. As a reaction to the proposal, the British rulers started to increase oppressive measures on common people. At that time Mahatma Gandhi was arrested and he was taken to an unknown place. With Mahatma Gandhi, the other leaders who were arrested, were- Jawaharlal Nehru, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Moulana Abul Kalam Azad, Raja Gopalachari, Sardar Ballabh Bhai Patel, Abdul Gafur Khan The two leaders of Assam Pradesh Congress, Gopinath Bordoloi and Siddhinath Sharma were arrested by the British, when both of them were returning from Bombay after participating in a meeting of Congress Working Committee. The other Assamese leaders, who were arrested by the British from various places, were- Mahammad Taybullah, Debeshwar Sharma, Fakharuddin Ali Ahmed, Bishnuram Medhi, Mahendra Mohan Choudhury, Sri Sri Pitambar Deva Goshwami, Bimala Prasad Chaliha etc. The British government announced the programmes of Congress as illegal. The dominant policies of the British government were also increased. The revolutionary people changed the way of movements by forming Death Squad.
In this movement, the contributions of people of Golaghat were boundless. During the Satyagraha movement, many workers with Rajen Baruah, Shankar Baruah, Ram Baruah were sent to jail. After accepting the proposal of Quit India, Rajendra Nath Barua was arrested by the British while the leaders and workers were arrested by the British in all over India. Shankar Baruah took the responsibility of the movements of East Assam by hiding himself. Shankar Baruah secretly managed the movements by secretly communicating with the national leaders like- Jayprakash Narayan, Achyut Bardhan, Ashok Mehta, Aruna Asaf Ali etc. This movement spread all around Golaghat Subdivision. The leaders like Gandharam Gogoi, Thogi Borah, Bhadra Phukan, Kushal Konwar, Nagen Chutia etc focused more on the organisation to make the movement successful. The members of the Death Squad took various steps to compel the British to quit India anyhow by supporting the slogan of ‘Do or Die’. They burned the garages, club houses, post offices, bunglows of the managers of tea gardens in various places of Subdivision.
The incident of train derailment in Sarupathar :
The members of the Death Squad made new plan to derail the train near Changpul in Sarupathar in the topmost level of the movement. The workers like Suren Phukan, Dharmeshwar Baruah, Tilak Borah, Indreshwar Phukan etc went to Golaghat to discuss with the underground leaders Baikuntha Singh, Dharma Ranjan Deka, Nagen Chutia, Ghanashyam Saikia, Kanakeshwar Konwar about the train derailment. They decided to execute this plan and the team leader was Baikuntha Singh. But Kushal Konwar was in dark about this plan.
10th September, 1942. That day the accident was caused by dismembering the railway track. The news of coming of a special train on that day with armed English forces was collected by Baikuntha Singh. The important materials to open the railway track was collected through Mohan Prasad Rai, who was one of the employee of Deopani Garden. The planned execution started at night 11 O’clock. The leaders of the team Baikuntha Singh, under the subleader Suren Phukan, Indreshwar Phukan, Suryakanta Saikia, Kanakeshwar Konwar, Dharmakanta Deka, Maju Pitou Konwar, Ghanashyam Saikia, Nagen Saikia, Phukou Saikia, Dharmeshwar Barua etc successfully removed the fish plate of railway track. Pulin Bihari Baruah, Soneshwar Konwar, Gangadhar Ahom, Madan Phukan etc were waiting as a guard far away from the place. The train arrived at the Sarupathar station and after it started its onward journey and picked up speed the accident occurred. According to unofficial estimate several hundred army men died in this accident.
This train accident attracted lots of attention nation-wide. The British army combed the whole area and launched a mission to capture the perpetrators. The innocent people of the area were tortured and harassed. The Gandhian Kushal Konwar was the secretary of Sarupathar Congress Committee at that point of time. He was therefore arrested and booked as the main culprit. The real heroes of the incident Suren Phukan, Baikuntha Singh, Someshwar Bora could not be found out by the British army despite their best efforts. Total 43 persons were identified as the culprit related with the accident of Sarupathar by the British army. The army issued a directive to shoot Suren Phukan wherever he would be found or seen. The British announced an award of Rs. 10,000/- to anyone who can lead the to the hiding Shankar Baruah.
The Judgement of death by hanging of four persons :
The case against the accused was registered under P-76 Case no 2 dt. 10.10.42 of Lumding S.P. P.S cr No 304 of 1942 of Golaghat Court Emp. vs Kushal Konwar and others. U/S 126 Rly Act, 735 D.L. Rules read with ordinance III of 1942.
The presentation of evidence of this case took 6 days in Golaghat local board office. The judge was the Administrator of Sivasagar, C.A. Humphrey. Humphrey was a very notorious anti Indian from the beginning. The lawyers of accused were- Gopikaballabh Goshwami, Gangadhar Barthakur, Taraprasad Baruah, Radhanath Goshwami and Bipin Phukan. The Government lawyer was Debeshwar Sarma from Jorhat. The 7 persons of the 43 accused were considered as guilty and the others were freed because of not having enough evidence against them. The four accused Kushal Konwar, Dharmakanta Deka, Ghanashyam Saikia, and Kanakeshwar Konwar were death penalty by hanging. Indreshwar Phukan and Nagen Chutia were awarded 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and Dhaneshwar Gogoi was punished for three years of jail.
Application to Governor against hanging of Kushal Konwar:
The four accused submitted mercy petition to the Governor after getting the order of hanging. In this application, many famous persons and lawyers signed. Among them, the lawyers of Golaghat were- Bipin Phukan, Radhanath Goshwami, Douleshwar Dutta, Priyaranjan Dey and freedom fighter Khageshwar Tamuli. The Governor General of India of that time Lord Linlithgoe rejected the application. The Governor of Assam reduced the order of hanging of the three accused Kanakeshwar Konwar, Dharmakanta Deka, and Ghanashyam Saikia and they were punished for 10 years of rigorous imprisonment However Kushal Konwar, the main Congress organiser, Gandhian leader was shown no leniency. He was hanged at dawn on 15th June, 1943 in Jorhat jail for loving his motherland. The witnesses of this hanging were Mr. A.C. Humphrey, Deputy Commissioner of Sivasagar, E.A.C. Pachugopal Mukherji, Jailer Tarak Chandra Dey, Assistant Jailer Abdul Karim Gani, Civil Surgeon, Ghatak from Cachar and 12 armed Policemen.
The people of Assam will always remember the Martyr Kushal Konwar and cherish his memory with immense gratitude. Though Kushal Konwar received only general education in school, but his education of unbounded love for motherland surpassed highest level of college drgrees.
When Kushal Konwar’s wife Prabhabati had her last words with him Kushal Konwar said to here that he was fortunate that he was selected for sacrificing his life among the thousands of people. Kushal lived his last days by reading Geeta and praying to God in Jorhat Jail. He continued to smile even on the day before hanging. On the day of 15th June, at dawn the Government officers were shocked to find Kushal Konwar sleeping peacefully. When the sleeping Kushal Konwar was suddenly awakened by the Jailer he simply told him that he was ready. We, the Indian people have gained freedom because of the sacrifices of the martyrs like Kushal Konwar. We have to save this honour of freedom anyhow.
