Bhopal: Hedgewar’s contribution to freedom struggle to be portrayed in Rampayali

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said here on Tuesday that the contribution of RSS founder Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar to the freedom struggle would be displayed in Rampayali in Balaghat district. Sharing information with his ministerial colleagues about the memorial of Dr Hedgewar at Rampayali, Chouhan said, “The first mention of him is found on June 22, 1897. When Dr Hedgewar ji was about 8-9 years old. He returned home after throwing sweets distributed to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the coronation of Queen Victoria in Nagpur. Boy Keshav had protested against the British circular by singing Vande Mataram in school.”

He said Dr Hedgewar joined Anushilan Samiti, the country's leading revolutionary organisation in Kolkata, during his medical study in 1910. On his return to Nagpur, he became active in Congress in 1915 and for some time became the secretary of Vidarbha Provincial Congress.

When Congress session was held in Nagpur in 1920, Dr Hedgewar proposed to aim for complete independence, which was not passed. Dr Hedgewar was influenced by Lokmanya Tilak and started working for India’s Independence.

He said Hedgewar's association with Rampayali began in childhood. The village had been Karmabhoomi of Dr Hedgewar.

After doing MBBS from Kolkata, Dr Hedgewar continued to take part in the Indian freedom struggle by staying in Rampayali till 1914.

He said Dr Hedgewar held his first meeting on Dussehra for the freedom struggle at Rampayali. He launched revolutionary activities including Jungle Satyagraha from Rampayali. He delivered fiery speeches against the British government, which registered a case against him. He was sentenced to one year of rigorous imprisonment.