Elections for the provincial assembly were held in January 1937, under the provisions for provincial autonomy granted by the Government of India Act of 1935. Three parties contested: the Congress, the Odisha Nationalist Party, and the United Party. The latter two represented the interests of the rajahs and zamindars.
Of the 56 elected seats (with an additional four nominated seats), the Congress won 36, non-Congress parties secured 10, and independents held 10. Despite the Congress majority in the Assembly, there were internal differences of opinion about whether the party should form a ministry.
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Ban of All-India Congress Committee
In a meeting of the Congress Legislature Party held in March 1937, Biswanath Das, a former member of the Madras Legislative Council, was elected as the leader of the Congress Party in the Assembly. The All-India Congress Committee gave the directive to the Congress Legislature parties in all provinces, including Odisha, not to form the ministry unless the Government gave the assurance that the special powers of the Governor would not be exercised to override the decisions of the provincial ministries. In March 1937, the Governor invited Biswanath Das, the leader of the Congress Legislature party, to form the ministry and be its head. However, Biswanath Das refused to accept the invitation in pursuance of the direction of the All India Congress Committee.
Ministry under Maharaja of Parlakimedi
The Governor invited the Maharaja of Parlakimedi to form a ministry. On April 1, 1937, the Maharaja established this ministry alongside Mandhata Gorachand Patnaik and Maulavi Latifur Rahman. Since it lacked majority support in the legislature, the formation of the Maharaja of Parlakimedi’s ministry was widely criticized as illegal and undemocratic. The Governor defended his decision, explaining that the Congress Party’s refusal to form a ministry left him no choice but to invite a minority party leader. He further emphasized that his offer to the Congress remained open. However, Congress members in the Assembly demanded the resignation of the Parlakimedi ministry, expressing their lack of confidence through a petition sent to the Governor. Despite the Congress’s decision to participate in elections under the Provincial Autonomy scheme, their political agitation continued. This was exemplified by their widespread celebration of Independence Day on January 26, 1937, in defiance of a government ban.
Ministry under Biswanath Das
On that day, in Puri and Satyabadi, the police took away the copies of the pledges for independence from the Congress offices. The Deputy Commissioner of Police in Sambalpur went ahead and canceled a public meeting scheduled for the same day. It was the 1st of April 1937 when the Congress members in Odisha strongly criticized the Government of India Act, 1935, labeling it as anti-national and regressive. They pushed for a Constituent Assembly, insisting it be formed on the basis of adult suffrage to create a truly democratic constitution.
April 13th, 1937, marked ‘Inchudi Day,’ a remembrance of the Salt Satyagraha of Inchudi. In his speech on June 21st, 1937, the Viceroy assured the Congress party that Governors would act in accordance with the advice of the ministries. Following this, with approval from the Congress Working Committee, the Odisha Congress legislature party decided to establish a ministry.
Shortly after, the Maharaja of Parlakimedi resigned, paving the way for the formation of Odisha’s first Congress ministry. Biswanath Das took the helm as Prime Minister on July 19th, 1937. The ministry also included two ministers, Nityananda Kanungo and Bodhram Dube, along with four parliamentary secretaries – Jadumani Mangaraj, Jagannath Misra, Pyarisankar Roy, and Radha Krushna Biswas Roy. Mukund Prasad Das and Nanda Kishor Das were elected as the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, respectively.
Peasant Unrest
During this time, the Congress Socialist Party was quite active. They developed a program aimed at supporting and safeguarding the interests of peasants. This program included demands such as a fifty percent reduction in revenue, the abolition of the zamindari system, changes to tenancy laws allowing peasants to become landowners, an end to salt taxes, and the resumption of religious endowments.
Between April and May of 1937, several meetings for peasants were held in Cuttack and Puri districts where these demands were strongly voiced. The Cuttack District Peasants’ Conference even expressed its lack of confidence in the Parlakimedi ministry.
After the new ministry was formed, it quickly faced the challenge of peasant unrest, which had been brewing even before its inception. On September 1st, 1937, All-India Peasants’ Day was observed in Cuttack. Around ten thousand peasants met with the Prime Minister that day to present their demands. The Prime Minister assured them that their demands would be given due consideration.
Peasant unrest in the zamindari estates intensified to the point where peasants refused to offer customary presents to the zamindars and began cultivating paddy fields in the jungles without permission. The movement gained momentum, especially in the Kanika estate under the leadership of Chakradhar Behera, M.L.A.
To address peasant concerns, the Government looked into making changes to the Odisha Tenancy Act, Madras Estates Land Act, and Money Lenders Act. The peasants, in turn, demanded swift implementation of these changes.
On the other side, zamindars and landholders united to oppose these proposed changes. The Rajas of Puri, Khalikote, and Kanika even started a weekly Odia newspaper titled Utkal Barta to advocate for landlords’ interests.
On September 22nd, 1937, 300 Zamindars and landholders from various parts of Odisha gathered in Cuttack to express their opposition to the proposed amendments. However, the peasants, led by socialists, continued their movement with increased vigor.
In January 1938, Surendra Nath Dwivedy, a Congress socialist leader, launched a journal called “Krushak” to champion peasant causes. By February 1938, a no-tax campaign began in some estates led by Congress workers and Kisan leaders.
By March 1938, the peasant unrest reached a critical point in Tirtol and Kujang. By April of the same year, it had spread throughout the province, prompting the Government to consider serious measures. Peasants refused to pay unauthorized taxes to the zamindars and demanded an end to forced labor.
Various political parties provided leadership to the peasant agitation. The state of unrest can be understood from an excerpt of the official weekly report from May 8th, 1938, which highlighted efforts to stoke disaffection among the peasantry.
The zamindars and landholders, feeling the pressure, opposed the Tenancy Amendment Bill once again in January 1938 and urged the Government to restrain socialist activities. However, the Odisha Tenancy (Amendment) Act and Odisha Money-lenders’ Act were passed later that year. The Tenancy Act aimed to protect peasants from the oppression and illegal demands of zamindars, while the Moneylenders’ Act reduced interest rates charged by moneylenders.
On March 31st, 1938, the fourth annual session of the Gandhi Seva Sangh took place in Delang, Puri district. Prominent national leaders including Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, Babu Rajendra Prasad, Babu Prafulla Chandra Ghose, Acharya J.B. Kripalani, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, and Dr. Pattabhi Sitaramayya attended. Gandhi, on this occasion, expressed his deep affection for Odisha and his concern for the hardships faced by its people.
Constitutional Crisis
In April 1938, Odisha faced a constitutional crisis. During this time, Sir John Hubback, the Governor of Odisha, was granted leave. In his absence, the Revenue Commissioner J.R. Dain was nominated as the acting Governor for the duration of Hubback’s leave.
The Congress ministry viewed this arrangement as unacceptable, finding it beneath their dignity to work under a subordinate official. They threatened to resign in response to this situation. However, the crisis was averted when Sir John Hubback’s leave was canceled, ensuring that the normal functioning of the government continued without disruption.
Crisis in the U. P.C.C
By 1939, internal disagreements within the Congress organization had reached a significant level, impacting the administration adversely. A notable divide emerged between the Congress President and the Congress ministry at the time.
Nitaksntha Das, the president of the Utkal Pradesh Congress Committee, openly criticized the ministry and staunchly advocated for the ministry to remain under the control of the U.P.C.C. This stance led to a protest against Nitaksntha Das’s position, and in response, H.K. Mahtab chose to resign from the U.P.C.C. This move highlighted the seriousness of the internal conflicts brewing within the Congress organization during this period.
Resignation of Congress ministry in Odisha
The outbreak of the Second World War in Europe in September 1939 brought a significant shift in the nationalist movement in India. The British Government in India, without consulting the provincial ministries, declared war against Germany. The Congress Party strongly criticized this move, accusing the British of dragging India into an unwanted conflict to serve their imperialistic interests.
In October 1939, the All-India Congress Committee took a decisive step by directing all Congress ministries in the provinces to resign in protest. Following this directive, on November 4th, 1939, the Congress ministry in Odisha tendered its resignation.
With the resignation of the Congress ministries, the Congress party charted a new course by launching an anti-war movement. They urged people not to cooperate with the Government in its war efforts. This sentiment was echoed on March 1st, 1940, celebrated as Martyr’s Day in Cuttack and Balasore.
During the Ramgarh session of the Indian National Congress in March 1940, a call was made to Congress members to engage in Individual Civil Disobedience. They were encouraged to vigorously pursue the Gandhian constructive program and to refuse any cooperation with the British Government in support of the war efforts.
By April 1940, the Congress Party was actively preparing for civil disobedience. Congress volunteers underwent training at the Bari training camp, focusing on civil disobedience tactics and the principles of the Gandhian constructive program. This period marked a significant phase of resistance against British policies in India during the tumultuous years of the Second World War.
Split in the U.P.C.C.
Despite efforts to bolster the Congress party and its movement during the Second World War, internal divisions within the Odisha Congress grew increasingly serious. Nilakantha Das, who was the president of the Utkal Pradesh Congress Committee when the war began, began to adopt a critical stance towards the Gandhian leadership.
Das declared Subhas Chandra Bose as the leader of the masses and supported Bose’s call for immediate agitation against the British rule. This stance by Das infuriated H.K. Mahatab, the president of the U.P.C.C. at the time, along with several other members of the U.P.C.C. In December 1939, they brought forth a motion of no-confidence against Nilakantha Das.
In the midst of these tensions, Jadumani Mangaraj and Dibakar Patnaik decided to leave the Congress organization. They urged people to support Subhas Chandra Bose and his Forward Bloc movement. In response to the growing rift, Nilakantha Das resigned from the presidency of the Congress, and Radhakrushna Biswas Roy and Nabakrushna Chaudhury were elected as the new president and secretary of the Utkal Pradesh Congress Committee, respectively.
Nilakantha Das was critical of the individual Satyagraha launched by the Congress, viewing it as a self-serving campaign by leaders who had lost the trust of the masses. In a significant turn, on January 27th, 1941, M.N. Roy, the Communist leader, visited Cuttack. In a meeting held there, Roy justified India’s participation in the war. Nilakantha Das publicly supported Roy’s viewpoint.
Following these developments, the Odisha branch of the All India Democratic Union was established to advocate for India’s involvement in the Second World War. Nilakantha Das, along with Godavarish Mishra and the Raja of Khalikote, became members of this Union.
By July 1941, Nilakantha Das and Godavarish Mishra were actively involved in propaganda supporting the war efforts. However, these actions were met with disapproval from members of the Utkal Pradesh Congress Committee. The U.P.C.C. demanded that Das resign from the Central Legislative Assembly, to which he had been elected on the Congress ticket, despite his opposition to the party’s leadership and policies.
When Das refused to comply with the U.P.C.C.’s directive, he was eventually expelled from the Congress Party. These events highlight the deepening divisions and ideological clashes within the Odisha Congress during the tumultuous years of the Second World War.
Formation of Coalition Ministry
By August 1940, the dissident Congress leader Godavarish Mishra began efforts towards forming a coalition ministry. This move materialized on November 24, 1941, when a coalition ministry was established. The Maharaja of Parlakimedi was appointed as the Prime Minister, with Godavarish Mishra and Maulavia Abdus Sobhan Khan serving as ministers. This coalition ministry garnered support from 26 members of the Legislative Assembly, including some dissident Congress members.
The coalition ministry continued to govern for two and a half years, until June 29, 1944. However, its actions, which were seen as contrary to the national mainstream, drew criticism from nationalist circles. Despite this, the ministry did achieve significant milestones during its tenure.
One notable accomplishment was the establishment of Utkal University in November 1943. This marked an important step forward in the field of education for the region, leaving a lasting impact on Odisha’s academic landscape.
Towards Independence
By the beginning of 1943, the political landscape of Odisha had settled into a period of relative calm. The conclusion of the Second World War and the victory of the Labour Party in England’s post-war election seemed to indicate that British India would likely be granted independence in the near future.
A significant event occurred on May 6, 1944, when Mahatma Gandhi was released from jail due to health reasons. Upon his release, Gandhi announced the cancellation of the mass civil disobedience resolution that had been adopted by the Congress on August 8, 1942. This marked a shift in the Congress party’s approach, as they navigated the changing political climate.
In May 1945, Congress leaders were released from jail with the purpose of engaging in discussions with the Viceroy, Lord Wavell, at Simla. The Simla talks aimed to address the future of India and its path to independence. However, the talks ended in failure due to the uncompromising stance of Muslim League leader Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
Jinnah’s adamant position during the Simla talks posed a significant obstacle to finding a consensus on the shape of post-independence India. This turn of events indicated the complexities and challenges that lay ahead in the journey towards India’s freedom and the eventual partition into India and Pakistan in 1947.
Fresh election for provincial assemblies
Following the events of the failed Simla talks, the British authorities made the decision to hold elections for provincial assemblies and establish a Constituent Assembly. This Constituent Assembly would be formed with the provincial assemblies serving as the electorate for the drafting of India’s future Constitution.
In the early months of 1946, elections were held, and the Congress party emerged victorious with a majority of seats in the Odisha Legislative Assembly. On April 23, 1946, a new ministry was formed under the leadership of Harekrushna Mahatab as the Prime Minister of Odisha.
One of the first actions of this new ministry was the release of all political prisoners, signaling a move towards reconciliation and political freedom. Additionally, the ministry took steps towards the merger of the princely states of Odisha with the province itself, aiming for a more unified state.
Another crucial focus of the ministry was to alleviate communal tensions between Hindus and Muslims in Odisha. This was particularly significant as communal relations had deteriorated due to the communal riots in Bengal and Punjab during that period.
Meanwhile, those elected from Odisha to the Constituent Assembly included prominent figures such as H.K. Mahtab, Bodhram Dube, Rajkrushna Bose, Santanu Kumar Das, Biswanath Das, Bhubanananda Das, Nandakishore Das, Malati Chaudhury, and Laxminarayan Sahu. These individuals played vital roles in the shaping of India’s future Constitution and the political landscape of Odisha during this crucial period of transition towards independence.
Conclusion
With India achieving independence on August 15, 1947, a significant challenge remained for the newly formed nation as well as for Odisha specifically. This challenge was the integration of the princely states into the Indian Union.
Under the leadership of H.K. Mahatab, the newly appointed Prime Minister of Odisha, concerted efforts were made to address this crucial issue. Working closely with Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who was leading the efforts for integration at the national level, significant progress was made.
By the end of 1947, through the determined efforts and negotiations led by H.K. Mahatab and the guidance of Sardar Patel, most of the princely states in Odisha had been successfully merged with the province. This marked a crucial step towards the political consolidation and territorial integrity of Odisha within the newly independent India.
The merger of these princely states into Odisha helped in establishing a more cohesive and unified administrative framework, contributing to the development and governance of the region as it embarked on its journey as a part of the independent Indian republic.