NAGPUR, Aug 6: When the founders were satisfied that a reasonably well-trained cadre had been raised, the Hindustani Lal Sena was formally launched on April 13, 1939. It was the anniversary of the Jallianwala bagh massacre which took place on April 13, 1918.

A Constitution of the organisation was framed and adopted. The supreme authority was a `Military Council' headed by Shyamnarayan Kashmiri as Senapati and Shyamlal Shrivas as Up-Senapati.

Mahadeorao Pawar, who was General Secretary of the Council, in a book on the history of the Sena, admits that the outfit had much in common with the Forward Bloc floated by Netaji Bose. In fact, the Forward Bloc was formed barely a month after the Sena. October 8, 1939, was a historic day for the volunteers because they had Netaji Bose himself inspecting their parade at Nagpur. The effervescent leader was here for an anti-imperialist convention organised by the legendary Rambhau Ruikar.

``It was a moment of great pride,'' says Sahu, ``when Netaji got down from the elephant on which he was being carried to the convention's venue, and inspected our ranks. I stepped forward and yelled, `Jai Hind!' Netaji put an arm on my shoulder and asked me my name. I will cherish that moment.''

Later, Netaji held a secret meeting with Sena leaders and wanted to know about its political and social ideology and programmes. It was explained to him that though the Sena's red flag resembled the Communist Party's colours, there was no affiliation. ``The Lal Sena always unfurled two flags simultaneously - its own and the tricolour. That signified that we were in the battle for India's freedom, but in our own way,'' writes Pawar in his book.

In 1942, when things were heating up, the Lal Sena's Military Council was dissolved and replaced with a `War Council.' Acharya Narendra Deo was present at this meeting in July 1942. The message was clear.

On August 6 that year, the government banned the Hindustani Lal Sena and sealed its headquarters at Nagpur. From the very next day, the Sena leaders started drafting a plan of direct action.

On August 12, after the `Quit India' call had been given, activists of the Sena's college students' wing tore down the Union Jack from atop the District Collectorate and unfurled the tricolour. Several of them were injured in clashes with the police, but stood ground till tear-gassed.

The same night Sena activists burnt down a police chowki near Mominpura and escaped with rifles. On August 13, they ransacked the Craddock Market (now Santra Market) post office. Stacks and bundles of currency notes burnt.

The police retaliated by opening fire. Even as people were running helter-skelter, young Krishnarao Kakde started walking towards the blazing rifles. He tore open the front of his shirt and dared the policemen to shoot him. At close range, a .303 bullet ripped through his chest. Jagannath Gaur and Laxmanrao Sadhankar who had rushed after him were injured by the same bullet after it had bored through Kakde's chest.

The same day, Lal Sena soldiers looted and burnt down police chowkies at Itwari, Tahsil, Hansapuri, Jagnath Budhwari, Maskasath and Nawabpura. At Nawabpura, a police constable was killed. Five people were arrested for the arson and murder. Four of them pleaded not guilty, but were sentenced 30 year imprisonment all the same. The remaining one, Shankar Mahalle, a 16-year-old, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to death by hanging.

Sahu recalls that Mahatma Gandhi had objected to the sentence for one so young and even staged a three-day fast. But, Mahalle was hanged on January 19, 1943.

Meanwhile, the British administration also announced rewards on the heads of Maganlal Bagdi, Shyamnarayan Kashmiri, Shyamlal Naik and V S Dandekar. But they continue to elude the British rulers and lead their guerrillas to sting like bees where it hurt most.

The `August Kranti action of the Sena was by far the most intense, but its activists later spread out in neighbouring districts to harass the Britishers. They even took over the complete control of Mouda township in a bloodless coup. For four days, Mouda remained `free' from British rule before it was recaptured.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.