5th August 2020

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Musings.......


Freedom Fighters - Part 5 


Rani Gaidinliu - The Freedom Fighter we Forgot 


Gaidinliu, Born in 1915, in present day Tamenglong District of Manipur.  She belonged to the Rongmei Naga tribe ( also known as Kabui). 


In 1927 at the young age of 13, Gaidinliu joined the Heraka movement of her cousin Haipou Jadonang. 


Heraka movement was a revival of the Naga Tribal religion. It also aimed to end the British rule and establish self rule of the Nagas. It attracted a number of followers from the Zeliangrong tribes ( the Zeme, Liangmai, and Rongmei). 


After Jadonang was arrested and hanged by the British in 1931, Gaidinliu emerged as his spiritual and political heir. 


With the arrival of guns from Cachar, the movement turned to armed rebellion against British policies of forced labour and ruthless oppression.  She openly rebelled against the British and prevented the Zeliangrong people from paying taxes. 


Gaidinliu was arrested by the British government in 1932 at the young age of 16 and was sentenced to life imprisonment.  


From 1933 to 1947 she served jail time in the Gauhati, Shillong, Aizwal and Tura jails. 


Jawaharlal Nehru met her at Shillong Jail in 1937 and promised to pursue her release. It was Jawaharlal Nehru who gave her the title “Rani” after which she became popularly known and called as Rani Gaidinliu. 


The Secretary of State for India rejected the request stating that trouble may rise again with her release.  


After the Interim Government of India was setup in 1946, Rani Gaidinliu was released on Prime Minister Nehrus orders. 


Gaidinliu can be called as a spiritual and political leader who spread the message of Gandhi in the Manipur region. For her, the Naga Peoples journey to freedom was part of India’s wider movement for freedom.


Post Independence, she worked for the development of Zeliangrong people. 


Her leagacy with the Naga Nationalist groups is not favourable as she was perceived as to be close to the Indian Government. She was against the Naga National Council which engages in secessionist activities. 


The nation honoured her with the Padma Bhushan in 1982 and one of the five Stree Shakti Puraskar of the Union Government is in honour of her. 


Food for Thought.......


RC

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