“Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, while the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes which comes but rarely in history when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends and when the soul of a nation long suppressed finds utterance.”
Jawaharlal’s speech, 1947. Dominique Lapierre & Larry Collins, Freedom At Midnight, 1990
These words said by Jawaharlal Nehru at the midnight of 14th August are going to echo for eternity. On 15th August, 1947, the dawn of freedom had set out for India with the relentless and unfathomable efforts of millions of people. The count of ‘Unsung Heroes’ would be countless. The list includes not only the prominent and best of leaders with their significant contributions but also the commoners. Some of them are off the record as well, maybe most of them. While there are some common facts about how India got her independence from the British hegemony, some of these paramount facts that need to be repeated and registered. This article would rather focus on these facts.
Indian Independence Act, 1947
A ‘concise and simple Indian Independence Bill’ as referred to in the book Freedom At Midnight, was in order to give independence to India. According to the description, only 20 clauses and 16 typewritten pages were required by the members of the Parliament in London. The Parliament had finally passed the bill and the legislative sovereignty was transferred to the Indian Constituent Assembly while King George VI was still the Head of the State until its complete transfer.
‘In which a state at the point of a sword has been forced to surrender power to another people, but it was very rare for a people who had long enjoyed power over another nation to surrender it voluntarily.’
Clement Atlee while introducing the historic bill to the House of Parliament, London, 1947
On 18th July, 1947, the Indian Independence Act received the Royal Assent. According to the act, two new independent dominions- India and Pakistan (divided into modern Pakistan and East Pakistan (Bangladesh). Sir Cyril Radcliff headed a Boundary Commission which was to determine the boundary between the two dominions. This was followed by the biggest forced migration of the Muslim, Hindu and Sikh population. Indian Independence Act revoked the use of the title ‘Emperor of India’ for the British Crown. It also ended all the treaties with with the princely states. Lord Mountbatten continued his position of Governor General while Jawaharlal Nehru was appointed as the free India’s first Prime Minister. On the other side of the line, Muhammad Ali Jinnah became the Governor general of Pakistan while Liaquat Ali Khan was appointed as its Prime Minister.
Why Was 15th August Chosen For Independence?
Lord Mountbatten was given the responsibility to transfer the governing powers to Indian leaders. This was to happen by 30th June, 1948. However, C. Rajagopalachari, independence activist and Indian politician, had expressed that ‘there would be no power left to transfer had Lord Mountbatten waited that long.’ Thus, the date of transfer of power had to be preponed. Interestingly, Lord Mountbatten had another reason for choosing the date. He claimed that he chose 15th August as it was the second anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II.
Indian Flag- many versions
There were several unofficial flags hoisted, the first of these was hoisted in 1905-06 in Calcutta followed by Bhikaji Rustom Cama or Madam Cama unfurling it in Stuttgart, Germany in 1907. Around 30 designs of the flag was submitted to the High Court of Madras by Pingali Venkayya in 1916. The same year, Home Rule Movement under Annie Besant and Bal Gangadhar Tilak adopted a flag. In 1921, with Lala Hansraj’s idea of the spinning wheel and Pingali Venkayya who was commissioned by Gandhi designed another flag. Later in 1923, the Swaraj flag was adopted by the Indian National Congress with the spinning wheel. This was later modified into a new flag with the spinning wheel being replaced by the Ashoka Chakra and it was adopted by the Constituent Assembly headed by Dr Rajendra Prasad on 22nd July, 1947. ‘No communal undertones‘ was one of its resolutions.
Dawn of Independence
Tryst with Destiny speech was delivered by Jawaharlal Nehru in the Constituent Assembly of India and sworn in as the First Prime Minister of Independent India on 15th August 1947. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel took the oath as Deputy Prime Minister while Dr Rajendra Prasad being the President.
“At this historic moment let us not forget all that India owes to Mahatma Gandhi- the architect of her freedom through non-violence..”
Lord Mountbatten’s declaration.
Source: Nehru Memorial Museum & Library
Amidst the celebration of a new independent India, M K Gandhi was still in Calcutta, fasting and praying for peace as he was saddened by the partition. On 16th August 1947, the National Flag of India was unfurled by Jawaharlal Nehru at Red Fort.
Independence costed India millions of lives, boundless resources and a big divide. While we continue to celebrate our freedom, let’s keep reminding ourselves of the tireless efforts and sacrifices of many. Let us maintain peace and sanity and work towards progression.
Sources: Dominique Lapierre & Larry Collins, Freedom At Midnight, 1990 https://amzn.to/3442O86
Bipan Chandra, India’s Struggle For Independence https://amzn.to/3iJWLtc
Hindustan Times, 15 August 2020; Times of India, 13 August 2003; The Better India, 24 September 2016
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