Anushilan Samiti, a group of fierce Bengal revolutionaries known for their brave fight against the British using bombs and pistols, was inspired by Swami Vivekananda and Aurobindo Ghosh. Initially active only in Bengal, by the end of World War I, there was a push to expand their activities to North India, especially Uttar Pradesh. Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee was chosen for this task, and he successfully established a revolutionary network in Varanasi with the help of existing groups.
Lucknow Chapter and the Role of Chaudhary Khaliquzzaman
1923, a chapter of Anushilan Samiti was decided to start in Lucknow. This decision came when young Indians were disappointed with Mahatma Gandhi for calling off the Non-Cooperation Movement. This initiative led to the creation of the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA) a few months later. Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee, with a reference from Dhaka, met Chaudhary Khaliquzzaman, the then Chairman of Lucknow Municipal Board and a significant Congress leader. Though unwilling to take up arms, Khaliquzzaman agreed to provide financial support to the movement. With his help, Jogesh and Sachindra Nath Bakshi formally started the party’s activities in Lucknow.
Kakori Incident and Aftermath
The turning point came with the arrest of Jogesh and Bakshi following the Kakori Train Dacoity. Khaliquzzaman arranged for prominent lawyers like Harkaran Nath Mishra, C. B. Gupta, and Govind Ballabh Pant to defend the revolutionaries. Despite his efforts, when Khaliquzzaman attended the court proceedings, he faced scrutiny from a CID officer for supporting the revolutionaries. His response to the officer’s insinuations showcased his clever handling of the situation, illustrating the complex and often dangerous support network behind the freedom fighters’ efforts against the British Raj.
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