Monday, Dec. 03, 1945
Jai Hind!
India's smoldering nationalism burst into sudden flame.
In Calcutta a column of students paraded in protest against the treason trials of Indian National Army men. Organized under Japanese supervision by the late
Subhas Chandra Bose, the I.N.A. in British eyes is quisling, in Indian eyes basically patriotic.
Police charged the paraders. Shots rang out. From all corners of Calcutta reinforcements, Hindu and Moslem, flocked to the student side. For three days demonstrators stormed through the city.
Angry crowds gathered in Dalhousie Square, shouted "Jai Hind!" ("Victory to India"), the battle cry of India's nationalists. They lay across railway tracks to stop trains, persuaded bus, tram, taxi and ricksha drivers to join them, forced shops to close down. They put up road blocks, set afire British and U.S. military vehicles, stoned Tommies and G.I.s, tossed bricks and a hand grenade into the Thanksgiving dance of the American Officers' Club at Karnani Estates. Adding to the city's chaos was a municipal workers' strike (for more wages) which threatened the water supply and left garbage rotting in the streets.
Unrest spread to Bombay, where students clashed with police. In Delhi, other students marched in protest before historic Mogul Red Fort, the ancient citadel where I.N.A. officers were standing trial for high treason against the Raj.
Indian parties disowned the violence. Congress Leader Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru pleaded for a cessation of "these attacks. This is not the way to gain independence. . . . You are only damaging your own cause."
On the fourth day British troops had Calcutta under control. But there were 37 dead, including one U.S. soldier, and more than 200 injured, including at least five U.S. soldiers.
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