The man who clung to Mahatma’s car

Celebrations for our 67th Independence Day are taking place all across the country and in various parts of the world where Indians are residing. The tri-colour is displayed proudly by each and everyone one of them.

On such an auspicious day, it is important to recall the struggles of the freedom fighters many of whom gave their lives to see the country free from the British rule. One such braveheart and living legend is Narra Madhav Rao. Born on October 8, 1921, the 93 year old veteran is an active freedom fighter and president of the AP Freedom Fighters Organisation. He can still recall the entire scenario of the country during the freedom struggle and his interaction with the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi.

In a conversation with Hyderabad Hans, he spoke about the time when Gandhiji had visited Hyderabad in 1933. He held a public meeting at Karbala Maidan to appeal to the people to contribute towards the Harijan fund to help improve their conditions. Madhava Rao had donated his ring for the cause and said that approximately 30,000 people had attended Gandhiji’s sermon.

As a young 14 year old, he too idolised the great leader like many others and had a desire to talk to the great leader but, was treated harshly when he attempted, to converse with him. Despite being treated harshly, he clung onto Mahatma’s car as it began to leave the Maidan. Gandhiji was alarmed to see the young boy clinging onto his car, he caught one of his hands and attempted to push him so that he would let go of the vehicle. Madhava Rao then began to shout, ‘Mahatma Gandhi ki Jai’. He said, “The Mahatma’s push was gentle but yet firm enough to get me off the car. I remember the Mahatma saying, ‘Baccha Utthro, Baccha Utthro’ (Boy get down, Boy get down). Finally the car was slow enough for me to safely jump off its footrest.”

He added, “Gandhiji was taken aback at my desperate attempt to reach him with absolutely no regard for my life. In such a scenario, he thought it was to resort to ‘eye for an eye’ policy.”

A little known fact is that the road which leads from Karbala Maidan to Paradise was named as Mahatma Gandhi road as this was the route he had taken during his visit.

His statue was installed on the road for the very same reason. Though everyone praised the non-violent approach of Gandhiji, many people found it difficult to stick to his prescribed norms. In 1946, at Kazipet, another meeting was conducted by Gandhiji and this one too was attended by Madhava Rao. He says that the Mahatma had to cut short his speech within five minutes as the public address system had stopped functioning. “As everyone rushed to greet him, Gandhiji got into the third class compartment of the train he had arrived in and bolted the door from inside,” Madhava Rao recalled.

Madhava Rao’s respect for Gandhiji was immense and so he visited Gandhji's ashram in Wardha in 1946 just to hear his speech and also in Mumbai during the Congress session in 1944.He said it was difficult to match Gandhiji's line.
During the Razakar movement many were killed and several were grievously injured in the police firing. When the opportune moment came, Madhava Rao and his friends seized the chance and got back at the Razakars.

Madhava Rao has been witness to both world wars and also India's freedom struggle. He says today nations are sepending so much money on nuclear energy. The time has come to go back to Gandhiji and his teachings. It is only through non-violence that one can achieve progress.

When asked about the sate of affairs and the issues such as consumerism, globalisation and development, Madhava Rao said, "The ideas of Mahatma Gandhi have been proven, tried and tested. His ideas of decentralisation, village economy, self- reliance and empowerment to thevillages still satnd good. In spite of all the development India is still an agaraian economy and what Gabndhiji said that India lives in its villages is true."