Quit India Movement, one of the most important phases in India’s struggle for independence, was started by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, also known as Mahatma Gandhi. It started from Bombay (now Mumbai). According to Local 18 Madhya Pradesh, it began on August 9, 1942, and soon this movement spread in the Nimar district, Madhya Pradesh as well. Sixty eight revolutionaries from the Nimar district participated in this movement. They were arrested and lodged in the Mandleshwar jail. With the patriotism and courage in their hearts, those 68 freedom fighters couldn’t remain confined in the prisons for a long time. As per the historians, the imprisoned freedom fighters continued their protest from the jail premises and were out after breaking the jail door on October 2, 1942. After getting out of jail, they visited the Ghantaghar Chowk and celebrated Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday. This incident bolstered the fight for freedom in the region and is remembered as one of the most important moments in history.
A History scholar Durgesh Kumar Rajdeep told Local 18 that the revolutionaries of Nimar opposed the British with full force by joining the Quit India Movement. He said that during that time, this area was a part of the Holkar state. Holkar’s administration was under the influence of the British Government. During that time Mandleshwar used to be known as a district. According to Rajdeep, the revolutionaries sought permission from the jailer to celebrate Gandhiji’s birthday in jail on October 2, 1942. The jailer had applied regarding this to the Holkar administration but the permission was not granted. Then the revolutionaries devised a strategy and at 7 pm on October 2, they broke the huge wooden door in the western direction and came out shouting slogans.
After getting out of the jail, the freedom fighters reached the historic Ghantaghar Chowk via Jail Road, Keeton Bazaar, MG Marg. They sang bhajans (religious prayers) at the Ghantaghar Chowk the whole night. The next morning after sunrise, they hoisted the tricolour flag and returned to jail again. In the meantime, when Holkar State DIG (Deputy Inspector General of Police) Abdul Rashid Khan (grandfather of film actor Salman Khan) came to know about the jailbreak arrived with the police force at the bus stand and even fired in the air to stop them. Khargaon’s collector and superintendent also tried to stop the fighters but failed.
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