Since time immemorial, India has proven itself to have the unity amongst its citizens inspite of the huge diversity in our culture and traditions. Whenever there comes the need of a change for the greater good, we always find someone or other taking that initiative to make the much needed change and to bring the whole nation together.
There have been a lot of such movements for the betterment of the nation and people actually cooperated the best they could.
Here are 5 such movements led by citizens to bring the change everyone has in their mind.
1. The Chipko Movement
Trees, which are undoubtedly a very crucial part of our survival are definitely need to saved always. This well known movement The Chipko Movement or Chipko Andolan was a movement regarding the forest conservation in India.
It started in Reni village of Chamoli district, Uttarakhand and went on further. The leader of the movement was Sunderlal Bahuguna, a Gharwali environmentalist whose wife had the idea of this movement and he led into action. The basic idea behind this movement was to spread the awareness to protect trees and forests. And a large group of women came together to help in this movement. The term "Chipko" means "to stick" or "cling to" . All the villagers mostly the women supported the movement by hugging the trees or clinging to the trees in the forest, to not let anyone cut or harm the trees.
There is also a very known story of Amrita Devi who died at the cost of saving trees. When the woodcutters came to cut the trees she and few other women hugged the trees and even wanted to die in order to save the trees. And she had to die at the spot. From then on there started this movement at different parts to save the forest.
And the major achievement of Chipko Movement was the ban on cutting the trees for 15 years in forests of Uttar Pradesh in 1980.
2. Narmada Bachao Andolan
Narmada Bachao Andolan is again one of the most powerful movements which brought a huge mass together for this cause. The movement started in 1985, against the construction of massive dam which was to be built on the Narmada river. The Narmada river being one of the largest flowing river in India which on the other hand also supports for the livelihood for large number of people with variety of cultures and traditions residing there from tribal people inhabiting in the jungles to the large number of rural population. The dam which is proposed to built is supposed to displace more than 250,000 people. And the problem is over the resettlement of the displaced people which are in huge number. The multi crore will benefit the government with huge revenue and they believe that the water and energy could be ecologically beneficial too. The movement was led by one of the well known leader Medha Patkar which has turned to an international protest around the world. The protest eventually made the superstars to react in this issue and to support the movement and that the common people shouldn't suffer for any of it and they should have their roof over their heads.
3. Satyagraha Movement
One of the most prominent movements of all time must be the Satyagraha Movement. The movement which is widely referred to as the non-violence movement led by none other than Mahatma Gandhi. The Sanskrit word "Satyagraha" which is the amalgamation of two words 'Satya' which means truth and 'Agraha' which means to hold on to, or the act of taking. The two words joins to form the notion of taking the hold of truth which was actually the underlying basis of much of Gandhi's ideology of his civil resistance throughout the early 20th century. Not only one but there were many incidents which led to this Satyagraha movements. One of such incidents was when he was traveling to Pretoria from Durban and even though he had reservations for first class compartment, he was not given his seat because of racial discrimination which was expressed by a fellow passenger who did not want to seat within the same corridor as him. Another incident happened during a trip from Charlestown to Johannesburg, he was again made to sit outside the coach and when Gandhi resisted he was even beaten up by the coach. These were some of his traumatic experiences which led the idea of protest in him. Despite having lots of controversies during this movement but it actually was to help sustain the deserved Human rights which were being violated. Mahatma Gandhi intended to bring peace with his ideology of non-violence which was his alternative to war.
4. Nirbhaya Movement
This was one of the most painful movements ever happened in India. This movement was actually a protest for the heinous crime that happened in Delhi on the cursed night of December 16th 2012. A medical student Jyoti Singh and her friend Avanindra Pandey on their way home when boarded a public bus in South Delhi, little did they know what was awaiting for them. Both innocent friends had to go through the worst of experience which they didn't see coming. Four men on the bus switched off the lights and gang raped the girl eventually beating up both of them, and after torturing them to hell, those inhumans threw both of them out of the bus to die on the streets of Delhi that late. But fortunately both of them were picked up by a van and brought to a hospital where her friend Avanindra survived but unfortunately Jyoti died struggling for life in Singapore where she was referred for her treatment. And this horrible crime leading to the death of the innocent girl outraged the citizens of India, the fact that even the capital city of nation didn't seem safe anymore after this incident. And people in huge number marched with candles for protest and to mourn the death of Jyoti struggling for the right. And the movement named 'Nirbhaya' due to the fearless girl Jyoti who struggled till her last breath for something she was not responsible. This movement led some changes in laws and to take fast actions against those who are committing this kind of crimes every now and then with someone innocent in any part of nation or world.
5. Swadeshi Movement
The Swadeshi Movement also known as the "Make in India" campaign was officially announced on August 7, 1905 in Calcutta. Bal Gangadhar Tilak gave support to Swadeshi and Boycott movement when the British decided the partition of Bengal. The main motive was to appreciate our own culture and to increase the use of our own goods and products rather than British products and to boycott them. In 1900, when Bengal was a major province of India and the Britishers decided to divide Bengal. Indian National Congress started the Swadeshi Movement which further led to the Boycott movement. The whole idea was to sustain our culture and cutting out the western influence from the nation.
These were some of the huge citizens led movements in India which made a huge change in the system of India. Most importantly these movements brought people close to fight for their rights for the greater good to make the nation a better place to live in.
Hi, I'm Nonisha Das from Coochbehar. I'm currently pursuing B.A Hons in English literature. I love reading novels. And, I want to make a positive impact on our society with whatever I will be doing in future. My hobbies include singing, painting and traveling.
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