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Accamma Cherian

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Accamma Cherian
Born14 February 1909
Kanjirapally, Travancore
Died5 May 1982
Trivandrum, Kerala, India
NationalityIndian
Political partyTravancore State Congress
SpouseV. V. Varkey
Parent(s)Thomman Cherian and Annamma

Akkamma Cherian was an Indian independence activist[1][2] from Travancore (Kerala), India. She was popularly known as the Jhansi Rani of Travancore.[3]

Freedom fighter

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In February 1938, the Travancore State Congress was formed and Cherian gave up her teaching career to join the struggle for liberty.[4][5]

Agitation for a responsible government

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Civil disobedience movement

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Under the State Congress, the people of Travancore started an agitation for a responsible government. C. P. Ramaswami Aiyar, the Dewan of Travancore, decided to suppress the agitation. On 26 August 1938, he banned the State Congress which then organised a civil disobedience movement. Prominent State Congress leaders including its President Pattom A. Thanu Pillai were arrested and put behind bars.[6]

Rally to the Kowdiar Palace

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Cherian led a mass rally from Thampanoor to the Kowdiar Palace of the Maharaja Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma to revoke a ban on State Congress.[4] The agitating mob also demanded the dismissal of the Dewan, C. P. Ramaswami Aiyar, against whom the State Congress leaders had levelled several charges. The British police chief ordered his men to fire on the rally of over 20,000 people . Cherian cried, "I am the leader; shoot me first before you kill others". Her courageous words forced the police authorities to withdraw their orders. On hearing the news M. K. Gandhi hailed her as 'The Jhansi Rani of Travancore'. She was arrested and convicted for violating prohibitory orders in 1939.[7]

The Annual conference of the State Congress

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The first annual conference of the State Congress was held at Vattiyoorkavu on 22 and 23 December 1932 in spite of the ban orders. Almost all leaders of the State Congress were arrested and imprisoned. Cherian, along with her sister Rosamma Punnose (also a freedom fighter, M.L.A., and a CPI leader from 1948), was arrested and jailed on 24 December 1939.[8] They were sentenced to a year's imprisonment. They were insulted and threatened in the jail. Due to the instruction given by the jail authorities, some prisoners used abusing and vulgar words against them. This matter was brought to the notice of M.K. Gandhi by Pattom A. Thanu Pillai.[9][10]

Life in Independent India

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In the early 1950s, when the parties ideologies were changing, she quit politics.[4]

Death and commemoration

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Cherian died on 5 May 1982. A statue was erected in her memory in Vellayambalam, Thiruvananthapuram.[11] A documentary film was made on her life by Sreebala K. Menon.[12][13][14]

Statue of Accamma Cherian in Vellayambalam, Thiruvananthapuram.
Accamma Cherian Park in Vellayambalam, Thiruvananthapuram

References

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  1. ^ "ROLE OF WOMEN IN KERALA POLITICS REFORMS AMENDMENT ACT 1969 A STUDY IN SOCIAL CHANGE". Journal of Kerala Studies. University of Kerala. 1985. p. 21.
  2. ^ K. Karunakaran Nair, ed. (1975). Who is who of Freedom Fighters in Kerala. K. Karunakaran Nair. p. 89.
  3. ^ "Status of Kerala Women". Archived from the original on 26 October 2008. Retrieved 30 October 2008.
  4. ^ a b c Paul Zacharia (20 January 2007). "When friends become statues". tehelka.com. Archived from the original on 10 February 2007. Retrieved 6 November 2008.
  5. ^ The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi. Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of India. 1977. pp. 413, 503.
  6. ^ "Emergence of nationalism". Archived from the original on 11 September 2008. Retrieved 30 October 2008.
  7. ^ Naveen Joshi (1997). Freedom Fighters Remember. Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of India. p. 18. ISBN 978-81-230-0575-1.
  8. ^ "Memorandum Impasse | Government not satisfied with Gandhiji's draft | Arrests continue". The Indian Express.
  9. ^ Mahatma Gandhi. The Indian States Problem. Navajivan press. p. 167.
  10. ^ V. B. Kher (1967). Political and National Life and Affairs By Gandhi. Navajivan Pub. House. pp. 186, 322.
  11. ^ "Road users at the receiving end". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 15 March 2006. Archived from the original on 13 December 2006. Retrieved 30 October 2008.
  12. ^ "'Remembering the eminent'" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 30 October 2008.
  13. ^ "Docufest". Retrieved 30 October 2008.[permanent dead link]
  14. ^ "'Docufest' to begin tomorrow". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 3 October 2005. Archived from the original on 23 November 2007. Retrieved 30 October 2008.
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