Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav: Remembering freedom fighter Subhadra Joshi

New Delhi, Jun 17: Subhadra Joshi dedicated her life to promoting national integration, communal harmony, and social justice for the minorities, weaker sections, and the handicapped. Attracted by the ideals of Gandhiji, she visited his Ashram at Wardha when she was studying in Lahore. As a student, she took part in the Quit India Movement in 1942. She went underground and edited a journal 'Hamara Sangram'.

For the education of Dalit children, she opened evening schools in Delhi. She was arrested and sent to Lahore Central Jail. On release from prison, she started working in industrial labor in Delhi. Her efforts to restore communal harmony when violence broke out in Delhi in 1946 brought her to the attention of Gandhiji and Jawaharlal Nehru. Gandhiji asked her for a daily situation report. Jawaharlal Nehru applauded her dedication.

During the dark days of Partition, she set up a peace volunteer organization 'Shanti Dal' which went from door to door spreading Gandhiji's message of peace and amity. She also organized the rehabilitation of evacuees from Pakistan.

As a parliamentarian for four terms, she made an outstanding contribution to the passage of the Special Marriage Act, the Nationalization of Banks, Abolition of Privy Purses, the Aligarh University Amendment Act, and others.

Above all, she pioneered the move to amend the Code for Criminal Procedure whereby organised propaganda leading to fear or ill will among communities was made a cognizable offense. She launched various schemes for the upliftment of the poor such as the Cooperative Society for Food-grain Distribution at controlled price, a society for Rickshaw Pullers, a Cooperative Society for coffee workers, and a Society for Deaf and Dumb, and the Delhi Mahila Samaj Trust to help the destitute women. She was the founder and President of the All India Newspaper Employees Federation.

Her most outstanding contribution was in the field of communal harmony and national integration. She cared for all people irrespective of religion and caste. Her desire was that everyone should live amicably and in peaceful co-existence. Her genuine concern was on display once again when riots broke out in Jabalpur, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and elsewhere and during 1984, when she visited all these troubled spots and helped establish peace in those places.

In 1962, she set up an organization 'All India Sampradayikta Virodhi Committee' to monitor and work against the communal and divisive forces. She started a monthly journal 'Secular Democracy'. A trust was formed under the name of 'Qaumi Ekta Trust' of which she was made the Chairperson. Books on national consciousness, secularism, revivalism and communalism have been published to bring awareness among the people and seminars, cultural programmes and workshops were organised to inspire and train young people to effectively intervene in order to defend communal peace and harmony and to promote secular views.

A building named after the first martyr in the cause of communal harmony 'Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Bhawan' was constructed as a nodal centre. "One of the few women in Delhi for whom (Indira Gandhi) had immense admiration and respect". Subhadra Joshi passed away on 29th October 2003.