Kushal Konwar was born on 21st March 1905 at Balijan near Sarupathar in the modern district of Golaghat in Assam and died on 15th June 1943. He was the son of Sonaram Konwar and Kanakeshwari Konwar. Kushal Konwar was an Indian Assamese freedom fighter from Assam and he was the only martyr in India who was hanged during the last phase of the Quit India Movement of 1942-43.
Assam has given many freedom fighters to our country who sacrificed their lives for the nation with a smile on their face. Kushal Konwar is one among those brave souls.
In 1921, while he was still at school he was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s call for the non-cooperation movement and took part in it actively. Konwar was inspired by Gandhiji’s ideals of Swaraj, Truth, and Ahimsa, as he was a truth-loving child.
Kushal Kunwar set up a primary school at Bengmai and served as its teacher. Later he also joined the Balijan Tea Estate as a clerk. But the spirit of independence and freedom was burning in his heart.
Kushal pledge to become a vegetarian and accepted Shrimad Bhagawad as his only companion. Starting from the salt satyagraha led by Gandhiji in 1931, he even stopped taking salt. He did not give up on his pledges till the last moment of his life.
On 8th August 1942, the Congress Working Committee in its meeting in Bombay passed the ‘Quit India’ resolution. The resolution was made to erase complete British rule from India. It was a do or die call from Gandhiji, the British arrested Gandhiji, and other Congress leaders protesting. This led to the breakdown of major violence in the entire country. People irrespective of caste, creed, and religion came out enormously to the streets shouting the slogan “Vande Mataram” despite a constant appeal by Gandhiji to held a peaceful non-cooperation and dharna. Along with the rest of the country, Assam too witnessed a widespread protest against British Rule.
On 10th October 1942, some people removed few sleepers of the railway line near Sarupathar in Golaghat district. A military train passing by derailed the track and met an accident, many British soldiers lost their lives in this incident.
The British in its response arrested many innocent people, people were harassed and beaten to death. The British arrested many freedom fighters, Kushal Konwar was also falsely arrested along with 43 others. However, before the arrest of these freedom fighters Konwar was advised to go and hide underground but he refused.
On 5th November 1942, on the orders of the Golaghat Magistrate Kushal Konwar along with others were sent to Judicial Custody. Konwar spent 221 days in Jorhat Jail. The first 121 days as an undertrial prisoner and the next 100 days in solitary confinement as a prisoner awarded with the death sentence.
The trial of the Sarupathar rail accident began on 11th February 1943. No Indian judge was appointed for the trial. As per the ordinance issued by the Governor-General (Ordinance III of 1942 and Section 109 of IPC), which gave special powers to the District Commissioner to take the trial.
The District Commissioner of Sivasagar District, Mr. Camphel Andrew Humphrey was entrusted to conduct the trial.
The British conspired with all means at its disposal to incriminate Kushal Konwar, many were threatened and tortured to appear as a witness against Konwar. It was a trial on pen and paper but the conspiracy to hang Kushal Konwar was ongoing.
On March 6th, 1943, Saturday, the hearing of the trial began at the Jorhat jail. Among the 17 prisoners, Nagen Chutiya, Indreswar Phukan was given ten years imprisonment. Dhaneshwar Gogoi was given three years imprisonment and declared that they could be released on bail. Kushal Konwar, Dharmakanta Deka, Ghanashyam Saikia, and Kanakeswar Konwar were ordered to hang till death. Others were released due to a lack of evidence.
Later on April 26th, the Governor of Assam reversed the death sentence made to the other three except Konwar. The other three were sentenced to three years imprisonment and even declared that they could be released on bail.
But the death sentence made for Kushal Konwar remained unchanged, his death sentence was not withdrawn.
Many Prominent leaders, lawyers, and well-wishers of Konwar tried to save his life, many petitions were signed and submitted to Governor-General Lord Linlithgow, but all were rejected. It seemed the Britishers rigorously wanted him to be hanged.
Konwar waited patiently till his last day. His spirit and love for the nation never subdued. During his stay in the jail, he came into contact with several prominent leaders of Assam such as Lokapriya Bordoloi, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, Bimal Prasad Chaliha, and others.
Konwar was very popular among his jail mates, his knowledge about Bhagwat Gita, Kirtan Ghosha, and his moral outlook with progressive ideas influenced his mates. All were impressed with the optimistic and enthusiastic personality of Konwar.
Three days before he was hanged he met his wife and three sons, his wife could not stop her tears as she met her dying husband but Kushal Konwar consoled his wife saying he is lucky for God has given him a chance to sacrifice his life for the country which a very few would get to do.
A day before he was hanged prominent leaders like Gopinath Bordoloi, Tayabullah, Amiyo Kumar Das, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed had visited the veteran leader to console him. But it left a historic moment because the courageous soul Konwar consoled them rather. Later this heart-touching moment was written by Gopinath Bordoloi in his diary on 14 June 1943.
On the dawn of 15th June 1943 at around 3.30 am some representatives of the British colonial regime along with officials came to Konwar’s cell while he was still asleep. The officials included Deputy Commissioner Humphrey, a Magistrate, Jailor, Asst. Jailor, a hangman, and some constables.
The Jailor called up Kushal Konwar to get up, Konwar got up immediately, took his bath, and then recite his prayers and the holy book Gita, he followed the jailor to the place where he was supposed to be hanged, a small stage like.
There were many people gathered near the place where he was supposed to get hanged, they were all disheartened to lose such a courageous leader and an exceptional human being. He greeted the people present there and asked forgiveness from the people if they thought he would have committed any crime.
He shouted and prayed to God to give freedom to his country and its people with a slogan raising “Inquillab Zindabad”.
As the hangman prepared for the final moment Kushal was heard singing “Par Koro Raghunath Sangsar Sagar…” (praying god to help him sail through the journey)
Finally, the Magistrate signaled with a white handkerchief and the hangman exerted the rope, which was the end of the life of another great fighter. Though the British ended his life through conspiracy they never won, they were rather defeated, for they defeated the Goddess of Justice by killing an innocent but victorious freedom fighter.
At 4.30 am after he was hanged little showers of rain started to pour as if nature is crying and at the same time showering flowers upon the death of such a brave leader.
Kushal Konwar died at the age of 38 years, he died a glorious death for his country. He was no coward to step back, his patriotism towards his country is something which will always remain indebted. His devotion, sacrifice, and vigorous support for his country will embark every youth to fight for his country until death.
Kushal Konwar did not die rather he will remain immortal in the hearts of every Indian Citizen, “Jai Hind”.
