Kalpana Dutta the firebrand revolutionary

 

 Please don't get confused. Though we are from the same Dutta clan, the fairytale revolutionary and I have had no family relationship. We just share the same family name Dutta which originates in North India as a Brahmin title. Kalpana Dutta was born in Sreepur village in Boalkhali, Chittagong which is not far from Karaldenga hills. It was the year 1913 when WW1 was just breaking in and India was also getting prepared for its struggle against the British imperialists. Both non cooperation movement and Khilafat movement were slowly cooking up.

Her father Binod Behari worked under the British Government, whereas her granddad Durgadas Dutta was a renowned medical practitioner close to the administration which earned him a title of Roy Bahadur. She had her primary education in her village. She used to play more with the boys and loved running, swimming and hill climbing which contributed to her sound health. She was tall and healthy. From her childhood she always was different from the other kids of her age. When she grew up to the secondary school age she promptly was transferred to their homestead in Chittagong City. She found herself amongst a host of new girls in her new school, the best girl's school in town Dr Khastagir's School.

She befriended netas amongst them according to her choice. You will be bemused to know that it was Pritilata Waddedar, who was one class senior to her. Even at that age she did not confuse herself to find the real gem. Both were brilliant students. They studied well alright but were very much interested in the political atmosphere. They knew that anti British fight was on and it had two streams. One the non violent non cooperation movement and the other an underground movement to organize armed struggle against the oppressors, the British authorities. Their youthful energy attracted them more towards the armed path.

They started getting information, leaflets, handouts, books about armed struggles of different countries and Indian youth like Shaheed Khudiram and Kanailal. Slowly their aim in life changed. They wanted to study science and become great scientists, which was the desire of their families as well. Now they wanted to become Laxmi Bai, the Queen of Jhansi who rode a horse and lead her troops from the front with open sword in hand. Both the girls did extremely well in the Matric (present SSC) exams securing First Division with letter marks in several subjects. Pritilata was one year senior to Kalpana.

So she passed out first and went to Calcutta to study at Bethune College. She started getting in touch with revolutionary youth. Kalpana joined her soon after and besides their studies they started practicing cycling, physical training, boating and other exercises under the banner of Chhatri Sangha a semi revolutionary organization under the leadership of another idealistic leader Bina Das. In 1930, both Pritilata Waddedar and Bina Das completed their degree studies but Kalpana was still studying for her B Sc degree, she being one year junior.

She took special interest in Chemistry as was interested in learning about chemicals and preparing explosives which could help in their revolutionary works. By that time the two girls were in contact with some of the revolutionary youth like Purnendu Dastidar, Ramkrishna Biswas and others. Like other young revolutionary boys and a few courageous girls they were imbibed with revolutionary ideas drawing analogy and strength from the success of Irish revolution. By then, they have known about Dan Breen and the book 'My fight for Irish Revolution'. They derived strength from this book and prepared themselves to sacrifice their life for freedom of own motherland. Pritilata returned to Chittagong after completion of her degree studies in 1930 but few months after that Kalpana could stay in Calcutta no longer.

She knew that Chittagong was to the fore of Indian Freedom struggle. Indian Republican Army was being formed to fight the British in the line of IRA (Irish Republican Army). She had to participate. From her childhood it was her dream. To fight for motherland and to win or sacrifice her life as a Shaheed. Her Kaku (younger uncle)always backed her and her father said, first you study and then you choose what is good for you. So she thought enough is enough with studies. She should now go back to Chittagong to fight.

So she went back and entered B.Sc courses in Chittagong College. Meantime Pritilata joined as Headmistress of Aparna Charan Girl's School. Masterda Surya Sen was the Headmaster of Nandankanan School first and then Umatara School in those days. Pritilata and Kalpana had contacts amongst the Chittagong revolutionaries of would be INA under Surya Sen. Through them, they approached the Supreme leader Masterda to take them in the ranks of the revolutionaries. Their plea was turned down because the proposed army was till then restricted to men only.

Besides these two there were other aspirants as well. They were Kundaprova Debi, Monikuntala Sen, Sabitri Debi, Ananta Singh's sister Indumati Devi and others. Because of the impending planned armed rebellion, they were not entertained for the time being in the active ranks. Nevertheless, they were used as information sources, arms carriers, shelter providers and such other important roles. 18April is a red letter day in Indian history. About 60 youth, armed with few pistols attacked and destroyed the telegraph office, attacked and captured the British forces Armoury, auxiliary forces armoury, severed the train line from elsewhere to Chittagong(near Feni) and declared Chittagong independent under INA Chittagong Branch led by Supreme leader Surya Sen.

They could keep this independence for four days until the battle of Jalalabad hill near the present Chittagong cantonment. In the day long battle, the revolutionaries lost 12 men. The enemy losses were much more and the INA held its position. But they were out of supply and knew that the enemy would attack the next day with much more force and ferocity which will not be possible to match. So they gave heroes salute to the fallen, last post being played. Then the force was ordered to disband and spread to different areas in small groups and to carry on guerilla warfare.

The revolutionaries who were arrested included leading figures like Ganesh Ghosh, Loknath Bal and Ananta Singh. Masterda Surya Sen and other leaders could escape and disappeared amongst people for whom they fought. In most cases they were well looked after. In Revolutionary leader Mao Ze Dong's words revolutionaries live amongst their people like fishes live in water.

The revolutionaries knew that they cannot defeat the mighty British army finally with their paltry supply of arms and ammo. What they could do is create enthusiasm in the youth and freedom loving people and convince them that the Brits are not invincible. They can be defeated and thrown out of our land by concerted efforts of all Indians Since long girls were dying to join the revolutionaries and take active part in the fighting activities. The Supremo Masterda and other leading revolutionaries were not in favour. They thought the girl's physique and dresses including their physical fitness were against such rigorous activities.

Moreover they will not be able to withstand the inhuman torture of the enemy when apprehended. Nevertheless, the girls led by Pritilata and Kalpana would not give up. Meantime some of the male counterparts became flexible seeing the girls' determination. Finally, after the Jalalabad War, when the revolutionaries dispersed amongst the population to organize guerilla warfare, Masterda accepted female members in their ranks In April 1931 the trial of Chittagong Armory Raid in which before mentioned revolutionaries were lined up for trial with others, Masterda entrusted Kalpana Dutta with the job of setting them free by blowing off the jail wall and court house by dynamite.

This was termed by the Brits as Dynamite conspiracy. Kalpana, who had studied chemistry, had good knowledge of explosives and gun cotton, smuggled them inside the jail and planted them properly but unfortunately the putting in place of the last batch of explosives was spotted by the police and the plan failed. The leaders were transported for life and Kalpana Dutta was arrested.

There being no proof against her she was set free after two months but was put under home restraint order. The next job she was entrusted with was to attack Pahartali European Club under the leadership of Pritilata. Inspite of the home restraint order she used to go out in disguise of a boy and once when she went for a reconnaissance of the Club with another revolutionary Nirmal Sen, she was arrested by the police merely a week before the actual attack. She received the sad information of the supreme sacrifice of her senior the great revolutionary Pritilata in the operation while in the jail. Kalpana was again released from prison due to lack of proof of her involvement.

This time she immediately went underground and started taking part in smaller scale guerilla actions with arms though by this time other girls like Sarojini Pal, Nalini Pal, Anita Sen have also joined the revolutionaries, Kalpana was so brave that she was mostly in the company of senior leaders like Masterda, Nirmal Sen and Tarakeswar Dastidar. In February of 1933 a traitor namely Netro Sen was greedy enough to earn a ransom of 10000 Rs and tipped off the police about a hideout of Masterda. When they were surrounded, the revolutionaries started firing.

The British Major and a native ranker died but Masterda and Brajen Sen were arrested. Kalpana and Tarakeswar started firing with two firearms on both hands and escaped. It was in a village called Gairala. But the freedom did not last long. Soon they were again ambushed in Purna Talukders house nearby. Firing ensued. Purna lost his life and Kalpana and Dastidar were rounded up. Soon supplementary summary trial for the Chittagong Armory Raid began against Masterda, Tarakeswar Dastidar, Kalpana Dutta and others.

The first two heroes were awarded hanging orders and Kalpana being a girl was spared her life. She was awarded deportation to Andaman which was challenged and fought against by Rabindranath Tagore, C F Andrews, Gandhiji and others. Finally the colonialists had to listen to the conscience of people and she was set free in 1939. Meantime, she had served in various prisons during which she devoted herself to study. She read a lot of books about the fight of peasants and workers all around the world.

She read about socialism and communism too and was convinced that to free the world from imperialism and capitalism, which was creeping up, the whole world's proletariat, should unite to fight. On release from prison in 1939 she joined the Communist Party in 1940 and on 1943 joined the Bombay conference of Communist Party and returned to work for the Party in Bengal. There she worked during famine amongst people and also in fights/hartals against the regime. She fought the Bengal Legislative Assembly in 1946 from her party from Chittagong but lost by a narrow margin

Meantime she was married to Indian Communist Party Secretary Comrade P C Joshi and shifted to Calcutta where she joined Indian Statistical Institute. She served there till retirement. During our great war of Liberation she worked relentlessly in the refugee camps. In 1972 she toured her free dream Bangladesh at Bangabandhu's invitation. This great revolutionary soul left for eternity on 8 February, 1995. She has written several books on her reminiscence of the Chittagong Armory Raid and related revolutionary activities.

The couple was blessed with two sons: Chand and Suraj. Chand was a journalist and his scribe spouse Manini Debi penned down a great piece, "Do or Die the Chattogram Uprising (1930-1934). Our salute to the great Kalpana Dutta. Let's show our minimum respect to these revolutionary stars by at least remembering their heroic deeds and pass on the legacy to our next generation. Yes, it's our duty and that's the least we can do.


The writer is a heritage hunter and loves travelling.