Most of the people remember the great men like Mahatma Gandhi, Lala Lajpat Rai, Sardar Patel about the Indian freedom struggle. However, we forget the foot soldiers who also contributed to Indian independence. One such hero is Babu Genu Said of a cotton mill labor union in Mumbai. Today is his 91st death anniversary. Babu Genu Said was a freedom fighter and revolutionary of India. He is considered to be the first person to be sacrificed for Swadeshi in India. She actively participated and protested against the import of foreign made cloth.
Babu Genu Said was born on 1 January 1908 in a poor family in Mahangule village, Pune. He had studied only till the fourth standard. Babu’s parents loved him very much. His teacher Gopinath Pant used to tell him stories of Ramayana, Mahabharata and Chhatrapati Shivaji. Babu was not even ten years old when his father died. Now the burden of the family fell on his mother’s shoulders. Babu also used to help him. Babu’s mother used to do small jobs and was not able to take care of him. In such a situation, Babu got employment as a laborer in the mill.
Babu was against colonial rule and was deeply inspired by political personalities. Mahatma Gandhi had the greatest influence on Babu. But his mother wanted Babu to get married as soon as possible. But Babu wanted to serve the country so he refused to marry and went to Mumbai. in Mumbai and joined the team of “Pathak”. He joined the volunteers who raided the salt of Wadala. He was caught and was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment. After this, when he was released from jail, he went to meet his mother. Where his mother was very happy to hear the praise of her brave son from the people.
Babu Mumbai again joined his team. He was entrusted with the task of holding a dharna outside foreign clothes, which he did well. She actively participated in various protests of the freedom struggle against foreign made clothes. During this, on December 12, 1930, at the behest of British agents, foreign cloth merchants filled a truck and took it out on the road. The volunteers were against it and wanted to stop the truck. For which 30 volunteers lay down one after the other. However, the police somehow removed everyone and let the truck go.
On the other hand, Babu had decided not to let any truck pass from there. He lay down on the road to stop the truck. The police ordered the truck driver to crush Babu. However, the driver said that he is an Indian and cannot drive a truck over him. After which the British constable sat in the driver’s seat in anger and left the truck crushing Babu’s head. Babu was badly injured and even fainted. He was immediately taken to the hospital but he died. He was martyred by police brutality but he became popular. His name reached every household in India and the slogans of ‘Babu Genu Amar Rahe’ started reverberating.
His idol was erected in Mahanugale village where he was martyred. That street was named Genu Street. Kasturba Gandhi went to his house and consoled his mother on behalf of the whole country. This country can never forget the martyrdom given by a simple laborer.