Kozhikode : “With sobbing hearts, as we accomplish this day of pulling down from flagpoles the most hated Union Jack and tearing it apart to hoist our own tricolor flag, all of our struggles and fight will come to be remembered as prelude to this moment…” thus read the Deshabhimani article calling for wide celebrations of the nation’s first Independence Day in 1947. The Deshabimani lead article titled “Pledge(Prathigna)” appeared on the front page of the daily and embedded on side was India’s national flag. The article dated 15 August, 1947 reflects joy over ousting Britishers and gaining Independence and also serves to crumble the falsified propaganda that communists did not acknowledge Independence Day and observed the moment as black day.
The Deshabhimani article in fact symbolized the enormous joy and pride on the birth of our country's Independence. The intro read :”At all demonstrations, celebrations and flag salutes on this day of 15th August, as the national flag sways proudly over our heads across this beautiful country, we shall bring to mind the martyrs that laid their lives to bring us this day.’
“There isn’t a need to name places separately where martyrs fell. Neither do we need to scrutinise their individual beliefs or ideology. They our nation’s public wealth. They are present in all of our villages and in each of our towns and cities. They prevail in each party and community that formed part of our national movement..” - read the lines endorsing Independence Day as a joyful moment for everybody.
The paper on the day also carried news on EMS and Unniraj who was set free from jail on the 1st Independence day. “Deshabhimani” was banned by British and had begun its re-publication 3 days before 15th of August in 1947.
