Puna Public Meeting 1870 AD - General Knowledge of Modern India
The Puna Sarvajanik Sabha (Marathi - Pune Public Assembly) was founded by Mahadev Govind Ranade on April 2, 1870 AD. The Puna Sarvajanik Sabha was formed to mediate between the government and the people. Bhavanrao Srinivasa Rao was the first president of this institution. Many eminent personalities like Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Gopal Hari Deshmukh, Maharishi Annasaheb Patwardhan served as the president of this organization. Let us know under what circumstances this meeting was established and what were its results.
Important Points of Puna Public Meeting
- To be eligible for membership, each member had to submit a recommendation of at least 50 adult persons.
- In this institution there were landlords, traders, retired government employees, teachers, lawyers etc.
- Each member had to give one day's income to the organization.
- Its prominent members include Ganesh Vasudev Joshi, SH Sathe, SH. Chiplunkar etc.
- Efforts were made to raise questions from the local members to the Legislative Council and the work of the municipality, the work of public welfare etc.
- In the first two years of its establishment, this organization was active and opposed the tax hike.
Work
The Poona Sarvajanik Sabha took the initiative in running the Swadeshi movement. Worked to provide relief during the time of famine and stressed upon the formation of a committee to examine the condition of the farmers. In 1874 AD, money was sent to help the famine victims of Bengal. In 1875, an application was sent to London with the signatures of about 22 thousand people, in which it was requested that 16 seats should be reserved for Indians in the British Parliament and it was recommended that those who pay 50 rupees direct tax should be given voting rights.
Puna Sarvajanik Sabha played an important role in awakening the political consciousness in Bombay, organizing the people and inculcating the feeling of patriotism in them. Nyay Sabhas were also organized at the local level to settle mutual disputes. The publication of the letter was started by the Sabha, in which the present pathetic condition of India was depicted and the plan to improve it was highlighted.
Weak Side
The work of Puna Sarvajanik Sabha soon started falling in the eyes of the government and it was called the anti-national union by the secret department of the government. This assembly was a progressive organization, but it could not penetrate into Maharashtra among the farmers and the lower classes. In fact, the new middle class, landlords and merchants held the main position in this.
In the conference of 1878 AD, many questions were raised in front of the government by the public meeting, in which excise tax, reduction in military expenditure, trade relations between India and England, arms-law, establishment of Indian Parliament etc. were the main ones. The Puna Sarvajanik Sabha, in its own way, continued to act as a bridge between the government and the people. There was a sense of synergy among the various institutions of Maharashtra.
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Modern India