Chamarajanagara: Lalita Taget, a senior woman freedom fighter living in Gangamata Street here is still an inspiration for the young community. This 91-year-old woman still smiles while remembering the struggle and courage she showed that day.
Lalita Taget was inspired by the slogans of independence agitation at the age of 14 and joined the movement against the British without listening to her family members. Taget was involved in a protest march in August 1947. Later, the police arrested her and kept her in Mysuru jail for about a month for hoisting tricolour at Police Station.
During her stay in jail she got stubborn for ghee, curd, chutney powder in food menu as told by senior freedom fighters. She even began fast at the prison when jail staff did not provide her favourite food. After returning from prison, she also participated in the “Mysuru Chalo” struggle.
Recalling her memories with NewsKarnataka, Taget said that she was at the forefront of protests and marches, and sometimes snatched the batons of the police and threw them away. They used to go near the police stations shouting slogans against police officers and run away. Lalita reminisced about her old memories saying that even when her mother insisted her to stay at home it was common for her to remove the roof tiles and go out to participate in the protests.
She said that she was sloganeering that this country is mine, this town is ours, the sky is ours, and the earth is ours. The police did not beat her as she was young. “So, I used to go on a rampage. Now, I am happy to be involved in the freedom struggle. Let’s forget hostility and live as one. Now everyone are more aware than that time. Everyone has patriotism,” she said.
On the occasion of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, the District Administration, pro-people organisations and the Janardana Foundation honoured Lalita Taget and presented her with tricolour.
