Gouthu Latchanna (16 August 1909 – 19 April 2006) was an Indian politician and freedom fighter.
Personal life Gouthu Latchanna was born in Baruva village of the Sompeta mandal, Srikakulam district, in the state of Andhra Pradesh on 16 August 1909. He was the eighth child of Chittaiah, a Srisayana(Segidi) Caste, and Rajamma. He married Yashodha Devi, who died in 1996.
He died at the age of 98 in Visakhapatnam on 19 April 2006. He was survived by his son Shyama Sunder Sivaji, MLA from Sompeta, and two daughters, Jhansi and Sushila.The Hindu
Activism and political career Latchanna worked for farmers and disenfranchised people. He was arrested at the age of 21, when he participated in the Salt Satyagraha at Palasa. Latchanna also participated in the Quit India Movement. He was given the title of sardar for his activities against the British Raj.
Latchanna continued his political and social activism after Indian independence in 1947, working on behalf of farmers, labourers, and the working class. He was also a member of Madras Trade Union Board.Post-independence India: Indian National Congress, Volumes 33–50 By Om Prakash Ralhan – G. Latchanna He played a role in the fall of Prakasham Panthulu's government over the issue of prohibition.
Freedom fighter He participated in the Swaraj movement at the age of 21, starting with the Salt Satyagraha at Palasa. He was subsequently arrested in connection with a salt-cotaursThe word "Cotaur" is the Anglicised version of the Telugu word "Cotauru" meaning "godown". raid at Naupada in April 1930. He was sent to Tekkali and Narasannapeta sub-jails in Srikakulam. After conviction, he was sent to Berhampur jail in Ganjam to undergo rigorous imprisonment for one month.At the age of 21, Sri. Latchanna was arrested in connection with the salt-cotaurs raid After the Gandhi–Irwin Pact in 1931, he organized a Satyagraha camp at Baruva and led picketing of toddy, liquor, and foreign cloth shops in Ichchapuram, Sompeta, and Tekkali.Consequent on the 1931 Gandhi-Irwin Pact, Sri Latchanna organized the Congress Satyagraha camp In 1932, he participated in the civil disobedience movement by hoisting the Congress flag at Baruva. He was beaten for violating prohibitory orders and imprisoned for six months in Rajahmundry central jail.lathi-charged during the 1932 civil disobedience movement for hoisting the Congress flag at Baruva
In 1932, after being released from Rajahmundry jail, Latchanna organised "Harijan Seva Sangam" at Baruva, inspired by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi's "fast-unto-death" on the issue of untouchability. He started a night school in the harijan-Cheri, agitated against untouchability, and took harijans to a drinking water well at Baruva. He and his colleagues were socially boycotted in response.Latchanna was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s fast-unto-death at Yeravada Central jail on the issue of untouchability
As the secretary of Andhra Rashtra Congress Committee, he organised a reception at Eluru for the soldiers of Azad Hind Fauz.Latchanna organised reception at Eluru to the soldiers of the Azad Hind Fauz founded by Netaji Subash Chandra Bose Latchanna participated in the Quit India Movement in 1942.The Quit India Movement of 1942 . It is held that Gandhi's major objection to violence was that its use prevented mass participation in a movement. For in 1942, Gandhi had come round to the view that mass participation would not be restricted as a result of isolated violence. Gandhi had come to realise that the kind of non-violence he had wanted his country men to inculcate and practise could not be achieved and so towards the end of his career he had kept some amount of space for the participants to follow their own line of action. His patience had been dragged to such extremes that he felt that even at the cost of some risks, he should ask his people to resist slavery. Although Gandhi was now in an unusually militant mood, at no stage was he prepared to forsake his faith in non-violence. He would have liked the movement to be non-violent but was prepared to run the risk of unrestricted mass action even if that meant civil war. He thus said, 'Let them entrust India to God or, in modem parlance, to anarchy'. While underground, he was invited to a South Indian Congress leaders meeting at Madras. He was arrested at Rajahmundry in 1943 while en route to Madras. He was sentenced for one year for possessing seditious literature.Latchanna and his colleague Killi Appala Naidu were arrested and imprisoned He was released in October 1945.
Revolutionary influence With imprisonment in Rajahmundry central jail aftermath of the civil disobedience in 1932, he came in contact with revolutionists like Vijay Kumar Sinha (Bijoy Kumar Sinha) and Siva Verma who were life-imprisoned in Lahore Conspiracy Case in connection with Bhagat Singh, who were also imprisoned in the same block in which Latchanna was imprisoned. Siva Verma and B.J. Sinha were transferred from Cellular Jail to Rajahmundry central prison, aftermath the fast-unto-death in demand for separate treatment for political prisoners. Latchanna, along with Andhra colleagues, like Anne Anjayya and Alluri Satyanarayanaraju used to have long discussions in prison about "Indian Republic Revolutionary Party" organization. They decided to start a similar revolutionary party, in Andhra after their release. As Latchanna was released with 6 months conviction before his Andhra colleagues who were convicted for one year, he and his colleagues decided to meet again to start a revolutionary party after release too.Latchanna was lodged in the same block where Sri. Vijaya Kumar Sinha and Sri. Siva Varma, life prisoners in the Bhagat Singh Case In the meantime, Latchanna went to Cuttack, Kharagpur, Tatanagar, and Calcutta to meet the "Indian Republic Revolutionary Party" leaders for joining their movement, as promised to Siva Verma and B.K. Sinha. By the time he went, all the revolutionary party members were either arrested or went underground. During this time, he fell ill in Tatanagar, and was brought back home by his brother from Tatanagar.Latchanna went to Cuttack (Orissa), Kharagpur and Calcutta (Bengal) and Tatanagar (Bihar) to contact the then Indian Republic Revolutionary Party leaders for joining their movement Bhagat Singh and the Revolutionary Movement Siva Verma, B.K. Sinha
Leader for Kisans Around 1932, after his return from Tatanagar to Baruva, Latchanna participated in the foot-march of Rythu-Rakshana call given by N. G. Ranga from Varanasi, of parlakimide estate to Chatrapur. He organized estate-wise "Zamindari Rythu" associations, organised indirect no-tax campaign, fought for the abolition of Zamindari system on the plea that Kisans were unable to pay the heavy land revenue levied.Latchanna started agitations for the abolition of the Zamindari system
In 1940, he organised All India Kisan Sabha at Palasa, which was attended by Pullela Syama Sundara Rao, N. G. Ranga, Sahajanand Saraswati, and Indulal Yagnik. The committee took the long reception of tens and thousands of hill tribals and Kisans with an effigy of Zamindari system and got it burnt publicly. It was followed by a public meeting of the All India Kisan Sabha, violating the prohibitory orders of the then Composite Madras government.All India Kissan Sabha at Palasa in 1940 Immediately, after the All India Kisan Sabha at Palasa, the "Mandasa Ryots" under the leadership of lady "Veeragunnamma" of Gudari Rajamanipuram, took out a procession with their bullock carts into the forest of the Mandasa Zamindari, cut trees, and took them to their villages openly by driving away the estate forest guards. This led to the arrest of Kisans by police, under the sub-collector of Srikakulam. Veeragunnamma died in aftermath police firing when she surrounded sub-collector's office for the release of Kisans.Police firing killing Smt. Veeragunnamma, four Kisans and one police constable in Mandasa Ryots Latchanna along with Syama Sundara Rao visited Mandasa village to talk with sub collector, but were denied interview. Latchanna visited the village and opened a defence camp at Haripuram to prevent police harassment of farmers. When police were finding it difficult in preparing charge sheet, against Kisans, Latchanna was interned at his native village, Baruva. In spite of intensive vigilance, Latchanna toured the villages during nights and exhorted public. This secret assistance forced district collector in ordering the detention of Latchanna, which he escaped by going underground. While underground, he fought the case, and got the case struck down from sessions court.Yerran Naidu said, Sardar Latchanna was credited with leading the Mandasa peasants' struggle and maintaining a regular rapport with all the villagers of Srikakulam district
Leader for weaker sections In 1941, when Rangoon was bombarded during Second World War, Latchanna in spite of being underground, arranged "Burma refugee’s conference" at Narasannapeta, presided by N.G. Ranga to assist the Indian labourers in Burma who fled to their native land, India. As a result of this conference, the then Madras government was obliged to provide relief to the evacuees by constituting "Burma evacuees relief committee".In 1941, Sri Latchanna organised “Burma refugee’s conference” at Narasannapeta
He was the founder and president of the Andhra State Unit of the Indian National Trade Union Congress, which he continued till 1955. He was the president of Shipyard Labor Union at Visakhapatnam and was instrumental in organizing strikes, getting pay scale hikes, and introduction of service grades for the workers.Latchanna, founder-president of the Andhra State Unit of the Indian National Trade Union Congress
On the third day after his marriage, he was obliged to proceed to Rangoon to get the Indian labourers released, who were in the concentration camps aftermath the assassination of Aung San.Latchanna to Rangoon get the release of thousands of Indian labourers who were then in concentration camps
Leader for backward castes