Coup d\'etat de Yanaon

In 1954, the coup d'etat of Yanaon is a very important incident which caused a great interest in India as in France, whereas the two governments are joined together with the table of the negotiations with Delhi and Paris with regard to the payment of the future of France in India.

Yanaon was the colony more the pro-Frenchwoman of all, with honest leaders like Samatam Krouschnaya, Kamichetty Sri Parassourama Varaprassada Rao Naidu or Kamichetty Venougopala Rao Naidou. But the intervention of the general consul Sri Kewal Singh and of Dadala Raphael Ramanayya changed gives it to Yanaon.

Interpretation

The coup d'etat was interpreted different manners during time:

like an act of release by the leaders in favor of integration in India,
a regrettable but welcome incident by the Indian government,
an act of treachery on behalf of the Indians by the French government,
only one takeover by natives of Yanaon preferring French with the Indians now.

Some are interpretations of the many analyzes of this incident, nobody cannot deny the impact which it had, so much on the need for Décolonisation than on the Nationalisme which prevailed in the way of thinking of people through the colonial world in the years of 1940 of 1960.

Causes of the coup d'etat

See: Causes of the integration of the French establishments of India to the Indian Union

The coup d'etat de Yanaon belongs to the process of release and integration of the French Etablissements of India. The causes are almost the same ones as those of the total movement. The difference resides in what Yanaon was an area with a strong prevalence pro-Frenchwoman, which returned the intervention of the Indian army necessary.

The immediate cause is the conclusion of the general consul Sri Kewal Singh during the night of April 11th, 1954 to the Conférence of Kandamangalam. In order to carry out a true release of the colonies somebody must attack one of the four large French colonies , since the French authorities make fun of the Provisional government of Nettapacom. Yanaon is a small territory as well in surface as in population, he asks Mr Dadala a plan to release it. It results from it finally the Coup d'etat of Yanaon.

The political scenario before the coup d'etat

In the neighborhoods of on December 10th 1953, general consul R.K. Tandon is transferred and Sri Kewal Singh takes its place. It remains however behind Mister Sellane Naicker and Mr Dadala. It has the capacity to detach from the leaders and the members of the assembly (assembled representative) of the French camp with New Delhi.

Change of camp of Edouard Goubert

The movement of unification becomes extensive with V. Subbiah when the mayor of Pondichéry, Edouard Goubert, joined the camp of the partisans of integration.

Municipalities for integration

An significant event in the liberation movement of Pondichéry arrives on March 18th, 1954. The members of the municipal executive, the mayor of Pondichéry as seven contiguous communes proclaim their decision to amalgamate with the Indian Union without Référendum. All the communes of the Kârikâl make in the same way. This decision was to be confirmed by the representative assembly all the same.

The intervention of the governor

When the socialist party of French India launches a Résolution in favor of integration, the French governor gives up it while giving the meeting. After that, the Socialistes intend to rejoin the isolated communes and to pass them to Pondichéry. The party Communiste is also ready to launch a campaign of direct action to integrate Pondichéry into India.

The provisional government

The last day of March 1954, the leaders of the socialist party of French India hoist the Indian national flag above the police station of Nettapacom. A provisional government with Mr Edouard Goubert at his head is formed in the Enclave of Nettapacom. The Indian army of reserve is posted around its borders.

The conference of Kandamangalam

During this time, the negotiations continue between the French governments and Indian. During the night of April 11th, 1954, the general consul Sri Kewal Singh meets all the leaders of the provisional government to the conference of Kandamangalam. He explains why the French authorities make fun of the provisional government. He suggests that if they want to really release all the establishments they must occupy of them one of four larger. Then Dadala arrives at the house or is held the meeting and the consul asks him what he thinks of the project and if he has ideas. Thereafter, a project is formed by Dadala to try to release Yanaon.

The creation of an atmosphere integrationist

April 13rd, 1954, Mr Dadala arrives at Yanaon to work on the possibility of releasing itself from French. As of its arrival it realizes that Yanaon is dominated by an atmosphere pro-Frenchwoman and that it does not persist there of nationalist sign. April 14th, 1954 it goes to Kakinada, a frontier city of Yanaon, district of Godavari of the east of the Indian State of Andhra Pradesh. It meets there the leaders and official district to ask of the assistance. No encouraging answer is given to him.

In Yanaon his/her friends inform it that if he dares to launch out in a nationalist agitation here, he will be captured and killed. In Yanaon everyone seems to be held with square of the French administration. The following day, when Mr Dadala goes to the meeting of his partisans in the village of Farampeta, it is taken in ambush by the French Police. It leaves its revolver, draws in the air and escapes in Indian territory.

Turning over to Kakinada it buys several flags of the Parti the Congress and begins a campaign of door with door and request with the students and their leaders to organize a meeting with the town hall. With its nationalist new recruits it decorates trucks with the flags and make turns in the streets of Yanaon, inviting people to go up inside to go to the meetings. Once the organized meetings, it exhorts them to help it in its fight for the release of Yanaon and seeks to cause an Indian patriotism. In a few days it creates an atmosphere anti-Frenchwoman in Yanaon and in its surroundings.

The French police force makes an error then, being caught some at villages in Indian territory. Mr Dadala sends a Télégramme of complaint to the General consul in connection with the actions of the French police force. He installs loudspeakers in the villages of Yanaon, makes diffuse patriotic musics and tries to convince the population to join India. Inside Yanaon the leaders pro-French (Samatam Krouschnaya and Kamichetty Sri Parasurama Varaprasada Rao Naidu) organize daily meetings against integration.

At the beginning of June, the general secretary of the French administration of Pondichéry meets Dadala and the formless one that the government transfers two official Europeans residing at Yanaon. He asks him to make sure of their safety towards the nationalists, time that they leave. Mr Dadala follows them until Kakinada from where they leave by train (the Express one of Circar) until Pondichéry.

Preparation of the coup d'etat

With all the French leaders in fury with the least sway in the crowd, the partisans of integration decide that it is the moment to strike. After consultation with the official ones of Kakinada and other leaders of Yanaon such as Maddimsetti Satyanandam (mayor of Yanaon), Yerra Jagannatha Rao, Kamichetty Sri Parasurama Varaprasada Rao Naidu and Kanakala Tatayya Naidou (two members of the Parliament representative of Yanaon). Dadala concludes from arrangements to take the administration. Although Kamichetty Parasuram Naidu is pro-French (because of his father Kamichetty Venougopala Rao Naidou, former mayor of Yanaon, known as Grand old man of Yanaon ), it agrees to join it.

Then the Maddimsetti mayor flees Yanaon because it was annoyed with people of its camp His house is plundered. Mister Samatam Krouschnaya, a 78 year old doctor, becomes mayor by interim. He is leading pro-French to only fight the partisans of integration. He was a Poète, a Historien and a doctor Ayurveda, he wrote many books in Télougou and French.

Yanaon being in current extremely pro-French, the intervention of the Indian army becomes inevitable.

The coup d'etat de Yanaon

Early in the morning of the Sunday, June 13, 1954, Mr Dadala goes at the head of a few thousands of demonstrators of Kakinada in direction of the house of the administrator of Yanaon, in the intention to capture it and hoist the Indian flag. Another revolutionist and patriotic Indian celebrates Bayankar Achary is then also member of the procession. Going 50 yards ahead with a speaking pipe, he asks the French police force and official to cooperate and to go. The police force reacts while launching some grenades to 20 meters of Dadala, which explode without making casualties. Then they start to shoot at the demonstrators.

The demonstrators shelter behind the Choultry of Manyam Zamindar and draws against the French police force which is on the place in front of the police station. Approximately four agents are wounded and on the ground. Those remaining are locked up in the station fearing the fury of crowd. Dadala surrounds them and disarms them. The demonstrators rake the city to stop all the leaders pro-French and to lead them to a martial Cour. Once they acknowledged their culpability, the Clémence their is granted. The coup d'etat de Yanaon is announced by All India Radio and in the press.

The Indian national flag is hoisted on the house of the administrator. After which the partisans of integration form the revolutionary Provisional government of Yanaon, directed by Dadala. It adopts a resolution declaring Yanaon released .

The murder of Mr Samatam

Another event of this day there is the death of Mr Samatam Krouschnaya, mayor by interim. It only fought against groups of demonstrators for French sovereignty on Yanaon. Satianandam is informed by his/her brother of localization of Mr Samatam. Whereas Samatam tries to jump of one wall to the house of Pydikondala to put itself at the shelter, it was killed by Maddimchetty Satianandam to which one of his/her friends close gave him a gun. It is known that Maddimchetty thought that its house was plundered because of Samatam. The mayor by 78 years interim, Mr Samatam, crumbles, but even with the dead event of that it did not cease protesting Vive France . It was declared that Samatam was killed by the Indian Army which wounded many people with Yanaon. If Mr Samatam had been alive this day there, the coup d'etat de Yanaon would have been a failure. The death of Mr Samatam is considered by the French, even now, like an Indian conspiracy. For the local population of Yanaon, the truth on the murder is always a mystery.

Consequences of the coup d'etat

The coup d'etat exasperates the French authorities of Pondichéry. The rumors are spread that the French government sends a cruiser to capture the revolutionary leaders and to restore the authority. Three days front, the last administrator of Yanaon, George Salted, had been recalled by André Ménard, general governor of Pondichéry.

Mr Dadala is named temporary police chief of Yanaon for 14 days. At the end of June 1954, Sri Kewal Singh in visit with Yanaon asks for Dadala of turn over Pondichéry to continue its activities. July 3rd it leaves Yanaon after having organized the administration.

November 1st, 1954, Yanaon is in fact transferred to India. January 16th, 1955 the Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru Pondichéry visit. Mister Edouard Goubert, S. Perumal, Dadala and Sri Pakirisamy Pillai present addresses to Pandit Nehru at the time of a public meeting to the maidan of Gorimedu.

In the Treaty of transfer signed by the Indian France and authorities on May 28th, 1956, France declares that it is not responsible for the events arrived after June 13rd, 1954.

Mr Dadala is named officer of high ranking in the State of Andhra Pradesh until his retirement taken on June 29th 1963, three days before the integration of Yanaon in the unified territory of Pondichéry.

Unsolved questions

These events raise questions without answers, which lose of their interest to the wire of time.

is the coup d'etat de Yanaon a release or a capture?
Up to what point Mr Dadala really created an atmosphere favourable with integration with Yanaon?
the death of Mr is Samatam an assassination, a murder or an accident?
If it were delivered by its own camp, why much of educated elites and people took the French citizenship?

See too

Municipal administration in French India
Dadala Raphael Ramanayya
Pondichéry
Yanaon

References

My Struggle for freedom off French Provinces in India , autobiography of Sri Dadala Raphael Ramanayya (in English).

External bond

Official site of the area of Pondichéry
Official site of the government of the Territory of Union of Pondichéry
THE FRENCH AND PORTUGUESE SETTLEMENTS IN INDIA (in English)

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