Right from the time of India’s independence, the issue of French settlements in the country was raised with the Government of France. It took seven more years for Pondicherry to unite with the rest of independent India. During these years, it witnessed uprisings against its rulers culminating in the creation of a free government on November 1, 1954.
Pondicherry played a twin role in the history of the freedom movement. First it had to fight for its own freedom and secondly, it gave active support to India’s independence struggle against the British.
As the Indian freedom movement gained momentum, it began to echo in Pondicherry as well. There were student agitations and leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Bal Gangadhar Tilak visited Pondicherry and addressed meetings. In 1934, Swatantram, a monthly, was started by V Subbiah for the cause of workers and the country.
In the late thirties, Mahajana sabhas were opened in Pondicherry and Karaikal, which organised a Non-Cooperation Movement.
During the Second World War, Pondicherry supported France with men and materials. However, the youth became indignant when a large number of French-Indian soldiers died at the warfront.
The post-independence government under Jawaharlal Nehru was anxious to integrate the French-Indian territories with the country. The National Youth Congress began a satyagraha. Pro-merger processions were organised by freedom fighters who were often lathi-charged, their flags seized and torn by the French-Indian police. A momentous event in Pondicherry’s freedom movement occurred on March 18, 1954 when the elected members of the Representative Assembly and the mayors of Pondicherry and Karaikkal took part in a referendum and an overwhelming majority of 170 out of 178 members favoured the merger of French Indian territories with India.
After months of agitations, France transferred its last four territories — Pondicherry, Karaikal, Yanam and Mahe — to India on November 1, 1954. M R K Nehru, General Secretary of Foreign Affairs, hoisted the Indian flag. Kewal Singh, the first High Commissioner of the new state and Pierre Landy, special diplomatic representative of the French Republic Government, exchanged signatures at the Governor’s transfer of power ceremony. Pondicherry became a Union Territory in 1963.