द इण्डियन स्ट्रगल / भारतीय स्वाधीनता संग्राम (नेताजी सुभाष चन्द्र बोस - ऐतिहासिक विश्लेषण)

DESHBANDHU C. R. DAS IN POWER 113
approved in Swarajist circles, it did not fail to cause a certain
amount of heart-burning in some circles within the Party.
To the Government it gave great annoyance and it was
not without a great deal of hesitation that they decided to
give their approval, as they were required to do under the
Statute.
The election of the Deshbandhu as the first Mayor under
the new constitution symbolised our capture of the Calcutta
Municipality and was attended by popular demonstrations.
Under the new regime, new measures calculated to benefit the
citizens, were set in motion in quick succession. The newly-
elected Swarajist Councillors and Aldermen, including the
Mayor, all came dressed in home-made Khadi. Among the
employees of the Municipality, Khadi became the official
uniform. Many of the streets and parks were renamed after
India’s greatest men. For the first time an Education Depart-
ment was started and a distinguished Indian graduate of
Cambridge¹ was put in charge. Free primary schools for
boys and girls sprang up all over the city. Health-Associations,
financed by the Municipality, were started in every ward of
the city by public-spirited citizens for carrying on health
propaganda among the people. Dispensaries were opened by
the Municipality in the different districts for giving free
medical treatment to the poor. In purchasing stores, pre-
ference was given to Swadeshi (i.e., home-made) goods. In
making new appointments, the claims of Moslems and other
minorities were recognised for the first time. Infant clinics
were established in different parts of the city and to each
clinic was added a milk-kitchen for supplying milk free to the
children of the poor. Last, but not least, the Municipality
arranged to give civic receptions to Nationalist leaders like
Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Motilal Nehru and Mr. V. J. Patel,
when they visited the city and the previous custom of giving
civic receptions to Viceroys, Governors and officials was dis-
continued once for all.
The above measures adopted for promoting the welfare of
‘¹ K. P. Chattopadhyaya who has continued to hold office till the present
day. At present there are about 40,000 boys and girls in the Municipal
Schools.
H