Special article on Lala Lajpat Rai’s birthday – 28 January
Punjab Kesari Lala Lajpat Rai- A Great Visionary and Charismatic Leader: A Reappraisal
Dr. Ramjilal, Social Scientist, Former Principal, Dyal Singh College, Karnal (Haryana- India)
Email.drramjilal1947@ gmail.com
Mob.8168810760
(Samaj Weekly)- Lala Lajpat Rai (28 January 1865-17 November 1928) was born on 28 January 1865 in Dhudike village (Punjab-Faridkot) to father Munshi Radha Krishna and mother Gulab Devi. Lala Lajpat Rai, a famous freedom fighter, leader of the Congress party, famous advocate, writer, journalist, editor, dynamic speaker, educationist, founder of the Hindu reformist movement, leader of the Arya Samaj and the Hindu Mahasabha, a great ‘visionary and charismatic’ personality.
In 1880, he was admitted to Government College, Lahore to study law. At that time, Lahore was the main centre of political activities and the ‘nursery of Indian patriots’. In 1884, his father (Urdu teacher) was transferred to the school of Rohtak. After completing his law education, he started practising law at Rohtak and Hisar (His in-laws) in 1886 and made his ‘’centre of political activities’’. Later, he started practising law at Lahore High Court. But his main political battlefield has been Hisar.
As a Journalist:
During the independence movement, many politicians founded and edited newspapers and magazines to educate and mobilize the public. To be a successful journalist, one must have mastery of language and writing style. Lala Lajpat Rai has proficiency in English, Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu languages. He founded and edited newspapers and magazines–‘Arya Gazette’ (Lahore) weekly, The Punjabi (weekly-English) and The People (weekly-English-Lahore), and Bande Mataram (Urdu) daily. During his stay in America in 1917, he established the Indian Home Rule League and started the monthly magazine -Young India. Apart from this, his articles were continuously published in The Tribune (Lahore) and many other newspapers and magazines.
As the Author of Books
Besides his mastery in English, Punjabi, Urdu and Hindi, he propagated and spread Hindi in the entire country to make it the national language so that the motto of national integration and national building could be achieved. That is why, he wrote the book on Shri Krishna in Hindi. He also inked biographies of Shivaji, Swami Dayanand Saraswati, Mazzini, Garibaldi etc. Lajpat Rai’s most important books include The Story of My Deportation (1908), Arya Samaj (1915), The United States of America: A Hindu’s Impression (1916), England’s Debt to India: A Historical Narrative of Britain’s Fiscal Policy in India ( 1917), and Unhappy India (1928). These books reflect his intellectual vigour and grapes of critical analysis of different issues of contemporary scenarios.
Role in sharpening the Swadeshi movement
Lala Muralidhar, also known as the Great Old Man of Punjab, Now Haryana-Ambala) was one of the 72 founding members of the Congress in 1885. He advocated for the Swadeshi movement, which aimed to use Swadeshi (indigenous) goods as a tool to end British imperialism and capitalism in India. The movement was officially launched at the Town Hall of Calcutta on 7 August 1905, with the main principle of adopting Swadeshi and boycotting foreign goods. Lala Lajpat Rai, one of the Tridev (three gods- Lal,Bal Pal) along with Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Vipin Chandra Pal, played a significant role in sharpening the Swadeshi movement. He emphasized the need to establish Swadeshi industries, banks, and companies to counter British entrepreneurs and prevent them from making profits. He wanted Congress to organize an industrial conference during its annual session and supported the establishment of indigenous organizations like Punjab National Bank and Lakshmi Insurance Company. Lala Lajpat Rai was involved in the management of Punjab National Bank, which was founded on May 19, 1894, and opened for business on April 12, 1895. Dyal Singh Majithia and Lala Harkishan Lal were the founding president and secretary, respectively.
The Contradictory Stand on Hindu –Muslim Unity
A . Clear Division of India’
Lala Lajpat Rai’s perspective on Hindu-Muslim unity is characterized by a contradiction. Despite recognizing the difficulties in achieving it, he confidently underscores the common cultural ground between the two communities.
In his initial opinion, he expressed pessimism towards the possibility of achieving unity between Hindus and Muslims in India. Instead, he proposed a “clear partition of India, suggesting, ”Punjab should be divided into two provinces, Western Punjab with a large Muslim majority should be made a Muslim-ruled province and the same principle can be applied to Bengal, under my plan, the Muslims will have four provinces, -N.W.F.P., Western Punjab, Sindh and East Bengal.” He, further, clarified. ‘But it should be clearly understood that this is not a united India, it means India’s Muslim India and non-Muslim India rather, ”a clear division in Muslim India”
It is worth delving deeper into the plan proposed by Lala Lajpat Rai, which aimed to partition India into “Non-Muslim and Muslim India”. The plan was not only innovative but also meticulously formulated, with clear and distinct boundaries drawn up for each region. This proposal was a game-changer and had a profound impact on all stakeholders, including Hindus, Muslims, and the British-Indian bureaucracy. Lala Lajpat Rai’s vision for a “Clear division in Muslim India” was highly influential and was embraced by numerous Muslim and Hindu leaders who saw it as a viable solution to the ongoing political turmoil.
In the early 20th century, some Muslim leaders in India – Maulana Mohammad Ali, Maulana Sindhi, Maulana Asfar Ali Thanvi, and Sir Aga Khan – began advocating for a separate homeland for Muslims due to their fear of Hindu dominance. However, this idea was not limited to the Muslim community, as some staunch Hindu leaders, including Gulshan Rai, Meher Chand Khanna, and V.D. Savarkar, also supported the idea of a separate Muslim homeland, which became known as the ‘two-nation theory’. In his presidential speech at the Hindu Mahasabha conference in 1937, Savarkar boldly stated that “Hindus and Muslims are two nations.” Mohammad Ali Jinnah, who was initially a moderate leader, also became an avid supporter of the ‘two-nation theory’ in 1937 and presented it in detail in the Time and Tide (London) newspaper on 19 January 1940. This theory was based on the belief that Hindus and Muslims were two distinct communities with different cultures, traditions, and beliefs, and could not co-exist peacefully in a single nation. Jinnah believed that a separate Muslim state was the only way to protect the rights and interests of the Muslim community in India. The Lahore Resolution (1940) of the Muslim League demanded the creation of an independent Muslim state in India, and this theory eventually led to the division of India in 1947, resulting in the creation of India and Pakistan. The partition of India was one of the most significant and violent migrations in human history, resulting in the displacement of millions of people and the loss of countless lives. This remains a lesson for us to learn from the miseries people faced during the partition. We must also preserve and maintain India’s pluralistic cultural heritage, which advocates for pluralistic nationalism, as it is a crucial aspect of our country’s identity. India is a diverse country, and our diversity is our strength. We must work towards creating a society where everyone is treated with respect and dignity, regardless of their religion, caste, or culture. This is the only way we can build a truly inclusive and prosperous nation.
- The Common Heritage:
Lala Lajpat Rai was an Indian freedom fighter, writer, and politician who played a crucial role in India’s struggle for independence. He emphasized the importance of cordial and goodwill relations between different religions. Lala Ji believed that the common heritage of various Hindus and Muslims should be emphasized to build a strong nation. According to him, Hindus and Muslims should not have a separate existence, as both are considered to be the same. He believed that India is neither Hindu nor Muslim, but one. “Let us live and die for each other, so that India may live and prosper as a nation,” he said. To emphasize India’s common cultural heritage, Lala Ji wrote, “If Mother India had an Ashoka, she also had an Akbar; if she had a Chaitanya, then he also had a Kabir. For every Hindu hero, we can cite a Muhammadan hero. We can be as proud of Syed Ahmed Khan as we are of Rammohan Roy and Dayanand.” He believed that we must unite to fight poverty and ignorance – the common enemy of all mankind. Therefore, according to his thinking, “common efforts” are needed to combat these “common enemies.”
Education plays a crucial role in nation-building, and Lala Lajpat Rai stressed free and compulsory education. He established the Tilak School of Politics, where members of the Servants of the People Society selflessly imparted the education of nationalism and patriotism to the students. He also built more educational institutions to provide quality education to the masses.
However, the current government must learn a lesson from the fact that education is becoming increasingly expensive, and quality education is lacking due to the huge shortage of teachers and infrastructure from national educational institutions to primary schools. Millions of students go abroad every year to pursue higher education, and this is a matter of concern. Lala Ji believed that without any form of national love, patriotism, and feeling of national service being generated in the minds of these students, the country will not progress.
According to Lala Lajpat Rai, social harmony is the foundation of strong nationalism. It is essential to remove various types of discrepancies and isolation. Followers of every religion should have equal freedom, and he was against the eradication of any community. Current politicians should learn from the pluralistic nationalist thinking of Lala Lajpat Rai and avoid using poisonous verbal arrows filled with hatred against minorities. To build a real India, the principle of unity in diversity should be adopted. In conclusion, Lala Lajpat Rai was a visionary leader who believed in the common heritage of different religions and emphasized the importance of education and social harmony in nation-building. His ideas are still relevant today, and the current government should learn from his thinking to build a better India.
Political Journey (1888 –1928)
In 1885, the Indian National Congress Party was established in Mumbai, in which Lala Muralidhar of Ambala from the Haryana region of United Punjab was included among the 72 delegates. Lala Lajpat Rai was specially invited to the fourth session of the Indian National Congress Party in 1888. Lala Muralidhar and Lajpat Rai expanded the Congress Party in the Haryana region. In this sequence, Lala Lajpat Rai established the unit of the National Congress in Hisar. Tridev-Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Vipin Chandra Pal (Lal Bal Pal) of the Congress Party were the frontline leaders of extreme nationalism. To weaken the national movement and Hindu-Muslim unity, the then Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon followed the ‘ “Divide and rule policy”.It is a political strategy that aims to maintain power by creating divisions among the people. It involves creating conflicts and tensions between different groups to prevent them from uniting against a common enemy. It is a cunning political strategy that has been used for centuries to maintain power and control over the masses. It involves creating divisions among people and pitting them against each other, distracting them from the real issues at hand. By sowing discord and promoting conflict, those who employ this strategy can easily manipulate and exploit the vulnerable. While following this policy, Lord Curzon divided Bengal into West Bengal and East Bengal in 1905. It was followed by a strong movement across the country against the partition of Bengal. The command of the movement in the Haryana region, and especially in Hisar, was handed over to Lajpat Rai. This movement had such an impact that in 1907, the soldiers of Hisar and Rohtak also protested. As a result, 145 soldiers were expelled from the army. Due to the influence of the Swadeshi national movement, the then Governor General Lord Hardinge had to annulle the partition of Bengal in 1911. This was the British government’s second major defeat due to widespread protests. Earlier in 1907, three agricultural laws were repealed due to the farmers’ movement.
Because of Rawalpindi’s speech (11 April 1907) and leading the farmers’ movement, a case of treason was registered against Ajit Singh and Lala Lajpat Rai under section 124-A of the then Act. As a punishment under Regulation 3 of 1818, he was expelled to Mandalay Jail (Burma – now Myanmar) for 6 months. However due to fear of rebellion among the sons of farmers in the army and police, in May 1907, the British government abolished all three agricultural laws. On 11 November 1907, S. Ajit Singh and Lala Lajpat Rai were released. The repeal of three agricultural laws and the release of S. Ajit Singh and Lal Lajpat Rai from jail were the first major defeats of the British government in the first decade of the 20th century.
From 1913 to 1920, Lala Lajpat Rai travelled to Japan, Britain and America. During this period, he could not return to India due to the beginning of the First World War. During his stay in America in 1917, he founded the Indian Home Rule League and its official monthly magazine -The Young India.
The Indian National Congress launched the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-1922) under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. Lala Lajpat Rai remained in jail from 1921 to 1923 and after his release from jail, was elected a member of the Legislative Assembly.
The Simon’s Commission Go Back
When the Chelmsford Reforms of 1919 were implemented by the British Government, it was said that after 10 years in India, a commission would be appointed to study these reforms. The then Prime Minister of England (Baldwin)appointed a commission under the leadership of Sir John Simon. This is called the Simon Commission. All seven of its members were British MPs. There was not a single Indian among them. That is why, it is also called as ‘White Commission’.The Simon Commission was announced on 8 November 1927 and it reached Mumbai (India) on 3 February 1928. The Simon Commission was opposed every where in India, from Mumbai to Kolkata and from Madras (Now Chennai) to Lahore(Now Pakistan). The slogan was raised ‘Simon Commission Go Back’. When the Simon Commission reached Lahore Railway Station on 30 October 1928, the slogans raised by the huge crowd of non-violent and peaceful protesters, ‘Simon Commission Go Back’, were echoing in the sky. It was led by Lala Lajpat Rai.
Death of Lala Lajpat Rai: 17 November 1928
Describing the qualifications of a good leader, he said that a good leader is one ‘whose leadership is effective, who is always ahead of his followers, who is courageous and fearless.’ There was no difference between his words and actions. This is the main reason why he remained at the forefront of the movement. Like a good leader, Lala Lajpat Rai was leading the peaceful protesters in Lahore. The Lahore Superintendent of Police, James A. Scott ordered a lathi charge to disperse the non-violent and peaceful crowd. The Superintendent of Police, Scot himself attacked Lala Lajpat Rai with sticks and he was seriously injured. He was admitted to the hospital and died 18 days later during treatment, on 17 November 1928, at the age of 63. Lala Lajpat Rai’s last words were, ‘Each stick lying on my body will act as a nail in the coffin of the British Government.’ The death of Punjab Kesari Lala Lajpat Rai was a new turning point in the history of the Indian independence movement
Revenge of Lala Lajpat Rai’s Death: Murder of John Saunders – 17 December 1928
Due to the death of Lala Lajpat Rai, anger among the Indian public, especially the youth, was at its peak. The death of Lala Lajpat Rai and the anger spread among the youth provided Bhagat Singh and his comrades the opportunity they were looking for to mobilize the public, especially the youth. As a result, the revolutionaries – Shivram, Rajguru, Sukhdev, Chandra Shekhar Azad and other revolutionaries planned to assassinate Lahore Superintendent of Police James A. Scott to avenge the death of Lala Lajpat Rai and to send a message to the British government. On 17 December 1928, a month after Rai’s death (17 November 1928), at 4:03 in the morning, when Assistant Superintendent of Police, John Saunders came out of Lahore Police Headquarters, immediately Rajguru and Bhagat Singh opened fire on him. They put him to death. It is also important to tell the readers that a month before that, John Saunders was engaged to the daughter of the PA of the Viceroy of India. Therefore, due to the death of John Saunders, the British government was shocked and its anger and revenge were at its peak.
The aim of the revolutionaries was not to kill John Saunders, but their target was James A. Scott, Superintendent of Police (Lahore). But, when John Saunders came out of the office, thinking him to be James A. Scott (mistakenly) the revolutionaries Rajguru and Bhagat Singh shot him dead. According to historian Chamanlal, the first bullet was fired by the revolutionary Rajguru and subsequently, the revolutionary Bhagat Singh protected Indian pride by avenging the death of Lala ji by firing a volley of bullets. When police Head Constable, Charan Singh was very close to capturing revolutionary Bhagat Singh, revolutionary Chandrashekhar Azad, who was present at that time as per the ‘Backup Plan’, killed him. Historians believe that revolutionary Sukhdev was also included in this plan.
Responsibility for the Murder of JP Saunders:
The Hindustan Socialist Republican Army (HSRA) issued a notice (leaflet) regarding responsibility for the murder and described the deed of Saunders’ murder. A leaflet (notice) signed by The Commander-in-Chief of (HSRA) Balraj on 18 December 1928 describing the reasons for the murder of Saunders. During the night of 18th and 19th December 1928, it was pasted on the walls in Lahore. The notice of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army cautioned the imperialist government and wrote, ‘Be careful, dictators; Beware!’
According to the notice, “How sad it is to think that the bastard hands of an ordinary police officer like JP Saunders attacked a leader (Lala Lajpat Rai) respected by thirty crore people of the country and took his life. This insult to the nation was a challenge to the Indian youth and men…Today the world has seen that the people of India have not become lifeless, their blood has not frozen, and they can risk their lives for the honor of their nation.’’
While clarifying that JP Saunders has been killed and the death of Lala Lajpat Rai was avenged. It clearly emphasized,‘’ This was an act of revenge of a direct political nature. The extremely despicable attack on India’s great elder Lala Lajpat Rai led to his death. This was the biggest insult to the nation’s nationalism and now it has been avenged.’’ (https://www.marxists.org/archive/bhagat-singh/1928/12/18.htm)
Thrilling Event of Revolutionary History:
According to the pre-determined plan, Bhagat Singh was in the form of an officer and revolutionary Mrs. Durga Devi Vohra (wife of revolutionary Bhagwati Charan Vohra) was his unreal – ‘pseudo wife’ sat in the first-class train compartment with her three-year-old child and left for Kolkata. For their safety, Rajguru worked as an orderly and on the other hand, Chandrashekhar Azad reached Mathura in the guise of a monk. In fact, like the scenes in the movies, this is a thrilling incident in the revolutionary history of the freedom movement.
The Lahore Conspiracy Case:
On 10 July 1929, the trial of Saunders’ murder (Lahore Conspiracy Case) began. On 7 October 1930, the tribunal sentenced Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru to death. They were to be put to gallows on 24 March 1931, but all three were hanged 11 hours earlier on 23 March 1931 at 7:30 in Lahore Jail. These three martyrs avenged the nation’s insult (the death of Lala Lajpat Rai) by sacrificing their lives. The supreme sacrifice, contemplation and contribution of Lala Lajpat Rai, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru will continue to guide the present and future generations.
(Dr. Ramjilal is the author of Political India 1935-42: Anatomy of Indian Politics (Ajanta Publications, Delhi, 1986).)
