By Ravi Nitesh
31 January, 2016
Countercurrents.org
Countercurrents.org
http://www.countercurrents.org/nitesh310116.htm
Freedom struggle in British
India witnessed emergence of many leaders in society who fought at their levels
to achieve the common goal of getting freedom from British reign. During
freedom struggle movements, Lahore (then in British India, now in Pakistan) played
an important role, as this city was one of the main centers of revolution. Many
freedom fighters stayed here and even started their movements from this city.
Lahore was also the place where ‘Purna Swaraj’ (complete self rule) was
demanded first time during the Congress Convention in 1930.
Lala Lajpat Rai was born in Dhudike, Moga district of Punjab (now
in India), went to Lahore in 1880 to study law from Government College. His
father Munshi Radha Krishan was a Urdu teacher. He started practice in Hisar
and later in Lahore. He gave major share of his income to DAV College, Lahore
and to other schemes of social welfare.
Lala Lajpat Rai started various movements against British Raj.
During Simon Commission arrival to India in October, 1928, Lala Lajpat Rai led
the protest against Simon Commission and got injured in police lathicharge.
After some time, he died in Lahore on 17th November due to heart attack but it
is believed that injuries hastened his death, with which British Parliament
denied any role. Later, Bhagat Singh along with Sukhdev and Azad planned to
take revenge from Scott, the police officer who was responsible for injury of
Lala lajpat Rai.
His works are still among us. He thought and fought for
independence through various ways. Very few people know that he was also
founder of Punjab National Bank and Lakshmi Insurance Company. Actually he was
one of the pioneer politicians who took interest in insurance and banking on
practical grounds.
He was popularly known as ‘Punjab Kesari’ or Lion of Punjab. After
his death, many institutions have been named after him. There are colleges,
libraries, roads, markets upon his name. Lala ji was fond of writing and had
written many articles and books. One of his famous quote reads ‘If I had the
power to influence Indian journals, I would have the following headlines
printed in bold letters on the first page: Milk for the infants, Food for the
adults and Education for all’. He founded ‘People’ weekly and daily
‘Bandematram’. He wrote books on Arya Samaj, England’s debt to India, Young
India and others. During his jail days in Mandalay jail, he wrote ‘The story of
my deportation’. He founded National College, Tilak School of Politics and
Dwarkadas Library. Bhagat Singh was also a student of National College. Servants
of the People Society was founded by him in Lahore and still running for social
welfare. During an event of Aaghaz-e-Dosti, Secretary of Servants of the people
society participated and shared that still there are memories of Lala Lajpat
Rai in Lahore and which are well-preserved. He also informed that how many
people who traveled there found it so mesmerizing to see the connected past of
India and Pakistan that has history of heritage and role of people.
Lala ji founded a hospital Gulab Devi Chest Hospital in Lahore, in
the memory of his mother who was died due to tuberculosis. This hospital still
exists and operational as a part of Fatima medical college. In 1947, when
Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah visited this hospital, he wrote “I visited the
Gulab Devi Hospital which is now tending to the refugees on 6th November, 1947.
Those who are incharge of it viz Doctors, Nurses and other are doing excellent
work and deserve our thanks for their selfless devotion to this humanitarian
work”.
Though his way of politics was not very aligned with Gandhian
principles and he was also seen as hindu nationalists with his affiliation to
Hindu Mahasabha but there could be reasons behind that and many writers and
researchers have seen that none of his activities led any attack over
minorities. Though there were differences with Gandhian principles, but on his
death, Gandhi ji wrote in Young India ‘ Men like Lalaji cannot die so long as
the sun shines in the Indian sky’. Whatever was his own alignment, that can be
one of the angles to see him, but his greater role and broader motivation
towards freedom struggle and towards social welfare schemes through school,
colleges, hospitals, banks and libraries cannot be ignored and these activities
served the society through their works.
As, Lala Lajpat Rai is famous as "Lion of Punjab", I
find that he has so strong connection with Lahore that we can call him as Lala
of Lahore as well. Present India and Pakistan are actually the same piece of
land for which Lala ji and others sacrificed their life. But, it is unfortunate
that the two countries have developed many conflicts by the time. It must be
remembered that those who fought against British rule were actually belonged to
India and Pakistan both and they fought for all the people who were living in
British India. Now, it is turn of present generation to move together, to make
these sacrifices meaningful. Keeping it in mind will be important in terms of
the motivation that it can provide, for working genuinely towards common betterment
with the true sense and emotions of love.
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