Which Governor-General Of India Was Mahatma Gandhi's Samdhi?
At 28, Gandhiji's younger son Devdas faced opposition both from his father and his father-in-law probably over caste differences. They approved the marriage after a five-year separation proved their enduring love
Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, independent India’s first Governor General was born on December 10, 1878 in Tamil Nadu’s Krishnagiri district. Rajagopalachari was a successful lawyer before entering politics. While Jawaharlal Nehru envisioned him as India’s first President, circumstances prevented this from coming to fruition.
It was Mahatma Gandhi who played a pivotal role in introducing Rajagopalachari to the political sphere. Their relationship, which extended to a familial connection, is a fascinating tale in itself. Although initially close to Nehru, a rift later developed between them.
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Rajagopalachari, more commonly known as Rajaji, was a lawyer, writer, politician, and philosopher. Born to a judge in Salem, Rajaji displayed academic brilliance from a young age, consistently achieving first-class results. His entry into politics was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi. The impact of Gandhi’s non-cooperation movement led Rajaji to abandon his thriving legal practice and embrace Khadi.
Rajaji’s legal career was marked by success, evidenced by his status as the first lawyer in Salem to own a car. He was deeply influenced by Gandhi’s campaigns for the abolition of untouchability and Hindu-Muslim unity. Following the 1937 elections, Rajaji assumed the position of Prime Minister of Madras, a role equivalent to the Chief Minister today. However, he resigned in 1939 in protest against the Viceroy’s unilateral decision to involve India in the Second World War.
Gandhiji’s friend and close advisor
Rajaji was very close to Gandhiji. Often, when faced with serious matters requiring advice, he would turn to Rajaji for guidance. Their intimacy deepened to the extent that Rajaji sent his daughter, Lakshmi, to stay at Gandhiji’s ashram in Wardha. It was there that Lakshmi and Devdas, Gandhiji’s younger son, fell in love.
When Devdas was 28 years old and Lakshmi was 15, neither Gandhi nor Rajaji favoured the marriage. Likely due to caste differences, neither man was agreeable at the time. They imposed a stringent condition on Devdas: he must remain separated from Lakshmi for five years. If their love endured, only then would they be permitted to marry. This is precisely what transpired, and the couple wed. Thus, Rajaji and Gandhi became related by marriage.
Differences with Gandhiji and Congress
After joining Congress, Rajaji participated in its movements with full enthusiasm. He soon became one of the top leaders in the country’s politics and Congress. Gandhiji valued his counsel, but differences occasionally arose between the two. There were instances when Rajaji openly opposed Congress, yet it was evident that his actions were always deliberate and reasoned.
When Gandhi was imprisoned, he entrusted the editorship of Young India to Chakravarti
Chakravarti’s close relationship with Gandhi is evident in the fact that whenever Gandhi was imprisoned, he entrusted Chakravarti with editing his newspaper, Young India. When asked who should be considered his successor outside prison, Gandhi would readily reply, “Rajaji, who else?" Their bond strengthened further in 1933 when Chakravarti’s daughter and Gandhi’s son, Devdas, were married.
However, the outbreak of the Second World War created a rift between Chakravarti and the Congress, putting him at odds with Gandhi. While Gandhi believed in offering only moral support to the British government during the war, Rajaji advocated for full support, contingent upon India being granted complete independence. These differences escalated to the point that Rajaji resigned from the Congress Executive Committee, though he later rejoined the Congress.
Rajaji had warned about Partition five years earlier
Rajaji was the first person who agreed to the partition of the country at the Allahabad Congress session in 1942. Although he faced considerable opposition at the time, he remained steadfast in his conviction. In 1947, his prediction from five years earlier came to pass. These events led Congress leaders to acknowledge his foresight and intelligence.
Difference with the policies of Nehru and Congress
In 1946, he was appointed Minister of Industry in the interim government. Following the country’s independence in 1947, he assumed the role of Governor of Bengal. The following year, he became the first Governor General of independent India.
When Nehru could not make him the first President of India, he was brought into the Central Cabinet in 1950. In the 1952 general election, he became a Lok Sabha member and was subsequently elected Chief Minister of Madras. However, after a few years, dissatisfied with Nehru and the Congress Party, he resigned as Chief Minister and left the party.
Rajaji, holding reservations about the Congress party and then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s leanings towards leftist socialism, believed this ideology would ultimately prove detrimental to the Congress. This fundamental difference of opinion led him to consider establishing a new nationalist party, culminating in the formation of the Swatantra Party on 4 June 1959.
Launched new party
Rajaji announced the formation of a new political party, the Swatantra Party, 61 years ago. Founded alongside stalwarts like NG Ranga and Minoo Masani, the party quickly gained prominence as a strong opposition force. However, its rapid ascent was matched by its swift decline, dissolving just 15 years later.
The Swatantra Party’s rise can be attributed to several factors:
1. A significant factor was the rejection of Nehruvian socialism. Critics argued that this model leaned too closely to communist ideology.
2. The party attracted influential figures like C. Rajagopalachari, who possessed a strong grassroots base and considerable sway over the populace.
3. Several leaders within the Swatantra Party were viewed as potential contenders for the position of Prime Minister, enhancing the party’s appeal.
4. The merger of parties representing royal families from Bihar and Orissa with the Swatantra Party proved pivotal. By 1967, this alliance propelled the Swatantra Party to become the leading opposition force in these states, securing the second-largest share of votes. Subsequently, royal families from Rajasthan, including the prominent figure of Maharani Gayatri Devi, joined the party’s ranks.
5. Key figures like Bhailalbhai Patel played a crucial role in establishing the party’s presence in Gujarat. Concurrently, the Swatantra Party witnessed a surge in Tamil Nadu through the integration of regional parties led by Kamaraj and Ganesan. In Andhra Pradesh, N.G. Ranga’s charismatic leadership further bolstered the party’s standing.
6. Even two decades after India gained independence, the Swatantra Party remained committed to addressing persistent challenges such as poverty and illiteracy. The party strove to represent the interests of farmers, labourers, and the lower and middle classes. Moreover, it actively raised awareness regarding governmental corruption.
How was the rise of Swatantra Party seen?
The rise of the Swatantra Party was closely observed following its formation in 1959. In the 1962 general election, the party made a notable debut, securing 18 seats in the Lok Sabha. It emerged as the primary opposition to the Congress party in Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Orissa. The Swatantra Party’s success continued in the 1967 elections, where it increased its representation to 44 Lok Sabha seats. This period marked the party’s zenith, posing a significant challenge to the Congress party’s dominance. However, the Swatantra Party’s fortunes waned in subsequent elections, ultimately fading from the political landscape.
Poor Electoral Results
In the 1971 elections, the Swatantra Party secured only eight seats, a result met with widespread disappointment. Masani resigned, and despite numerous efforts by Rajaji and the Swatantra Party, he declined to return, instead retiring from active politics shortly thereafter. Following Rajaji’s death on 25 December 1972, the Swatantra Party effectively ended, though it technically persisted for another two years under three subsequent presidents.
Nehru Was Already Warned About China
Ramchandra Guha described Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, commonly known as Rajaji, as the wisest man of India in his book “The Last Liberal". Mahatma Gandhi used to call Rajaji the keeper of his conscience. Guha writes that if Rajaji’s words had been listened to in 1942 regarding the partition, India might have been saved from the bloodshed that resulted from the partition. As Home Minister in Jawaharlal Nehru’s cabinet, Rajaji had warned about Communist China’s expansionist designs in 1951 itself. It is said that Rajaji had prior knowledge of all things.
Opposed to Women Working
However, Guha writes, Rajaji always favoured cordial relations with Pakistan. He also wished that the people of Kashmir would live with honour and dignity. Additionally, he was among the first to advocate a market-based economy. However, he opposed women working. He questioned how a woman with children could even contemplate working.
In 1954, Rajaji received the ‘Bharat Ratna’. A scholar with a prodigious writing talent, he excelled in both Tamil and English. His commentaries on the ‘Gita’ and the ‘Upanishads’ are renowned. He died on 25 December 1972 in Chennai.
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