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At the age of 28, Gandhiji’s younger son Devdas faced opposition from both his father and father-in-law, possibly due to caste differences. The marriage was approved after they proved their enduring love after five years of separation
Gandhiji valued his advice, but sometimes differences of opinion arose between the two. (News18 Hindi)
Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, the first Governor General of independent India, was born on December 10, 1878 in Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu. Before entering politics, Rajagopalachari was a successful lawyer. While Jawaharlal Nehru envisioned him as the first President of India, circumstances prevented this from being realized.
It was Mahatma Gandhi who played an important role in bringing Rajagopalachari into the political arena. Their relationship, which extended to a family relationship, is an interesting story in itself. Although initially he was close to Nehru, later a rift developed between them.
Rajagopalachari, commonly known as Rajaji, was a lawyer, writer, politician and philosopher. Born to a judge in Salem, Rajaji displayed academic talent from an early age and consistently achieved first-class results. His entry into politics was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi. Due to the influence of Gandhiji’s non-cooperation movement, Rajaji had to leave his prosperous legal practice and adopt 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 greatly influenced by Gandhiji’s campaigns for the abolition of untouchability and Hindu-Muslim unity. Following the 1937 elections, Rajaji assumed the post of Prime Minister of Madras, a role equivalent to today’s Chief Minister. However, he resigned in 1939 in protest against the Viceroy’s unilateral decision to involve India in World War II.
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 became so deep that Rajaji sent his daughter Lakshmi to live in Gandhiji’s ashram in Wardha. It was here that Lakshmi and Gandhiji’s younger son Devdas fell in love.
When Devdas was 28 years old and Lakshmi was 15 years old, neither Gandhi nor Rajaji were in favor of this marriage. Possibly due to caste differences, no one agreed at that time. He placed a strict condition on Devdas: he would have to remain separated from Lakshmi for five years. If their love continues, only then will they be allowed to marry. That’s exactly what happened and the couple got married. Thus, Rajaji and Gandhi became related by marriage.
Differences between Gandhiji and Congress
After joining Congress, Rajaji participated in its movements with full enthusiasm. He soon became one of the top leaders of the country’s politics and Congress. Gandhiji valued his advice, but sometimes differences of opinion arose between the two. There were instances when Rajaji openly opposed the Congress, yet it was clear that his actions were always deliberate and rational.
When Gandhiji was put in jail, he handed over the editorship of Young India to Chakraborty.
Chakraborty’s close relationship with Gandhi is evident from the fact that whenever Gandhi was imprisoned, he entrusted Chakraborty with the responsibility of editing his newspaper, Young India. When asked who should be considered his successor outside the prison, Gandhi immediately replied, “Rajaji, who else?” Their bond was further strengthened in 1933 when Chakraborty’s daughter and Gandhi’s son, Devdas, were married.
However, the outbreak of World War II led to a rift between Chakraborty and the Congress, leading to his falling out with Gandhi. While Gandhi believed in giving only moral support to the British government during the war, Rajaji advocated full support contingent on India being granted complete independence. These differences escalated to such an extent that Rajaji resigned from the Congress Executive Committee, although he later rejoined the Congress.
Rajaji had warned of partition five years ago
Rajaji was the first person who agreed to the partition of the country at the Allahabad Congress session in 1942. Although he faced a lot of opposition at that time, he still stuck to his conviction. In 1947, his prediction from five years earlier came true. These events inspired Congress leaders to acknowledge his foresight and intelligence.
Differences between the policies of Nehru and Congress
In 1946 he was appointed Minister of Industry in the interim government. After the country’s independence in 1947, he played 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 Union Cabinet in 1950. In the 1952 general election, he became a member of the Lok Sabha and was later 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 had objections to the Congress Party and then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s inclination towards leftist socialism, believing that this ideology would ultimately prove detrimental to the Congress. This fundamental difference of opinion led them to consider the establishment of a new nationalist party, which culminated in the formation of the Swatantra Party on 4 June 1959.
Launched a new party
Rajaji had announced the formation of a new political party Swatantra Party 61 years ago. Founded with stalwarts like NG Ranga and Minoo Masani, the party soon gained prominence as a strong opposition force. However, its rapid growth was also accompanied by its rapid decline, leading to its dissolution after only 15 years.
The rise of the Swatantra Party can be attributed to several factors:
1. An important factor was the rejection of Nehruvian socialism. Critics argued that this model leaned too close to communist ideology.
2. The party attracted influential people like C. Rajagopalachari, who had a strong grassroots base and considerable influence over the masses.
3. Many leaders within the Swatantra Party were seen as potential contenders for the post of Prime Minister, which increased the appeal of the party.
4. The merger of the parties representing the royal families of Bihar and Orissa into the Swatantra Party proved decisive. By 1967, this alliance led the Swatantra Party to become the leading opposition force by securing the second largest share of votes in these states. Subsequently, the royal family of Rajasthan, including Maharani Gayatri Devi, joined the party.
5. Prominent people like Bhailalbhai Patel played an important role in establishing the party’s presence in Gujarat. Concurrently, the Swatantra Party saw growth in Tamil Nadu through the consolidation of regional parties led by Kamaraj and Ganesan. The charismatic leadership of NG Ranga in Andhra Pradesh further strengthened the party’s position.
6. Even two decades after India gained independence, the Swatantra Party remained committed to tackling persistent challenges such as poverty and illiteracy. The party attempted to represent the interests of farmers, laborers, and the lower and middle classes. Furthermore, it actively raised awareness regarding government corruption.
How was the rise of the Swatantra Party seen?
The rise of the Swatantra Party was closely watched after its formation in 1959. In the 1962 general elections, the party made a remarkable debut by 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 was the party’s peak, posing a significant challenge to the dominance of the Congress Party. However, the Swatantra Party’s fortunes declined in subsequent elections and eventually disappeared from the political scene.
bad election results
In the 1971 elections, the Swatantra Party secured only eight seats, resulting in widespread disappointment. Masani resigned, and despite several attempts by Rajaji and the Swatantra Party, he refused to return, retiring from active politics soon thereafter. After Rajaji’s death on 25 December 1972, the Swatantra Party effectively ended, although technically it continued for the next two years under three subsequent presidents.
Nehru was warned in advance about China
Ramachandra Guha, in his book “The Last Liberal”, described Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, commonly known as Rajaji, as the most intelligent man in India. Mahatma Gandhi called Rajaji the keeper of his conscience. Guha writes that if Rajaji had been listened to in 1942 regarding partition, India could have been saved from the bloodshed that resulted from partition. As Home Minister in Jawaharlal Nehru’s cabinet, Rajaji opposed the expansionist Communist China in 1951. It is said that Rajaji had prior knowledge of all things.
opposition to women working
However, Guha writes, Rajaji always favored cordial relations with Pakistan. He also wished that the people of Kashmir live with dignity and respect. 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 think of working.
Rajaji received ‘Bharat Ratna’ in 1954. A scholar with prodigious writing talent, he mastered both Tamil and English. His commentaries on ‘Geeta’ and ‘Upanishads’ are famous. He died on 25 December 1972 in Chennai.
