69

CHAPTER-II

RAJAJI IN THE NATIONAL MOVEMENT

Follower of Gandhi

The National awakening assumed new dimensions in India in the

Twentieth Century when the elites emerged as social and political leaders.

One such towering personality was Rajagopalachariar popularly known as

Rajaji or C.R. of the Madras Presidency. Rajaji was one among the selected

band of leaders who participated in the freedom movement of India. His

emergence at various stages of the freedom movement, his dedication to the

national cause and his untiring struggle against the British rule earned him a

significant place in the history of the freedom movement. His stature as a

front-rank national leader is a tribute to his devoted service for the cause of

the nation for almost four decades and his whole career was a record of self-

confidence, courage, fearlessness and innovations based on Gandhian

concepts.

Rajaji was one man among all the lieutenants of Gandhiji who

followed the Gandhian path of life in thought, word and action. He was a

true follower of Gandhiji. Gandhi’s policy of truth and non-violence could

not be followed easily but Rajaji had taken up Gandhi’s principles at once in

the Madras Presidency. Rajaji found that Gandhi alone could guide India,

steer the nation through the political turmoil and lead the country to

freedom. Rajaji was amongst the front – rank leaders of the Gandhian era

and on every occasion his contribution was unique and magnificent.

70

Opposition to the Rowlatt Act

The British politics over the notorious Rowlatt Bill brought Rajaji to

limelight in the Madras Presidency. Rajaji made a speech at Tiruchirappalli

on January 16th

, 1919, and he felt that the Rowlatt Act would lead to the

permanent disablement to the national life, and he complained that many

leaders did not feel that danger. For Rajaji, the Rowlatt Bill was "serious

enough for an anxious examination of the principles and prosperity of

opposing it with entire soul".1 His speech had a very decisive and significant

impact among the people.

Rajaji had resigned as Chairman of Salem Municipality on 7th

February 1919 and he shifted the centre of his political activities to Madras.2

At that time, Gandhi was deserted by the moderates and nationalists and he

desperately needed a loyal lieutenant in Tamil Nadu. Rajaji invited Gandhi

to Madras through S.Kasturi Ranga Iyengar, who was then the President of

the Local Anti - Rowlatt Committee.3 Rajaji thought that only Gandhiji

could possibly understand the southern people’s spirit of resistance against

the Rowlatt Act. Gandhiji came to Madras with Mahadev Desai, who was his

personal secretary on 18th

March l9194 and he stayed as a guest of Rajaji.

5

This was the first intimate contact between them. At that time Mahadev

1 The Hindu, 16th January 1919.

2 Salem Municipal Records, 7

th February 1919.

3 Narasimhan,V.K., Kasturi Ranga Iyengar, Builders of Modern India, Delhi,1963, p.163.

4 G.O.No 222 Public (confdl) Department, 24th April 1919. 5 Gandhi, M.K., An Autobiography Or the Story of My Experiments with Truth,

Ahmedabad,1927, p.347.

71

Desai said to Gandhiji about Rajaji “you should cultivate this man”.6 On 21

st

March l9l9, Rajaji arranged a meeting in his house to form a satyagraha

sabha. Gandhi was chosen as its president, S.Kasturi Ranga Iyangar,

C.Vijayaraghavachari and Dr.M.C.Nanjunda Rao as Vice Presidents and

Rajaji.

A.Rangaswami Iyengar, T.Adairayana Chetty and G.Harisarvottams

Rao as Secretaries of the Madras Satyagraha Sabha.7 At that time, Rajaji

explained Gandhi's satyagraha and its policies. C. Vijayaraghavachari asked

Gandhi whether he had written any book on satyagraha and how was it that

Rajaji came to know about his Satyagraha. Gandhi replied that he neither

wrote a book nor knew how Rajaji learned it .8 This shows that Rajaji's most

interest on Gandhi's policy of satayagraha. Indeed, Gandhian era had

unintentionally originated from Rajaji's residence. Gandhi decided to start a

hartal for the first time on April 6th

, 1919. Rajaji toured the South and

explained the hartal to the People. The response was successful and on 6th

April the Madras City observed the hartal peacefully.9 It was the first

organized mass expression against the British Government which brought

about the real national awakening among the people.

6 Ibid., p.348.

7 G.O.No.222 Public (confdl) Department, 24

th April 1919.

8 F.R., 20th April 1919. 9 G. O. No. 586, Public Department, 15th August 1924; The Hindu, 7th April 1919.

72

Rajaji in the Non Co-operation Movement

Gandhiji launched the Non Co-operation movement on 1st August

1920 and it was a significant episode in the history of the Indian National

Movement. Rajaji's contribution as a fervent nationalist and champion of

freedom made him one of the foremost leaders, who gave shape and

direction to the Non Co-operation Movement in Tamil Nadu. Rajaji had

emerged as a lieutenant of Gandhi in the South. When the Annual session of

the Indian National Congress was held at Nagpur in December 1920 under

the President ship of C. Vijayaraghavachari, Rajaji was elected the General

Secretary of the Indian National Congress along with Mothilal Nehru and

M.A. Ansari.10

Rajaji and others accepted the non-cooperation programes of

boycotting the elections, courts of law, educational institutions, resignation

from the governmental positions and the surrender of official titles and

honours. When the Non Co-operation Movement stirred up the whole

country, Rajaji and many others resigned their profession. In the Madras

presidency, Rajaji was one of the first men to respond to Gandhi’s call to

give up his lucrative practice of law .11

It created an unparalleled scene of

fervour, devotion and sacrifice.

Rajaji toured many parts of the Madras Presidency and he was

responsible in piloting Gandhi's non-violent, Non Co-operation as the

instrument of national liberation. Rajaji asked the public “not to fall into the

10

Robert I.Crane, The Megrew – Hill Encyclopaedia of World Biography, Vol-IX C, New York, 1973, p.84.

11 Kalki, 21st October 1945; Swarajya, 12th December 1970; Kripalani, J.B., ‘An Ideal

Satyagrahi’ in Rajaji 89 Souvenir , Chennai, 1978, p.19.

73

trap set by repression and commit violence”.12

Indeed, inspired by Rajaji,

many lawyers gave up their profession and joined the Non Co-operation

Movement in the Madras Presidency. Among them were leading lawyers

such as K. Santhanam, S. Ramanathan, N.S. Varadachari, K.V.Rajagopalan,

K.S. Subramaniyan and others.13

In the Madras Presidency, following

Rajaji's initiative, the Swadhinata Vidyalaya (Independence College) was

established to help the students who sacrificed their studies for the

Non Co-operation Movement to continue their education. Rajaji's family

itself had set an example towards this movement. His sons, Krishnasamy

and Ramaswamy withdrew from their colleges and they were responsible for

the spread of Khadi in Salem. Of the Positive measures taken to strengthen

the Non Co-operation Movement, the Indian National Congress had

established the 'Tilak Swaraj Fund' and this responsibility was shouldered

by Rajaji in the Madras Presidency.14

Moreover, the share of the All India fund, allowed Tamil Nadu to

receive special loans from the Congress Working Committee for Khadi and

national education which was channeled through Rajaji.15

By the year 1921,

six million members enrolled in the Congress and thousands of men enrolled

in the national volunteer's corps. These volunteers served in the villages for

12

The Hindu, 23rd

February 1921. 13

Duraikannan, N., Rajaji Charitam (Tamil), Madras, 1937, p.36; Santhanam, K., “How I first met Mr.Gandhi” in Bhavan Journal, 9th March 1969.

14 The Hindu, 8th March 1921. 15 Ibid., 10th August 1921.

74

the promotion of Khadi, hand-weaving. They also propagated against the

evils of drinking and untouchability.16

In the venture of reforms in India, the

impact of Rajaji's work from the South had nationwide recognition. In the

Madras Presidency, Rajaji's built up a loyal band of supporters in the Tamil

Nadu Congress Committee that included Varadarajulu Naidu, Periyar

E.V.R., T.S.S. Rajan, Thiru.Vi. Ka., and others.17

When the Prince of Wales

visited India on 17th

November 1921, India observed a complete hartal on

that day. The British Government banned the political meetings. But Rajaji

disobeyed the Government order and he addressed the meeting at Vellore on

14th

December 1921.He was arrested on 15th

December 1921 and he was

sentenced to three months imprisonment. He was the first satyagrahi among

Congressman to court arrest in Tamil Nadu.By this time, even in his absence

during the period of his imprisonment, he was again elected the General

secretary of the Congress for the year 1922, in the Ahemadabad Congress

session.

Rajaji was released from the jail on 20th

March, 1922. He was

enthusiastically supported in the boycott of the Legislature and he led the

'no-changers' group. As a staunch Non Co-operator and the one who

believed in the boycott of councils, Rajaji had succeeded in the boycott of

the council within the Congress. In the Madras Presidency, the 'no-changers'

16 William Rushbrook, L.F., India in 1920-1922, Delhi, 1922, p.44.

17 Baker, C.J., The Politics of South India 1920-37, New Delhi, 1976, p.247.

75

though in small number, were effective in safeguarding their unity by

plunging quickly into Gandhi's Constructive Programme (1925-1930) under

Rajaji's dedicated leadership which paved the way for further natural

awakening.

Vedaranyam Salt Satyagraha

The Indian Freedom Movement is replete with a number of

nationalistic episodes and exhibited the patriotism, unity, courage and

sacrifice of the Indian people. Amidst British suppression, thousands and

thousands of people took part in the movement for the Indian freedom.

Many sacrificed their lives, a lot bore unbearable torture and oppression and

innumerable spent their lives behind the prison bars. Gandhi, the massive

leader of the nation commenced the Salt Satyagraha March on 12th

March

1930 at Dandi beach from the Sabarmathi Ashram. Rajaji's famous

Vedaranyam Salt Satyagraha March was similar to Gandhi's Dandi March

which had a strong impact on Madras Presidency.

The Salt Satyagraha Movement was launched in Tamil Nadu in

1930. The Tamil Nadu Congress, though deserted by many veterans,

succeeded in finding a suitable leader at this hour of necessity. It was of

course, Rajaji who was also a veteran leader of the non co-operation

movement. The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee meeting was held in

April, 1930 in Vellore. Rajaji was elected the President of the Tamil Nadu

76

Congress Committee.18

T.S.S. Rajan became the Secretary, Panthulu

Iyer, Swaminatha Chetty, Lakshmipathi, A.Vaithinatha Iyer and

N. S. Varathachariyar became members of the T.N.C.C.19

It was very

significant that the T.N.C.C., came under the control of these Gandhians on

the eve of launching the salt satyagraha in Tamil Nadu. The party

headquarters was shifted from Madras to Tiruchirappalli. As the President of

T.N.N.C. Rajaji came to the forefront in the politics of Madras. He had for

over a decade sacrificed his all in the service of his country and had become

one of the foremost lieutenants of Mahatma Gandhi.

Rajaji applied his mind in selecting a suitable place for breaking the

Salt Law. Kanyakumari came to his mind, since it is situated at the

confluence of the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. But

unfortunately Kanyakumari was a part of the State of Travancore. The

Congress had decided not to conduct satyagraha in places situated in the

Native States. Therefore Rajaji selected Vedaranyam or Thirumaraikadu.20

Certain factors influenced Rajaji to select this place, of all the places.

Vedaranyam was chosen as the 'Battle Field' because, it had certain

advantages. The Agasthiampalli salt factory was situated near Vedaranyam.

It was at Vedaranyam that the Tamil Nadu Congress conference was held in

1929. It was also the hometown of Vedarathinam Pillai who was an active

18

David Arnold, Op.Cit., p. 118. 19 Ibid. 20Saroja Sundararajan, March to Freedom in Madras Presidency 1916-1947, Madras,

1989, p.467.

77

Congress worker and licensee of the Agasthiampalli salt factory.21

He was

conversant with the manufacture of salt. Vedarathinam Pillai had done enough

propaganda among the people and he had made them psychologically

prepared for a struggle. He had requested the Tamil Nadu Congress

Committee to choose Vedaranyam for the salt satyagraha.22

Vedarathinam Pillai took Rajaji to Vedaranyam and showed him the salt

formation in order to convince him of the suitability of Vedaranyam.23

Moreover another important reason influenced the selection was its

situation in Tanjore District, which had been a Congress stronghold for more

than a generation. Rajaji could expect favourable reception from the

merchants. He could look for assistance from Vakils, Merchants and

Mirasidars. Therefore Vedaranyam became the centre for breaking the Salt

Law in Tamil Nadu.

Having decided the venue, Rajaji, the Dictator made careful

preparation. A Government record points out that Rajaji was very much

concerned with imitating Gandhi's Dandi March.24

Rajaji estimated that at

least a sum of Rs.20,000/- would be needed for the task. He succeeded in

collecting the amount.25

The sourastras in Madurai and South Indians in

21 Chandrakumar, P., Gandhiji’s Salt Satyagraha Lead By C.Rajagopalachari’ in

S.Kuppusamy, (ed.), Emergence of Peoples’ Movements in India: Issues and

Challenges, Chennai, 2013, p.56. 22

Rajaji, (et.al)., Andraya Ninaivugal, Vedarnyam Uppu Satyagraha Charithiram

(Tamil), Chennai, 1950, pp. 223-224. 23 U.S.S.F No. 699 (A), 19th April 1930. 24 Ibid. 25 David Arnold, Op. Cit., p. 119.

78

Bombay and Ahamadabad enabled him to have a major part of the amount.

Rajaji sent an advance guard consisting of T. S. S. Rajan, G. Ramachandran,

Thiruvannamalai N. Annamalai Pillai and C. V. Rajagopalachari.26

They

went along the route to be taken by Rajaji and the marchers. This advance

guard had met the villagers and explained to them the importance of the

march. T.S.S. Rajan had also fixed the halting places for the marchers and

worked hard to arrange accommodation and supplies at each halting place.

The arrangement of accommodation and supplies had become a difficult task

due to the promulgation of Section 157 I.P.C., J. A. Thorne, the Collector of

Tanjore had warned that those who supplied food and gave accommodation

to the Satyagrahis would be punished. In order to hinder the march, the

District Collector had given wide publicity to his order which had

frightened the people of the District.27

In the selection of volunteers also Rajaji showed great caution.

They received nearly 1000 applications for enlistment as satyagrahis.28

After carefully scrutinizing, the applications, Rajaji selected 98 volunteers.

David Arnold points out that most of them were young clerks, students and

graduates who had some education and had some interest in Khadi work in

recent years. Of the first batch of 98 volunteers.29

Of the first batch of 98

volunteers, 9 came from Tiruchengodu, 24 from Madurai, 7 from Tanjore, 5

26

Report on Civil Disobedience Movement Madras, 1930-31, Madras, 1931, p.157. 27 Rajaji, (et.al)., Op. Cit., p 23 28 Report on Civil Disobedience Movement, Madras, 1930 – 1931, Op.Cit., p. 176. 29 David Arnold, Op. Cit., p. 190.

79

from Tiruchirappalli, 9 from Bombay, 4 from Coimbatore, 12 from

Ramanathapuram, 11 from Madras, one each from North Arcot District

and Srirangam and 15 from Tirunelveli.30

Rajaji's political acumen is evident from the choice of the route.

From Tanjore he avoided the normal route to Vedaranyam. Rajaji

planned that the march should take a circuitous route via Kumbakonam,

Valangaiman, Chemmangudi, Needamangalam and Tiruthuraipoondi. He

had chosen the route because he expected that the marchers would be

received hospitably in the places on the route. Committees involving

pioneers, hygiene and food were some of the fifteen committees that Rajaji

organized for the smooth conduct of the March. Each committee consisted of

one or two devotee volunteers as members.31

Rajaji had carefully charted out a programme of routine for each day

and more or less strictly followed it. This would make the task easy for the

marchers and also would enable the volunteers to attract public attention.

During the March Rajaji was very keen on reaching the destination at the end

of the day's march covering atleast ten miles a day.

For a while, the Government of Madras formulated a series of

preventive measures to deal with the salt satyagraha movement of Rajaji in

accordance with the policy of the Government of India.It ordered the District

30 Rajaji, (et.al)., Op.Cit., p. 15. 31 Ibid.

80

Officers to organize public meetings to impress upon the impracticability of

the Congress programme. It decided to make preventive arrests of the

participants in the satyagraha. It decided to censor all news items connected

to the Vedaranyam Satyagraha. Repressive measures were undertaken

against the editors of the nationalist newspapers. Parents were threatened to

keep their children away from participating in satyagraha. The telegrams of

the volunteers and leaders were intercepted. Village officers and

Government servants were warned of dire consequence in case of their

support to the satyagrahis under Rule 23 of the Government Servants

Conduct Rules.32

Rajaji’s dynamic role in the Vedaranyam Salt Satyagraha March had

won him national recognition. The 98 volunteers selected for the Salt

Satyagraha assembled in Tiruchirappalli on 12th April 1930. Rajaji reached

Tiruchirappalli on the previous day from Tuticorin. All of them stayed at

T. S. S. Rajan's Bungalow. At about 5 A.M., On 13th

April, the Tamil New

Year's day and the Jallianwallbagh Day, Rajaji began the 150 mile epic

march along with volunteers from Tiruchirappalli, the headquarters of the

Congress to Vedaranyam.33

32

Venkatraman, V., ‘Salt Satyagraha : The Preventive Measures and Counter Propaganda

of the British in the Madras Presidency, 1930-1931’ in Proceedings of the Thirty-Second Annual Session of South Indian History Congress, Chennai, 2012, pp.1102-

1106. 33 U.S.S.F. No.699, 19th May 1930.

81

The people of the Tanjore region, awakened by patriotism

participated in the salt satyagraha organized under the leadership of Rajaji

in 1930.

Thus on the remarkable day, the satyagrahis of Tamil Nadu began

their journey. When the march was about to start, the daughter of

T. S. S. Rajan applied Tilak on the forehead of Rajaji who was fifty one years

old at that time.34

The marchers started signing the hymn “Ragupathi

Raghava Rajaram” which was very much liked by Gandhi.35

The volunteers

also sang the song written for this movement by Namakkal Ramalingam

Pillai.

The marchers faced many difficulties from the beginning of the March.

But they were undeterred. With determination they proceeded towards their

goal. At their early stage of the march at Koviladi, the satyagrahis found the

famous inn barred and bolted against them. The satyagrahis found

alternative accommodation. Rajaji stayed in a private house while the other

volunteers found comfort on the sands of the river.36

The Dictator Rajaji

had drawn a code of conduct for the volunteers. The satyagrahis should not

take coffee and should avoid smoking and chewing tobacco.

34 Rajaji, (et.al)., Op.Cit., p. 5. 35 Sivagnanam, .M. P., Tamilnadu in the Freedom Struggle, Madras, 1989, p. 18. 36 Baliga, B.S., Madras in the Struggle for Freedom, Madras, 1957, pp. 17-18.

82

He made it very clear that volunteers who did not abide by the code of

conduct would be removed from the list of satyagrahis. In fact, a volunteer

was sent back for violating the code of conduct.37

The code of conduct

was meant for enhancing the dignity and solemnity of the march.

At that time, J.A. Throne, the District Collector of Tanjore, ordered

that anybody who offered any assistance in the way of accommodation or

supplies to the satyagrahis would be prosecuted under section 157 I.P.C.

Rajaji said that “I know my people and this proclamation is going to add to

my embarrassment because it will redouble the enthusiasm of the people.

Thornes and thistles cannot stem this tide of freedom”.38

In spite of the circular of the Collector, the volunteers were received

and hosted by people in the towns on the satyagraha route. 39

Notable

among the hosts were Kadiyalam Rangasamy Iyengar, Sri Chidambara

Swamigal, Sri Kandasamy, Cholinga Thevar, P. S. Venkatakrishna Pillai,

Anna Rajagopala Iyer, Panthulu Iyer, Mahalinga Pillai, T. S. Ramachandra

Naidu and others. The satyagrahis were received cordially at places like

Srirangam, Tiruvaiyaru, Tanjore, Kumbakonam, Chemmangudi,

Mannargudi and Tiruthuraipoondi. Particularly the volunteers got an

enthusiastic reception from Kumbakonam onwards. It may be said that the

whole of Mannargudi town joined together to welcome the marchers.

37 Rajaji, (et.al)., Op.Cit., p 82. 38

Tamil Arasu, May 1988; Rajaji, (et.al)., Op.Cit., p.17. 39 U.S.S.F., No. 687, 31st May 1930.

83

The Government officials watched the scene helplessly. The

prohibitory order of the Collector had no effect at all.40

Rajaji and his

volunteers were welcomed at all places including Tanjore.41

He addressed a

meeting at Tanjore and about 5,000 people attended this meeting.42

Then

Rajaji also addressed several meetings in the important places and he had

also some experimental work on constructive programmes such as

prohibition, untouchability,etc. He went to the Harijan hamlets for the

cleaning work along with his volunteers.43

A Government record points out that the march was a spectacular

one. It further notes that the march of the satyagrahis made a great

impression on the public and incited incalculable disaffection.44

Thorne,

the Tanjore District Collector himself had written to the Government,

“More harm to the prestige of the Government has been done by the

march”.45

The movement had removed the fear about a Government servant

from the minds of the people. It had infused confidence and courage into the

people to defy the Government. It became a common thing with the people to

shout Gandhiji Ki Jai at the sight of a Government servant”.46

40 Ibid. 41

Rajaji , (et.,al)., Op.Cit.,p.8. 42

U.S.S.F.No 684, 18th April 1930.

43 The Hindu, 23

rd April 1930.

44 Report on Civil Disobedience Movement, Madras, 1930-1931, Op.Cit., pp 176-158 . 45 Ibid. 46 Ibid.

84

Rajaji and the other volunteers, after their triumphant march, reached

Vedaranyam on 28th April 1930. They were received warmly by the town

folks. N. Annamalai Pillai and Vedarathinam Pillai played an important role in

receiving the marchers. Following the footsteps of Gandhi, Rajaji and his

volunteers observed 29th April 1930 as the day of fasting and prayer.

47

Rajaji selected 12th volunteers from among the satyagrahis to join him

in breaking the Salt Law on 30th April, 1930. On the fixed day, Rajaji got up at

3 A.M. The volunteers, who had been selected by him to break the Salt Law on

that day, also got ready. The leader and others marched towards

Agasthiyampalli through a secluded path with the help of Sri Rajagopala Iyer.

Rajaji had selected a secluded path so that the police could not arrest him

before the break of Salt Law. On the previous day Rajaji had intimated the

Police of his intention of breaking the Salt Law without mentioning the

exact time and place. At about 6 A.M. Rajaji picked up salt and raised the

slogan “Vante Mataram”. The police personnel who was present at that site

began to shiver. He ran towards Rajaji. Rajaji pacified him and asked him to

inform his superiors. He went and brought his superiors. 48

The Deputy Superintendent of Police arrested Rajaji and took him to

Mannargudi. Rajaji was presented before the Sub-Divisional Magistrate in

Mannargudi. Rajaji did not defend his case and he was convicted by the

47 Ibid., p.163. 48 U.S.S.F., No. 687, 31st May 1930.

85

Magistrate under section 145 of I.P.C., read with section 74 of the Salt Act.

He was sentenced to six months imprisonment and a fine of Rs.200. Rajaji

had preferred additional three months imprisonment. In default of the

payment of fine, three months imprisonment was imposed additionally.

After Rajaji's arrest (30 April), he was taken to the Tiruchirappalli jail

by train. At that time, Mr.Thorne entered into the compartment and offered

his hand to Rajaji. Rajaji told him that “Your plan was bold, but you forget

we all in our country” Mr.Throne replied that they had tried to do their best

but ended up with the worst.49

Rajaji wrote a letter to his Daughter Lakshmi

that “I am getting nine months leave, pray to God for our battle's success”.50

This shows that Rajaji did not consider himself supreme about his

consciousness on the success of his mission.

The arrest of Rajaji did not stop the satyagraha at Vedaranyam.

Following Rajaji, K. Santhanam became the Dictator. He was arrested on 5th

May 1930 and was succeeded by Mattaparai Venkatrama Iyer who was also

arrested on 11th May 1930 and was sentenced to 6 months simple

imprisonment. His successor was K. S. Subramaniyam. Due to his arrest on

14th May 1930, G. Ramachandran became the leader and he was the last

Dictator.

49 C.R., ‘The Congress Fight’, All India Congress Committee File -1935, C.R.Papers,

N.A.I., New Delhi. 50 C.R. to Lakshmi, 30th April 1930, C.R.Narasimhan Papers, New Delhi.

86

Then the satyagraha became popular and it drew more volunteers.

The number of satyagrahis began to increase in number and, the volunteers

were divided into four camps and they defied the Salt Law in different places

near Vedaranyam. The government became impatient and collector Thorne

decided to put an end to the satyagraha activities at Vedaranyam. On 29th

May 1930, the Police raided the camp and arrested 135 volunteers including

T. S. S. Rajan. The Police demolished the camp of the satyagrahis.51

With

the arrest of these volunteers the Vedaranyam agitation came to an end. From

the historic references it is inferred that under the leadership of Rajaji, the

Vedaranyam Salt Movement was organized systematically and successfully.

The success was due to the enthusiastic involvement and volunteership of

peoples especially from all the parts of Tamil Nadu. Following the Gandhi-

Irwin Pact (5th

March 1931), the people manufactured their own salt at many

places. At Vedaranyam, people made their own salt and its victory was

celebrated.52

Rajaji in the Individual Satyagraha

On 15th

October 1940 at Wardha, Gandhi discussed his plan of

Individual Satyagraha with Rajaji, Jawaharlal Nehru and Vallabbai Patel,

Abul Kalam Asad and others.53

The individual Satyagraha Movement was

organized in almost all parts of the Madras Presidency. The Congress

51 Report on Civil Disobedience Movement, Madras, 1930-1931,Op.Cit., p.3.

52 The Hindu, 3rd June 1931. 53 Zaidi, A.M., and Zaidi, S.G., The Encyclopaedia of the Indian National Congress,

Vol .12 , New Delhi, 1978, pp.551-554.

87

Committees were formed in every province in connection with the anti-war

speeches and anti-war pamphlets were also distributed. In the Madras

Presidency, Rajaji wrote letters to all the members of the Provincial War

Committee including the Mayor of Madras, Muthaiah Chettiar and Abdul

Hamid Khan (Leader of the Muslim League group in Assembly) requesting

all of them not to help the British war with men and money. 54

Then Rajaji

was arrested on 3rd

December and sentenced to one year imprisonment.55

In

the Madras Presidency, 1,900 individual satyagrahis were arrested and also

a total amount of fine of Rs.37, 688 was imposed.56

Rajaji - The Great Dissenter of Quit India Movement

Rajaji was a true and dedicated disciple of Gandhi and did not

hesitate to voice his dissent when he felt strongly about any particular

matter. 'Quit India' was as Gandhiji said, a decision to 'do or die'. Rajaji

protested both publicity and privately against the 'Quit India' demand57

,

asserting that it would be a crime for the British to leave India at this

juncture and that their withdrawal without simultaneous replacement by

another Government must involve the dissolution of the state and society

itself .58

For the first time Rajaji did not join the Gandhi's movement. Gandhi

54

The Hindu, 3rd

December 1940. 55

F.R., First half of December 1940. 56

Zaidi , A.M., and, Zaidi ,S.G., Op.Cit.,Vol.12, p.562. 57 Majumdar, R.C., The History and Culture of the Indian People: Struggle for

Freedom, Vol.II, Bombay, 1969, p.644. 58 Penderal Moon, Divide and Quit , Delhi, 1964,p.27.

88

decided to start the Quit India movement on 9th

August itself, but he and

other Congress leaders were arrested on 9th

morning before starting the Quit

India Movement.59

This led to violence and the British Government had to

face a revolt which through unarmed was most violent in character.

C.R. Formula

When all eminent Congress leaders including Gandhi were in jail, the

task of finding a solution to the Hindu-Muslim problem was taken by Rajaji,

and he believed that the key to the solution of India's problem lay in

adopting a sympathetic attitude towards the demands of the Muslim League.

As early as 23rd

April 1942, he convened a meeting of the Madras Congress

Legislative Party and arranged a resolution to be passed for a Congress

League accord. However, when he subsequently moved the same resolution

at a meeting of the A.I.C.C., it was rejected by 120 votes to 15. He was, in

fact, among the first to accept the idea of Pakistan and to advocate the

Congress to accept it. His famous formula was published on 10th

July

1944.60

His formula was a bold move and the first recognition of the idea of

Pakistan. The rationale behind his support to Pakistan was, in his words:

“I stand for Pakistan because I do not want that State where we Hindus and

Muslims are both not honoured. Let Muslims have Pakistan. If we agree,

then our country will be saved”. 61

Lord Wavell said that the “formula is a

59

F.R., First half of August 1942. 60 All India Congress Committee file No.6/1947, N.M.M.L., New Delhi. 61 Abdul Khader Fakhri, S.M.M., Dravidian Sahibs and Brahmin Maulanas: The Politics

of the Muslims of Tamil Nadu, New Delhi, 2008, p.86

89

try-out” and probably Gandhi wanted to assess the strength of Hindu

feelings against Pakistan and he would adopt a 'future policy' after seeing the

reactions.62

The Pakistan that Gandhiji was prepared to recommend was

based essentially on the Rajaji formula. However, it was termed wholly

unsatisfactory for Jinnah. Jinnah rejected the Rajaji Formula in April 1944

and termed it a calling for ‘a shadow and a husk, maimed, multilated and

moth-eaten Pakistan’.63

Lord Mountbatten assumed the Office of the Viceroy on March 24th

,

1947. He accepted the idea of Pakistan not as it was prepared by Jinnah but

as later modified by C.R.Formula.64

He announced his plan on 3rd

June 1947

and it provided for the establishment of two separate Dominions of India and

Pakistan. Mountbatten’s plan was merely another name for the

C.R. formula. Then the Indian independence bill was passed on 18th July, by

the British Parliament and it provided for the partition of India and the

establishment of the two Dominions of India and Pakistan. The transfer of

power was very graceful, it was an event unique in history and was

considered a peace without war and without blood. The British rule came to

an end on the Indian soil on August 15th, 1947.

65

62 Wavell to Amery, 12th July 1944,The Transfer of Power,Vol.4, No.576, p.1085. 63 Raza Khan, What Prize Freedom : A Historical Survey of the Political Trends and

Conditions Leading to Independence and the Birth of Pakistan and After, Madras,

1969, pp.110-112. 64

Shri Ram Sharma, Freedom Movement 1857-1947, Delhi, 1988, p.169. 65The Viceroy’s Personal Report No.16, 8 August 1947, The Transfer of Power, Vol.XII,

No.385, p.602; Harijan, 24th August 1947.

90

After the declaration of independence, Rajaji was appointed the first

Indian Governor of West Bengal from 15th

August onwards because of the

Hindu-Muslim Problem there. He reduced the problem between the two

communities and won the hearts of the people by his attitudes and

approaches. He became the first and the last Indian Governor-General of

India (June 1948- January 1950) in succession to Mountbatten. Thus in

every walk of life as a leader of the nation he served the people of India

throughout the long-drawn political struggle for independence.

Rajaji was a political sage and not a raw politician and a strategist as

many seemed to picturise him. Rajaji is a person of strong convictions and

strong beliefs. Rajaji's faith in Gandhi was tremendous, but he never allowed

his mind to slip away. Whatever happened, he came to his own. His

individual spirit, service and sacrifice encouraged his followers. Rajaji

represented fundamentally the highest type of the mind of India.66

Indeed

Rajaji was one among the front-rank politicians of the Gandhian Era.67

Rajaji was a National leader of a stature next only to Gandhi and his life was

interwoven with the history of our country during the last seventy years. He

was a valiant fighter in the front–rank of freedom struggle.68

A colonial

Governor called Rajaji the ‘wisest man in India’.

66 Swarajya, 11th November 1967; The Illustrated Weekly of India, 14th January 1973. 67 Ahluwalia, B.K., Facets of Rajaji , New Delhi, 1978, p.15. 68 The Hindu, 28th December 1972.

91

This sentiment was endorsed by Gandhi who described him as the

“keeper of my conscience”. 69

Indeed, Rajaji was an architect of freedom

struggle in Tamil Nadu. He was the true disciple of Gandhi and the doyen

among India's fighters for freedom and the dauntless champion of the

downtrodden millions of the land.

69 C.W.M.G., Vol.LV, New Delhi, p.120; Ramachandra Guha, Makers of Modern India,

New Delhi, 2010, pp.436-437.