KNOW ABOUT
Dr. Rajendra Prasad
Know About
Dr. Rajendra Prasad
Know about Dr. Rajendra Prasad ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this book may be reproduced in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronics, mechanical, photocopying, recording and or without permission of the publisher. Published by
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[email protected] website: www.maplepress.co.in Reprinted in 2019 ISBN: 978-93-50334-07-2
Contents Preface ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������4 1. Introduction -Childhood and education�����������������������������6 2. His Meeting with Mahatma Gandhi�������������������������������������9 3. Freedom fighter���������������������������������������������������������������������12 4. His Qualities���������������������������������������������������������������������������15 5. Becoming the Congress President��������������������������������������18 6. Becoming the First President of India��������������������������������21 7. The Later Years of his Life����������������������������������������������������24 8. The Constitution of India�����������������������������������������������������27 9. The Darbar ����������������������������������������������������������������������������31 10. Election of the First President of India�������������������������������34 11. The Ceremonial Procession�������������������������������������������������37 12. The Salient Features of the Constitution����������������������������40 13. Rajendra Prasad’s Speech�����������������������������������������������������43 14. His Respect for the Father of the Nation ���������������������������48 15. His view on India at the Time of Independence���������������52 16. His Thoughts on Freedom���������������������������������������������������55 17. Words for Dr. Rajendra Prasad ������������������������������������������58 18. Birth of National Flag ����������������������������������������������������������60 19. The Indian Legislature����������������������������������������������������������65 20. The President House�������������������������������������������������������������69 21. Some Quotes on Dr. Rajendra Prasad��������������������������������71
Preface This book is biography of Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India. He was born in Zeradei village, Siwan district, Bihar on December 3, 1884. In Zeradei’s diverse population, people lived together in considerable harmony. Rajendra Prasad’s earliest memories were of playing ‘Kabaddi’ with his Hindu and Muslim friends alike. Before entering politics, he taught English literature, history, economics and law. In 1917, he began working with Mohandas K. Gandhi and in 1920, he joined the Indian National Congress and was several times appointed its president (1934, 1939, 1947-48). He was imprisoned (1942-45) for supporting the congress opposition to the British war effort in World War II. He was one of those passionate individuals who gave up a lucrative profession to pursue a greater goal of attaining freedom for the Motherland. After independence, Rajendra Prasad became the first President of India in 1950 and held that office until 1962. As President, he exercised his moderating influence.
On February 28, 1963, he passed away. This book is an attempt to shed some light on the life of this great personality.
CHAPTER 1
Introduction - Childhood and Education Dr. Rajendra Prasad was the son of Mahadev Sahay and was born on 3rd December 1884, in Zeradei village, in the Saran district of North Bihar. Being the youngest in a large joint family, ‘Rajen’ was loved a lot. He was attached to his mother and elder brother, Mahendra very much. Following the old customs of his village and family, Rajen was married when he was 12 years old, to Rajvanshi Devi. Rajendra Prasad’s great uncle, Chaudhuri Lal looked after the family with a zamindari income of Rs.7,000 per year and substantial farmlands. He was the Deewan of the Hathwa Raj and was highly respected by all, honest, loyal and able persons. Rajendra Prasad’s father, Mahadev Sahay, was a gentleman, a scholar of Persian and Sanskrit. His hobbies were wrestling, gardening and also providing free Ayurvedic and Unani treatment to patients who came to him. Rajendra Prasad’s mother, Kamleshwari Devi, was a religious lady who never gave up her evening bath and
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puja even though she was suffering from cough. Every day she would tell stories from the Ramayana to young Rajendra, as he slept close to her waiting for the morning light to peep into the windowless bedroom of their oldfashioned house. The Ramayana by Tulsidas became his true friend, he also loved to look at the Upanishads and other religious books.
The family shunned ostentations, lived simply and mixed freely with the co-villagers. There was a sense of community, fellow-feeling and kindness. All enjoyed festivals and the pujas together. The flow of village life was quiet and gentle. All this left a deep mark on young Rajendra’s mind. The village stand for peace and rest. 7
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At the age of five, young Rajendra according to the practice of the community was put under a Maulavi, who taught him Persian. Later, he was taught Hindi and Arithmetic. After the completion of this traditional education, he was put in the Chapra Zilla School and from which he moved to R. K. Ghosh’s Academy in Patna in order to live with his only brother Mahendra Prasad, who was eight years older than him and who had joined the Patna College. When Mahendra Prasad moved to Calcutta in 1897, Rajendra was admitted into the Hathwa High School. Soon, he rejoined the Chapra Zilla School, from where he passed the Entrance Examination of the Calcutta University at the age of eighteen, in 1902. Rajen was a brilliant student and stood first in the entrance examination of the University of Calcutta and was awarded a scholarship of Rs. 30 per month. He joined the famous Calcutta Presidency College in 1902. Gopal Krishna Gokhale formed The Servants of India Society in 1905 and asked Rajen to join. But his duty towards his family and education was very high and so he refused Gokhale. But, this brought a sad change in him and for the first time in his life his academic performance went down. After making his own choice, he kept the thoughts away and took studies seriously. In 1915, Rajen passed the Masters in Law examination with honours, winning a gold medal. Later on he completed his Doctorate in Law as well. 8
CHAPTER 2
His Meeting with Mahatma Gandhi Before his arrival in Calcutta he was introduced to the group of ‘Swadeshi’ by his elder brother Mahendra Prasad. The formation of the Bihari Students’ Conference followed in 1908. It was the first organisation of this kind in India. It woke and practically produced the political leadership of the twenties in Bihar. At the time, he set himself up as a lawyer in Calcutta in 1911. He was bound to Khan Bahadur Shamsul Huda, he joined the Indian National Congress and was elected to the All India Congress Committee. A year earlier, he impressed Sir Asutosh Mukherjee so deeply that the latter offered him a Lectureship in the Presidency Law College. Gopal Krishna Gokhale, one of the greatest political leaders of India in those days, met him in Calcutta a year earlier and had asked him to join the Servants of India Society in Poona but the pressure of his family held him back and he started his practice in Patna. But he had no doubts about
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what he should do. He sought his elder brother Mahendra Prasad’s permission to join Gokhale through a letter, which he had concluded with his innermost thoughts, which read, “Ambitions I have none, except to be of some service to the Motherland.” In April 1917, during the All India Congress Committee session, held in Calcutta, Gandhiji and Rajendra Prasad sat very close to each other but he did not know that Gandhiji was to be taken to his residence in Patna on his way to Champaran. This meeting with Gandhiji became a turning point in his career. He stayed with Gandhiji till his trial was over. The country took a different turn due to the Rowlatt Act and the Punjab disturbance. Thus, in 1920 before the civil disobedience and non-cooperation movement he openly took pledge to avoid unrighteous laws and follow the civil disobedience and non-cooperation and thus, he constituted himself as an outlaw in the eyes of British Government in India. As an expert lawyer, Rajen realised that at any time he 10
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would join the fight for independence. While Gandhiji was on a fact-finding mission in Champaran district of Bihar to feel the sorrow of the local farmers, he called Rajendra Prasad and asked him to come to Champaran with volunteers. Dr. Prasad rushed to Champaran. In the beginning, he did not like Gandhiji’s looks or talks. But as time passed on, Dr. Prasad was deeply moved by the faithfulness, beliefs and courage that Gandhiji showed. He was a man who made the sufferings of the people of Champaran his own. Dr. Prasad decided that he would do everything to help them whether with his skills as a lawyer or as an active volunteer.
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CHAPTER 3
Freedom fighter The ten years that followed were the years of great activity and heavy suffering. He took back his administrative post from the University to the regret of the British ViceChancellor. He withdrew his sons, Mrityunjaya and Dhananjaya, and his nephew, Janardan from the Benares Hindu University and other schools. He wrote articles for ‘Searchlight’ and the ‘Desh’ and collected funds for these papers. He toured a lot, explaining, lecturing and arguing.
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He was the first leading political figure in the Eastern Provinces, to join forces with Gandhiji, at a time when the latter was lacking a large and effective followers. Another such leader from the West who joined Gandhiji was Vallabhbhai Patel. During the Nagpur Flag Satyagraha, Rajendra Babu and Vallabhbhai came closer. For Rajendra Babu, Sardar Vallabhbhai and his friendship was very precious and it was one of the most pleasant memories of his life. He often went to Sabarmati and toured the country with Gandhiji. He suffered several terms of harsh imprisonment. He suffered from poverty, wanting a regular income of his own. All the while, he suffered from asthma. He would not accept any financial help from the Congress or from any other source and depended mostly on his elder brother. He was in jail, when on 15 January 1934, the destroying earthquake in Bihar occurred. He was released two days later. He was ill yet he immediately started raising funds and organising relief. The Viceroy also raised a fund for the same purpose. His fund grew over 38 lakhs but the Viceroy’s fund was one third of the amount although he was known and honoured everywhere. Nationalist India expressed its respect by electing Rajendra as the President of the Bombay session of the Indian National Congress. Mahendra Prasad, his elder brother was dead at that time. The Congress, through a formal resolution, remembered his social services and his loyalty towards the national cause. 13
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Gandhiji’s influence changed many of Dr. Prasad’s views, most importantly on caste and untouchability. Dr. Prasad reduced the number of servants he had to one and found ways to simplify his life. He no longer felt ashamed in sweeping the floor or washing his own utensils and also the works he always thought others would do it. When the Congress Ministries were formed in 1937, the Parliamentary Board consisted of Sardar Patel, Rajendra Babu and Maulana Azad. It provided effective guidance and control. In 1939, when Subhash Chandra Bose had to be relieved of the office of the Congress President, it was Rajendra Prasad who was persuaded to take over the President post and overcome the crises. The Congress faced another difficulty when Acharya Kripalani resigned. Again, Rajendra Babu had to step into the branch. His management of the Constituent Assembly was excellent.
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CHAPTER 4
His Qualities Dr. Prasad was present to help people in pain. In 1914; floods affected Bihar and Bengal a lot. Dr. Prasad became a volunteer, distributing food and cloth to the flood victims. In 1934, Bihar was shaken by an earthquake, which caused great damage and loss of property. The quake was terrible by itself and was followed by floods and an outbreak of malaria, bringing misery. Dr. Prasad started with relief work, collecting food, clothes and medicine.
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