Mallikarjun Kharge pays tribute to Chittaranjan Das, recalls his contributions to freedom movement
New Delhi, June 16
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday paid tribute to former Congress President and freedom fighter Chittaranjan Das, remembering his contributions to India's national movement and his enduring legacy of communal harmony and national unity.
In a post on X, Kharge described Das as an eminent lawyer, poet, and one of the foremost leaders of India's freedom struggle.
"We pay our respectful tributes to Chittaranjan Das, Former Congress President, eminent lawyer, poet, and a towering leader of India's National Movement," Kharge said.
Recalling Das's role in the fight against British rule, the Congress chief noted that he was "a key force behind the Non-Cooperation Movement and mentor to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose."
Kharge further highlighted Das's commitment to social cohesion and educational reform, saying that he "championed national education, communal harmony, and Hindu-Muslim unity."
The Congress President said the values upheld by Das continue to resonate across generations.
"His ideals and service to the nation continue to inspire generations," Kharge stated.
Popularly known as "Deshbandhu" or "Friend of the Nation," Chittaranjan Das (1870-1925), was a prominent leader of the Indian freedom movement and served as President of the Indian National Congress. He is remembered for his contributions as a lawyer, nationalist leader and advocate of unity and social reform during India's struggle for independence.
His life is a landmark in the history of India's struggle for freedom. Born on November 5, 1870, in Calcutta, he belonged to an upper-middle-class Vaidya family of Telirbagh in the then Dacca district. His father, Bhuban Moban Das, was a reputed solicitor of the Calcutta High Court. An ardent member of the Brahmo Samaj, he was also well-known for his intellectual and Journalistic pursuits.
After receiving his early education at the London Missionary Society's Institution at Bhowanipore (Calcutta), Chittaranjan passed the entrance examination in 1885 as a private candidate. He graduated from Presidency College in 1890. He then went to England to compete for the I.C.S., but he was "the last man out" in his year. Therefore, he joined the Inner Temple and was called to the Bar in 1894.
It was Bankim Chandra who partly influenced him in his political ideas. While at Presidency College, Chittaranjan was a leading figure of the Students' Association, and from Surendranath Banerjee he took his first lessons in Public service and elocution. In 1894, Das came back to India and enrolled himself as a Barrister of the Calcutta High Court.
Along with Motilal Nehru, Deshbandhu founded the Swaraj Party in 1923. The party was recognised as the parliamentary wing of the Congress. Deshbandhu was elected mayor of Calcutta in 1924, after the Swaraj Party gained a majority in the elections. During his tenure as the mayor, he brought greater efficiency to the administration and implemented many welfare projects. Chittaranjan Das later established the Deshbandhu Memorial Fund to build a temple, establish an orphanage and provide education to the masses. Besides being a shrewd lawyer, Das was also a literary person. He wrote collections of poems like 'Mala', 'Antaryami' and 'Kishore Kishori'. Along with another revolutionary leader, Aravinda Ghosh, he founded the famous journal 'Bande Mataram'. He also served as the editor-in-chief of the journal 'Forward', which was the mouthpiece of the Swaraj Party. Chittaranjan passed away on June 16, 1925, at Darjeeling at the age of 55. Great as a jurist, Chittaranjan was the greatest and most dynamic leader of then-Bengal. Above all, he was a messenger of Indian nationalism.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Kharge ji is doing a good job by highlighting lesser-known heroes like CR Das. Most people only remember Gandhi and Nehru, but figures like Das who championed Hindu-Muslim unity and national education are equally important. We need this kind of history in our textbooks.
Interesting article. As someone from the US, I find it fascinating how India honours such intellectual freedom fighters. The fact that Das was a poet, lawyer, and politician all at once reminds me of Renaissance figures. Communal harmony is a message that still resonates today.
Honestly, I wish our current politicians would learn from Das's legacy of integrity. He gave up a lucrative legal practice to serve the nation. Today we see leaders making crores while in office. That's the real tragedy. Respect for Kharge for reminding us of these values.
Chittaranjan Das's vision for national education is so relevant now. Our system still focuses on rote learning instead of critical thinking. He understood that true freedom comes from an educated citizenry. Congress should push for his educational reforms today. 📚✨
A fitting tribute. But I hope this isn't just political tokenism. Das's commitment to communal harmony is exactly what India needs to counter the divisive politics we see today. Let's honour him by actually practising what he preached - unity across religions and castes.
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