Lala Lajpat Rai Birth Anniversary

Lala Rajpat Rai, born on 28 January 1865, created a legacy of nationalism, unity and strength as he was a freedom fighter who was a firm believer in India’s independence, dedicated his whole life to the cause and played an important role in the Independence movement. Rai was born in Dhudike, Punjab to a Jain family and his liberal views and Hindu beliefs were shaped by his parents, which he then used to reform Indian policy and religion through politics and journalistic writing.

In 1880, Rai joined the Government College at Lahore to major in law, where he was influenced by the Hindu reformist movement of Swami Dayanand Saraswati and became a member of existing Arya Samaj Lahore (founded 1877) and Founder-Editor of Lahore-based Arya Gazette. Popularly known as Punjab Kesari, Lala Lajpat Rai was one-third of the triumvirate ‘Lal Bal Pal’, which included Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Bipin Chandra Pal.

An integral part of the Indian National Congress, he took part in political agitations in Punjab and was subsequently deported to Mandalay without trial in May 1907 however, the freedom fighter was allowed to return in November that year, after then Viceroy Lord Minto decided there was insufficient evidence to hold him in prison. Lala Lajpat Rai was elected President of the Indian National Congress in the Calcutta Special Session of 1920.

In 1921, he founded Servants of the People Society, a non-profit welfare organisation but he is perhaps best known for leading the non-violent march in protest of the Simon Commission that was set up by the British government and headed by Sir John Simon. The protesters chanted “Simon go back” and carried black flags and it was during this protest that the police lathi charge occurred against the protestors where Rai was personally assaulted and extremely injured.

He subsequently addressed the crowd with his now famous words and said, “I declare that the blows struck at me today will be the last nails in the coffin of British rule in India”. He did not fully recover from his injuries and died on 17 November 1928 of a heart attack.