LALA LAJPAT RAI – The leading figure of Lahore in the freedom struggle Lala Lajpat
Rai (28 January 1865 – 17 November 1928)
was an Indian author and politician who is chiefly remembered as a leader in the Indian
fight for independence from
the British
Raj. After studying law at the Government College in Lahore, Lajpat Rai practiced at
Hissar and Lahore. After joining the Congress
Party and taking part in political agitation in the Punjab, Lajpat Rai was deported to
Mandalay, Burma (Myanmar), without trial, in
May 1907. In November, however, he was allowed to return when the viceroy, Lord
Minto, decided that there was insufficient
evidence to hold him for subversion. Lajpat Rai’s supporters attempted to secure his
election to the presidency of the party
session at Surat in December 1907, but elements favouring cooperation with the British
refused to accept him, and the party split
over the issues. During World War I, Lajpat Rai lived in the United States, but he
returned to India in 1919 and in the following
year led the special session of the Congress Party that launched the noncooperation
movement. Imprisoned from 1921 to 1923,
he was elected to the legislative assembly on his release. In 1928 he introduced the
legislative assembly resolution for the boycott
of the British Simon Commission on constitutional reform. Shortly thereafter he died,
after being attacked by police during a
demonstration. On 30th October 1928, Simon commission visited Lahore. Naujwan
Bharat Sabha led by Bhagat Singh organised big
procession against it. Despite differences with Lala Lajpat Rai, the tallest leader of
Punjab in freedom struggle, they requested him
to lead the procession, which he agreed and led the procession. SSP Lahore police Scot
ordered lathi charge, which was led by
ASP Saunders, Lala Lajpat Rai was hit brutally and was wounded gravely. In the evening
rally he declared that every lathi on his
body will prove kneel in the British colonialism’s Coffin. Lala Lajpat Rai died of his
wounds on 17th November and Bhagat Singh and
his comrades avenged his killing by shooting down Saunders on 17th December, exactly
one month after in day light in front of
SSP office Lahore, at the call given by C R Dass’s widow Basanti Devi. Lala Lajpat Rai’s
mother, Gulab Devi, died of TB in Lahore.
In order to perpetuate her memory, Lala Lajpat Rai established a Trust in 1927 to build
and run a TB Hospital for women
reportedly at the spot where she had breathed her last.
