Madan Mohan Malaviya

THE FOUNDER OF the historic Benares Hindu University, Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya was born in Allahabad in 1851. Says commentator Iqbal Masud: “What people overlook is the bitter power Struggle between the Nehru family and the Malaviya family. Malaviya wanted to deny the Nehrus their political importance by attacking them in their home base, Allahabad and Kanpur.”
Malaviya began schooling in a pathshala but later joined a zilla school to which his mother got him admitted by mortgaging her bangles. Life was tough but he managed to graduate from Calcutta University. Although he wanted to do M.A., poverty compelled him to seek a job instead, and he began to teach at a salary of Rs.40 per month. Next, he served as the Editor of the Hindi weekly Hindustan for a salary of Rs.200 per month. He also edited the weekly Indian Union. In 1907 he launched a Hindi weekly Abhyudaya and the English daily Leader in 1909. He served as chairman of Hindustan Times from 1924 to 1946 and remained a man of principles who opposed the Press Act and the Seditious Meetings Act. He wrote articles and poems in fluent Hindi; his journalism was of the fiery kind.
After minor political skirmishes, Malaviya was elected Congress President in the years 1909, 1918, 1932 and 1933. But due to his arrest he could not preside over the 1932 and 1933 sessions. Although a supporter of the Congress, he founded the Hindu Mahasabha in 1906. The idea was not only to oppose Muslim propaganda but also the British. He was elected to the Provincial Council in 1902; the emigration of industrial labour law was abolished at his instance.
But the founding of the Benares Hindu University remains Malaviya’s greatest achievement. When the foundation stone was laid by the Viceroy in 1916, Malaviya collected Rs.35 lakh and served as the Institution’s Vice Chancellor from 1919 to 1938. He remained a director of the University till his death.
Although Malaviya became a High Court lawyer in 1893, he withdrew from the legal profession in 1909. But he made an exception in 1922 when he made an appeal for the 225 persons condemned to death for their involvement in the Chauri Chaura riots in Gorakhpur district on account of which Gandhiji suspended the civil disobedience movement. Malaviya was successful in saving 153 accused from the hangman.
In keeping with the spirit of Gandhiji’s non-cooperation movement, Malaviya did not seek electionto the Indian Legislative Assembly in 1921. However, he served as a member of the Assembly from 1924 to 1930. He resigned to participate in Gandhiji’s salt satyagraha. He backed Motilal Nehru’s demand that India be granted Dominion status.
When the British invited him to the Round Table Conference in 1931, Malaviya accepted, but returned dissatisfied with their attitude towards India.
A conservative who believed in the caste system, Malaviya was however keen on changing with the times. He also had the courage to differ with Gandhiji and opposed the burning of foreign cloth, the boycott of schools and the visit of the Prince of Wales in 1921.
In his Presidential address at the Indian National Congress in 1933 in Calcutta, Malaviya said: “I take it that every Indian wants that we should have complete freedom for the management of our affairs. Truth is on our side. Justice is with us. God will help us. We are sure to win. Vande Mataram.” He died in 1946 after having contributed enormously to the freedom struggle.