Lala Lajpat Rai

Lala Lajpat Rai, known as Punjab Kesari (Lion of Punjab), was one of the most influential figures in India’s struggle for independence. A fiery orator, prolific writer, and fearless leader, he dedicated his life to the cause of Indian freedom and social reform.

The Lal Bal Pal Trio

Lajpat Rai formed one-third of the famous Lal Bal Pal triumvirate, alongside Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Bipin Chandra Pal. Together, they represented the rise of militant nationalism in the Indian National Congress, advocating for Swaraj (self-rule) and rejecting the moderate approach of petitioning the British for reforms.

American Sojourn

During World War I (1914-1919), Lajpat Rai lived in the United States, where he wrote extensively about conditions in India and advocated for Indian independence. It was during this period that he wrote Young India (1916) and England’s Debt to India (1917), both powerful indictments of British colonial rule based primarily on British sources themselves.

Literary Works

Lajpat Rai was a prolific author who used his pen as effectively as his oratory. His works include biographies of Mazzini, Garibaldi, and Shivaji, as well as political and economic analyses of British rule. In England’s Debt to India, he meticulously documented the economic exploitation of India using exclusively British testimony, making his critique unassailable.

Martyrdom

On 30 October 1928, Lajpat Rai led a peaceful protest against the Simon Commission in Lahore, raising the slogan “Simon Go Back!” Police Superintendent James Scott ordered a brutal lathi charge, personally assaulting Rai. Despite severe injuries, Rai addressed the crowd, declaring: “I declare that the blows struck at me today will be the last nails in the coffin of British rule in India.” He died on 17 November 1928.

Legacy

Lajpat Rai’s martyrdom galvanized the independence movement. His death was avenged by Bhagat Singh and his associates, who killed a British police officer in retaliation. Today, Lajpat Rai is remembered as one of India’s greatest freedom fighters, his sacrifice a turning point in the struggle for independence.