Nand Lal
| Nand Lal | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 1, 1887 Village Maghiyana, Jhang, Punjab, Pakistan |
| Died | 17 April 1959 (aged 72) |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Political party | Indian National Congress |
| Alma mater | KGC Hindu High School, Jhang, Pakistan |
| Master Nand Lal | |
|---|---|
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| Master Nand Lal fifth from left, second row from bottom. Nehru fourth from right, Ambedkar fourth from left in bottom row. | |
| Assembly Member for East Punjab | |
Master Nand Lal (Hindi: मास्टर नंद लाल) was an Indian freedom fighter, politician and member of Constituent Assembly of India from East Punjab.
Early life
The only son of his father Shri Kala Ram and mother Shrimati Rami Bai, he had a sister who was 6–7 years younger than him. His father worked as a petition writer in district Fazilka, Firozpur. He died in 1899 when Master ji was only 12 years old.
After his father's death, his mother Shrimati Rami Bai took care of him and ensured a comfortable upbringing for her two children. He passed his 10th grade exams from KGC Hindu High School, Jhang in 1904, following which he was appointed as a clerk in the Deputy Commissioner's Office at Lyallpur where his uncle was already working in the revenue department. However, refusing to quietly suffer the rampant corruption prevailing in the office, he resigned from the post soon after. He started preparing for the post of petition writer at Shahpur. He passed that exam too and became a petitions writer and started his work in Bhalwal town.
Theater career
He was always keen about drama and theater. During his fifth standard in school, he performed a role of the character Kanut in a drama which was appreciated and admired by everyone, especially the Police Inspector who was the chief guest that day. He even gave him a five rupee note as a prize which enhanced and increased his confidence. This confidence really helped him in both his personal and political life later.
In 1909, there was a person named Lala Bankelal in Jhang, a well known freedom fighter and the editor of the newspaper 'Jhang Sayal'. He was famous for giving an enthusiastic call, Pagri Sambhal O Jatta at a public rally in Lyallpur. Master ji came in contact with him after that incident and it proved to be a turning point in his life.
Always enthusiastic to take part in political and religious dramas, he wrote the Ramayan in a drama form and organized a play on the same on navratras and Dussehra festivals. Along with performing the role of Dashrath in the play, he was the director of those plays, earning the moniker 'Master Ji'.
Political Life
In 1911, he shifted from Bhalwal to Jaranwala in district Lyallpur. There he started working as a petition writer, and simultaneously looked for ways to transform his political thinking into action and reality. That decisive turn in his life came about in the year 1919 when he went to Haridwar with some of his friends.
At Haridwar, he came across a woman leader Kana Bali who was giving a public lecture in support of Gandhi's call against Rowlatt Act. This had a great impact on Master ji's mind. He was so impressed that he fasted on her appeal.
Subsequently, he witnessed Anti-Rowlatt Act protests gaining ground, mass hartals and non-violent satyagrahas, and this period of his life proved a milestone in shaping his political ideology as well his intent to participate in the National Movement actively.
After returning home to Jaranwala from Haridwar he organized a public meeting to chalk out a political programme. Public processions, strikes and satyagraha methods were followed, including boycotting foreign cloth in favor of Khadi in support of the ongoing Non-Cooperation Movement. When Martial Law was proclaimed in Punjab to crack down on the protestors, Master Ji courted his first arrest in April 1919. Sentenced to 18 month Rigorous Imprisonment, he was released early in January 1920 on grounds of general amnesty.
During the Nagpur Session of the Indian National Congress [December 1920] some crucial changes were made in its organizational setup, following which the first ever Congress Committee was formed at Jaranwala of which Master Nand Lal became the General Secretary. Subsequently, he became a member of the Punjab Congress Committee, and General Secretary to the District Congress Committee as well. Later, he also served as the District Congress Committee's President for about three years. He remained a member of the All India Congress Committee [AICC] from 1925-1957.
In the coming years, he partook in all major National Congress-led struggles including protesting against Simon Commission, the Civil Disobedience Movement and mobilized local public opinion through frequent meetings and processions. He was also highly active in taking up local issues and grievances. He was arrested in 1930 after he a led a "jatha" (procession) in defiance of the Salt Act during the Civil Disobedience Movement.
Master Ji was present at the historic AICC meeting at Bombay, where the Quit India Resolution was passed on August 8, 1942. He was arrested upon his return on 14 August and remained at Multan and Sialkot jails for the next three years. A few months after his release he was again arrested in July 1945 for defying restrictions and continuing political activity.
Between 1919 and 1947, Master Nand Lal was imprisoned for nearly 11 years in various jails at Lahore, Multan, Sialkot,Dera Ghazi Khan, Ferozepur, Rawalpindi, etc.
Election to the Constituent Assembly
During the partition large-scale riots and bloodshed gripped Jaranwala as well; Master Ji, along with his family, moved to India in September 1947 and settled at Panipat in November.
Master Ji initially lived with a Muslim family, Panipat still being home to a number of them. A "Basau committee" was formed to help the refugees coming in, and Master Nand Lal was appointed as its President. He also contributed, among other things, by helping bring the Model Town and Industrial Area Schemes to Panipat.
Soon thereafter, following the advice and support of some close friends and political leaders, Master Nand Lal applied for the reserved seats in the Constituent Assembly for the Hindu community. He was one of the two candidates elected by the Provincial Legislative Assembly and became a member in March 1948, and subsequently of the Provisional Parliament till 1952.
Later Political Life
He stood for the first General Election of the country in 1951-52 and defeating a strong Jan Sangh candidate, Dr. Gokul Chand Narang, vice-president of the All India Hindu Mahasabha, became the first MLA from Karnal.
He was denied a ticket for re-election in 1957 on grounds of ill-health. Nevertheless, he helped organize the election campaign with the Congress candidate winning by a wide margin.
Master Nand Lal died on 17 April 1959, with no house, land, money or business interest in his name.