Dr. Rajendra Prasad's Role In Independence Movement

Introduction

In this article we will see how Dr.Rajendra Prasad played a pivotal role in independence movement. Though his extra-ordinary role in independence, he his remembered as the first president of India rather than a freedom fighter. This is because of his charismatic personality and the elegant way in which he carried the peace message of India to foreign country in post independence era. Amidst all this, we will see how unknowingly in the process of achieving the bigger goal of independence resulted in weakening of social fabric of Hindus and Muslim. Most importantly we would also investigate how the “bad evil”,that polluted the society in name of Indian culture, made the process of independence more complex and difficult. We would

He stood first in the entrance examination to the University of Calcutta and was awarded Rs.30 per month as scholarship. In 1902, Rajendra Prasad joined the Presidency College. He was initially a student of science and his teachers included J.C.Bose and Prafulla Chandra Roy. Later he decided to switch his focus to the arts. Prasad lived with his brother in the Eden Hindu Hostel. A plaque still commemorates his stay in that room. Dr. Rajendra Prasad was instrumental in the formation of the Bihari Students' Conference in 1908. It was the first organization of its kind in the whole of India. The move produced the entire political leadership of the twenties in Bihar.

Hard time that he faced during the independence movement has brought about his latent charismatic personality. The famous non cooperation movement led by Gandhi was an initial success. Gandhi had to call off the movement due to the unfortunate chauri chaura incident that led to killing of 22 policemen. He did not want non violence to be basis of non cooperation movement. At that time many eminent leader of congress could not understand gandhiji decision. They all criticize Gandhi for calling off the movement. During this tough time rajendra Prasad stood firmly with Gandhi. Rajendra prasad understood the Gandhi principle of non violence and knew it would be instrumental in achieving independence. Rajendra Prasad played a important role in making people understanding the non violence principle of Gandhi to people. In several occasion he was sometime also refers to as “Gandhi of Bihar”

Following the footstep of mahatma Gandhi in salt satyagraha

In March 1930, Gandhiji launched the Salt Satyagraha. He planned to march from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi seashore to break the salt laws. A salt satyagraha was launched in Bihar under Dr. Prasad. Nakhas Pond in Patna was chosen as the site of the satyagraha. Batch after batch of volunteers courted arrest while making salt. Many volunteers were injured. Dr. Prasad called for more volunteers. Public opinion forced the Government to withdraw the