lala lajpat rai history

rn:
January 28,
1865
Martyrdom:
November17, 1928
Achievements: Popularly known as Lala Lajpat
Rai; Founded the Indian Home League Society of
America; became Congress President in 1920.
Lala Lajpat Rai was one of the foremost leaders
who fought against British rule in India. He was
popularly known as Punjab Kesari (Lion of the
Punjab).
Lala Lajpat Rai was born on January 28, 1865 in
village Dhudike, in present day Moga district of
Punjab. He was the eldest son of Munshi Radha
Kishan Azad and Gulab Devi. His father was an
Aggarwal Bania by caste. His mother inculcated
strong moral values in him.
Lala Lajpat Rai joined the Government College at
Lahore in 1880 to study Law. While in college he
came in contact with patriots and future
freedom fighters like Lala Hans Raj and Pandit
Guru Dutt. The three became fast friends and
joined the Arya Samaj founded by Swami Daya
Nand Saraswati. He passed his Vakilship
Examination in Second Division from
Government College in 1885 and started his legal
practice in Hissar. Besides practicing, Lalaji
collected funds for the Daya Nand College,
attended Arya Samaj functions and participated
in Congress activities. He was elected to the
Hissar municipality as a member and later as
secretary. He shifted to Lahore in 1892.
Lala Lajpat Rai was one of the three most
prominent Hindu Nationalist members of the
Indian National Congress. He was part of the Lal-
Bal-Pal trio. The other two members of the trio
were Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Bipin Chandra Pal.
They formed the extremist faction of the Indian
National Congress, as opposed to the moderate
one led first by Gopal Krishna Gokhale. Lalaji
actively participated in the struggle against
partition of Bengal. Along with Surendra Nath
Banerjee, Bipin Chandra Pal and Aurorbindo
Ghosh, he galvanized Bengal and the nation in a
vigorous campaign of Swadeshi. Lalaji was
arrested on May 3, 1907 for creating "turmoil" in
Rawalpindi. He was put in Mandalay jail for six
months and was released on November 11, 1907.
Lalaji believed that it was important for the
national cause to organize propaganda in
foreign countries to explain India's position
because the freedom struggle had taken a
militant turn. He left for Britain in April 1914 for
this purpose. At this time First World War broke
out and he was unable to return to India. He
went to USA to galvanize support for India. He
founded the Indian Home League Society of
America and wrote a book called "Young India".
The book severely indicted British rule in India
and was banned in Britain and India even before
it was published. He was able to return to India
in 1920 after the end of World War.
After his return, Lala Lajpat Rai,led the Punjab
protests against the Jalianwala Bagh Massacre
and the Non-Cooperation Movement. He was
arrested several times. He disagreed with
Gandhiji's suspension of Non-Cooperation
movement due to the Chauri-Chaura incident,
and formed the Congress Independence Party,
which had a pro-Hindu slant.
In 1928, British Government decided to send
Simon Commission to India to discuss
constitutional reforms. The Commission had no
Indian member. This greatly angered Indians. In
1929, when the Commisssion came to India
there were protests all over India. Lala Lajpat Rai
himself led one such procession against Simon
Commission. While the procession was peaceful,
British Government brutally lathicharged the
procession. Lala Lajpat Rai received severe head
injuries and died on November17, 1928.