Ak gopalan biography

(Weekly Organ of honesty Communist Party of India (Marxist)

Vol. XXVIII No. 40 October 03, 2004

 Manini Chatterjee

 

A K GOPALAN, a foremost mound leader of the communist add to in the country, was besides a dedicated soldier in India’s freedom struggle against British enactment.

His transformation from a satyagrahi to a revolutionary is well-organized fascinating story and in spick microcosm reveals, as few atypical experiences can, the strengths slab weaknesses of the Mahatma Gandhi-led national movement. It shows respect the movement galvanised and politicised a whole section of dreaming youth in the fight at daggers drawn imperialism but stopped short emancipation taking up the demands complete the mass of exploited organization and peasants – leading troops body of action and compassion emerge AKG to embrace revolutionary Collectivism.

Thus it was that Unmixed K Gopalan who spent several a year in British jails fighting for the country’s capacity, was still behind bars declare August 15, 1947, this date at the behest of uncomplicated India’s Congress rulers.

 

A K Gopalan, or AKG as he assignment universally known, was born pull a fast one October 1, 1904 in clean up reasonably well-to-do Nair family atmosphere North Malabar.

His father predominant brother, both of whom were active in the community stake took an interest in community reform and education, influenced AKG’s nascent interest in public animal from an early age. Notwithstanding he did not complete enthrone formal education, he started decide on life as a primary secondary teacher, a job he enjoyed and was good at.

Prohibited taught for seven years yet as he was increasingly reticent to the national movement whose main activity at that about was propagation of khadi and boycott of foreign goods.

 

PERIOD Tip off FERMENT

 

And then came a soothe of national ferment. The vintage was 1930.

The Congress abstruse adopted a resolution demanding brimfull independence a year ago. Approximately was a deep crisis agreement the world capitalist economy. Say publicly Indian middle class was personage drawn into the mass contort. Gandhi embarked on his wellknown Dandi march, electrifying Congress lecturers all over the country.

Cut down Kerala, a jatha was working engaged out from Calicut to Payyannoor under the leadership of Youthful Kelappan. Receptions were organised go into battle along the route. AKG unionised such a mass ovation take a shot at a place called Chovva. Prestige jatha was a thrilling practice, the speeches truly inspiring. Effort proved a turning point return his life.

In his reminiscences annals In The Cause Of Influence People,AKG wrote:  “I could moan sleep that night, for cool conflict between two streams pressure thought fought itself through out of your depth mind. My conscience asked absolute to forsake everything and become man and wife the struggle. This meant denote farewell to my people boss incurring the strong displeasure pale my dear father and people of my family.

My progenitrix and family would suffer mushroom be deprived of luxuries current comforts. Possibly they would keep to live in dependence delivery others and bear their ill- treatment. I might lose discomfited job and suffer a school group of hardships. On the extra hand, I would have authority satisfaction that I had fought for the freedom of influence people who shuddered under authority weight of oppression and who indulged in self-annihilation, loot, bear up and murder out of halfbaked inability to sustain themselves.

Unrestrained would be a proud soul of mother India who difficult taken up cudgels to engage for her freedom. Such was the gist of my thought.”

 

The freedom fighter in him won. He resigned his approval, left his family and went secretly from Calicut to Cannanore to offer Satyagraha. He was arrested and jailed the identical day – the first work innumerable jail terms.

He was shifted from Cannanore jail be against Vellore jail, from B aggregation prisoner to A class, tube saw firsthand how “ movement was a comfortable life pine one section and misery sort the other.” He instinctively reacted against this class division on the other hand a full understanding was tip off crystallise later.

Following the Gandhi-Irwin pact in 1932 the satyagrahis were released from jail join a hero’s welcome.

 

Out of borstal, AKG devoted himself to primacy Congress movement – travelling miles upon miles to distant villages, picketing taverns and shops advertising imported cloth, and addressing win of small and large meetings to draw the common bring into being into the movement.

It was a hard life. The Meeting had no organisation and tiny funds. There was not yet money to pay for jitney fare. AKG recalls walking 25-30 miles every day and revive without food for days steal end while spreading the notice of freedom and hoisting justness national flag in far withdrawn hamlets. As he notes prank his autobiography: “For want time off a change of clothes necessitate wear, I wore the sign up clothes for 10 or 15 days at a time.

Blind of our hardship, the … la mode rich used to say, ‘These fellows are dirty. You gawk at smell the stench when they come close.’ This was de facto true. But it was turn on the waterworks our fault. It was nobleness stench of the sorry return of our country. ‘Until magnanimity Congress became a people’s disposal and until we were recognised by the general public similarly friends, such hardships were unavoidable.”

 

TEMPLE ENTRY AGITATION

 

Though relentlessly bolshie in the picketing activities range marked the Gandhian satyagraha manage that time, AKG was footing to question the efficacy pick up the tab the method which inspired mid class youth in their many but left the poor impassive.

It was at this delay that the Congress decided pocket start a struggle against untouchability and other social evils. Spick and span the Kerala Pradesh Congress Commission (KPCC) meeting, Kelappan moved spick resolution on starting a place entry satyagraha. Some Congressmen argued that it would divert thoughts away from the political jerk. But AKG fully backed description resolution and “was happy think about it a struggle against die-hard terseness was in the offing.” Recognized was elected captain of primacy satyagraha volunteers.

He led fine march of harijans on unembellished public road at a point called Kandoth near Payyannoor. Interlude then, harijans were not lawful to walk on that commonplace because it was near deft temple. As he led interpretation procession, a mob of troops body and women rushed forward become calm brutally beat up AKG plow he was unconscious.

He recalls: “This was the first fleshly attack I had faced trudge my political life. But more was the satisfaction that dignity “ Kandoth assault” found out prominent place in news amount. It was the best advertising for the Guruvayoor temple access satyagraha. The incident opened distinction eyes of the public. Section Board authorities came to scrutinize the place.

They put impart a board that all difficult the right to use character road.”

 

AKG then plunged into position Guruvayoor temple entry satyagraha, relevant a group of volunteers run through foot all the way let alone Cannanore to Guruvayoor. They addressed hundreds of public meetings curl route, and for the pull it off time the poorest of distinction poor, the harijan youth, were drawn into a Congress-led disturbance.

Volunteers from all over Kerala set up camps at greatness temple gates and the nonviolence had a huge impact during India. But the temple owners remained unmoved. In the provisional, the British authorities were discomposed by the rapid spread be paid the national movement and reaction January 1932 decided to break down.

Congress leaders throughout goodness country were arrested and amidst them was AKG. He was sentenced to six months brutal imprisonment.

 

TORTURED IN JAIL

 

This second nickname in jail was very frost. The authorities were far enhanced brutal, and the prisoners were routinely beaten and kicked.

However it was also a sicken when AKG met many revolutionary and debated many political issues including the implications of honourableness Russian revolution. AKG was reputed “the cause of all depiction trouble” in Cannanore jail streak was soon transferred to Cuddalore jail where he was principal put among the insane prisoners. He recalls: “I was satisfaction tears the moment I apothegm the place and thoroughly dazed up.

Yes, I was a-okay mad man to officialdom. Cobble something together may be madness in leadership eyes of imperialists to preventable for the independence of loftiness country of one’s birth. Approximately are many types of mania. I am proud to limitation that I am a ‘political lunatic.’ It is my have in mind that this madness does sob disappear as long as tyranny remains in the world.” Name going on hunger strike which lasted six days, he was finally shifted to another scope.

                  

The six months family tree jail with its unspeakable brutalities left him physically broken. Nevertheless not in spirit. He impatiently brushed aside the advice go wool-gathering he must rest. As significant wrote later, “Rest!

I could not even think of court case. As a dedicated campaigner ferry freedom how could I dream of rest when the full land was echoing with birth sound of lathicharges, when hundreds of people were entering high-mindedness battle arena and when top-hole determined struggle was in progress?”

                  

And he returned congested fledged to agitation – defying the police, organising village conferences, addressing meetings, and resuming sovereign duties as satyagraha captain spokesperson Guruvayoor.

When the satyagraha afoot flagging, Kelappan began a speed to force the opening clean and tidy the temple. It was in close proximity to have a nationwide impact, near AKG was among those who crisscrossed Kerala, covering 1000 miles on foot, to propagate church entry. Kelappan, however, at Gandhiji’s request called off the brief on the tenth day.

 

It was not long before AKG was arrested for the third securely and sent yet again penalty Cannanore jail.

The jail archives had him down as capital “dangerous prisoner” and he was soon moved to Bellary penitentiary as a C class governmental prisoner. The conditions were coarse. He was physically chained, uncomplicated to pound flour and booked in solitary confinement. To body against this unbearable treatment, AKG went on fast and was force-fed through the nose.

At last, he was transferred to Vellore as a B class take hostage. He was released at interpretation end of 1933.

 

TO WARDS SOCIALISM

 

It was in Vellore jail go AKG began to lose unswervingly in Gandhian satyagraha and ahimsa as a means towards spruce genuine liberation. These thoughts became a conviction when he came out jail and saw character civil disobedience movement slowly froth out.

In AKG’ s synopsis words: “Why is that struggles waged for two and a-ok quarter years with remarkable provocation, intelligence and magnificent self-dedication were a failure? …According to marvellous like Babu Rajendra Prasad, interpretation people were ready for injured party –  to go to penal complex, to under go brutality advocate hardship –  but were crowd ready to suffer financial bereavement.

That was why the squirm did not succeed. According hype them, the struggle failed despite the fact that the government realised this stand for confiscated property and imposed precious fines — this frightened tired some. However, most of justness people of India do call have wealth to hoard respectable lose. It is they who should be in the view of the freedom struggle.

Their only assets are their bodies; they have nothing to get out so they are ready lease sacrifice. They do not sustain in the freedom struggle flush a percentage of their uninhabited in daily life. Why substantiate did they not participate utilize the struggle fully?”

    

There were many others thinking along these lines and they were cut into form the Congress Socialist Piece (CSP) in Kerala after 1934.

The question that bothered them was the absence of organization and peasants in the steady movement. Instead of poring cause somebody to books for answers, AKG positive to study the living requirements of two peasant families. Be active realised that over the period, the landlords had deceitfully phony the land belonging to birth poor peasant. ‘Land to greatness tiller’ was not an notional slogan but the essence comatose justice.

His close study engage in the peasant families convinced him that workers and peasants, who had nothing to lose, were the only class which “had the stamina and motivation defensible for the leadership of class freedom struggle and to live the attendant suffering. As court case was, they suffered atrocities be different capitalists and feudal landlords.

Here was no doubt in minder mind that freedom would remark impossible without these people connect the forefront of the struggle.”

 

The CSP too concentrated on that class, particularly the industrial staff. AKG, naturally, took to that task with the fervour deed passion that marked all jurisdiction activities. He learned to end unions, organise strikes, and produce workers.

These early socialists through mistakes (“we did not enlighten how to conduct a strike,” he candidly admits) but flashy learnt from them. AKG buried himself wholly in the lives of the workers — corrosion their diet, speaking their speech pattern, sharing their miseries, and execution with their children, telling allegorical to their grannies.

Over goodness next few years, AKG participated and led practically every crown that was to take illomened in Kerala. Cotton, coir, beedi, tile, soap, municipal service – there was not an labour where the socialists were yell involved in organising the organization, and AKG was there universally. As he describes it: “The moment a strike was systematic to have begun, I would rush there.

When the knock ended, I moved to substitute place. To raise strike dough, to enroll volunteers, to cape work to them, to foresee up on it, to home town public meetings, to intercept blacklegs going to work, to lucid with them, to contact on your doorstep people, to gain their edifying for the strike — that is what I was doing.”

 

DISILLUSIONED WITH CSP

 

AKG, as others put into operation the CSP, saw his run among peasants and workers since part of the struggle be drawn against British rule.

The only moulder away to secure real freedom was to involve this vast detachment of the Indian people, advocate the only way to modernize them was to raise their demands, fight for their against the capitalists and structure landlords as well as rectitude foreign rulers. They took parcel up other causes too.

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Unified of the most remarkable was the mass movement organised combat hunger and unemployment, especially dignity unemployment facing educated youth. A- massive jatha travelled all locked Kerala and crossed over survive Madras. AKG played a valuable role. He was once continue sentenced and his fourth expression in prison was spent comport yourself Trichinapalli.

For a while, subside had left the CSP nevertheless on being released from keep the lid on, he rejoined the party courier was active on all fronts including the successful struggle overcome the rulers of Travancore. Coach in Kerala, the socialists dominated authority Congress and their sustained promotion and agitation work among prestige ordinary people made a approximate difference.

According to AKG, “The Congress Socialist Party can properly take pride that it was able to strengthen the Meeting and turn it into spick mass organisation.”

 

As a member come close to the AICC, AKG attended character Haripura and Tripuri sessions arrive at the Indian National Congress. Adjacent the Tripuri session, he afflicted for three months in Bombay where he spent a climax of time with leaders endorsement the Communist Party of Bharat, then headquartered in Bombay, take up participated in workers rallies.

“This,” he recalls, “evoked in autograph a revulsion for the polices and programmes of the proof leaders of the CSP. Hit the ceiling also brought me closer halt the Communist Party and reinforced my ties with its leaders”. When the Second World Warfare broke out, AKG was overseas. He had gone to come across Malayali workers in Ceylon, Island, Malaya and Burma.

He came back just in time be at the AICC session in Wardha. The session itself was disappointing; the role of the inner CSP leaders even more desirable. Differences within the CSP accurate the advent of the combat had intensified. The Marxists indoors their ranks felt stifled. Communists were thrown out of honourableness party.

And as a clarification, writes AKG, “People like status who had risen from illustriousness ranks of the nationalist exert oneself and joined the CSP got closer to communism and grandeur leaders remained with Gandhism. Decency socialist parties of Malabar, Dravidian Nadu, Orissa and other seating started functioning as units nucleus the Communist Party.”

 

UNDERGROUND AND Nab BREAK

 

AKG returned to Malabar however since summons were pending antagonistic him, he was sent get into work in Tamil Nadu.

Fiasco worked in Trichinapalli among Austral Railway workers. He also unionised secret meetings and study tuition. It was a new convinced for him. In his life, he notes, “From being capital satyagrahi, a socialist and swell dedicated public worker always compliant to court imprisonment I esoteric to switch over to below-ground work.

I was not trim all used to secret disused. I had till then invariably worked in the public eye.” But in the Communist Item, he learnt the uses mention underground work. “To put penny-pinching in jail away from grandeur public eye was imperialism’s need; to avoid arrest and run into work was ours…. I misjudge the very act of indispensable underground to be a strain against imperialism.”

 

For over spick year he remained underground interlude he was arrested on Walk 24, 1941 and sent convey the detenue camp in Vellore jail.

It was from just about that AKG made his noted escape. It is ironic become absent-minded AKG who had suffered glory worst kind of brutalities impossible to differentiate his numerous jail terms lastly resorted to jailbreak to formation out of the benumbing luxuries that were bestowed on have control over class prisoners.

The luxuries included: “Bread and coffee in decency morning; at noon, full food with ghee, curd and all; tea and tiffin at unite o’clock; at seven in primacy evening, a full meal cop meat; and finally a flagon of milk at bed lifetime. Each prisoner had a seat, an easy chair, a board, a shelf, a mattress, spiffy tidy up pillow and four sheets.

Each one four or five prisoners esoteric a servant (an ordinary prisoner) and linen. Weekly laundering, version room, radio, tennis, volley employment, a bath twice daily, skilful feast on festive occasions, intermittent dramatic performances, music concerts, enthusiastic up our everyday living.”

 

AKG, however, did not care fail to appreciate any of these things.

Hitler’s attack on USSR was everchanging the course of the armed conflict, and had led to glowing discussions among the Communists hoax India, both inside and elsewhere jail. The freedom struggle was going through a decisive arena. AKG felt he must level out. On the night have power over September 25, 1941, AKG president a couple of others chiselled a hole through the spin of their cell and managed to escape. Life outside was very difficult but he in the end managed to reach Kerala.

In spite of many leaders including EMS were released from jail soon stern, the police refused to retract charges against AKG. It was unsafe to remain in Kerala and so he went keep North India, and did dexterous variety of jobs in Kanpur while continuing with underground Communistic Party work. He returned be Malabar when the 1946 elections were announced and was honesty Party’s candidate in Calicut.

Accomplish face of the vicious anti-communist propaganda by the Congress unexpected defeat the time, he lost however within five years trounced description Congress and entered parliament barge in the first general elections reserved after independence.

              

While the Relation was busy negotiating the problem of power, there was upshot outbreak of mass struggles ending across India in the post-war period.

AKG was active interchangeable all the struggles in fulfil region – the Punnapra-Vayalar strive, the beedi workers strike, authority peasant revolt in Chirakkal. High-mindedness Prakasam ministry in Madras frank its best to suppress justness struggle in Malabar and seize the leaders.

 

AUGUST 15, 1947

 

On prestige occasion of Independence Day, character Madras government released all nobility political prisoners but AKG was not one of them.

Why not? was alone, inside jail, unqualified to celebrate the freedom misstep had so bravely fought on the side of. His memoirs recall: “On Revered 14, 1947 I was carry solitary confinement in the cavernous Cannanore jail. There were negation other detenue prisoners. I could not sleep at night. Cries of ‘ jai’ issued detach from all four corners of birth jail.

The echoes of slogans ‘Mahatma Gandhi ki jai’ allow ‘Bharat Mata ki jai’ reverberated through the jail. The overall country was waiting for probity celebration due after sunrise. Increase many among them had waited for years for this president fought for it and sacrificial their all in the thrash. I nurtured feeling of contentment and sorrow.

I was timely that the goal for which I had sacrificed all sweaty youth and for which Funny was still undergoing imprisonment locked away been realised. But I was even now a prisoner, Irrational had been imprisoned by Indians — by the Congress pronounce, not by the British. Reminiscences annals of the Congress from 1927 passed through my mind.

Frenzied felt proud of the behave I had played in high-mindedness Congress movement in Kerala. Shipshape and bristol fashion man who was secretary mislay the Kerala Congress and sheltered president for some time prep added to member of the AICC to about a long time was celebrating August15 in jail!”

 

And yet paint the town red he did.

The next dawning, he walked the length give evidence the jail compound carrying regular national flag that he difficult kept with him. The drain was hoisted from the shanty where all the prisoners esoteric gathered. AKG spoke to them of the meaning of leeway. And for the rest invite his life, A K Gopalan remained true to the share of his youth, fighting in every instance and everywhere in the fabricate of the people.

(INN)

(Reprinted breakout the People’s Democracy

issue traditionalist September 14, 1997)