Soul of Dharma

K. CHANDRASEKHARAN

“Others abide our question:
Thou art free.”

Rajaji was the least imposing as he was the least demonstrative of men. He belonged more than anyone to the great Congress tradition–the ‘spiritualising-politics’ tradition, touched by the strong personality of the Mahatma. He had no respect for mass hysterias and misguided movements of the hour with their rapidly-waning enthusiasms and quick disillusionments. “How many ineffective groups calling themselves parties!”, he seemed to say with absolute diffidence. Yet there was no trace of bitterness in his words nor contempt. If he wanted anything to be of help to a functioning Government in a democratic set-up, it was a, disciplined opposition in the legislative bodies. He suspected very early–long before anyone dreamt of our gaining Independence–the disruptive forces here, which would easily assume such huge proportions as to obstruct our even progress. He went to the extent of prophesying in his Jail Diary (1921), that a situation might arise after our winning Swaraj, which would make us realise the folly of having gained Liberty without adequate preparation and equipment for the task of running governments with efficiency.

With constant watchfulness of our inherent weaknesses in public administration, he developed from early years a sense of detachment and unsentimental outlook upon all problems. As a Municipal Chairman in his own native town of Salem, he saw to the removal of untouchability, especially in the enjoyment of civic amenities like drawing water from public taps. Long even before the Mahatma’s crusade against the intolerance of the higher castes towards untouchables, he had started his reforming zeal in ameliorative measures towards the poor and the fallen. If he was an inveterate foe of all methods of the Moderates in the days of the pre-Gandhian Congress, he was at the same time never slow to honour persons who were genuine patriots, but with different approaches towards the same goal.

It was a great event to welcome Mrs. Besant and her two co-adjutants, Dr. George Arundale and B. P. Wadia, from their internment at Coonoor for their seditious propaganda of Home Rule. The three were passing in the train to Madras and at the Salem station, where the train was likely to stop, a big crowd of admirers had gathered. The police cordon proved impregnable to C. R. (as he was then known) and his followers, who wished to join the rest at the station. He sought a way out by opening a side-gate, at a distance from the platform, and led the crowd to the train for cheering the three patriots on their release. It was then said that C. R. made history in the mofussil town by so many of his acts of intrepedity, unknown to the leaders of the times in public. His letters, in those early days of his entry into public life, to the editorial columns of the press as well as his trenchant articles in Tamil dailies and journals, breathed as unbending spirit of nationalism.

In Madras, where he shifted towards the year 1919, he began to practise as a lawyer in the High Court of Judicature. Having been a successful cross-examiner in criminal trials in the mofussil courts, he had earned a reputation for his legal acumen and powers of eliciting truth in matters complicated by facts. Instances have emerged to public knowledge of his voluntary attempts at bringing to book culprits who tried to cheat the gullible public for gaining their private ends. A Brahmin with his family appeared one day before him for help saying that he was a school-master in Palghat and that on his way of pilgrimage he had lost the contents of his purse and needed pecuniary assistance. Rajaji shrewdly suspected that it was a pose to hoodwink the public into the belief of his story. Hence without much ado, he sent a wire to the headmaster of the particular school of which the visitor had mentioned he was a teacher and ascertained that there was no such person by that name. So a complaint was lodged with the local police by Rajaji, and the person was arrested and taken before the presiding magistrate. The accused confessed guilt and the magistrate sentenced him to pay a heavy fine of Rs. 200, in default of which he was to undergo imprisonment for three months. Then Rajaji pleaded for reduction of the fine before the magistrate, who became irritated at his request, particularly when he had been himself instrumental in bringing the culprit to custody. But all the same Rajaji pleaded before the magistrate for a lesser fine and for merciful treatment of the accused. Finally the amount got reduced to Rs. 10 which also the accused was in a position of despair to find the wherewithal to pay. Rajaji himself paid the fine and admonished the erstwhile accused not to indulge in such games in future.

Apart from his spirit of reformation of people with anti-social tendencies, he was not lost to any feeling of humanity and con­sideration for erring mortals in society. Very often he was found trying solutions for difficulties in which people were caught and his mind proved active and resourceful in showing the way of intelligence in straits of those who had become totally incapable of restoration. Even domestic trifles engaged his attention of those who gained no little relief by his advice and sincere approach to their problems. A young doctor was commissioned to serve in the thick of the fight near the borders of China, wherein the second world war hostilities grew into heavy proportions and inflicted casualties on Indian armies engaged in the fight. In spite of the fact that as a Congressman he was for non-co-operation with the war efforts of the Britisher, he advised the youngman to join service in the theatre of active fight, as it would give him vast experience and a sense of fearlessness in doing the dutyof assuaging the pain of the wounded and the disabled in war. The doctor was benefited much by that advice, and for long he remembered the words of Rajaji in making him, proceed without fear to the scene of war.

In later years, however much he was inclined to induce people to repose faith in the efficacy of religion, he was at the same time not forgetful of the claims of rational thinking and liberal education on them. If he fought with persistence the mass innoculation of the B.C.G. and the methods of family-planning adopted by the Government, he was not for one moment advancing any argument based on unscientific knowledge or mere belief or sentiment.

He always insisted on the wholesome concept of Dharma of our ancient land to be the only guide for us in all our integral activities. In following Dharma his mind normally harkened to the dictates of scriptures such as the Gita and the Upanishads. The doctrine of duty without attachment to the fruits of one’s labours held him from the very first in its firm grasp. His efforts to spread the message of persons of light and wisdom like Marcus Aurelius, Avvai, Socrates and Tirumular did not stop at all till his last breath. In unadorned simplicity, his language spoke the wisdom of an ardent soul, ready to recognise merit wherever it was found. Thus in extracting supporting passages for his informative articles, he showed no disinclination to prefer a not-widely known author too, if his utterances could bear longer remembrance.

To the last of his days he was reckoning upon the good sense of our people in defeating the new-fangled proposals for bringing about an egalitarian society based upon ideal modernism of outlook. He was harping ever on the concept of Dharma for our salvation, and no short-cut method appealed to him in the procedure for raising a vast populace, which though not literate cent per cent, had been mostly enlivened by an education which fed upon principles of conduct derived from enduring epics as the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

“In the death of Mr. Rajagopalachari, India and the world have lost a great Philosopher-Statesman.

As a leader of India’s freedom movement, as the last Governor-General of India, as Chief Minister of Madras and in other important roles, Mr. Rajagopalachari displayed high intelligence and integrity and profound dedication to his country. People of goodwill everywhere will miss his gentle wisdom.

We mourn his passing greatly.”

–U. S. PRESIDENT, MR. NIXON