Purushottam Das Tandon (August 1, 1882 – July 1, 1962), was a freedom fighter, social reformer and national political leader of India.

He is widely remembered for his efforts in achieving the Official Language of India status for Hindi. He was revered as Rajarishi (Etymology: Raja + Rishi = Royal Saint). His first name in Hindi means Most Perfect of Men. Jump to: navigation, search Hindi (हिन्दी) is an Indo-European language spoken mainly in North and Central India. ... Rajarishi is a classification of Hindu Rishi sages. ...

Early Life and the Freedom Struggle

See Also: Indian Independence Movement Jump to: navigation, search The Indian Independence Movement was a series of revolutions empowered by the people of India put forth to battle the British Empire for complete political independence, beginning with the Rebellion of 1857, reaching its climax with Mahatma Gandhis Quit India Movement (1942-1945), and Subhas...

Purushottam Das Tandon was born at Allahabad in northern India, in what is now the state of Uttar Pradesh. Map of India. ... Jump to: navigation, search Uttar Pradesh (Hindi: उत्तर प्रदेश, Urdu: اتر پردیش), also popularly known by its acronym UP, is the fifth largest and the most populous state in India. ...

After obtaining a degree in law and an MA in history, he started practising in 1906 and joined the bar of Allahabad High Court in 1908 as a junior to Tej Bahadur Sapru. He gave up legal practice in 1921 to concentrate on public activities. The Allahabad High Court was one of the first High Courts of India to be established in India. ... Tej Bahadur Sapru (1875–1949) was a eminent lawyer and leader during Indias struggle against British rule. ...

He was a member of the Indian National Congress since his student days in 1899. In 1906, he represented Allahabad in the AICC. He was associated with the Congress Party committee that studied the Jallianwala Bagh incident in 1919. He was also a part of the Servants of the People Society. In the 1920s and 1930s he was arrested for participating in the Non Co-operation movement and Civil Disobedience Movement respectively. He and Jawaharlal Nehru were among the people arrested even before Mahatma Gandhi returned from the Round Table Conference at London in 1931. He was known for his efforts in farmers’ movements and he served as the President, Bihar Provincial Kisan Sabha in 1934. He served as the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the present-day Uttar Pradesh for a period of 13 years, from July 31, 1937 to August 10, 1950. Indian National Congress (also known as the Congress Party, abbreviated INC) is a major political party in India. ... Map of India. ... Jawaharlal Nehru (जवाहरलाल नेहरू, Javāharlāl NehrÅ«) (November 14, 1889 – May 27, 1964), also called Pandit (Teacher) Nehru, was the leader of the socialist wing of the Indian National Congress during and after Indias struggle for independence from the British Empire. ... Jump to: navigation, search Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (October 2, 1869–January 30, 1948) (Devanagari : मोहनदास करमचन्द गांधी, Gujarati મોહનદાસ કરમચંદ ગાંધી) was a national icon who led the struggle for Indias independence from British colonial rule, empowered by tens of millions of common Indians. ...

He was elected to the Constituent Assembly of India in 1946, a body that would draft the Constitution of India and serve as its parliament until then. Jump to: navigation, search The Constituent Assembly of India was elected to write the Constitution of India, and served as its first Parliament as an independent nation. ... Jump to: navigation, search This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

Partition of India

See Also: Partition of India The Partition of India was the process by which British dependencies and treaty states in the Indian subcontinent were granted independence in the 1940s. ...

On June 12, 1947, the Congress Working Committee met and passed a resolution accepting the Partition of India. When the same had to be ratified on 14 June by the AICC, one of the dissenting voices came from Tandon. On that occasion, he said, “Acceptance of the resolution will be an abject surrender to the British and the Muslim League. The admission of the Working Committee was an admission of weakness and the result of a sense of despair. The Partition would not benefit either community – the Hindus in Pakistan and the Muslims in India would both live in fear.” Thus, it can be argued that he was against partition. Muhammed Ali Jinnah, the Great Leader of the Muslim League The All India Muslim League was a political party in British India and was the driving force behind the creation of Pakistan as a Muslim state from British India on the Indian subcontinent. ... This article is about the Hindu religion; for other meanings of the word, see Hindu (disambiguation). ... A Muslim is a believer in or follower of Islam. ...

Another school of thought believes that his reluctance in sharing power with the Muslim League in the provinces after the 1937 elections with the argument that the Congress Party has achieved majority on its own may have precipitated matters towards partition. But apart from Tandon, almost every Congress leader was opposed to any alliance with Mohammed Ali Jinnah's party, which demanded that the League be recognized as the sole representative of all Indian Muslims. Leaders committed to Hindu-Muslim unity, like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Rajendra Prasad and Chakravarti Rajgopalachari found this impossible to accept. Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah of Pakistan Mohammad Ali Jinnah (referred to in Pakistan as Quaid-e-Azam, or Great Leader, which is a legally defined title) (December 25, 1876 - September 11, 1948) was an Indian Muslim nationalist, who led the movement demanding a separate homeland for Muslims in... Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel (October 31, 1875–December 15, 1950), popularly referred to as Sardar Patel, was an Indian statesman, an important leader of the Indian National Congress and the deputy Prime Minister in the first cabinet of Independent India. ... Jump to: navigation, search Dr. Rajendra Prasad (December 3, 1884–February 28, 1963) was the first President of India. ... Chakravarti Rajgopalachari (1876-1972), fondly known as Rajaji, was a major national leader of the Indian National Congress and the Indian Independence Movement. ...

Post-Independence

Political Beliefs and Controversies

See Also: Gandhism, Indian Nationalism, Hinduism, Indian National Congress Jump to: navigation, search Gandhism (or Gandhi-ism) is an informal reference to the core inspiration and philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi. ... Indian Nationalism is a political and social expression of patriotism, pride and unity of the people of India for their country, its history and heritage. ... Jump to: navigation, search This article is about the Hindu religion; for other meanings of the word, see Hindu (disambiguation). ... Indian National Congress (also known as the Congress Party, abbreviated INC) is a major political party in India. ...

Purushottam Das Tandon was one of the earliest Indian political conservatives, a true disciple of Mahatma Gandhi in the mould of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who spoke in defence of Indian religious and cultural traditions. Tandon valued the unity of a free India, and its cultural renaissance. Conservatism or political conservatism is any of several historically related political philosophies or political ideologies. ... Jump to: navigation, search Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (October 2, 1869–January 30, 1948) (Devanagari : मोहनदास करमचन्द गांधी, Gujarati મોહનદાસ કરમચંદ ગાંધી) was a national icon who led the struggle for Indias independence from British colonial rule, empowered by tens of millions of common Indians. ... Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was Deputy Prime Minister of India till his death in 1950 Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel (October 31, 1875–December 15, 1950), popularly referred to as Sardar Patel (Sardar stands for Chief or Leader), was an Indian statesman, core leader of the Indian Independence Movement and of the Indian...

Controversies about him began arising in the poisoned communal atmosphere during the Partition of India. When Tandon opposed the plan, while Patel, Nehru and ultimately Gandhi had backed, many attempted to portray him as supportive of Hindu rule and violence against Muslims.

However, Tandon was held in high esteem in northern India, especially Uttar Pradesh, and amongst most Congressmen. He had spoken their views, and had stood amongst the rank and file Congressman who was not educated at college or abroad, and of the vast majority of people who lacked a modern education, but were proud of their cultural heritage. Jump to: navigation, search Uttar Pradesh (Hindi: उत्तर प्रदेश, Urdu: اتر پردیش), also popularly known by its acronym UP, is the fifth largest and the most populous state in India. ...

Due to Gandhi's death in 1948, and Sardar Patel's age and slowing health, the Congress Party of the new era was becoming politically centered around the young and charismatic Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, and a socialist economic and social agenda. At the same time, Tandon was seen as the natural heir to Sardar Patel as the leader to those tens of millions of Indians who did not embrace socialism, and while ready for the impending fight against poverty, discrimination and illiteracy, were opposed to the defamation of Indian culture and heritage by liberal and socialist activists.

To liberal, Western educated Indians, it was easy to profile Tandon as a stubborn politician who rooted his power in the ignorance and archaic Indian social traditions. Many assume that such a description meant Tandon probably backed caste discrimination, untouchability and the oppression of women, but all of this was entirely untrue. In South Asias caste system, an untouchable, dalit, or achuta is a person outside of the four castes, and considered below them. ...

Political Career

Tandon contested the election for the the presidency of the Congress Party unsuccessfully against Pattabhi Sitaramayya in 1948. He was not elected primarily due to opposition from Nehru.

Tandon's conservative politics became a major issue between Nehru, Sardar Patel and other Congress leaders. Tandon was personally offended that even after three decades of comradeship in the freedom struggle, Nehru would politically attack his credentials and misportray him as a communalist. While Nehru never openly attacked him, his loyal coterie of party activists had begun a slander campaign against Tandon amongst different state units of the party and in the media.

Tandon contested successfully against J.B.Kripalani in 1950 to head the Nagpur session. This time he received widespread support from rank and file Congressmen. Nehru had privately threatened to resign from the Congress Working Committee and his Prime Ministership, but Sardar Patel and Chakravarti Rajgopalachari, another senior Congressman, remained firmly in Tandon's support. Chakravarti Rajgopalachari (1876-1972), fondly known as Rajaji, was a major national leader of the Indian National Congress and the Indian Independence Movement. ...

Despite Tandon's election, Nehru did not resign. But after Sardar Patel's death in 1950, Nehru's power and influence increased dramatically. The party became dependent on him for electoral success, and conservative leaders of opposing views such as Chakravarti Rajgopalachari and K.M. Munshi chose to leave and form a new political party. Futhermore, the presidency of the Congress party was held either by Nehru himself or a loyalist, and not a person of integrity but differing political views.

Tandon did not leave the party. He was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1952 and the Rajya Sabha in 1956. In those years, while Tandon was highly respected and regarded as the top critic of Jawaharlal Nehru's advancing socialist policies, Tandon and his supporters were increasingly shut out of Congress party organization. He retired from active public life after that due to indifferent health. Executive President Vice-President Prime Minister Deputy Prime Minister The Union Ministries Legislative Parliament Rajya Sabha Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Lok Sabha Speaker of the House Judicial Supreme Court Chief Justice of the Supreme Court High Courts District Courts Constitution Fundamental Rights and Directive principles Regions States and territories... Executive President Vice-President Prime Minister Dy. ...

Religious Tolerance

Several controversies and contradictions abound in the life of Purushottam Das Tandon. While he emphasized the similarities between Hindu and Muslim cultures, he is regarded to have carried the image of a Hindu nationalist leader. He was not as successful as Mahatma Gandhi in summoning religious ideals to aspects of Public Service despite being associated with the moderate Radha Soami cult, but he certainly was not contemptous of religious influences as Jawaharlal Nehru and the leading socialists of the day were. Tandon was proud of Hinduism's rich heritage and philosophy, and opposed the evils within Hindu society such as untouchability, casteism, ignorance, hostility against Muslims and Christians, and the oppression of women. Radha Soami’ means ‘lord of the soul’, and ‘satsang’ describes a group that seeks truth. ...

He and KM Munshi were among those who strongly opposed religious propagation and conversion of a people of one religion to another; they strongly argued in the constituent assembly against a silence by the constitution towards such acts (purportedly by Christian missionaries). Jump to: navigation, search As a noun, Christian is an appellation and moniker deriving from the appellation Christ, which many people associate exclusively with Jesus of Nazareth. ...

Advocation of Hindi

While it is acknowledged that he brought Hindi to the forefront through his activities in the Hindi Prachar Sabhas (Hindi Advancement Congresses), his exclusion of other alternatives bordered on chauvinism despite Mahatma Gandhi and other leaders advocating the adoption of Hindustani, a mixture of Hindi and Urdu as the National language. He insisted on the usage of Devanagari script and the rejection of the Urdu script as well as words with Arabic-Persian roots. This led to him being called a political reactionary by Nehru. His attitude towards the Sanskritisation or making the language more formal was also controversial. His insistence on the usage of numerals of devanagari script over the international system and his debates in the constituent assembly on adoption of Hindi as the official language irked Dravidian, South Indian political leaders. His stand became all the more controversial since he held a conviction that mother-tongue is the most ideal as a medium of instruction. Jump to: navigation, search Hindi (हिन्दी) is an Indo-European language spoken mainly in North and Central India. ... The word Hindustani is an adjective used to denote a connection to India, or, more precisely, the historical region that encompasses Northern India, Pakistan, and nearby areas. ... Jump to: navigation, search Urdu (اردو) is an Indo-European language of the Indo-Aryan family which developed under Persian influence in the Indian subcontinent during the time of the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal Empire. ... Rigveda manuscript in Devanagari (early 19th century) Devanāgarī (देवनागरी — in English pronounced ) (ISCII – IS13194:1991) [1] is an abugida alphabet used to write several Indian languages, including Sanskrit, Hindi, Marathi, Kashmiri, Sindhi, Bihari, Bhili, Konkani, Bhojpuri and Nepali from Nepal. ... Dravidian may refer to: A group of people who came through Arabia to settle on the Asian mainland at the Straight of Hormuz and on the Indus river in what is now Afghanistan. ...

Anecdotes

A Speaker is supposed to be impartial and hence, speakers generally do not participate in their party meetings. Tandon, however, used to participate actively in his party meetings, as he was clear in his conscience that since he could separate these into different compartments, there should not be any issue. When he was questioned on this stand on the floor of the house, he offered to step down if any of the members of the house lacked confidence in him. No member pressed the issue, as everyone was clear that Tandon was straightforward and that he showed maturity in separating the different roles of his life. As a staunch believer in ahimsa, he started using rubber chappals to avoid usage of leather. Ahimsa is a religious concept which advocates non-violence and a respect for all life. ...

External Links

1. An article on Purushottam Das Tandon
2. A brief write-up on Purushottam Das Tandon
3. A brief write-up on Purushottam Das Tandon
4. Opposition to Partition
5. Path to Partition
6. A snippet on the relation between Nehru and Purushottam Das Tandon
7. Article saying that Purushottam Das Tandon shifted to Rubber Chappals
8. Arrest of Nehru and Purushottam Das Tandon
9. Official Website of the Legislative Assembly of Uttar Pradesh
10. Official Website of Indian Parliament
11. In a time warp

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