On Bipin Chandra Pal's 163rd birth anniversary, leaders pay tribute to social reformer

On the occasion of the 163rd birth anniversary of Bipin Chandra Pal, we look back at one of the most iconic nationalists during India's independence struggle against the British rule. Pal was born on November 7, 1858, in the Sylhet region, currently in Bangladesh. Pal was an extremely expressive person as he was a well-known writer and an orator. He also helped in the freedom struggle as a social reformer and a politician. He was one of the three in the famous trio of ‘Lal Bal Pal’, along with Lala Lajpat Rai and Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak.

Pal was born in a Hindu Kayastha family and received his education at the Church Mission Society College, currently known as St Paul's Cathedral Mission College. His institution is a part of the University of Calcutta and he later became a lecturer in his college. He became a part of the Brahmo Samaj after his first wife passed away. As a social reformer, he worked relentlessly hard to remove certain problematic elements and practices from society. He openly criticised the caste system and said that females should be given the freedom to attain education or be given other rights like widow remarriage. He was at the forefront of the battle against the British and due to his efforts along with many other freedom fighters, the country was successful in getting independence.

The Swadeshi Movement

He is often called the ‘Father of Revolutionary Thoughts’ and he wanted to pressurise the British government as he felt that acts like Civil disobedience were not that effective in achieving the goal of the nation. He wanted a more widespread movement and along with Lala Lajpat Rai and Bal Gangadhar Tilak, started the Swadeshi movement and boycotted all foreign-made goods and began using only Indian-manufactured goods. Bipin Chandra Pal gave a jail sentence for half a year after refusing to cooperate in the trial against Aurobindo Ghosh, another important freedom fighter. The case was later called the Bande Mataram sedition case. Gosh labelled Pal as "one of the mightiest prophets of nationalism". Pal passed away before seeing an independent India on May 20, 1932, in Kolkata, but his efforts are still celebrated in the country.

Tribute by Indian politicians

Several politicians paid tribute to the freedom fighter on his birth anniversary. BJP leader Manohar Lal said, "One of the trio of Lal-Bal-Pal, the father of revolutionary ideas, I bow to the great nationalist leader Bipin Chandra Pal Ji on his birth anniversary. This country will always remember the contribution made by him in the 'Swadeshi Movement'."

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, "One of the main architects of the Swadeshi movement, a true servant of Maa Bharati. I bow down on the birth anniversary of Bipin Chandra Pal Ji!".

Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India said, "Humble greetings to the immortal hero of freedom struggle, revolutionary Bipin Chandra Pal Ji on his birth anniversary."