On Jayaprakash Narayan's death anniversary; BJP Prez JP Nadda, top leaders pay tribute

October 8 marks the death anniversary of a great freedom fighter and one of the most revered political leaders of independent India, Jayaprakash Narayan. Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) national President Jagat Prakash Nadda, Union Ministers and other top leaders paid tribute to the legendary politician on his death anniversary. 

Remembring the 'revolutionary hero', BJP Chief JP Nadda wrote, "Tributes to Bharat Ratna Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan ji on his death anniversary, who gave a call for 'total revolution' against the Emergency imposed on the country's democracy by the autocratic rule. Such leaders of democracy, who dedicated their entire lives for the defence of the motherland, will always be ideal for us." (roughly translated)

Top leaders paid tribute to Jayaprakash Narayan on Koo:

More about 'revolutionary politician' Jayaprakash Narayan 

Jayaprakash Narayan is popularly referred to as JP or Lok Nayak (people's hero).  JP is most known for leading the opposition to Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the mid-1970s. On June 25, 1975, he spearheaded the campaign against the Emergency declared by then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Jayaprakash Narayan was born in the Saran district's Sitab Diara on October 11, 1902. He was the fourth child of Harsu Dayal Srivastava and Phul Rani Devi, and he came from a Kayastha community. Jayaprakash Narayan left his village at the age of nine to enrol in class seven of a college institution in Patna. He took the 'State Public Matriculation Examination' in 1918 and was awarded a District merit scholarship to Patna College.

Narayan once travelled to Patna to hear Maulana Abul Kalam Azad speak against Mahatma Gandhi's non-cooperation movement.  Maulana's plea to abandon English education impacted Jayaprakash Narayan. He heeded the Maulana's advice and left Patna College early for his exams. He enrolled in the Bihar Vidyapeeth, a Congress-run college. Jayaprakash Narayan, at 20 years old, travelled on the cargo ship Janus, while Prabhavati (his wife and Indian independence activist) remained in Sabarmati. On October 8, 1922, he arrived in California and was admitted to Berkeley in January 1923.

In the 1960s, Jayaprakash Narayan returned to state politics. Jayaprakash, 72, led a silent walkthrough of Patna on April 8, 1974, protesting excessive inflation, unemployment, and a lack of supplies and necessary commodities. The march was accompanied by a lathi charge. He spoke to a large gathering at Gandhi Maidan in the state capital on June 5, 1974. In 1974, he led a student movement in the state that grew into the 'Bihar Movement' or 'JP Movement,' which eventually became a popular people's movement.

Image: PTI/@JPNadda/Twitter