Chittaranjan Das and Swarajist Politics

Chittaranjan Das played a central role in shaping anti-colonial strategy during the Indian national movement through the formation of the Swaraj Party. Popularly known as Deshbandhu, he was a prominent lawyer, freedom fighter, and nationalist leader from Bengal. His political outlook emerged during a critical phase following the suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement by Mahatma Gandhi in 1922. Alongside Motilal Nehru, Das advocated for council entry to obstruct the working of the colonial legislature from within, introducing a distinct parliamentary phase into the freedom struggle. Early Life and Legal Career

Background and Education

• Born on November 5, 1870, in Kolkata into a prominent Bengali family with a legacy of socio-cultural reform and journalism.
• Completed his graduation from Presidency College, Kolkata, and traveled to England to study for the Indian Civil Service.
• Called to the bar at the Inner Temple in London and returned to India to practice law.
• Gained immense professional prominence by successfully defending Aurobindo Ghosh in the Alipore Bomb Case of 1908.

Entry into National Politics

Association with Congress

• Joined the Indian National Congress and emerged as a leading voice in Bengal politics.
• Opposed the partition of Bengal in 1905 through active participation in the Swadeshi movement.
• Presided over the historic Gaya session of the Indian National Congress in 1922.
• Emphasized grassroots mobilization, village reconstruction, and communal harmony.

Formation of the Swaraj Party

The Council Entry Debate

• Following the abrupt withdrawal of the Non-Cooperation Movement after the Chauri Chaura incident in February 1922, a major ideological rift emerged within the Congress.
• Das and Motilal Nehru formed the Congress-Khilafat Swarajya Party, commonly known as the Swaraj Party, in January 1923.
• Pro-changers argued that entering legislative councils created under the Government of India Act of 1919 would allow nationalists to wreck the reforms from within and expose the sham of responsible government.
• No-changers, led by leaders like Vallabhbhai Patel and C. Rajagopalachari, opposed council entry and wanted to focus exclusively on constructive programs like Khadi and village upliftment.

Compromise and Growth

• The differences were temporarily resolved at a special session of the Congress held in Delhi in September 1923, where party members were permitted to contest elections.
• The Swaraj Party contested the central legislative assembly and provincial council elections held in November 1923.
• Secured notable electoral success, winning 42 out of 141 elected seats in the Central Legislative Assembly and emerging as the single largest party in several provinces, notably Bengal and the Central Provinces.

Legislative Strategy and Achievements

Obstructionist Tactics

• Adopted a policy of uniform, continuous, and consistent obstruction inside the councils to make governance impossible for the British administration.
• Defeated the government’s finance bill and forced the Viceroy to use special veto powers repeatedly.
• Voted down the budget and passed resolutions demanding the release of political prisoners and the establishment of a responsible dominion government.
• Chittaranjan Das was elected as the first mayor of the newly established Calcutta Municipal Corporation in 1924, introducing extensive civic reforms for education, sanitation, and health.

Decline and Legacy

• The death of Chittaranjan Das on June 16, 1925, dealt a severe blow to the party, depriving it of its charismatic leadership and moral authority.
• Internal dissensions, communal polarization, and the policy of responsive cooperation adopted by some members led to the gradual disintegration of the party.
• The Swaraj Party formally merged back into the Indian National Congress in 1930 ahead of the Civil Disobedience Movement.

Facts in Bullets

• Chittaranjan Das was given the honorific title Deshbandhu, meaning Friend of the Nation.
• Subhas Chandra Bose regarded Chittaranjan Das as his political guru and mentor.
• The Swaraj Party was officially founded in Gaya in December 1922 and formalized in Allahabad in January 1923.
• Chittaranjan Das founded the nationalist newspaper Forward, which later became Advance, to articulate Swarajist policies.
• The Motilal Nehru Committee report of 1928, drafted largely by Motilal Nehru, drew heavily on the constitutional ideas advocated by the Swaraj Party.