Govind Ballabh Pant: A Political Reformer

Govind Ballabh Pant was one of the torch-bearers of the Indian freedom struggle who continued to serve the motherland even after the Independence.

A portrait of Govind Ballabh Pant; Image Source- UMJB

Govind Ballabh Pant was born in the small village of Koonth in present-day Almora, Uttarakhand. Manorath Pant (his father) was a government official and hence, was on constant move. As a result, Pant was brought up by his maternal grandfather Badri Dutt Joshi, who influenced Pant's political mindset. At the age of 18 years, he started volunteering at the sessions of the Indian National Congress.

After attaining his degree in Law at Allahabad University, he started working at Kashipur. It was in Kashipur that he undertook many projects to help the oppressed Indians under the British Raj. His major contribution to the Coolie-Begar Movement stopped the inhuman treatment of Indians as beggars. He established the Prem Sabha, an organization that worked for the cause of reforming society.

His political career took off in 1921 when he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, present-day Uttar Pradesh. His tenure was marked by protecting the farmers from paying exorbitant revenues to the British coffers. He also raised the issue of forest preservation and the need to abolish zamindari.

Following the footsteps of Gandhi, he organized a Salt March in the United Provinces in 1930. Pant was in and out of jail for several reasons during the Indian freedom struggle. His participation in the session of then banned Congress and initiating the Salt March sent him to prison from time to time. He also reconciled the fight between Gandhi and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose regarding their polar opposite views on supporting the British during the Second World War. Pant was consistently arrested in 1940 and 1942 (for three years) for participating in the Satyagraha Movement and for signing the Quit India resolution, respectively. Nehru notes in his autobiography that Pant was inflicted with some severe injuries during the protests, which disabled him from straightening his back throughout his life.

When Congress won in the majority during the 1945 elections, Pant became the premier of the United Provinces, present-day Uttar Pradesh, continuing even after Independence.

His politics of reforms and just governance ensured the abolition of zamindari along with the adoption of the Hindu Code Bill, which gave women the right to divorce and inherit parental property.

His note-worthy contribution to independent India came when he was made the Union Home Minister from 1955 to 1961. His efforts in the process of reorganizing Indian states linguistically is still appreciated. He also established Hindi as an official language at the central government and a few states of India.

Another significant achievement of his tenure is that he was the recipient of the Bharat Ratna in January 1957.

He died soon after in 1961 due to a cerebral attack. The sacrifice and unconditional services of freedom fighters like Govind Ballabh Pant gifted the citizens of India the land of freedom. The Indian history shall always salute his selfless efforts in the process of nation-building.