New Delhi, Sep 10 (IANS) Freedom fighter, politician and lawyer, a person whose patriotism compelled him to enter politics. He is known for playing a key role in India’s independence and forming the government with former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, his name is Govind Ballabh Pant.
Pant, who was the first Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, is remembered as one of the architects of modern India. He was also a staunch opponent of the Zamindari system. Not only this, he also played an important role in getting English the status of official language in the Constitution. He was also a man of principles!
There is an interesting story behind Govind Ballabh Pant becoming the first Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. Actually, he was arrested in 1932 for campaigning against the British and was imprisoned in Dehradun jail. It was a coincidence that Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was also imprisoned in the same jail. During this time, Govind Ballabh Pant and Jawaharlal Nehru got acquainted.
It is said that Jawaharlal Nehru was very impressed by him. This is the reason that when the Congress decided to form the government in the year 1937, it was Jawaharlal Nehru who recommended the name of Govind Ballabh Pant for the post of Chief Minister of the country’s largest state, Uttar Pradesh. After which he became the first Chief Minister of the state. He remained the Chief Minister of UP from 1946 to December 1954.
Govind Ballabh Pant remained in this post for 8 years. He had a unique record of being the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh before and after independence. It is said that he used to pay for tea and snacks from his own pocket. In a government meeting, when the bill for tea and snacks came to him, he refused to pass it.
He had said that in government meetings, there is a rule to order only tea from government expenses, in such a case, the person who orders snacks will have to pay the bill himself. He had said that only the people of the country have a right over the government treasury, not the ministers.
The country’s most talked about Ram Janmabhoomi case started during his tenure. The Ram Mandir dispute on which the country’s Supreme Court gave its verdict started in the year 1949 and Govind Ballabh Pant was the Chief Minister of the state at that time. As a result of his wisdom, the violence that erupted in the city over this was soon pacified.
The way he handled the Ayodhya issue with his wisdom impressed the then PM Jawaharlal Nehru a lot.
Govind Ballabh Pant was born on 10 September 1887 in Khunt village of Almora district of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand (formerly Uttar Pradesh). He received education from Allahabad University and later worked as a lawyer.
As a lawyer, he defended many freedom fighters including Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqullah Khan, revolutionaries of the Kakori train action in 1925. Govind Ballabh Pant entered active politics in the year 1921 and was elected to the Legislative Assembly. At that time Uttar Pradesh was known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh.
He was arrested and sent to jail during the Satyagraha movement of 1940 and the Quit India movement of 1942. After independence, Govind Ballabh Pant served as the Union Home Minister from 1955 to 1961. He was awarded the ‘Bharat Ratna’ in 1957.
After creating a long history, Govind Ballabh Pant said goodbye to this world on 7 March 1961.
–IANS
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