| Brilliant lawyer with an incisive intellect,
ready wit, and a combative spirit, Pandit Motilal Nehru not only distinguished
himself as a lawyer but also as a member of the Central Legislative Assembly.
He presided over the Congress at its session in Amritsar, 1919 and in Calcutta
in 1920. Along with Deshbandhu Chittranjan Das, he founded the Swaraj party
in 1923. When the Simon Commission was appointed in 1927, Motilal Nehru
was asked to draw up a draft constitution for free India. The constitution,
drawn up by him, assumed that India would remain a Dominion of the British
Empire. The radical wing of the Congress, which included his own son, Jawaharlal
Nehru, and Subash Chandra Bose, reacted violently against the proposal
to keep India a Dominion. A split in the Congress was averted by the timely
intervention of Gandhiji. |
| The Nehrus originally hailed from Kashmir.
Motilal Nehru was born of Gangadhar and Jeo Rani. Motilal Nehru had his
education in Kanpur and Allahabad. Starting his practice at the Allahabad
High Court, Motilal Nehru became one of the most prosperous lawyers of
his time. Though he had taken to the western style of living, Motilal gave
it up without hesitation at the call of freedom.
Motilal Nehru was the only front rank leader
to give his support to the non-cooperation idea at the Calcutta Congress
session in September, 1920. From 1921, both father and son were arrested
and sentenced to six months' imprisonment. He was not initially very much
enthusiastic about the Civil Disobedience Movement of 1930.
He passed away on February 6, 1931 with
Jawaharlal and Gandhiji attending to him.
Motilal Nehru had a rational, robust, secular
and fearless outlook on life. He distinguished as a parliamentarian and
organizer. He was one of the most notable and attractive figures of Indian
nationalism in the Gandhian era.
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