Chakravarti Rajagopalachari was an eminent Indian politician freedom

Chakravarti Rajagopalachari was an eminent Indian politician, freedom fighter, statesman and lawyer. He was the last Governor-General of India and the first Indian to occupy the post. During his illustrious career, Rajagopalachari headed the Indian National Congress and acted as Premier of the Madras Presidency, Governor of West Bengal, the Union Minister for Home Affairs, and the Chief Minister of the state of Madras. He also founded the Swatantra Party.

§ Rajagopalachari joined the Indian National Congress and took part in the protest against the Rowlett Act soon after § He gave up his law practice and became a follower of Mahatma Cooperation movement Gandhi’s Non- § In 1921, he became the General Secretary of the Congress Party and was elected to its Working Committee § Rajagopalachari lent his support to Gandhi’s Dandi march in 1930. § He became the president of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee and persuaded the Indian National Congress to participate in the general elections in 1937

§ Rajagopalachari participated in various movements including the Vaikkom Satyagraha § He also offered a resolution to the INC-Muslim League impasse over the issue of partition in the form of the C. R. Formula § After the 1937 elections, when INC came to power in the Madras Presidency and Rajagopalachari became the first Premier of the Madras Presidency, he passed several resolutions

§ As premier, he issued the Temple Entry Authorization and Indemnity Act 1939 and removed restrictions on Dalits entering Hindu temples § He also passed an act to ease the burden of agricultural debt on the state’s farmers § Introduced Hindi as a compulsory subject in schools which widespread protests was met with § C. R. resigned as the head when the Viceroy declared India to be a part of the Second World War without consulting with the Indians

• Rajagopalachari came up with CR Formula or Rajaji Formula. He proposed: • The Muslim League would join hands with the INC to demand independence from the British • Both parties would cooperate and form a provisional government at the centre • After the war, a commission to be set up with the task of demarcating those areas with an absolute majority of Muslims and a plebiscite to be held in those areas where all the inhabitants (Muslims and non-Muslims) would vote whether to form a separate sovereign nation or not • In case of partition, joint agreements to be made for the safeguarding of defence, communications and commerce • These terms would hold only if Britain transfers full powers to India

§ When Governor-General Lord Mountbatten went on leave to attend the wedding of Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth, Rajagopalachari was chosen as the Acting Governor-General of India. § From November 10 to 24, 1947, Rajaji stayed in the viceroy’s palace § Mountbatten made Rajaji his second choice after Vallabhbhai Patel to succeed him after he departed India in June 1948, which did not materialise § Rajagopalachari served as the first and only Governor-General of India § He held the office from June 1948 to 26 January 1950, when India became a republic.

§ Was appointed as the first Governor of West Bengal § Served as a Minister in Nehru’s cabinet, but resigned soon after (held several portfolios) § Served as Chief Minister of Madras State (Tamil Nadu) § In 1957, he split from INC and formed the Swatantra Party which emerged as the biggest opposition to INC in the coming years

§ Rajaji was referred to as ‘my conscience keeper’ by Gandhi § He was a prolific writer and wrote several books in both Tamil and English. His abridged English versions of the Mahabharata and Ramayana are still read by children. He wrote several scholarly pieces on Hinduism. § He also translated the Thirukkural into English § Apart from literature, he contributed to music as well § He was conferred the Bharat Ratna in 1955 § He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1958