The birth anniversary of great social activist, reformist and ideologue Jat leader - Sir Chhotu Ram (Born: 24 November 1881; Died: 9 January 1945) - was observed by various social groups in Haryana on November 24. One of my students and facebook friend, Joginder Singh, shared a quote of the leader which could be an inspiration to the current farmer agitation against the 'black farm bills' passed by the Parliament.
He is known for having championed the interest of the oppressed and downtrodden communities during the British Raj as a social reformist and promoting amity among various communities in a meaningful and peaceful way for which he was knighted in 1937 by the Empire. The Jat community then used to call him 'Deen Bandhu' and credits him for awakening a 'non-sectarian peasant group consciousness' in India.
As an ideologue and co-founder of the National Unionist Party which ruled the United Punjab Province in pre-independence times, he brought in fair and just governance. He worked tirelessly to emancipate the peasants from the clutches of the money lenders and restored the right of land to the tiller, informs Jatland Wiki adding that he spectacularly symbolized the cause of the peasants during the British Raj.
My grandfather had often talked about him and my mother called her grandson 'Sir Chottu Ram' when he was a small child because of his serious and thoghtful nature.
He was a pro-farmer leader and called 'Masiha of Farmers' in North India.
As a reformist he supported Arya Samaj movement and in his personal life he drew inspiration from the Bhagawad Gita and Satyarth Prakash.
I leave you with the following excerpts from Jatland Wiki that highlights landmark contribution of sir Chhotu Ram as a reformist.
...In 1925, he organized a All India Jat Mahasabha Jalsa at Pushkar in Rajasthan, momentous event in Jat history. In 1934 he organized a rally of 10,000 Jat peasants in Sikar in Rajasthan to launch an anti-rent campaign. The campaigners donned the sacred thread, made offerings of ghee and read from the Satyarth Prakash. The rally was a major event and enhanced his stature.
...He was actively associated with the Punjab Zamindar Central Association, established in 1917 to advance the interests of Hindu and Sikh Jat agriculturalists. This was the first step towards the formation of a homogeneous rural block based on economics rather than religious interests.
...It is not Known to many that the Bhakhra Dam Scheme was initially got approved by Sir Chhotu Ram.He laid the foundation of the 'Green Revolution'.
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