Gopinath Bordoloi
Encyclopedia
Gopinath Bordoloi was the first Chief Minister
of the India
n state
of Assam
, and also a leading Indian independence activist. He was a follower of the Gandhian
principle of non violence as a political tool. Due to his unselfish dedication towards Assam and its people, the then Governor
of Assam
Jayram Das Doulatram conferred him with the title “Lokapriya” (loved by all).
after passing matriculation in 1907. He passed I.A. in 1st Div. In 1909 and took admission in the renowned Scottish Church College, Calcutta
and graduated in 1911. He then passed M.A. from Calcutta University in 1914. He studied Law
for 3 years but came back to Guwahati
without sitting in the final examination. Then on request of Tarun Ram Phukan
, he took up the temporary job as Headmaster of Sonaram High School. During that period, he sat and passed in the Law examination and started practising in 1917 in Guwahati
.
. Gopinath bordoloi’s political life started when he joined the Indian National Congress as a volunteer in that year. He actively participated in the fight for independence. He was arrested in 1922 due to active participation in the Non-cooperation movement and was put in jail for 1 year. When the movement was called off following Chauri Chaura
incident, he went back to practising law. From 1930 to 1933 he kept himself away from political activity and got involved in various social works after becoming member of Guwahati Municipal Board and Local Board. In addition, he was constantly demanding a separate University
and High Court
for Assam
.
In 1935 Government of India Act
was articulated with a view to form British India. Congress decided to participate in the Regional Assembly
Election in 1936. They won 38 seats and became the party with majority in Assembly, but due to a dubious law meant to reduce the power of Ministers and the Cabinet, they decided to remain as opposition party instead of forming the government. Gopinath Bordoloi was elected as the leader of the opposition party. With the support of other parties apart from Congress Md. Sadulla formed the Cabinet of Ministers. Congress party was gaining people’s support as the government remained unaware of the basic problems of Assam. Md. Sadulla Cabinet Ministers resigned in September,1938. Then the Governor invited Gopinath Bordoloi to form the government and accordingly they took oath in 21 September.
The reasons of Gopinath Bordoloi becoming Chief Minister
were his political prowess, superb personality, truthfulness and behaviour which attracted not only his colleagues but also people of various communities. Congress got recognition as a powerful political party in Assam by virtue of his ability and intelligence. His contributions as Chief Ministers were mainly to stop Land Tax, stop giving lands to migrant Muslims to secure the right of indigenous people etc.
The new government didn’t last long as World War II
began in 1939. Gopinath Bordoloi’s Cabinet resigned in 1940 following appeal by Mahatma Gandhi
. He was arrested again in December, 1940. However, he was released before completing 1 year in jail due to ill health. When Quit India movement was launched in August 1942, Congress party was declared outlawed and all leaders were arrested.
In the meantime Md. Sadulla formed the government with the promise to help British
in World War II
and indulged again in communial activities. Gopinath Bordoloi was released from jail in 1944 and he straightaway started opposing the government with the help of other leaders. Md. Sadulla offered him to discuss the matters. An agreement was reached which included immediate release of all political prisoners, removing the ban on procession or meeting, correcting the process of rehabilitation of migrant Muslims etc.
In July 1945, British
announced their decision to form a new constitution
for India after holding the central and regional election. Congress too participated in the election in 1946 and they became the major party in Assembly
with 61 seats out of 108. They formed the Government and Gopinath Bordoloi was made Chief Minister
unanimously.
and Bengal
in third group. Gopinath Bordoloi sensed the ominous sign for Assam in the plan as the inclusion would mean the local representative will become minority in comparison to Bengal. That would be devastating for rights of people of Assam.
The Assam Pradesh Congress committee decided to go against the grouping plan. Gopinath Bordoloi told the Indian Congress
working committee, Cabinet committee and Viceroy
that the representative of Assam will form the Constitution of Assam themselves and will decide whether to join the group or not among themselves. Subsequently, the Cabinet commission announced that the grouping will be mandatory for every state and they may later withdraw from the group if they want. This further complicated the situation. Bordoloi met the National Congress leaders to discuss it with no result. He then with Assam Congress Committee decided to start mass agitation in Assam. After that only the National Congress working committee advised them to pass a unanimous decision in Assembly. Later, the members of the Assembly suggested a working formula in which ten representative from Assam would form their own constitution without joining any group and would merge with national committee to form the Indian constitution.
Jawaharlal Nehru
and Muslim League were ignorant enough to this grim situation and joined hands to implement the grouping plan. Gopinath Bordoloi requested Mahatma Gandhi
for suggestion and the later advised him to continue opposing the grouping vehemently.
In 1947, Lord Mountbeten took over as new Viceroy. He held separate meeting with Muslim League, Congress and Mahatma Gandhi. They decided to go for Partition as a permanent solution instead of grouping. India
and Pakistan
became separate independent countries.
Thus Gopinath Bordoloi played a major role in securing the future of Assam which would have been included in East Pakistan otherwise. Whether any other leader could have shown the light other than him during that crisis period is in doubt.
to secure the sovereignty of Assam against China
on the one hand and East Pakistan
on the other. He also helped to organize the rehabilitation of millions of Hindu refugees who had fled East Pakistan due to widespread violence and intimidation in the aftermath of Partition
. His work formed the basis for ensuring communal harmony, democracy and stability which effectively kept Assam secure and progressive right up to the 1971 war over East Pakistan's independence
. He was instrumental in establishing Guwahati University, High Court of Assam, Assam Medical College, Assam Veterinary College etc. Gopinath Bordoloi was also a gifted writer. He wrote several books like Annaskaktiyog, Shreeramachandra, Hajrat Mohammad, and Budhhadeb while in jail. For all his life he was a stern believer in Gandhian principles. He led a simple life in spite of being a Chief Minister. He died on 5 August 1950.
He was awarded the Bharat Ratna
posthumously in 1999.
Chief Minister
A Chief Minister is the elected head of government of a sub-national state, provinces of Sri Lanka, Pakistan, notably a state of India, a territory of Australia or a British Overseas Territory that has attained self-government...
of the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
, and also a leading Indian independence activist. He was a follower of the Gandhian
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
principle of non violence as a political tool. Due to his unselfish dedication towards Assam and its people, the then Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
Jayram Das Doulatram conferred him with the title “Lokapriya” (loved by all).
Early life and education
Gopinath Bordoloi was born on 6 June 1890 at Raha. His father was Buddheswar Bordoloi and mother Praneswari Bordoloi. He lost his mother when he was only 12 years old. He got admitted in Cotton CollegeCotton College
Cotton College was a Roman Catholic boarding school AT in Cotton near Oakamoor, North Staffordshire, England, also known as Saint Wilfrid's College. It closed in 1987 and the site is now derelict....
after passing matriculation in 1907. He passed I.A. in 1st Div. In 1909 and took admission in the renowned Scottish Church College, Calcutta
Scottish Church College, Calcutta
The Scottish Church College is the oldest continuously running Christian liberal arts and sciences college in India. It is affiliated with the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education , the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education for the awarding of baccalaureate and post baccalaureate...
and graduated in 1911. He then passed M.A. from Calcutta University in 1914. He studied Law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
for 3 years but came back to Guwahati
Guwahati
Guwahati, Pragjyotishpura in ancient Assam formerly known as Gauhati is a metropolis,the largest city of Assam in India and ancient urban area in North East India, with a population of 963,429. It is also the largest metropolitan area in north-eastern India...
without sitting in the final examination. Then on request of Tarun Ram Phukan
Tarun Ram Phukan
Tarun Ram Phookan / Tarun Ram Phukan was born in Guwahati in Kamrup District of Assam on January 22, 1877 and breathed his last on July 28, 1939....
, he took up the temporary job as Headmaster of Sonaram High School. During that period, he sat and passed in the Law examination and started practising in 1917 in Guwahati
Guwahati
Guwahati, Pragjyotishpura in ancient Assam formerly known as Gauhati is a metropolis,the largest city of Assam in India and ancient urban area in North East India, with a population of 963,429. It is also the largest metropolitan area in north-eastern India...
.
Political life
Assam Association was the only political organization of Assam in that period. Assam Congress was formed in 1922 as a branch of the Indian National CongressIndian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
. Gopinath bordoloi’s political life started when he joined the Indian National Congress as a volunteer in that year. He actively participated in the fight for independence. He was arrested in 1922 due to active participation in the Non-cooperation movement and was put in jail for 1 year. When the movement was called off following Chauri Chaura
Chauri Chaura
Chauri Chaura is a town near Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, India. The town is known most for an event in February 1922 during the British Raj when a police chowki was set on fire by a mob of angry citizens, killing 23 policemen inside.-Background:In the early 1920s, Indians, led by Mahatma Gandhi,...
incident, he went back to practising law. From 1930 to 1933 he kept himself away from political activity and got involved in various social works after becoming member of Guwahati Municipal Board and Local Board. In addition, he was constantly demanding a separate University
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
and High Court
High Court
The term High Court usually refers to the superior court of a country or state. In some countries, it is the highest court . In others, it is positioned lower in the hierarchy of courts The term High Court usually refers to the superior court (or supreme court) of a country or state. In some...
for Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
.
In 1935 Government of India Act
Government of India Act
The term Government of India Act refers to any one of a series of Acts passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom to regulate the government of British India, in particular:...
was articulated with a view to form British India. Congress decided to participate in the Regional Assembly
National Assembly
National Assembly is either a legislature, or the lower house of a bicameral legislature in some countries. The best known National Assembly, and the first legislature to be known by this title, was that established during the French Revolution in 1789, known as the Assemblée nationale...
Election in 1936. They won 38 seats and became the party with majority in Assembly, but due to a dubious law meant to reduce the power of Ministers and the Cabinet, they decided to remain as opposition party instead of forming the government. Gopinath Bordoloi was elected as the leader of the opposition party. With the support of other parties apart from Congress Md. Sadulla formed the Cabinet of Ministers. Congress party was gaining people’s support as the government remained unaware of the basic problems of Assam. Md. Sadulla Cabinet Ministers resigned in September,1938. Then the Governor invited Gopinath Bordoloi to form the government and accordingly they took oath in 21 September.
The reasons of Gopinath Bordoloi becoming Chief Minister
Chief Minister
A Chief Minister is the elected head of government of a sub-national state, provinces of Sri Lanka, Pakistan, notably a state of India, a territory of Australia or a British Overseas Territory that has attained self-government...
were his political prowess, superb personality, truthfulness and behaviour which attracted not only his colleagues but also people of various communities. Congress got recognition as a powerful political party in Assam by virtue of his ability and intelligence. His contributions as Chief Ministers were mainly to stop Land Tax, stop giving lands to migrant Muslims to secure the right of indigenous people etc.
The new government didn’t last long as World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
began in 1939. Gopinath Bordoloi’s Cabinet resigned in 1940 following appeal by Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
. He was arrested again in December, 1940. However, he was released before completing 1 year in jail due to ill health. When Quit India movement was launched in August 1942, Congress party was declared outlawed and all leaders were arrested.
In the meantime Md. Sadulla formed the government with the promise to help British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and indulged again in communial activities. Gopinath Bordoloi was released from jail in 1944 and he straightaway started opposing the government with the help of other leaders. Md. Sadulla offered him to discuss the matters. An agreement was reached which included immediate release of all political prisoners, removing the ban on procession or meeting, correcting the process of rehabilitation of migrant Muslims etc.
In July 1945, British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
announced their decision to form a new constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
for India after holding the central and regional election. Congress too participated in the election in 1946 and they became the major party in Assembly
National Assembly
National Assembly is either a legislature, or the lower house of a bicameral legislature in some countries. The best known National Assembly, and the first legislature to be known by this title, was that established during the French Revolution in 1789, known as the Assemblée nationale...
with 61 seats out of 108. They formed the Government and Gopinath Bordoloi was made Chief Minister
Chief Minister
A Chief Minister is the elected head of government of a sub-national state, provinces of Sri Lanka, Pakistan, notably a state of India, a territory of Australia or a British Overseas Territory that has attained self-government...
unanimously.
Cabinet commission and Bordoloi's role
British Government formed a Cabinet Commission in 1946 to discuss the demands for Indian Independence. The members held meetings with Congress and Muslim League in Shimla and Delhi. Their plan included grouping of states into 3 categories for selecting the candidates to form the constitutional body with AssamAssam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
and Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
in third group. Gopinath Bordoloi sensed the ominous sign for Assam in the plan as the inclusion would mean the local representative will become minority in comparison to Bengal. That would be devastating for rights of people of Assam.
The Assam Pradesh Congress committee decided to go against the grouping plan. Gopinath Bordoloi told the Indian Congress
Indian Congress
The Indian Congress occurred from August 4 to October 31, 1898 in Omaha, Nebraska, in conjunction with the Trans-Mississippi International Exposition. Occurring within a decade of the end of the Indian Wars, the Indian Congress was the largest gathering of American Indian tribes of its kind to that...
working committee, Cabinet committee and Viceroy
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
that the representative of Assam will form the Constitution of Assam themselves and will decide whether to join the group or not among themselves. Subsequently, the Cabinet commission announced that the grouping will be mandatory for every state and they may later withdraw from the group if they want. This further complicated the situation. Bordoloi met the National Congress leaders to discuss it with no result. He then with Assam Congress Committee decided to start mass agitation in Assam. After that only the National Congress working committee advised them to pass a unanimous decision in Assembly. Later, the members of the Assembly suggested a working formula in which ten representative from Assam would form their own constitution without joining any group and would merge with national committee to form the Indian constitution.
Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru , often referred to with the epithet of Panditji, was an Indian statesman who became the first Prime Minister of independent India and became noted for his “neutralist” policies in foreign affairs. He was also one of the principal leaders of India’s independence movement in the...
and Muslim League were ignorant enough to this grim situation and joined hands to implement the grouping plan. Gopinath Bordoloi requested Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
for suggestion and the later advised him to continue opposing the grouping vehemently.
In 1947, Lord Mountbeten took over as new Viceroy. He held separate meeting with Muslim League, Congress and Mahatma Gandhi. They decided to go for Partition as a permanent solution instead of grouping. India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
became separate independent countries.
Thus Gopinath Bordoloi played a major role in securing the future of Assam which would have been included in East Pakistan otherwise. Whether any other leader could have shown the light other than him during that crisis period is in doubt.
Contribution as Chief Minister
After India's Independence, he worked closely with Sardar Vallabhbhai PatelSardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel was an Indian barrister and statesman, one of the leaders of the Indian National Congress and one of the founding fathers of India...
to secure the sovereignty of Assam against China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
on the one hand and East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
on the other. He also helped to organize the rehabilitation of millions of Hindu refugees who had fled East Pakistan due to widespread violence and intimidation in the aftermath of Partition
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
. His work formed the basis for ensuring communal harmony, democracy and stability which effectively kept Assam secure and progressive right up to the 1971 war over East Pakistan's independence
Bangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
. He was instrumental in establishing Guwahati University, High Court of Assam, Assam Medical College, Assam Veterinary College etc. Gopinath Bordoloi was also a gifted writer. He wrote several books like Annaskaktiyog, Shreeramachandra, Hajrat Mohammad, and Budhhadeb while in jail. For all his life he was a stern believer in Gandhian principles. He led a simple life in spite of being a Chief Minister. He died on 5 August 1950.
He was awarded the Bharat Ratna
Bharat Ratna
Bharat Ratna is the Republic of India's highest civilian award, awarded for the highest degrees of national service. This service includes artistic, literary, and scientific achievements, as well as "recognition of public service of the highest order." Unlike knights, holders of the Bharat Ratna...
posthumously in 1999.
External links
- http://www.aai.aero/guwahati/index.jsp
- http://www.assam.org/node/2363