Wednesday, 23 March 2016

India's Freedom struggle: Pherozeshah Mehta & Gopalkrishna Gokhale

Pherozeshah Mehta:

-         A congress Moderate leader.
-         He came under the influence of Dadabhai Naoroji while studying law in London.
-         He was one of the founders of the Bombay presidency Association.
-         His first major intervention in the Imperial Legislative Council came in January 1895 on a Bill for the amendment of the Police act of 1861.
-         Pherozeshah Mehta along with Gokhale, Parekh, Bala Chandra Krishna and D.A.Khare took the unprecedented step of organizing the first walk out in India’s legislative history.
-         He retired from council in 1901 due to bad health.


Gopala Krishna Gokhale:

-         He had been trained in Indian economics by Justice ranade and G.V. Joshi.
-         He made his mark as the secretary of the poona Sarvajanik Sabha.
-         He was the editor of the sudharak.
-         In 1897 he stood as a witness in London before the Royal commission on expenditure in India.
-         He established himself as the greatest parliamentarian with his very first budget speech on 26 March 1902.
-         B.R.Nanda, biographer of Gokhale’s story.
-         B.G.Tilak was his political opponent. When Gokhale died Tilak said “This diamond of india, this jewel of Maharashtra, this prince of workers, is taking eternal rest on the funeral ground.

-         Mahatma Gandhi declared G.K.Gokhale as his political guru.

Source: Key points compiled from India's struggle for Independence by Bipan chandra chapter 9.