Ram Manohar Lohia lit the torch of socialism, voted against injustice

New -delhi, October 11 (IANS). Ram Manohar Lohia, who was born on March 23, 1910 in the Akbarpur district of Uttar Pradesh, on the banks of the Saryu River, was not only a person, but an ideology. The patriotism of his father Hiralal and the untimely downfall of his mother Diwan Devi rebelled his childhood. Lohia grew up in the village land and saw the situation of farmers and caste discrimination carefully, which lit the spark of socialism in his heart. From studying in Berlin to the prisons of the freedom struggle, Lohia cast his voice against every step against injustice. His pen and deeds not only disputed British rule, but also waged a war on cabinets, inequality and abuse of power, even after independence. Ram Manohar Lohia’s childhood was spent in the rural area of ​​Akbarpur, where he heard the sobs of farmers and saw the shackles of cabinets. This experience sowed the seed of socialism in his heart. In his journey of education, Lohia never limited himself to books. After graduating from Calcutta University, he reaches Berlin. The shadow of Nazism began to weave in the streets of Germany. Lohia earned a doctorate in economics and politics there, but learned more from life than from books. It only took three months to learn the German language, surprising Professor Jombart. But the rise of Hitler shocked him. He returned to India and became the pioneer of a new revolution. When he reached India in 1934, he joined the Congress Socialist Party (CSP) directly. Together with Jayaprakash Narayan, he linked socialism to Indian soil. Lohia believed: “Socialism is not just a religion of books, but of action.” His pen gave a new life to the magazine “Congress Socialist”, where he attacked the roots of injustice. After the country became independent, he remained dissatisfied with the Congress rule of Jawaharlal Nehru. He gave the slogan of ‘Sapta Kranti’. The abolition of cabinets, priority to Hindi in language policy, the formation of small states was his dreams. He was active in the Goa Liberation Movement, where he raised his voice against the Portuguese. Ram Manohar Lohia emphasized women’s rights and said that socialism is incomplete without gender equality. He died in New -Delhi on October 12, 1967, but Lohia’s legacy lives on. Today, when caste of walls stands long and language disputes burn, the voice of Lohia echoes. Ram Manohar Lohia was not only a leader, but a philosophy of rebellion and equality. His life proves that one person’s pen and actions can bring a revolution. —IANS AKS/DKP