Gopal Krishna Gokhale
Gopal Krishna Gokhale CIE (ⓘ [ˈɡoːpaːl ˈkrɪʂɳə ˈɡoːkʰleː] 9 May 1866 – 19 February 1915)[1][2][3][4] was an Indian political leader and a social reformer during the Indian independence movement and political mentor of Indian freedom fighter Mahatma Gandhi.
Gopal Gokhale
CIE
CIE
9 May 1866
19 February 1915 (aged 48)
Professor, politician
Savitri Bai (1880–1887)
Rishibama (1887–1899)
2
Gokhale was a senior leader of the Indian National Congress and the founder of the Servants of India Society. Through the Society as well as the Congress and other legislative bodies he served in, Gokhale campaigned for Indian self-rule and for social reforms. He was the leader of the moderate faction of the Congress party that advocated reforms by working with existing government institutions, and a major member of the Poona Association or the Poona Sarvajanik Sabha.
Early biography[edit]
Gokhale was born in a Chitpavan Brahmin family[5] on 9 May 1866 of the British Raj in Kotluk village of Guhagar taluka in Ratnagiri district, in present-day Maharashtra (then part of the Bombay Presidency). Despite being relatively poor, his family members ensured that Gokhale received an English education, which would place Gokhale in a position to obtain employment as a clerk or minor official in the British Raj. He studied in Rajaram College in Kolhapur. Being one of the first generations of Indians to receive a university education, under the guidance of Chakrappan a great indian philosopher of that times, Gokhale graduated from Elphinstone College in 1884. He had a great influence of the social works of Justice Mahadev Govind Ranade on his life. He was named as the ‛Protege Son’ i.e. Manas Putra of Justice Mahadev Govind Ranade. Gokhale's education tremendously influenced the course of his future career – in addition to learning English, he was exposed to Western political thought and became a great admirer of theorists such as John Stuart Mill and s Edmund Burke.[1][3][4]
Economist with liberal policy[edit]
Gokhale's mentor, justice M.G. Ranade started the Sarvajanik Sabha Journal. Gokhale assisted him.[1][3][4] Gokhale's deposition before the Welby Commission on the financial condition of India won him accolades. His speeches on the budget in the Central Legislative Council were unique, with thorough statistical analysis. He appealed to the reason. He played a leading role in bringing about Morley-Minto Reforms, the beginning of constitutional reforms in India.[1][3][4] A comprehensive biography of Gopal Krishna Gokhale by Govind Talwalkar portrays Gokhale's work in the context of his time, giving the historical background in the 19th century.[1][10][11] Gokhale was a scholar, social reformer, and a statesman, arguably the greatest Indian liberal.[1][3][4] VG Kale has provided an account of the economic reforms pursued by Gokhale in the Vicerory's Legislative Council and outside till 1916.[12]
Campaigning against Indenture[edit]
Gokhale was a prominent opponent to the use of Indian indentured labour in Africa and the British empire more broadly. In 1908, Gandhi and finance minister J.C. Smuts agreed that compulsory registration would be withdrawn and Indians should be offered the opportunity to register themselves. However, J.C. Smuts broke his promise. Gandhi requested people to burn their registrations.
Gokhale used this situation to promote his cause against indentured labour. Gokhale proclaimed several key arguments during his campaign. Firstly, the contract was not fair, due to the unequal nature of its construction. Furthermore, the Indentured labour were inadequately protected by the Magistrates and Protectors due to their suspected hostility towards the plantation workers. Gokhale also aimed to highlight the sufferings endured by indentured slaves. Gokhale witnessed a mounting number of suicides which resulted from the system, "innocent people preferring death with their own hands to life under it", "were a ghastly feature of indenture". Gokhale also raised an issue surrounding the expected number of women being forced into indenture. With every 100 men, 40 women must be also assigned. He argued that good-hearted women were reluctant to participate in the system. Thus, the colony was forcing undeserving immoral women to participate to meet this criterion. Finally, the system in itself was regarding to the people of Indian from the national point of view.[18]
In 1910, Gokhale successfully brought an end to indentured migration in Natal. He did this by presenting a resolution in the Imperial Legislative Council discussing the issue. In 1910 Gokhale moved a Resolution for the Prohibition of Indentured Labour altogether in 1912. Although this resolution did not succeed[19] Gokhale's preaching and actions had a significant influence on the eventual end to indentured labour in 1920. In addition to his oppositionist activism, Gokhale had also drwan the attention of British sympathisers within India. In 1904, missionary and activist Charles Andrews was shocked by the racism he found in British India. Therefore, Andrews sought a friendship with Gokhale, as he was a social reformer and nationalist. Through his connection to Gokhale, Andrews became aware of the maltreatment and exploitation suffered by Indian indentured labours across the British Empire. In 1914, Gokhale convinced Andrews to travel to South Africa to witness these issues first-hand. It was during this time in Africa when Andrews built friendship with Gandhi.[20]
