Birendranath Sasmal (26 October 1881 – 24 November 1934) was a lawyer, revolutionary and political leader. He was known as "The Uncrowned King" of Midnapore and "Deshapran" because of his love and work for the country and for his efforts in the Swadeshi movement.[1][2]
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He returned home as a newly qualified Barrister from England and started his practice at the Calcutta High Court in 1904. After a few years, he switched over to the district court of Midnapore. Gradually, he became a prominent member of the District Board and the Municipality. Social work and politics was of the paramount importance to him and he played a pivotal role as a relief worker during Midnapore floods of 1913, 1920, 1926 and 1933.[1][3]
In 1913, he returned back to Calcutta and resumed his practice at the High court. He played a huge role in the Calcutta session of AICC (1920) and also, supported the resolution of the Non-cooperation movement, 1921. He had, by then, joined the Swaraj Party of Chittaranjan Das. On his return from the Nagpur session, he left his lucrative and flourishing practice and plunged into the Non-cooperation movement. He was made secretary of the Bengal Provincial Congress and began to perform his duty with dedication. It was during this period that he successfully led the local anti Union board agitation in his native district, Midnapore district. [3][3]
For political reasons, Midnapore district was proposed to divided into two by British Raj and Biren Sasmal started protesting against it. He toured the region and organised protest movements. The proposal for partition was withdrawn. In the High Court, he defended the accused in the Chittagong Armed Robbery case. He was jailed for nine-month by British Raj for calling a general strike during the visit of King George V to British India. During his stay at Presidency Jail he wrote his autobiography named Sroter Trina. He considered politics to be synonymous with social welfare and took a pivotal role as a relief worker during the Midnapore floods of 1913, 1920, 1926 and 1933.[1][2][6][5]
Sasmal played a leading role in the 1920 Calcutta Session of the National Congress and supported the resolution of non-cooperation movement of1921. Sasmal, by then, had joined the Swarajya Party of Chittaranjan Das. On his return from Nagpur Session, he left his lucrative profession and played a pivotal role in the Non-cooperation movement. He was made Secretary of the Bengal Provincial Congress. During this period he also successfully led the local anti-Union Board agitation in Midnapore.[1][7]
Bengal Village Self Government Act was passed in 1919. According to that law, 227 Union Boards were formed in the district. Birendranath took up the cause of his people, and plunged into Boycott Movement. He declared that he would walk on bare feet until the Union Boards were not done away with.[8] On 17 December 1921, 226 Union Boards were abolished and the last one was abolished the next year. In a gathering, with loud cheers, people put shoes on the feet of their leader.[2][7]
Birendranath's was also involved in the movement. His followers took active part in organizing people. Satyagrahis came to Narghat and Pichhhaboni to break Salt Law by peaceful means. The Satyagraha assumed the form of a mass movement in the area.[2]
Civil Disobedience Movement, Election to Calcutta Corporation, Central Legislative Assembly (1930–1934)
During the Civil disobedience movement of 1930, he courted arrest. On his release he rushed to Chittagong to defend the accused in the Armoury Raid Case (1930) without charging any fees. Again in 1932, he acted as a defence lawyer in the Douglas shooting case. He joined the Calcutta Conference held under the auspices of the Congress Nationalist party to oppose Ramsay MacDonald's 'Communal Award'. [1]
In 1933, Birendranath was elected to Calcutta Corporation. At the request of Pandit Madan Mohan Malavia, he contested in Central Legislative Assembly election from a two–district seat of Burdwan division and won it but he breathed his last before the result was announced.[3]
In 1924, when Birendranath Sasmal claimed the post of Chief executive officer of the Calcutta Corporation, an untoward situation occurred. A battle took place between Subhas Chandra Bose and Birendranath Sasmal for the post of the Chief executive officer of Calcutta Municipal Corporation, which then dominated political life of Bengal. Bose was ultimately choosen even though, Chittaranjan Das had originally proposed to reward the services of Sasmal by offering him the job, he soon backed out when he found out that the choice would offend the Kayastha clique of the city. One of them went so far as to comment: ‘Will a keot from Midnapur come and rule in Calcutta?’ Sasmal asked his mentor Das two questions at a meeting of the Bengal Provincial Congress Committee (BPCC): '(1) Subhas Bose had been elected member and his brother Sarat Bose alderman of the Calcutta Corporation by the Swaraj party. Why was the BPCC bent on establishing the mastery of one family over the Corporation? (2) In the highest executive post of the Corporation, it was being proposed that he be bypassed and another man appointed. Was this because he was held in contempt for his low caste?' Das expressed annoyance with the first question and gave an inadequate answer to the second which did not satisfy Sasmal. A newspaper also, reported that he was greeted with derogatory slogans because of his Oriya origin and he was denied the post.[9] Sasmal left the BPCC in utter humiliation and anger, and went into his legal practice and his control of local politics in Contai and Midnapore.
On 19 November, 1934 he was returning from Midnapore after a council election and to deal with certain matters relating to his law practice to Calcutta. When his train was at Kharagpur he was misinformed that he had lost the national election of the Burdwan division, this news shocked him to an extreme extent which ended up causing him a great amount of emotional and Mental tension, although some of the well wishing co-passengers provided him with immediate medical attention. On his arrival at the Howrah station, he received the accurate news that in reality he had actually emerged victorious. A sickly Birendranath Sasmal was escorted to his house by his followers. He died due to a heart attack on 24 November 1934 at the age of 53. He was cremated at the Keoratola crematorium with great ceremony and grandeur.[3]
Sasmal was an ardent follower of Mahatma Gandhi and had unflinching faith in Non-Violent movement. He thought-violence begets violence. Sasmal used to say, "For whom shall I live if not for the people?". Although, he had bitter experience in politics of Calcutta, but he was loved in Kanthi and Tamluk. Even, a road in South Kolkata (Deshparan Sasmal Road) is named after him. Deshapran community development block in Kanthi subdivision is named after Sasmal. Many Schools, Clubs, Organisations and streets that bear his name indicate his permanent seat in the heart of people.[2]
^ abcdefgSenapati and Das, Uma and Dulal Krishna (2018). Mahishya Ratnavali-Biographical Century [মাহিষ্য রত্নাবলী-জীবনী শতক -] (in Bengali) (2nd ed.). Kolkata: Tuhina Publications (published 2020). pp. 153 to156. ISBN9788194434641.
