# Birendranath Sasmal

Birendranath Sasmal (26 October 1881 – 24 November 1934) was a lawyer and political leader. He was known as "The Uncrowned King" of Midnapore and Deshpran (soul of the nation), because of his love and devotion to the country and for his efforts in the Swadeshi movement.
He was the principal representative of the Indian National Congress at Midnapore. He was instrumental in organising mass uprisings and protests in the Midnapore district on behalf of Congress and later the Swaraj Party. He was also, one of the most influential leaders of the Bengal Presidency during the freedom struggle. He was essentially a "people's leader". As a Barrister, he represented many of the accused in cases against the British Raj. He was one of the major associates of Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das and was a principal organiser of the Swaraj Party. He served as the General Secretary of the party's Bengal branch.

## Early life

Birendranath Sasmal was born in an aristocratic Mahishya family at Chandiveti village, Contai, in the former undivided Midnapore district. His father was a local Zamindar, Biswambhar Sasmal and his mother was Anandamoyee Devi. His great grandfather Karunakar Sasmal had purchased rights over a few taluks after the Permanent Settlement of 1793. Brahmoism had made a deep impact on his family. Few of his family members had also converted to the Brahmo religion prior.
He was admitted to the esteemed Contai High School in 1893 and passed the Entrance Examination in 1900 from the same school; there, the teachings of two nationalistic teachers, Tarak Gopal Ghosh and Sashibhushan Chakraborty greatly influenced him. Subsequently, he got admission into Metropolitan College, Calcutta and then transferred to Ripon College of Calcutta as he was influenced by Surendranath Banerjee. After finishing his college education he left for England in 1902 to study law at the Middle Temple; during this time he travelled extensively, visiting the United States, France and Japan. One of the inspirations for his desire to pursue law as a subject was the fact that at that time, there was a evident dearth of legal practitioners willing to stand up for the nationalistic cause or to represent the revolutionaries. He returned to India in 1904 after becoming a barrister.

## Legal career

After being awarded his degree in law, Sasmal was called to the Bar at the Middle Temple in England in 1904, he returned to Calcutta and started his practice as a barrister at the Calcutta High Court. Although, he never believed in the principles of armed struggle himself but nevertheless defended revolutionaries in various criminal cases and saved them from the gallows. In 1905, during the protest against the Partition of Bengal he took a leading role in the protests in the District. In 1906, he defended a young Khudiram Bose who had been arrested on the charges of distributing seditious pamphlets against the British Raj in Midnapore town. However, after a few years of practice he switched to the Medinipur District Court in 1907, because he felt disconnected from his roots.
He became a member of the District board and Municipality, and actively engaged in various forms of social welfare and also, played a crucial role during the Midnapore floods of 1913, 1920, 1926 and 1933. In 1913, he became the convener of the session of Bengal Provincial Political Conference at Mymensingh. Next year, he represented Medinipur district at the Bengal Provincial Conference. By 1913, he again resumed his practice at the Calcutta High Court, but in 1921, gave up his flourishing and thriving practice and committed himself to the Non Cooperation movement. For his participation, he was arrested along with Chittaranjan Das, Subhas Chandra Bose, Maulana Azad and others and was imprisoned in the Alipore Central Jail.
He was once again arrested in 1930, for the leading role he played during the Civil Disobedience movement. Immediately after his release he rushed to Chittagong to defend the accused including Surya Sen, Pritilata Waddedar and others, in the Chittagong armoury raid case, he managed to acquit 32 revolutionaries and 12 others were deported to the Andamans and 2 received only minor three-year prison sentences. He refused to charge any legal fees for this service. Once again, he acted as the Defence counsel for the accused in the Douglas Shooting Case by the members of the Bengal Volunteers including Pradyot Kumar Bhattacharya and Prabhanshu Sekhar Pal. However, Pradyot Kumar Bhattacharya was hanged due to his brother's betrayal.

## Revolutionary activities

For political reasons, Midnapore district was proposed to divided into two by British Raj and Deshapran started protesting against it. He toured the region and organised protest movements. The proposal for partition was withdrawn. He started practising law at Calcutta High Court in 1904. In 1913 leaving Calcutta High Court, Birendranath practiced in Midnapore District Court for a few years but later he again joined the High Court. In the High Court, he defended the accused in the Chittagong Armed Robbery case. He was jailed for nine months 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.

### Non-Cooperation Movement (1920)

Sasmal played a leading role in the 1920 Calcutta Session of the National Congress and supported the Non-cooperation movement of 1921. Sasmal, by then, had joined the Swarajya Party of Chittaranjan Das. He was made Secretary of the Bengal Provincial Congress. During this period he also successfully led the local anti-Union Board agitation in Midnapore.

### No-Tax Movement (1920–1922 )

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. 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.

### Labon Satyagraha (1930)

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.

### Civil Disobedience Movement, Election to Calcutta Corporation, Central Legislative Assembly (1930–1934)

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.

## Humiliation

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. 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. Sasmal left the BPCC in utter humiliation and anger and returned to his law practice in Medinipur district.

## Family

While practicing at the Midnapore District Court, he married Hemantakumari Devi, a Kashmiri Pandit lady. To make her familiar to the Bengali language and culture, he made a library in his home. He had a daughter, Ashrukona and a son, Bimalananda with her.

## Death

On 19 November 1934, he was returning from Medinipur to Calcutta after a council election and due to a matter related to his legal practice. En route, at Kharagpur, he was purposely misinformed by a miscreant that he had lost the recently held national election of the Burdwan division, the sudden and unexpected news had a hugely negative effect on his health, to the extent that he suffered high blood pressure which consequently resulted in a Brain stroke. Despite having arranged for him immediate medical attention by his co passengers, his health remained unstable. However, after his arrival at the Howrah station he received the correct information, that in reality he had won the election. He was escorted to his Calcutta house by his well wishers and supporters who had gathered to congratulate him on his victory. Nevertheless, this great mental turmoil had drastically affected his health. Birendranath Sasmal died of a heart attack on 24 November 1934 at the age of 53. As per his last wishes, he was cremated vertically upright, with his head up towards the sky, at the Keoratola crematorium with great ceremony.

## Legacy & Influence

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?". He was given the honorific sobriquet "Uncrowned king" of Medinipur by Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray. He had bitter experience in politics of Calcutta, but he was loved in Kanthi and Tamluk. A road in South Kolkata (Deshparan Sasmal Road) is named after him. Deshapran community development block in Kanthi subdivision is named after Sasmal. Deshapran Mahavidyalaya, a college under Vidyasagar University has been named after him. Also, a railway station near Bajkul has been established in his name. Schools, Clubs, Organisations and streets that bear his name indicate his permanent seat in the heart of people.