N. G. Ranga
Gogineni Ranga Nayukulu (7 November 1900 – 9 June 1995), also known as N. G. Ranga, was an Indian freedom fighter, classical liberal, parliamentarian and farmer leader. He was the founding president of the Swatantra Party, and an exponent of the peasant philosophy. He received the Padma Vibhushan from the president of India for his contributions to the Peasant Movement. N.G. Ranga served in the Indian Parliament for six decades, from 1930 to 1991. Early life. Ranga was born in Nidubrolu village in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh. He went to school in his native village, and graduated  from the Andhra-Christian College, Guntur. He received a B.Litt. in Economics from the University of Oxford in 1926. On his return to India, he took up teaching as Professor of Economics at Pachaiyappa's College, Madras (Chennai). In Oxford, he came across the works of H. G. Wells, Sydney Webb, Bertrand Russell, and John Stuart Mill. Initially attracted to guild socialism in Europe, the progress of the USSR would turn him into a Marxist. Later in the 1930s, the Stalinist oppression of peasants and forced collectivization drove Ranga away from the Marxist fold. Ranga met Mahatma Gandhi in Madras  and was so impressed that he jumped with heart and soul in the non-violent battle of civil disobedience movement in 1929. It was in 1930 that the academic economist Ranga became part of the mainstream politics with his entry in the central assembly. He went on to oppose the Simon Commission report and participated in the first Round Table Conference. Based on methodology of the British Labour's Party’s political school, he went on to establish similar schools in Andhra to turn peasants into politically-conscious citizens. Andhra Farmers’ School, first among the others, was opened in 1934  at his native place Nidubrolu. Freedom movement. Ranga joined the freedom movement inspired by Gandhi's clarion call in 1930. He led the ryot agitation in 1933. He wrote a book, "Bapu Blesses" regarding his discussions with Gandhi. In the course of Indian freedom struggle, he led the historical Ryot Agitation of Andhra in 1933. His pro-peasantry advocacy was visible in his support to the farmers’ agitation against the zamindari oppression at Venkatagiri. He successfully managed to convince Gandhi to lend support to the movement, despite opposition from other members of the Congress. Gradually the peasant movement intensified and  spread across the rest of India. All these radical developments on the peasant front culminated in the formation of the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) at the Lucknow session of the Indian National Congress in April 1936 with Sahajanda Saraswati elected as its first president and Ranga as a general secretary. The Kisan Manifesto, which was released in August 1936, demanded the abolition of the zamindari system and the cancellation of rural debts. He continuously organized farmers of the region and besides associating himself along with his wife, Bharathi Devi, to the Individual Satyagraha (1940) and Quit India Movement (1942 ), he played a decisive role in connecting so many peasants with national liberation movement. He was elected as a member Constituent Assembly in 1946 and became the member in Provisional Parliament of India (continuing until after the first elections under the new constitution in 1952). Contributions to literature. Ranga wrote multiple books, one of them being "Bapu Blesses" regarding his discussions with Gandhi. Ranga’s academic publications were mostly concerned with the condition of peasants and labourers in the countryside. Known as the Rythu Ranga and Coolie Ranga, he fought against both the colonial and socialist Indian state to ensure  dignity for farmers. He wrote many other books like Credo of World Peasantry, Economic Organization of Indian Villages and Indian Adult Education Movement which are illustrative of a brilliant erudite ability and diverse interests. Publications. He published 65 books in English, including: He also published 15 books in Telugu including Political career. In 1951, in a closely contested election of president of the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee, Ranga was defeated by Neelam Sanjiva Reddy. Due to ideological differences, Ranga along with Tanguturi Prakasam, resigned from Congress and organised Hyderabad State Praja Party, which was further split into Krishikar Lok Party  (KLP) for peasants under the leadership of Ranga as the president. KLP contested the 1951 Lok Sabha elections, winning one seat. KLP also contested the 1952 Madras Legislative Assembly election and won 15 seats. In the 1955 Andhra State Legislative Assembly election, Congress, Praja Party and KLP formed an alliance and KLP won 22 seats. After the election, on the request of Nehru, he merged KLP in Congress party. He was elected in the 1957 general election from Tenali Lok Sabha constituency as a congressional candidate. Swatantra Party. Ranga’s differences with Nehru were visible from the beginning. As part  of the Kumarappa Committee on land reforms, he didn’t support land ceiling measures. Ranga was also opposed to the whole socialist apparatus of the Five-Year Plans and Planning Commission. He refused to join Nehru’s cabinet when offered the ministerial berth. In response to Nehru’s advocacy of cooperative farming, Ranga mobilized lakhs of peasants in Machilipatnam to oppose the abolition of property rights by the state. The 1959 Nagpur Resolution of INC came as the final straw. The socialists in Congress proposed cooperative farming in the emulation of Mao’s collectivization drive. The threat to property rights  in an increasingly socialist India galvanized a disparate set of anti-Congress leaders to come together and form the Swatantra Party. Ranga became the party's first president. As a Swatantrite parliamentarian, Ranga’s advocacy of liberty was most visible during the debates over the proposed 17th amendment in 1964. The amendment would empower state governments to acquire land of ordinary farmers without paying any compensation. Ranga’s rousing speech in the Parliament against the bill led to its defeat. Ranga’s concern for farmers’ welfare was recognized by Nehru, “As long as Rangaji is in Parliament, the Indian peasants  could sleep without any worry.” On the question of his opposition to Nehru, Ranga clarified that – “it was for the freedom of the peasants and in defense of dharma. I’ve visualized the resulting implications of his anti-farmer policies. Knowing fully well that opposing Pandit Nehru can be politically dangerous to me, I performed my duty in defense of my convictions." Later years. The dissident parties, the Congress (O), Jan Sangh and the Samyukta Socialist Party formed an alliance with Swatantra Party called the National Democratic Front and fought against Indian National Congress led by Indira Gandhi in the  1971 Indian general elections. After facing a massive defeat of his Swatantra party in the elections, Ranga rejoined Indian National Congress and supported Indira Gandhi, for his aim of peasants upliftment. He worked as a Member of congress working committee (CWC 1975–85), and Deputy Leader of Congress Parliamentary Party (1980–1991). Death. Ranga died on 9 June, 1995. Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao condoled the death of Prof. Ranga. He said that in the passing away of Prof Ranga, the country had lost an outstanding Parliamentarian and a champion of public causes and of the rural peasantry. The Andhra Pradesh  government declared a 3-day state mourning.