(b) Madan Mohan Malaviya and Krishna Kant
He was involved in legal and political activities, particularly in Bengal and for the Swaraj Party. He did not provide legal defence in the Chauri Chaura case.
They were prominent leaders during the Khilafat and Non-Cooperation Movements, but not involved in legal defence in this case.
Though a well-known barrister and political leader at the time, Jinnah had no connection with the legal proceedings related to the Chauri Chaura incident.
| Date | 5 February 1922 |
|---|---|
| Location | Chauri Chaura, Gorakhpur District, United Provinces |
| Incident | Protesters clashed with police; 22 policemen killed in arson. |
| Aftermath | Gandhi called off the Non-Cooperation Movement, citing non-violence. |
| Legal Consequence | Over 200 arrested; 172 sentenced to death. |
| Defence Lawyers | Madan Mohan Malaviya and Krishna Kant |
| Outcome of Legal Effort | Most death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment. |
| Concept / Event | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Non-Cooperation Movement | Withdrawn by Gandhi after Chauri Chaura incident due to deviation from non-violence. |
| Madan Mohan Malaviya | Freedom fighter, educationist, founder of BHU, active in legal advocacy for nationalists. |
| Doctrine of Ahimsa | Gandhi’s emphasis on non-violence led him to call off the movement despite national momentum. |
| Judicial Response | British courts initially gave harsh sentences, later moderated under legal defence. |
| Concept / Term | Explanation / Relevance |
|---|---|
| Chauri Chaura Incident (1922) | Violent clash in Gorakhpur district where protesters torched a police station, killing 22 policemen. |
| Non-Cooperation Movement | Mass movement launched by Gandhi in 1920; called off after Chauri Chaura due to violence. |
| Madan Mohan Malaviya | Senior nationalist leader; provided legal defence to the accused in Chauri Chaura case. |
| Krishna Kant Malaviya | Son of Malaviya; assisted in the legal battle to commute death sentences of the accused. |
| Doctrine of Ahimsa (Non-violence) | Central to Gandhi’s philosophy; reason cited for withdrawal of the movement. |
| Gandhi's Reaction | Regarded the violence as a betrayal of non-violence; fasted as penance; halted the movement. |
| British Judicial Response | Initially harsh: 172 people sentenced to death; later many sentences reduced due to defence efforts. |
| United Provinces (UP) | The location of Chauri Chaura, now part of modern-day Uttar Pradesh. |
| Role of Judiciary in Freedom Struggle | Several lawyers like Gandhi, Malaviya, Nehru used courts as platforms for resistance. |
| Freedom Fighters as Lawyers | Many nationalists (e.g., Gandhi, Malaviya, Jinnah, Nehru) had legal backgrounds and used them for civil rights defence. |
| Personality | Profession / Role | Freedom Struggle Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| C. R. Das | Lawyer, Politician, Freedom Fighter | Co-founder of the Swaraj Party (1923); defended nationalist leaders in court; called "Deshbandhu". |
| Madan Mohan Malaviya | Lawyer, Educationist, Nationalist Leader | Founded BHU (1916); provided legal defence in Chauri Chaura case; moderate Congress leader. |
| Krishna Kant Malaviya | Lawyer, Politician | Son of M. M. Malaviya; assisted in defending Chauri Chaura accused; later became a minister. |
| Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew | Barrister, Congress Leader, Nationalist | Key leader in Jallianwala Bagh protests; arrested with Gandhi; active in Khilafat and NCM. |
| Khwaja Hasan Nizami | Islamic Scholar, Writer | Social reformer and supporter of Khilafat Movement; focused on religious unity. |
| M. A. Jinnah | Barrister, Politician | Initially part of Congress, later became Muslim League leader; had no link to Chauri Chaura case. |