Mahamana as a Lawyer

Chauri Chaura Case

Gandhi announced that if the British government does not accept his demands, he would launch a civil Disobedience movement from 7 February 1922, unless some of his conditions were met. Malaviyaji's several attempts to bring about a solution through compromise failed. On 5 February, a frenzied mob, without understanding the essence of the intended movement, burnt down a police station in a place called Chauri Chaura in Gorakhpur. Twenty-two policemen were burnt alive in the fire. The Sessions Court at Gorakhpur tried 225 persons for arson, looting and causing death, and returned a verdict sentencing 170 persons to death.

Malaviyaji's deep- rooted passion for justice came to the fore and he decided to appear on behalf of the innocent persons sentenced to death. He argued the case for four days. The chief justice, who had fretted and fumed at the beginning, paid a handsome tribute to Malaviyaji at the end by saying: "We are extremely grateful to you for putting this case so fairly and well before us. We feel sure nobody else could have argued it so ably." In the ensuring verdict, 151 accused people were freed.

Support to Sikhs

The Sikhs had established the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee in 1920 with the object of taking control of the Gurudwaras from the Mahants. In 1923, when the Maharaja of Nabha was deposed, the Sikhs were very unhappy and they sent Jathas or groups to Nabha state to observe satyagraha. They were stopped, imprisoned and ill-treated in prison. Malaviyaji defended several of the accused and got them released.

(Source: 'Visionary of Modern India: Madan Mohan Malaviya- ' - Dr. S.K Maini, Dr. Vishwanath Pandey, K. Chandramouli)