Ram Manohar Lohia (; 23 March 1910 – 12 October 1967) was an Indian political activist of the Indian independence movement and a socialist politician. As a nationalist, he worked actively to protest against colonialism, raising awareness of the same. He founded multiple socialist political parties and later won elections to the Lok Sabha.
Ram Manohar Lohia was born on 23 March 1910 in a Marwari Bania family at Akbarpur, Ambedkar nagar in modern-day Uttar Pradesh. In 1912, when he was only two years old, his mother died. He was then raised by his father, Hiralal, who never remarried. In 1918, he moved with his father to Bombay, and then completed his high school education there. After securing the first position in his school at the matriculation examination, he completed his intermediate studies from the Banaras Hindu University in 1927. In 1929, he completed his Bachelor of Arts from the Vidyasagar College, under the University of Calcutta.
In 1929, Lohia went to England for further studies. However, the political environment in London did not align with Lohia's nationalist feelings, leading him to leave the country. Lohia then decided to join the Frederick William University in Berlin, Germany. He then learnt German and won a scholarship to pursue a doctorate in economics from 1929 to 1933. While studying here, Lohia wrote his Ph.D. thesis paper on the topic of Salt Taxation in India, focusing on Gandhi's socio-economic theory. However, he never completed the degree. Lohia was greatly influenced by the events that took place in Germany during his stay there, including the rise of Hitler and Nazism. He also studied the works of Marx and Engels during this time.
Nationalist movement (1930–1947)
1930: League of Nations session
While studying economics at Berlin University, Lohia met Goan political leader Julião Menezes, who was studying medicine. They soon became friends and were part of the Indian Students' Union in Berlin, Weimar Republic. In 1930, during the session of the League of Nations, Lohia and Menezes, who were present on the occasion, threw bundles of leaflets from the visitors' gallery. These leaflets denounced Ganga Singh, the then Maharaja of Bikaner (now Rajasthan), and an Indian representative sent by the British Crown to present to the League of Nations.
1934–1938: Congress Socialist Party
Lohia helped found the Congress Socialist Party in 1934. He was also the editor of its publication, the Congress Socialist. In 1936, Jawaharlal Nehru chose Lohia as the secretary of the Foreign Department of the All India Congress Committee (AICC). In 1938, Lohia resigned as the secretary.
It was at this time that Lohia began to develop his own political views. He critically examined the opinions of the Congress leadership, which was greatly influenced by Gandhi, and the Communists who had joined the CSP.
As World War II intensified, Lohia began anti-war propaganda. He was critical of the Congress Party leadership's decision to support the British government in the war, stating that the British would not grant India freedom if the Congress cooperated with them. In June 1940, he was arrested and sentenced to a jail term of two years for delivering anti-war speeches. After the Cripps Mission was sent to India, Gandhi and Lohia together opposed it. Lohia stated that Britain would not grant India freedom on its own. Nehru, however, desired independence but refused to take an anti-war stand. Subsequently, Lohia criticized Nehru at the May 1942 session of the AICC, held in Allahabad.
1942–1946: Quit India Movement
During the Quit India Movement, Lohia became an important leader after the arrest of both Gandhi and Nehru. Lohia set up the clandestine radio stations called the Congress Radio in Calcutta and Bombay. In his words, he intended to "disseminate the much needed information to the masses to sustain a leaderless movement". He was then captured and imprisoned in Lahore Fort in 1944. Lohia and Jayaprakash Narayan, who had assembled a guerilla force during the same movement, were then released on 11 April 1946.
Following his release, Lohia met his friend Julião Menezes in Bombay for a medical consultation in April 1946. Menezes then invited Lohia to recuperate with him at his home in Goa. They reached Menezes' Goa home on 10 June 1946. After the news of Lohia's arrival spread, the general public and other local freedom fighters began visiting Lohia in large numbers. Menezes and Lohia then began planning a civil disobedience movement. Over the next few days, they addressed people around Goa, informing people that they would defy the ban on public meetings and address an audience of Goans on 18 June in the city of Margao.
On 18 June 1946, Menezes and Lohia arrived at the designated maidan in Margao, evading and defying the Portuguese police. They were greeted by a large crowd that was chanting slogans. About 600–700 people gathered before the duo was physically escorted to the police station, just as Lohia had begun addressing the audience. The police resorted to a baton charge to disperse the crowd. However, everyone regrouped at the police station and only left after Lohia addressed them briefly. The location of the gathering is today known as Lohia Maidan, and the date, 18 June, is celebrated as Goa Revolution Day.
Over the next few months, Gandhi publicly supported Lohia in his efforts to free Goa. Lohia arrived back to Goa in September 1946 but was immediately arrested and jailed for 10 days at Aguada Jail.
1947: Peace mission in Calcutta
On the eve of the India's Independence Day, 14 August 1947, Lohia and Gandhi together helped maintain the peace between Hindus and Muslims in Calcutta. After riots on 31 August, Gandhi went on an indefinite fast. Lohia then took up a peace mission, working with rioters and gathering their weapons. His mission was successful in stopping the riots, following which Gandhi ended his fast.
Early political career (1948–1962)