Context: The recent film Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh is based on Sir C. Sankaran Nair.
Relevance of the Topic : Prelims: About C Sankaran Nair and his key Contributions.
About C. Sankaran Nair
- Born in the year 1857 in Malabar, Kerala.
- He was a liberal constitutionalist, social reformer, and a fierce critic of both British imperialism and reactionary elements within Indian society.
- He was a staunch advocate of universal liberty and equality.
- He was a brilliant jurist, being appointed as Advocate General of the Madras Presidency and later a judge of the Madras High Court.
- Author of book “Gandhi and Anarchy” (1922)- a critique of Gandhi’s political methods, especially non-cooperation and Khilafat movement. Despite his disagreements with Gandhi, Nair acknowledged his global stature.
- Nair firmly believed in constitutional methods and rejected political fanaticism. This conviction led him to oppose Gandhi’s non-cooperation movement as well as the Khilafat agitation.
- Critic of extreme nationalism, religious mobilisations, and political fanaticism.
Key Achievements:
- He was the first Malayali and the only Keralite to preside over the Indian National Congress (Amaravati Session, 1897).
- Nair was among the first Indian members of the Viceroy’s Executive Council, overseeing portfolios like education and health.
- He was a member of London’s National Liberal Club.
Key Contributions:
- Vision of Secular India:
- At the 1897 Amravati Congress, Nair advanced a vision of secular India, advocating education for lower castes, upliftment of women, and the dismantling of caste-based barriers.
- He opposed the creation of sectarian institutions like Banaras Hindu University, fearing they would breed communalism.
- Resignation over Jallianwala Bagh Massacre: He resigned from Viceroy Executive Council in protest against the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
- Champion of Social Reforms:
- He campaigned for the abolition of caste, equality of women, and reform of the matrilineal system among the Nairs of Kerala.
- He was associated with the Social Reform Conference and believed political freedom was meaningless without social emancipation.
- He resisted the Village Cess Bill in the Madras Legislative Council, which threatened traditional self-governing village systems.
- Protector of Free Speech and Education:
- As a Viceroy’s Council member, he refused to allow a church prayer supporting Allied victory during WWI, stating : “Christ does not take sides in war.”
- He advocated English education as a means of women’s empowerment, political awakening, and rational public discourse.He envisioned an India where reason triumphed over dogma.
- Political Realism: For Nair, India was not a romantic ideal but a land bound by social evils. He remarked: “India was a land of millions- ignorant, illiterate, half-starved, superstitious, and shackled by caste.” He did not glorify a mystical past, unlike many contemporaries. Instead, he offered a rational, reformist blueprint for a modern India.