A nonpareil trailblazer

In 1960, during an American trip, when a Journalist asked the popular and admired Indian politician couple, who belonged to two different political parties, “What happens in India when husband and wife are leaders in opposing political parties?”, both replied: “Peaceful co-existence”. They further laughingly added, “if we had been in America we probably would have been divorced twice. Political rivalries haven’t extended into our married life.”

The example of husband and wife occupying the topmost positions in two foremost opposing political parties of the country and leading an ideal harmonious life with each other is unparalleled in Indian democracy and history. That couple was Sucheta Kriplani and J B Kriplani (Acharya Kriplani); both were ardent Gandhians, socialists, independence activists and leading politicians of pre and post-independent India.

They met each other in the backdrop of the Civil Disobedience movement and got intellectually connected. They married overcoming mammoth impediments, first the opposition from the families since Sucheta was 20 years younger to J B and secondly and very importantly, opposition from Gandhi as he thought that his two most trusted and hardworking lieutenants and national workers would be lost amidst the family responsibilities.

After their marriage, both got extremely busy with national, social and relief work, most of the time, away from each other. J B was much senior to Sucheta in public life and had already established himself as a strong national leader. Sucheta, who was the professor of history at BHU, was still finding her ground. Gradually Sucheta not only started rising but during the Quit India phase (1942), she emerged as the star of the underground movement that shook the roots of the foreign government. She also became the right hand of Gandhi in his constructive work in villages and relief and rehabilitation work in the riot-torn region of Noakhali (1946).

Due to her contributions, Sucheta was elected a member of the Indian Constituent Assembly from the United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh). On August 14, 1947, when India as a nation was about to be born, the Constituent Assembly held its Independence Session which started at 11 o’clock in the night. It was the most momentous and reflective juncture when in that historical Session just before Jawaharlal Nehru’s Tryst with Destiny speech, Sucheta Kriplani exhilarated the Assembly by the soul-stirring recitation of Vande Mataram. It was a pinnacle moment for her because she not only opened the Session with her singing but also concluded it by reciting Saare Jahan Se Achha and the National Anthem.

Sucheta had a sweet, rich and soulful voice and her Bhajans had been the regular feature of Gandhi’s prayer meetings during 1946-47. However, behind a soft voice was an iron-willed and gutsy person, who in spite of being highly influenced by the ideas and philosophies of her political guru, Mahatma Gandhi, and her husband, remained fiercely independent, made her own choices and chartered her own course.

In 1950, J B broke away from Indian National Congress (INC) due to ideological differences and formed his own ‘Kisan Mazdoor Praja’ party, which later merged with the Socialist Party of India and became the Praja Socialist Party of which he became the Chairman. After some time, Sucheta too felt the need to join the Praja Socialist Party. Though in 1957 with the declaration of INC of its socialist aims and measures at its Avadi Session, she felt it was no longer necessary for her to remain outside the folds of the organisation of which she had long been an active member. She not only returned to INC in 1957 but later became its general secretary as well. However, J B remained in the Opposition for the rest of his life. In spite of belonging to opposing political parties in the Lok Sabha, Sucheta and J B epitomised mutual tolerance and integrity in politics by staying together cordially.

In 1963, the unstoppable Sucheta became the first woman chief minister of an Indian state— Uttar Pradesh, the largest one. It was a remarkable feat given fewer women in politics at that time.

From teaching history to creating history, during her eventful journey of life, Sucheta Kriplani stood out as one of the most dynamic political personalities with a splendid record of service to her credit. She played a prominent role in shaping the contours of independent India.

(The writer is a post-doctoral research fellow, UGC)