JAYAPRAKASH NARAYAN (Syllabus: GS Paper 1 – History)

Context: The Prime Minister of India has paid tributes to Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan on his birth anniversary.

Lok Nayak Jaya Prakash Narayan

• Born: On October 11, 1902. Jay Prakash Narayan's birthday is celebrated as "Save Democracy Day" due to his remarkable role in the anti-emergency agitation during 1975-76.
• Early Life and Ideological Journey: In 1921, he joined the Non-cooperation movement and was deeply influenced by Gandhian ideology.
• A stint in the United States exposed him to Marxist ideology, but he ultimately embraced socialism over revolution to combat capitalism.
• In 1929, he was invited to join the Indian National Congress (INC) by Jawaharlal Nehru.
• Congress Socialist Party (1934): He established the Congress Socialist Party with the ideology of Democratic Socialism.

oHe participated in the Quit India Movement in 1942, advocating non-rebellion and non-violence.

• Advocating "Total Revolution" (1975): During the Emergency period in 1975, he called for "Total Revolution" or "Sampoorna Kranti" to completely transform society.
• National and International Engagement: After Jawaharlal Nehru's death, he became increasingly involved in national politics.
• During the Bangladesh crisis, JP served as India's ambassador to advocate for India's just cause.
• Advocate for Human Rights: JP's voice resonated in international crises, such as the Hungarian crisis, Czech crisis, and Tibetan crisis during his era.
• Bharat Ratna: In 1999, he was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna.