Madhav Shrihari Aney: Difference between revisions

Dr. '''Madhav Shrihari Aney''' (29 August 1880 – 26 January 1968);<ref name="sen">Sen S.N. (1997). ''History of the Freedom Movement in India (1857–1947)'' New Delhi: New Age. p. 354. {{ISBN|81-224-1049-9}}</ref> popularly referred to as '''Loknayak Bapuji Aney''' or '''Bapuji Aney''',  was an ardent educationist, freedom fighter, statesman, a modern Sanskrit poet and a politician. He was also conferred with the title of "[[Honorary titles of Indian leaders|Loknayak Bapuji]]", which means "The People's Leader and  Respected Father".<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PJa3x6lrg7UC&pg=PA287|title=History of Educational Development in Vidarbha, 1882-1923 A.D.|author=S. Shabbir|publisher=Northern Book Centre|year=2005|page=287|isbn=9788172111878}}</ref> He was one of the founder of the [[Congress Nationalist Party]]. He was first among the eminent disciples of [[Lokmanya Tilak]] such as [[N. C. Kelkar|N C Kelkar]], [[Kakasaheb Khadilkar]], Gangadhar Deshpande, Dr [[B S Munje]], [[Moreshwar Vasudeo Abhyankar|Abhyankar]], T B Paranjpe and [[Vaman Malhar Joshi]], who walked in the footsteps of Tilak.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Illustrated Weekly of India, Volume 95|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AsU7R69gqDIC|publisher=Bennett, Coleman & Company, Limited, at the Times of India Press|year=1974|page=31}}</ref> Accepting the leadership of [[Mahatma Gandhi]] on the death of [[Bal Gangadhar Tilak]]. Aney persuaded his colleagues to see the writing on the wall. At the same time he was not blind in his loyalty. He disapproved Congress throwing itself in [[Khilafat Movement]] and warned against excessive wooing of Muslims at the cost of national interests. He regarded unity at any price as elusive and dangerous. Since the best safeguard for the minority was the goodwill of the majority. He never permitted his critical faculties to be blurred by emotion. [[Mahatma Gandhi]] admiring his calm logic, confided in him and often sought his counsel. He was chosen to arbitrate the disputes between [[Subhash Chandra Bose]] and [[Jatindra Mohan Sengupta]]. He was never a breaker or a destroyer but was always a cementing factor believing in synthesis and not in segregation.{{Sfn|Rao|1991|page=88}}

Bapuji Aney was born on 20 August 1880 in a family of Sanskrit pandits at [[Wani, Maharashtra|Wani]] in [[Yavatmal district]] of [[Vidarbha]] in [[Maharashtra]]. His father Shrihari Aney was a learned pandit and mother Rakhma Bai Aney, a housewife. Bapuji Aney was second of their four son's.{{Sfn|Sinha|1996|p=119}}

He came from a [[Deshastha Brahmin]] family<ref>{{cite book|title=The Myth of the Lokamanya: Tilak and Mass Politics in Maharashtra|url=https://archive.org/details/mythoflokamanya00rich|url-access=registration|author=Cashman, Richard I. |publisher=University of California Press|page=[https://archive.org/details/mythoflokamanya00rich/page/190 190]|year=1975|isbn=9780520024076}}</ref> It is said that his ancestors hailed from Telugu-speaking area with the surname "Annamraju" which was later transmuted into "Aney". The other suggested origin name is Annamwar, also originating in Telangana. He was initiated into vedic studies early in life and soon ripened into profound Sanskrit scholar.

The forest law was defied in [[Berar Division|Berar]] as in other parts of the country. [[Moreshwar Vasudeo Abhyankar]] and [[Waman Gopal Joshi|Wamanrao Joshi]] were arrested for their protests. On 10 July 1930, Bapuji Aney took over the leadership to inaugurate the "''Forest Satyagraha''". With the party of volunteers he cut grass from the reserved forests at [[Pusad]] at [[Yavatmal]]  and was arrested. He was charged with the offence of 'Theft' under Section 379 and was convicted.  At the same time other leaders of the Berar such as [[Brijlal Biyani]], Gole, Patwardhan and Soman were also  arrested. With this the Satyagraha started spreading in all the parts of the state of C.P. & Berar. The Gond and other Adivasi tribals too participated in thousands in the Satyagraha.<ref>{{cite book|title=Maharashtra State Gazetteers: Yeotmal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KaJhAAAAIAAJ|publisher=Gazetteers Dept Director of Government Printing, Stationery and Publications, Maharashtra State|year=1974|page=162}}</ref> Aney underwent six months imprisonment and thereafter he was known as "''Loknayak Aney''"

He died on 26 January 1968 evening with a severe heart attack.<ref>{{cite book|title=Lokrajya, Volume 36|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8DkMpkEjobgC|publisher=Directorate-General of Information and Public Relations|year=1980|quote=A Page From Shri K. S. Kelkar's Diary 26TH JANUARY 1968 oknayak Bapuji Aney was honoured with the insignia of Padma Vibhushan. our hearty congratulations, the same evening we were shocked to learn that he was dead, following a heart attack.}}</ref>