M. P. T. Acharya

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M. P. T. Acharya
Hindu-German Conspiracy, Communism, Anarchism
SpouseMagda Nachman Acharya
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Mandayam Parthasarathi Tirumal Acharya (15 April 1887

Hindu-German Conspiracy during World War I when, as a key functionary of the Berlin Committee, he along with Har Dayal sought to establish the Indian Volunteer Corps with Indian prisoners of war from the battlefields of Mesopotamia and Europe. Acharya subsequently moved in 1919 after the end of the war to the Soviet Union, where he was one of the founding members of the Communist Party of India at Tashkent. However, disappointed with the Communist International, Acharya returned to Europe in the 1920s where he was involved with the League against Imperialism and subsequently was involved with the international anarchist movement.[3][4]

Early life

M.P.T. Acharya was born in 1887 in

Madras Presidency College. Acharya himself was an admirer of Swami Vivekananda in his childhood.[3][6]

By 1900, a young Acharya, along with

Subramanya Bharathi, had begun publication of the weekly journal called India, and worked hard to popularise the publication within a short time. However, the journal's nationalist editorials and critical and satirical cartoons quickly drew the attention of The Raj, forcing the young editors to quietly shift to the French enclave of Pondicherry, following the trail of notable numbers who migrated to the enclave as refugees.[6]
The publication also acquired popularity in Pondicherry.

Work of the press continued unabated for M.P.T. Acharya, and was expanded to publications of revolutionary literature. The British government began to seek French assistance to ban the publications which were deemed "seditious literature". Under pressure from British colonial authorities, the French authorities in Pondicherry relented, allowing the Indian Imperial Police to establish surveillance centres to monitor the activities of the revolutionaries. Attempts were also made at this time to extradite the Indians to British custody.[7] Subramania Bharaty, along with S.N.T. Acharya (owner of the India magazine) and the latter's cousin, were forced to flee to Europe.[6]

Although some French officials did indeed harbour sympathies for the Indian revolutionaries,[7] the latter also faced some resistance among the local Francophile and Europeanised Indians who saw the "new immigrants" somewhat contemptuously.[7] The refugee cause was, however, taken up by a number of sympathetic French lawyers. Acharya found assistance from this group to help fight against his expulsion from Pondicherry.[7]

England

Faced with the threat of persecution, M.P.T. Acharya made up his mind to leave India. He left for Britain. Acharya visited his ailing father at Shiyali and, although an orthodox

Rupees, which allowed him money for travel but not any luggage.[7]

From Colombo, Acharya proceeded to

Marseilles, for which he was able to acquire a third class ticket for eleven pounds, nearly half his savings. It is said that during the voyage to Marseilles, as an orthodox Brahmin he was unable to bring himself to eat non-Indian food – he was forbidden from taking even coffee or bread by his orthodox beliefs – and decided to observe a fast for the twenty-two days the voyage lasted.[7]

From Marseilles, short of money, Acharya proceeded to Paris where he hoped to find Indian expatriates who might have been able to help him both financially and with jobs. He had, while editing Anglo-Tamil newspaper and journals in India, been in touch with Indians living in France and in Paris.[8][9] In Paris, he established contact with Professor Moniers Vinson and a few Indian expatriates. He was able to support himself with help from this circle for some time. In his reminiscences, Acharya mentions an unnamed Parisian Indian acquaintance who, having invited him home one afternoon and being told by a penniless Acharya that he would have to walk to his house, handed him the money for his train fare.[9]

India House

Main article: India House

While in Paris, urged by his friends, Acharya wrote to

Madame Bhikaji Cama.[10][11] Iyer responded promptly, inviting Acharya to London. It was here in London that Acharya was introduced to the nationalism of India House.[3][10]

In London, the India House settled Acharya's short-term worries of food and shelter. With financial support from the organisation, Acharya was able to enroll to learn

V.D. Savarkar
.

Acharya was quick to realise that the residents of India House were shadowed by detectives from Scotland Yard.[12] A fear of repercussions due to an association with India House built an invisible barrier that prevented other Indian students from visiting or receiving residents of the house.[12] This careerist and self-critical attitude of his fellow Indians, compared to the polite and helpful nature of Englishmen, is believed to have disappointed Acharya deeply.[12] At one point, Acharya described Indian students treating the India House as a "Leper's Home".[14]

With Savarkar

See also:
Madame Cama, and Virendranath Chattopadhyaya

Through his prolonged stay in India House, however, Acharya gradually became deeply involved in its activities. Scotland Yard had at one point been able to infiltrate the organisation with an Indian student by the name of Kritikar, who had arrived at the organisation with a story similar to that of Acharya, and had for some time been able to report to Scotland Yard about its activities before he was uncovered and forced by Savarkar to confess at gunpoint.[15] After this, Kirtikar's reports are believed to have been regularly screened by Savarkar before they were passed on to Scotland Yard. For some time, Acharya himself had been under suspicion of being a Scotland Yard mole before he was able to convince his fellow residents of his integrity and commitment to the nationalist cause.[16] It is believed that Acharya was instructed by V.V.S. Iyer and V.D. Savarkar to set himself up as an informer to Scotland Yard, which they reasoned would allow them to carefully feed information to the police and also help them provide a corroboration to the version of reports that were being sent by Kritikar.[17] For his reports, Acharya took five pounds (later doubled) which also eased from his fellow house-mates the financial strain of supporting him.[17]

V.D. Savarkar had by this time developed a reputation of an avid orator and a staunch nationalist. In London, Savarkar researched through the India Office library and archives. Even those who did not dare attend the Sunday night meetings at the India House were of the opinion that he was an erudite orator and a learned scholar.[12]

Acharya became deeply involved in the activities of the house, working with Savarkar and others in the house to produce nationalist pamphlets and publications including

V.V.S. Iyer and others, practiced shooting at a range in Tottenham Court Road and acquired considerable skills with the revolver.[19]

End of India House

By 1909, India House was under strong surveillance from Scotland Yard. Savarkar's elder brother

Madanlal Dhingra on the evening of 1 July 1909 at a meeting of Indian students in the Imperial Institute in London.[19] Dhingra was arrested and later tried and executed. In the aftermath of the assassination, the India House was rapidly liquidated. The investigations in the aftermath of the assassination were expanded to look for broader conspiracies originating from the India house, and Scotland Yard brought pressure on the inmates to leave England. While some of its leaders, like Krishna Varma, fled to Europe, others like Chattopadhyaya, moved to Germany and many others moved to Paris.[11] It was suggested to Acharya at this time by one Syed Hyder Reza, probably on instructions from Scotland Yard, that Acharya move to the United States.[20]

However, Acharya remained in London for sometime, lodging at Bipin Pal's boarding house. He attended along with Savarkar, Iyer and other ex-residents of the house a meeting of Indians called by the Aga Khan to demonstrate their loyalty to the empire and offer condolences to the Wyllie family, where they opposed the unanimous acceptance of a resolution of condemnation against Dhingra.[21] In a scuffle that ensued between Savarkar and a London barrister by the name of Palmer, Acharya is known to have come to Savarkar's aid, hitting Palmer with a stick and apparently not shooting Palmer with his revolver only under indications from Savarkar not to do so.[22]

Interviewed repeatedly in the investigations following the Wyillie murder, it became clear to Acharya that staying in Britain was not safe for him. Neither could he return to India, for he was sure to be picked up by Indian police.[23] He did not wish to waste the experiences he had gained studying and training for revolution at the India House. He also wanted first-hand experiences of the battlefield. Indian revolutionaries in Europe at this time used to send recruits to work with Irish, Egyptian and Turkish groups for training and experience.

Acharya's attention was turned towards the

Spanish-Moroccan war, where he believed the Rifian people fighting the white imperialist Spain would welcome him and allow exposure to guerrilla warfare.[24] After consulting with V.V.S. Iyer, Acharya and another Indian revolutionary by the name of Sukhsagar Dutt were selected to be sent to train with the Rifians. Guns, uniforms and funds were obtained by the remnants of the India House, and the two were given a hearty farewell from Savarkar and Iyer.[25]

The Moroccan mission was, however, a dismal failure.[26] Neither the Rifians nor the Spanish troops were willing to recruit the two Indians for suspicion of being spies from the opposing camp. Penniless and emaciated, Dutt and Acharya were left with no option but to leave the country. Writing to London, Acharya asked for help to be moved to a different country, and if possible, to India.[25] The two were sent enough money to reach Portugal, where they were instructed to meet an Indian contact. Dutt returned to London, later joining the Paris Indian Society.[25] Acharya, meanwhile, proceeded to Lisbon. He had wished to settle in Portugal, but the terms of residency offered by Portuguese Interior affairs minister instructed him to place himself under police supervision, not change residences without police permission and a number of other conditions which to Acharya meant he could not live as a free man. Broke and depressed, Acharya returned to London. The whole affair had cost nearly three hundred pounds.[26]

Europe

A large number of Indian nationalists had (as explained above) moved to Europe in the aftermath of Curzon Wyllie's assassination. Among them were

Bande Mataram in Paris in September 1909.[27] From Paris, Madame Cama arranged for Indian students to be supported in Russia, Germany, Japan and other countries where they could train in explosives, military tactics, arrange for arms shipments to India and also facilitate continental connections.[26]

After Savarkar's arrest in 1910 Acharya and V.V.S. Iyer took the prudent decision of leaving for Paris, where Acharya worked for Madame Cama's publication. He continued to maintain contacts with revolutionaries in India, including

Subramanya Bharathi with whom he had worked in Pondicherry, and with M.S. Acharya.[28] Significantly, at this time, in addition to his works in promoting and clandestine distribution of the Bande Mataram, Acharya, in a train of thought that arose among Indian revolutionaries at this time, began efforts to spread nationalist sentiments amongst the British Indian Army.[28] The influx of seditious literature from Europe was quickly noted by the British colonial authorities. A report by the Director of Criminal intelligence bureau described the effects and sentiments that these literature were promoting amongst the "ignorant peasantry", urging the ban on such publications emanating in Europe from entering India.[29] The result was the Indian Press Act, 1910 which restricted publication of sedtious material in India and the entry of such literature from outside. A number of newspaper proprietors, journalists and editors within India were imported or transported under the act.[29] The publication found their way in nonetheless. Among Acharya's ploys was to send these literature from different countries and use different secret code numbers to prevent Indian postal authorities from deciphering or tracing them.[29]

Socialism

It was also in Paris that Acharya's thoughts were first turned towards

Marseilles after escaping from a ship that was deporting him to India.[30] Acharya made the most of the available press freedom and the socialist platform to press for the re-extradition of his erstwhile leader to France and build French public opinion in support of such moves. Under public pressure at home, the French Government conceded to make such a request to Britain. The matter was ultimately settled in the Permanent Court of Arbitration at the Hague, which ruled in favour of Britain.[30] Acharya became extensively involved in the socialist movement. The Paris Indian Society at this time grew to be one of the most powerful Indian organisations outside India at the time,[31] and grew to initiate contacts with not only French Socialists, but also those in continental Europe.[31] It sent delegates at this time to the International Socialist Congress in August 1910, where Shyamji Krishna Varma and V.V.S. Iyer succeeded in having a resolution passed demanding Savarkar's release and his extradition to France.[30] It also succeeded in bringing to the attention of the organisation the state of affairs in India.[31]

In Paris, the Indian Society also held regular meetings and sought to train its members in skills necessary for revolution, which included training in firearms, learning military tactics, as well as organising the publication of revolutionary literature. It also sent recruits other countries and, after training, some were sent back to India to carry on propaganda work

Champakaraman Pillai, who headed and Indian revolutionary group there.[31] Observing Pillai's work, Acharya and Iyer suggested to the Paris Indian Society that their work by expanded beyond the work of the Paris publication. Accordingly, with funds from Madam Cama, Virendranath Chattopadhyaya was sent to Berlin to begin publication of the Talvar.[31] The National fund scheme was initiated of which Madam Cama was the biggest contributor with (then) 5,000 Francs
. The funds were strictly regulated to fund revolutionary activities in India, as well as fund Savarkar's trial.

First World War

Main articles:
Hindu-German Conspiracy

In the meantime, work on Bande Mataram and other publications continued unabated. These were shipped by Acharya to India through contacts in

sedition committee report blamed Acharya for instigating, organising and planning the assassination.[7]

In 1911, Acharya arrived in

Barkatullah a year later also would experience a similar fate.[35]

With the beginning of the war, the Indian efforts began in earnest to subverting the sepoys of the British Indian Army and to fund and arm a revolution in India in

German intelligence agency for the East
was formed at this time and actively sought to destabilize British possessions in India and the Middle East. In this, they allied with the Indian revolutionaries and also sought Har Dayal's aid. At the time that the
Ghadar Party. It sent members including Herambalal Gupta and Chandra Kanta Chakraverty to the United States to begin arrangements for arms shipment (which culminated in the Annie Larsen fiasco). Acharya himself sought to focus on organising recruits for the intended revolution. A prime target was Turkey, which had a substantial Indian presence, both Hajj
pilgrims and as Indian residents.

With the efforts of the Berlin Committee and the Paris Indian Society, Har Dayal reached Istanbul following another Indian revolutionary by the name of P.N. Dutta.

Bushire amongst Indian troops with Wilhelm Wassmuss,[39] while one story describes Acharya and a fellow revolutionary by the name of Birendranth Dasgupta as having swum across the Suez Canal at one point to contact troops of the British Indian Army.[3]

Communism

Acharya later returned to Berlin and over the course of the war, was in

Russian revolution. Nicholas Safransky, a Russian bomb expert, is known to have been involved in training the Indian revolutionaries in bomb manufacture and explosives.[41] and Acharya was greatly impressed by the revolution itself, hailed at the time as a watershed in the struggle of colonial people against imperialism.[41] The publication of a manifesto by the Soviet Union declaring support for colonies against imperialism was attractive to the Indian nationalists, who saw Soviet Russia as a future centre for coordinating activities, and also intended Russia to be a channel for Indian nationalists in any peace negotiations.[42] This was also the time that the Swedish government under diplomatic pressure from Britain, gradually was leaning on the Indian propaganda bureau, while relationship of the Berlin committee with the German foreign office was also strained on apprehensions of German imperial designs and over allocation of funds.[42] Chatto and Acharya arranged for Troionovsky to be provided with a large amount of the committee's literature to acquaint the Soviets with the Indian situation when the latter left Stockholm for Petrograd. However, Acharya was ultimately disappointed with the Socialist conference in Stockholm, which in his opinion entirely skirted the issue of the colonies.[43] Towards the end of 1918, Acharya returned to Berlin along with Chatto.[44]

Russia

At Berlin at the time was also

Lenin in Moscow in May 1919.[3]

Communist Party of India

See also:
M N Roy

The time of Acharya's meeting with Lenin in 1919 was also when the war in Europe was coming to an end. The Berlin committee was dissolved and a large number of the Indian revolutionaries were turning towards

international Communist movement
.

In 1922 Acharya returned to

Communist manifesto
.

Return to India

The British-Indian ban on Acharya was lifted in 1935 and he returned to Bombay that same year, where he managed a living as a journalist. During this time, Acharya wrote eight articles which would later be collated to be published as a book called Reminiscences of an Indian revolutionary. From Bombay, Acharya established correspondence with Japanese anarchist Taiji Yamaga and Chinese anarchist Ba Jin. The result of the correspondences led to the three establishing contacts with Commission de Relations de l’Internationale Anarchiste (Liaison Commission of the Anarchist International). In the following years, Acharya contributed to anarchist publications such as Freedom in London, Tierra y Libertad in Mexico and an anarchist publication called Contre Courant in Paris. He also remained in correspondence with Albert Meltzer for more than fifteen years.

In the following years Acharya was appointed secretary of the

Harijan
, commissioned by its editor K.G. Mashruwala, and later M.P. Desai. His contributions to Harijan, accumulating to nearly thirty essays, were his primary source of income before his death in March 1954.

Personal life

Acharya married the artist

Magda Nachman in 1921 in Moscow.[51]

References

  1. ISBN 9789352061730
    .
  2. S2CID 219058356
    .
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Radhan 2002, p. 119
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Radhan 2002, p. 120
  5. ^ Yadav 1992, p. 2
  6. ^ a b c d e Yadav 1992, p. 3
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h Yadav 1992, p. 4
  8. ^ Yadav 1992, p. 5
  9. ^ a b Yadav 1992, p. 6
  10. ^ a b c Yadav 1992, p. 7
  11. ^ a b "Champak-Chatto" And the Berlin Committee". Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. Retrieved 4 November 2007.
  12. ^ a b c d e Yadav 1992, p. 9
  13. ^ Yadav 1992, p. 8
  14. ^ Owen 2007, p. 73
  15. ^ a b c Yadav 1992, p. 11
  16. ^ Yadav 1992, p. 10
  17. ^ a b Yadav 1992, p. 12
  18. ^ a b Yadav 1992, p. 14
  19. ^ a b c d e Yadav 1992, p. 15
  20. ^ Yadav 1992, p. 16
  21. ^ Yadav 1992, p. 17
  22. ^ Yadav 1992, p. 18
  23. ^ Yadav 1992, p. 19
  24. ^ Yadav 1992, p. 20
  25. ^ a b c Yadav 1992, p. 21
  26. ^ a b c Yadav 1992, p. 22
  27. ^ Kumar 1993, p. 49
  28. ^ a b Yadav 1992, p. 23
  29. ^ a b c d e f Yadav 1992, p. 24
  30. ^ a b c Yadav 1992, p. 25
  31. ^ a b c d e f Yadav 1992, p. 26
  32. ^ Yadav 1992, p. 27
  33. ^ Chirol 2000, p. 149
  34. ^ "Vanchi Assassinates Ashe". Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. Retrieved 20 June 2008.
  35. ^ a b Yadav 1992, p. 29
  36. ^ a b c Yadav 1992, p. 30
  37. ^ a b c Yadav 1992, p. 34
  38. ^ Yadav 1992, p. 36
  39. ^ Yadav 1992, p. 35
  40. ^ Yadav 1992, p. 40
  41. ^ a b c d Yadav 1992, p. 43
  42. ^ a b Yadav 1992, p. 44
  43. ^ Yadav 1992, p. 50
  44. ^ Yadav 1992, p. 45
  45. ^ Ashraf & Syomin 1977, p. 123
  46. ^ Price 2005, p. 445
  47. ^ Kaye, Roy & Saha 1971, p. 169
  48. ^ Yadav 1992, p. 53
  49. ^ Yadav 1992, p. 59
  50. ^ Two Essays by Acharya
  51. ISBN 9781527523562
    .

Literature

External links
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