Bhulabhai Desai was an Indian independence activist and acclaimed lawyer.
17 Facts About Bhulabhai Desai
2.
Bhulabhai Desai is well-remembered for his defence of the three Indian National Army soldiers accused of treason during World War II, and for attempting to negotiate a secret power-sharing agreement with Liaquat Ali Khan of the Muslim League.
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Bhulabhai Desai then joined the Elphinstone College in Bombay from where he graduated in high standing in English literature and history.
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Bhulabhai Desai won the Wordsworth Prize and a scholarship for standing first in History and Political Economy.
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Bhulabhai Desai did his MA in English from the University of Bombay.
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Bhulabhai Desai was appointed Professor of English and History in the Gujarat College, Ahmedabad.
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Bhulabhai Desai enrolled as an advocate at the Bombay High Court in 1905, and became one of the city's and later the nation's leading lawyers.
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Bhulabhai Desai began his political career with joining Annie Besant's All India Home Rule League.
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Bhulabhai Desai had joined the Indian Liberal Party, supportive of British influences, but came out in opposition of the all-European Simon Commission formed in 1928 by the British to formulate constitutional reforms in India.
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Bhulabhai Desai formidably represented the farmers' case, and was important to the eventual success of the struggle.
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In November 1934, Bhulabhai Desai was elected to the Central Legislative Assembly from Gujarat.
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Bhulabhai Desai built much respect and standing by forcefully leading the first elected representation of the Congress.
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Bhulabhai Desai considered it important to use the Central Assembly to clarify the Congress attitude to the world.
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Bhulabhai Desai was released from prison in September 1941 on grounds of poor health, which affected his participation in the Quit India movement.
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Bhulabhai Desai was not given a ticket to contest elections for the Constituent Assembly of India on grounds of his ill-health, but due to feelings in the Congress that Desai had been advancing his own power and popularity while the Congress leadership was imprisoned.
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Undeterred by poor health, Bhulabhai Desai made an emphatic and passionate argument in defence of the charged soldiers.
17.
Bhulabhai Desai cited international law in his arguments, arguing that the accused were entitled to take up arms to gain independence for their country under the order of the Provisional Government which Subhas Bose had established and which had the recognition of a few sovereign governments, and that the Indian Penal Code did not apply to their case.