Mention the Reasons for Tagore Renouncing the knighthood, Reflecting His Patriotism.

Answer

 Mention the reasons for Tagore renouncing the knighthood, reflecting his patriotism. 

Or Comment on Tagore’s patriotism in “Letter to Lord Chelmsford Rejecting Knighthood.” 

Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) was a famous Indian poet and writer. In 1915, the British government gave him the title of “Sir,” making him a knight. However, in 1919, he decided to renounce his knighthood. The main reason was his deep love for his country and his strong feelings about the unfair actions of the British government in India. His letter to Lord Chelmsford explains why he gave up his knighthood. The letter clearly shows his patriotism.

The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre: In his letter, Tagore talks about the terrible events that happened in Punjab. A large group of Indians had gathered peacefully to protest against unfair British laws. Without any warning, British soldiers, led by General Dyer, started shooting at the crowd. Hundreds of innocent men, women, and children were killed, and many more were injured.

Tagore believed such cruel actions were unacceptable from a government that called itself civilized. Hence, Tagore renounced his knighthood in protest.

Feeling Helpless Under British Rule: Tagore revealed in his letter that the Jallianwala Bagh massacre proved the helplessness of Indians as British subjects. The Indians are oppressed, powerless, and helpless under the British colonial rule. He wrote that the brutal killing proved the “helplessness of our position as British subjects in India.” This unfairness deeply troubled Tagore, and he renounced his knighthood title.

Unjust Punishments: In his letter to Lord Chelmsford, Tagore points out that the punishments given to the people were too severe. Tagore believes that such cruel actions have “no political expediency, far less moral justification.” This means that the actions taken by British rule were neither useful nor morally right.

Solidarity with His Countrymen: By renouncing his knighthood, Tagore stands beside his countrymen to protest against the brutality of the British colonial rule. In the letter, Tagore criticizes the British rulers for ignoring the suffering of the Indian people. He is upset that the British government does not care about how the Indians feel and continues to be “callous” or unfeeling.

Protest Against Injustice: Tagore feels that keeping the knighthood would be wrong when such injustices are happening. He writes,

The time has come when badges of honour make our shame glaring.

This means that holding onto honors from the British makes the shame of the situation even worse. By returning the title, Tagore is protesting against the wrongs done to his country.

Patriotism and Moral Duty: Tagore’s actions show his deep patriotism. He believes it is his duty to speak out against injustice. He writes in his letter to Lord Chelmsford,

The very least that I can do for my country is to take all consequences upon myself in giving voice to the protest of the millions of my countrymen.

He is willing to face any consequences to stand up for his people.

In conclusion, Rabindranath Tagore renounced his knighthood because he could not accept the British government’s cruel treatment of the Indian people, especially the massacre in Punjab. His letter clearly explains his reasons. His letter clearly shows his deep love for his country.