BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES ON JAYNARAIN ROY

(1908 – 1986)

1. Foreword

The task of compiling biographical notes on Jay Narain Roy proved to be an

exhilarating and intellectually stimulating exercise. It was clear from the

outset that his multi-faceted achievements as a writer, a columnist, a peerless

political leader, an educationist, a trade unionist, a social activist, a social

activist, a torchbearer of Hindi, a potent scribe of the struggle for

independence, a relentless voice for the downtrodden, an innovative thinker

tirelessly contributing definitive ideas to fashion Mauritius into a better

society for one and all would be no easy venture. The intellectual giant and

uncompromising patriot who unfolded from research inducted a sense of

urgency to the work in order to bring to light the life and deeds of such a

distinguished son of soil. It is impossible to summarize such a key figure of

our struggle for freedom from the trappings of intolerant colonial rule into

such a succinct document.

The object is therefore to shed light on his background, his unique intellect,

the environment and events which fashioned him and on some of his

determinant achievements.

The singular trait of Jay Narain Roys’s life is that most of his initiatives and

actions have been recorded in his prolific public writings spanning six

decades as well as in numerous articles by a wide cross-section of his

contemporaries. These biographical notes have been built from these

writings, newspaper articles, research, testimonies of his contemporaries and

personal notes of Jay Narain Roy and his spouse Roheenee Roy.

2. Background

It is in 1857, which Indian historians call the year of the first Indian

Revolution that Jay Narain Roy’s grand-father Nawabsing Roy came to

Mauritius. He was a hefty man, a professional wrestler and a formidable

adept of the Indian art of fighting with a nine-foot stick. He was

immediately employed on his arrival as watchman of the Treasury of Belle

Rive Estate. His stentorian voice was heard throughout the labour camp at

dawn when he shouted the morning call for the labourers to awake. In those

days, the estates kept huge amounts of money at their Treasury to pay the

workers and cover their expenses for several months as the banks were

located only in Port Louis. Furthermore, the poor means of communications

heightened the risk of encountering thieves during money transfers.

Nawabsing Roy was literate and read the religious scriptures regularly. He

was a pious man never missing his daily meditation and prayers in particular

to his favourite deity Hanooman. He inculcated in Jay Narain Roy’s father

Ramlallsing Roy and through him in the succeeding generations the habit of

prayers and a deep sense of piety.

Ramlallsing Roy, the father of Jay Narain Roy was a leading figure. He was

a voracious reader and an expert on the Ramayana and the Bhagvad Gita.

He was also the President of the Hindi Society, the Hindi School, the Head

of the Panchayat (Village Court) of his village and the Head of a Round

Table type of society set up to uphold morality and fight against the sexual

harassment and abuses of the managerial staff of the estate. Appropriate

punishment was meted out by his Round Table to chasten wrongdoers.

Ramlallsingh Roy and through him in the succeeding generations the habit

of prayers and a deep sense of piety.

Ramlallsing Roy, the father of Jay Narain Roy was a leading figure. He was

a voracious reader and an expert on the Ramayana and the Bhagwad Gita.

He was also the President of the Hindi Society, the Hindi School, the Head

of the Panchayat (Village Court) of his village and the Head of a Round

Table type of society set up to uphold morality and fight against the sexual

harassment and abuses of the managerial staff of the estate. Appropriate

punishment was meted out by his Round Table to chasten wrongdoers.

Ramlallsing Roy’s reputation for equity and justice was such that he was

regularly called upon to settle difficult issues in other Panchayats across the

island. Moreover, the trust in Ramlallsing Roy was so absolute that the

villagers left their gold jewels and savings with him for safekeeping.

Ramlallsing Roy not only subscribed numerous magazines and newspapers

from all over India but also regularly received personalities, scholars and

eminent religious dignitaries from the sub-continent who stayed for months

on end at his place in a specially furnished guest house whose amenities

included a well-equipped library and musical instruments.

During the election of 1921, in spite of the pressure brought on Ramalallsing

Roy by the Estate as he was one of the two Indo-Mauritian electors of the

District, he stood his way and figured prominently in the election campaign

of R. Gajadhur who opposed a candidate from the sugar oligarchy.

When Ramlallsing Roy passed away, the Estate had to decree a day’s

holiday to allow the whole community to pay their respects.

Jay Narain Roy’s mother Caleesaree Roy who played a major role among

the womenfolk of the village had a reputation as a children’s “doctor” and a

“veterinary”. When a cattle was languishing or any child was ill, people

would run to her for advice. She always kept a stock of herbal and other

medicines. Moreover, when a mother would die while giving birth to a

child and the father unable to look after the baby, she would adopt the child.

Jay Narain Roy thus had a number of adopted brothers and sisters.

Jay Narain Roy was born on 8 September 1908 in Beau Champ. Since an

early age, he showed multi-faceted qualities remarkable for one so young.

He thus participated in several dramas staged by the members of the Hindi

Society including one that became very popular entitled “Indar Sabha”

which inspired from the stories of Indra, the God of Heaven in the epic

Mahabharata. He was also the President of the Youth Club of his village

and when the Temple’s priest was seriously injured, he replaced him for

more than a year reciting prayers in the temple every morning and evening.

Jay Narain Roy knitted an intimate relationship with his father who was also

his mentor. Thus, he developed since his young days a strong interest in

Indian Culture, India and the political struggle being waged there.

3. His Education

3.1 Education in Mauritius

At the beginning of the last century, apart from those who lived in the

neighbourhood of school, people all over the country were unwilling to send

their children to school, especially alone, because there was the scare of

bugbears, thieves or witches. To try to remedy this situation, the

Government offered a capitation fee of Rs1 per pupil to Head Teachers who

could prevail upon parents to enroll their children. So when Jay Narain Roy

reached the school going age, his father anxious to start his formal education

invited the Head Teacher of the nearest school to speak to the parents of his

village. Thus twelve children were persuaded to go to school from his

village and they walked to and back from school together everyday.

He did his primary education at Grand River South East Government School

as from 1913 where he was awarded many prizes as he always stood first.

After his sixth standard which he passed at the age of 11, he attended St Jean

Baptiste de la Salle Government School in Port Louis where he passed the

Senior Scholarship examination.

Immediately afterwards he took the Monitor’s Certificate knows as the

Fourth class Teacher’s Certificate and became a volunteer teacher.

3.2 Education in India

He left Mauritius for India on 4 December 1925 on board the Sirsa at the age

of seventeen.

He met Anquetil for the first time on the same ship. Anquetil was on his

way to Australia via India where he was an artisan and a trade unionist. On

board there was also Ooma Shunkur Geerjanand who became his most

intimate friend and later one of his closest collaborators in the Hindi

Pracharini Sabha, Metha Jaimini, an Indian Vedic Scholar, who had come to

Mauritius in the context of Swami Dayanand’s birth centenary celebration to

supervise the publication of a special issue of the “Mauritius Arya Patrika”

in 1925 and who was his guardian aboard the vessel as well as Pandit

Banshiram who had come to advise the Sanatan Dharma organization.

Since his childhood, Jay Narain Roy had been deeply influenced through his

father and his readings and as a consequence he had always wished to

participate in one of Congress’ Annual Sessions. Thus, as soon as he

reached India, he went straight to Kanpur to attend the 40th session of the

Indian National Congress which was being held from 26 December to 29

December 1925 in the presence of Mahatma Gandhi and under the

chairmanship of Sarojini Naidu who was after Annie Besant the second

woman to be President of the Congress. He was introduced to many Indian

political stalwarts on the very first day of the Congress Session by Pandit

Madan Mohan Malaviya who was corresponding with his father and by

Pandit Benarsidas Chaturvedi with whom he had been in correspondence

since he was a little boy. Kanpur was then the great industrial centre of

North India. He described his meeting with Mahatma Gandhi as follows: “I

caught his feet by way of salutation and asked him if he still remembered his

visit to Mauritius. He was very delighted and asked me to meet him which I

did.”

He passed his Matriculation from the City Anglo Vernacular School of

Allhabad under the tutelage of Pandit Madan Malaviya, the founder of

Benares University (later renamed Varanasi University). Pandit Madan

Mohan Malaviya was one of the key figures of the independence movement

of India and among India’s greatest orators who once spoke at a stretch for

seven hours in the Indian Parliament.

Jay Narain Roy passed his Intermediate at the Government Intermediate

College (GIC) of Allahabad where he launched and was the Editor of a

hand-written monthly magazine called GIC Monthly.

He joined the Allahabad University in 1930. The choice of Allahabad was

deliberate. Allahabad was in those days a very important centre of learning,

the dwelling of the Nehrus which was 300 yards from the University, the

very hub of politics and the hive of revolutionary ideas as the Headquarters

of the Indian National Congress was located in the “Anand Bhawan”, the

large mansion donated by Pandit Motilal Nehru, which became known as the

“Swaraj Bhawan”. Allahabad was also the Headquarters of the Red

Republican Army of India whose cammander-in-chief was no less than

Chandrashekar Azad and which had inspired patriots such as Khudiram

Bose, Aurobindo Ghose and Bhagat Singh. It was also the Headquarters of

the Liberal Party which was founded in 1918 as an offshoot of Congress, the

Headquarters of Hindu Pilgrimages as Triveni, the meeting place of the

sacred rivers Ganga, Jumna and Saraswati, is located there. The

Headquarters of the Hindu Maha Sabha was also situated there. Emperor

Ashoka had fixed one of his pillars in Allahabad.

The University was reputed for its famous scholars most of whom were

either Oxford or Cambridge qualified. Among them were the Vice-

Chancellor Dr Ganganath Jha, M.A., Ph.D., D.C.L., LL.D., D.Sc. a Sanskrit

scholar who had been awarded the titles Mahamahoupadhyaya and

Vidyasagar by the Government of his erudition, Dr R. D. Ranade, the

philosopher and one of the stalwarts of India, Professor Meghnad Saha, a

pioneer in Astrophysics and one of the first Fellow of the Royal Society in

India (FRS), Dr Nil Ratan Dhar, a Chemistry scholar and Consultant of the

Government of India, Dr Beni Prasad, the Political Science specialist, Dr

Raghupati Sahay, an English Literature specialist and one of India’s greatest

Urdu poet under the pseudonym Firaq Gorakhpuri, Dr Shafaat Ahmed Khan,

historian who was later knighted was the originator of the Pakistan

Movement and gave the idea of Pakistan to Mr M.A. Jinnah who became its

first President, Dr Amarnath Jha, English Scholar, Dr Bagchi, law specialist

and another stalwart and Dr A. C. Acharya a well-known Sanskrit scholar.

In the Indian National Congress Committees, the students of the Allahabad

University could volunteer to assist the leaders and help in organizing the

various activities of Congress. Jay Narain Roy volunteered instantly. Whie

serving as a volunteer he became close to the Mahatma and thus realized one

of his dearest dreams, that is to have the golden opportunity to listen to him,

to learn from him and to find inspiration in his messages, thoughts and

teachings. This also allowed him to listen to the other front-line

personalities of the freedom movement such as Jawaharlall Nehru, Rajendra

Prasad, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Subhash Chandra Bose, Pandit Madan

Mohan Malaviya, Lala Lajpat Rai, Sarojini Naidu, Bhalubhai Desai and S.

Satyamurti. He therefore became more and more involved in the activities

of the Indian National Congress and developed personal relations and close

ties with many of its leaders.

He was so attracted by the Mahama’s ideals and charisma that on one

occasion he cycled with two other students from Allahabad to Benares, 189

miles away to meet him. The feat was reported in the newspapers.

Thus Jay Narain Roy regularly met Mahatma Gandhi who became his guru

and for whom he developed a unique admiration and reverence and who

marked him for the rest of his life. No wonder this is what he said about

Gandhiji in one of his writings:”I have known this man who made history,

from close quarters. He was like Krishna: a child among children, a

philosopher among thinkers, a statesman among politicians and a visionary

among the great builders. To have obtained independence for hundreds of

millions through non-violence is one of the great events of the history.”

Describing the unique impact of Gandhi on the people of India he wrote:

“When Mahatma Gandhi appealed for action, the whole country including

towns and villages responded. When he was imprisoned, our hostel servants

would ask permission to go to prison. The number of persons offering

themselves for arrest always exceeded those who were arrested. There

followed a general boycott of foreign goods, schools and Universities.

When he appealed for funds, all the ladies gave away their jewels. Then he

would auction the jewels. People would give more money than the worth of

these jewels.”

On 31 January 1948 after the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, he wrote in

an editorial in “Advance” “Bapu is no more. The father, philosopher and

guide has gone to his rest. He who as the leader of our leaders, the solace of

our tears, the hope of our millions, the pride of our race, the rallying point of

the nation and the pure flame in a flickering world, will be reduced to ashes

within a few hours….. With the death of Mahatma Gandhi, a whole chapter

in world history has come to a close. An epoch has passed away. It was an

epoch of miracles. It was the miracle of a man who, although not born

among the highest castes in a conservative India had risen to claim its first

reverence; of a human skeleton blowing life and strength into the soul of

four hundred million Indians; of a frail, little creature who became as

Truman said: “a giant among men”; of one capturing human hearts by

surrendering all his worldly possessions; of one who made his life an

experiment with truth in a distorted world of diplomacy akin to perfidy; of

having declared was on the mighty British Empire with the weapon of non-

violence; of being the dictator of the Congress without being even a simple

member and of dying to preserve a nation… The pure flame will flood its

light and we shall awaken to the necessity of truth as the only bulwark of

peace in the world. Then we shall say: When there was a decay of

righteousness you had come to lead us into light, but we were too much

engrossed with other matters and we allowed you to die… It is the handful

of people like those who lend the shine to this drab life and make living

worthwhile. Their death resurrects, ennobles, illumines so as to make us

exclaim: O death, where is thy victory? Where is thy sting?”

Jay Narain Roy paid regular visits to the “Swaraj Bhawan”, the headquarters

of the Indian National Congress. He also knew Jawaharlall Nehru intimately

who he wrote “occupied a unique place in the galaxy of Allahabad. Nehru

was both a speaker and a writer, the type of a philosopher, like a King

among the Greek thinkers. Nehru read much, thought much and wrote

much. His English prose was superb. He was a towering figure.” Jay

Narain Roy said in his obituary about Nehru on 30 May 1964: “It was he

who first raised the banner of independence. From the time of his

independence proposal he took up the lead and even Mahatma Gandhi

recognized him as his political heir. Although the Mahatma was the spiritual

leader, the organisation for a whole decade before independence was

dominated by Nehru. He with Gandhi’s support outpaced the three stalwarts

Patel, Rajendra Prasad and Subhas Bose and rose up to be India’s

indisputable leader to shoulder the task of forming a Government when

Independence came… Although he did not always see eye to eye with

Gandhi he at no time flagged in his loyalty and devotion to him. It became

mutual appreciation. He realized that Gandhi’s weapons were the only

salvation of India. Gandhi on the other hand, admired his limpid character

and dynamism, and did not hesitate to say that in Nehru India had the right

leader and was therefore in safe hands… The way he gave up the life of an

over-pampered son to become a leader of the masses, and the way he kept

his intellect high nor lost the common touch became the revolutionary

pattern that made thousands of University men give up their studies to throw

themselves into the turmoil of the national movement. His books “Glimpses

of World History”, “Autobiography” and “Discovery of India” have become

classics.”

Jay Narain Roy did his B.A in English Literature, History and Politics in

1932; his B.A (Hons) in Politics in 1933 when he came out first; his M.A in

Politics in 1934 and his LLB in 1935. He completed his MA.,LLB in 1935.

On Convocation Day the Vice-Chancellor, Dr Ganganath Jha had this to say

to him: “We this day bequeath upon you the wild wind of Indian freedom so

that it may blow on your land the freshness of hope for the multitude:. On

Convocation Day, the distinguished speaders who addressed the audience

were /rabindranath Tagore, the scientist Jagadish Chandra Bose who was

later knighted and Dr S. Radhakrishan who became the second President of

India. Among Jay Narain Roy’s class-fellows and University

contemporaries were Bachan the great poet to be, Mahadevi Varma who

became the greatest woman poet of India, Sumitra Nandan Pant who became

one of the greatest poets of India, Narendra Sharma who became a famous

song-writer for films.

At Allahabad University Jay Narain Roy played tennis and cricket and

practiced boxing. He participated in various activities ranging from the

launching of the College Magazine entitled “Twentieth Century Magazine”

where he was the sub-editor and Dr Amarnath Jha, the editor, to being a

member of the Vice-Chancellor’s Executive Council for four consecutive

years or volunteering as life-saver for the Kumbah Mela at Triveni on the

Ganges. He also regularly contributed artices in prominent Indian and

Mauritian newspapers and magazines.

He actively participated in University debating where he honed his talent at

public speaking and he was regularly called upon to address the annual

dinner which was a special event at the University.

He was admitted at the Hindu Boarding House and became the General

Secretary of the Hostel. Under his impulsion, his Hostel took various

initiatives such as:

• Organising an All-India Industrial Exhibition with the participation of

many industrialists and personalities from all over the country including

the Maharajah of Alwar. Jay Narain Roy was the Treasurer of the

function. The Rs 138,000 of profit obtained was donated to the Indian

National Congress. The Hostel Committee also erected a statue for

Pandit Motilal Nehru.

• Staging a humorous but ideological loaded drama that became the talk

of the town making a caricature of British political figures. Thus

Baldwin’s name was changed to Baldeodin, Macdonald to Mandoolall,

etc.

Jay Narain Roy was also suspected of being a terrorist and detained by the

Colonial authorities from December 1928 to February 1929.

3.3 Founding of Minapur Village

Following a severe earthquake in Bihar in May 1935, Jay Narain Roy was

asked by Gandhiji to join relief work organized by the Congress under Dr

Rajendra Prasad. He had just completed his MA., LLB. He volunteered and

was deputed by Dr Rajendra Prasad to take charge of the founding of the

model village of Manipur. He built houses for 300 families with the

necessary infrastructure as well as water tanks, wells, a cooperative society

and a temple. He stayed in Bihar until 1937 to complete the village. He

became very popular and the villagers entrusted him love and confidence

diverse matters to arbitrate while the landlords invited him to settle their

disputes, study their case-papers and to advise them. On the day he was

leaving, a big crowd came from many villages to see him off and to bid him

farewell but also to thank him warmly and to show their affection for him.

Jay Narain Roy said: “It has been a memorable experience and we have

become members of a single family”.

The Government of Bihar has since immortalized the name of Jaynarain Roy

with Minapur with a commemorative stele. Jay Narain Roy said in an article

in 1937entitled “Homeward Bound”: “ How can I forget Minapur where I

first learnt my lesson in service?”. From the world of education he had just

joined the world of service which would lead him to dedicate his life serving

his people especially the downtrodden. He visited the village again 20 years

later and received a hero’s welcome.

3.4 Mentors

While he was studying in India, Jay Narain Roy was influenced by freedom

fighters such as Gandhiji, Pandit Jawaharlall Nehru, Rajendra Prasad,

Chandrashekhar Azad, Subash Chandra Bose, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel,

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Dr Ansari, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Sarojini

Naidu, Jay Prakash Narain, Lala Lajpat Rai, Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya,

Lokamanya Tilak, Bhalubhai Desai, S. Satyamurthi, Dr Lohia, Masani,

Sajjad Zaheer and others and the philosophy of the Indian Congress Party.

These mentors framed and shaped his intellectual and political convictions,

his ideas and his outlook towards society and people as well as his

undeterred commitment to the struggle for social justice, freedom and

political emancipation. Under the influence of these champions of the

independence movement, it became clear in the mind of Jay Narain Roy that

freedom was the ultimate goal of all oppressed people. With such a unique

formative background as an activist, a budding intellectual, a writer, his

leadership qualities were moulded in the exhilarating turmoil of India’s

momentous struggle for freedom in close association with the stalwarts of

the independence movement. It is no wonder that on his return to Mauritius

he became a prime figure in awakening and mobilizing the nation’s yearning

for their fundamental rights as well as in consolidating and putting in place

determinant pillars of the Mauritian struggle towards independence. He thus

• played a decisive role in the Trade Union movement and was involved in

the successive strikes as from 1937 when he returned to Mauritius. He

also became the General Secretary of Mauritius Amalgamated Labourers

Association and spearheaded the strike of 1947.

• lanched “Advance” and “Janata” to be the mouthpiece of workers,

emerged through his writings in these dailies as the most illustrious

champion of the downtrodden and became the scribe and chronicler of

the independence movement. In that generation of political leaders, he

was unique in the manner he mastered both English and Hindi and used

them as and when required to convey definitive political messages and

ideas to rouse the masses for the uplift of their rights and the freedom of

the country.

• became a leading figure in the struggle for independence; was elected a

member of the Legislative Council as from 1948 and played an important

role as a parliamentarian and outside parliament.

• became the torchbearer of the Hindi language to awaken the linguistic and

cultural consciousness of Indo-Mauritians.

• was an unstinted social activist and a continuous rallying force for the

unity of his countrymen.

• founded the Mauritius College to give access to education to the weaker

sections of the population and raise their level of education to enable

them to take their destiny into their own hands.

4. The Trade Unionist

Since his younger days, Jay Narain Roy showed leadership qualities due to

his forceful character and his charisma and stood for people’s rights and

sought redress for their grievances. Thus at the age of 13, he wrote a

petition on behalf of the people of Pont Lardier, a neighbouring village, in

regard to water supply. It was addressed to Honourable J.A. Duclos who

was an Oxford qualified Barrister and who owned the estate. Duclos came

to his father’s house to congratulate him for his English and promised to

look into the complaint.

Later during his University studies, he became a Congress activist as India

was already embarked on the struggle for independence. Since he was

closely linked to Mahatma Gandhi and the Indian National Congress, he

learnt from close quarters the famous principle of “Satyagraha”, witnessed

multiple actions based on non-violence and acquainted himself with

numerous other methods and strategies used to promote the cause of social

justice and independence.

4.1 Strike of 1937

As soon as he returned to Mauritius in 1937, he joined the trade union

movement. He wrote a series of hindi articles and poems as from July 1937

in “Arya Vir” on the situation in Mauritius, on the oppression of the poor by

the rich oligarchy, on the importance and weight of public opinion, on the

plight of workers and the unrest that was in gestation. These included “Janta

Ki Ray” or “Public opinion”, “Hamari Kathinayein” or “Our trials and

tribulations”, “Baaraha Varsh Baad” or “Twelve years after” published

respectively on 16 July 1937 and 6 August 1937. On 3 September 1937 his

article entitled “Hartal” or “Strike” was published and on 29 October 1937

another article entitled “Hartal aur Jagriti” or “The strike and the

Awakening” appeared. On 10 September 1937 he wrote a poem “Sher aur

Hathi ka Gaana” or “The Song of the Lion and the Elephant” which was to

epitomize the epic battle to be waged. All these writings provide the

definitive comments on the 1937 strikes. Thus, in his article entited “Strike”

he writes: “Today there is much excitement created by the strike. Why

should it not be so? The world is mostly peopled by the destitute. It is their

beloved hands that make the world go forward. When they stand apart,

holding their resentment, the whole cycle of activity comes to a standstill.”

After the strikes of 1937, Jay Narain Roy sent telegrams to the Indian

National Congress and to Pandit Benarsidas Chaturvedi, that tireless

defender of overseas Indians. For lack of funds, a delegation to India armed

with letters of introduction from him could only leave in February 1938. It

was made up of Pandit Gayasingh and Pandit Sahadeo.

He took a firm unequivocal public stand in support of workers’ demands

together with Doctors Cure and Millien who deponed in front of the Royal

Commission in September and October 1937. It is this united and forceful

front that led to the creation of a Labour Department. A strong

recommendation to that effect had already been made by Kunwar Maharaj

Singh, an Indian Prince and the Labour Commissioner of a Division in India

when he was sent to Mauritius in 1924 to enquire and report on the

conditions of the descendants of Indian immigrants following the impression

given by English civil servants, in previous reports, that the Mauritian estate

owners treated the Indian immigrants better than the British Government in

India. These reports proved to be totally false and what he saw was a

different picture altogether, awesome and inhuman. His report was so

damning that it led to the halt of the Indian immigration. During Kunwar

Maharaj Singh’s stay in Mauritius, Jay Narain Roy was introduced to him

and they became friends. Later, they met again when Jay Narain Roy

arrived in India in December 1949 at the Head of a delegation to attend the

first Republic Day Celebration held on 26 January 1950. When Kunwar

Maharaj Singh, who had then acquired the title of Rajah and who was the

Governor of Bombay, heard of his visit, he immediately invited him to his

residence where he was apprised on the progress Mauritius had made after

his visit.

4.2 Labour Department

On 17 May 1938, the Industrial Associations Ordinance was voted legalizing

the setting up of “industrial associations”. Jay Narain Roy wrote a series of

articles in “Arya Vir” on 20 May 1938, 3 June 1938 and 10 June 1938

respectively entitled “Vyavasayi Sabhayein” or “trade Unions” spelling out

the role Government should assume to promote equal rights for workers and

to ensure harmonious industrial relations, to provide training facilities in

diverse skills for workers and to stabilize the cost of living so vital to the

standard of living of workers. He also appealed to worker not to spend their

wages on alcohol and similar social evils.

The Labour Department was founded in July 1938. The Indian Community

urged Jay Narain Roy to join this new institution placing in him their faith to

defend the cause of workers. Jay Narain Roy’s key aim was to improve the

welfare of his own kith and kin whether they were the descendants of the

slaves or of the indentured immigrants. The pressing issues to be tackled by

the new Labour Department were the appalling general working conditions

of labourers and artisans in the country as well as problems of lodging, water

supply, lavatory, safety measures in the fields and the factory, the distance

workers had to walk to their place of work, payment to pregnant women,

adequate medical treatment and compensation for injuries.

He joined as Labour Inspector on 1 July 1938 and after hours worked

ceaselessly with Anquetil and other workers’ leaders to set up a vaiable

labourers’ union and recruit workers into the Trade Union movement

following the Government’s decision to legalise the establishment of

“industrial associations”.

His appointment was welcomed by the Hindi Press and the Indian

community. “Mauritius Arya Patrika” through its editor Pandit Atmaram

Vishwanath published a eulogy on 1 July 1938 regarding Jay Narain Roy’s

dedication to the cause of workers and suggested prophetically that it would

become his “Karyakriti” or “achievement”. He added that “Mr Jay Narain

Roy is well informed about the struggle of independence of India. He is

brave, courageous, active and a towering intellectual. He always succeeds in

whatever he undertakes. Within 4-5 months he was able to collect funds for

a daily (Advance). He is equally renowed as a social activist. Now that he

is a Labour Inspector, he will be able to better assist the labourers. His

unique trait is that he is known for his commitment to uphold the interests of

the whole working class and not those of any specific community.”

Similarly, in “Arya Vir” in July 1938, Pandit Cashinath Kisteo said that the

Labour movement needed his unique talents.

Following the promulgation of the Industrial Associations Ordinance of

1938, Jay Narain Roy wrote a pamphlet in Hindi in November 1938 which

comprised a translation of the Ordinance and explanations on the provisions

of the new law for the benefit of labourers to sensitise them on their rights in

order to prevent them from falling victims of exploitation. His work was

lauded by the editor of “Arya Vir” on 12 December 1938 who also made “an

appeal to each and every labourer to always keep a copy of the pamphlet in

his pocket.”

In 1940, at the behest of Governor Sir Bede Clifford, the Labour

Commissioner Twining offered Jay Narain Roy to join the Legislative

Council as nominee. He declined politely but unequivocally as he hoped to

accede to the Council through the front door, i.e by being democratically

elected. Furthermore, he was so committed to the cause of workers that he

wanted to be totally independent to champion their rights and pursue his

struggle for their social and political emancipation. He also had other

dreams for his country. His refusal was ill perceived by the Colonial

Government. Twining and subsequently Wilkinson with even more

dedicated intent did everything to make his stay at the Labour Deparment

unbearable. Wilkinson reported Jay Narain Roy to the Colonial Secretary

regarding his political writings and told him that Government had proof

from the Assistant Commissioner of Police Mr Bell that he had instigated

the unrest at Belle Vue Harel in 1943. He also accused him of inciting

workers. But the call for freedom was deep-rooted within his soul. He

could not be silenced. Thus he started writing under numerous pen names,

Gawtam in “Arya Vir”, Indian Youth in “L’Oeuvre” or simply J in

“Advance”.

During the strike of 1943, while addressing the workers, Jay Narain Roy

assured them that he shall never allow anyone to trample on their toes. It

was Jay Narain Roy who wrote on behalf of the labourers of Belle Vue

Harel, the letter which informed the Colonial authorities of the labourers’

refusal to accept the agreement which had been forced upon them.

Thoughout the strike, Jay Narain Roy’s whole salary used to go towards

providing ration money to workers.

He was watched by a host of informants and the Assistant Commissioner of

Police Mr Bell started accompanying him during his visits to the estate

camps and deliberately ill reported his conversations in Hindi with the

workers on the claim that he understood the language. As the Labour Office

was over-interfering with his independence, he preferred to resign in 1947.

Matters came to a head when the Colonial Administration refused to

intercede in the case of the Muslim cook of the Chief Overseer of a Southern

Estate who was dismissed on a flimsy ground and who in addition had the

thatched roof of his house and personal belongings deliberately damaged by

the estate. When Wilkinson refused to act after Jay Narain Roy took him to

see the pitiable scene, he wrote his resignation and threw it at him and left

the Labour Department less than a year before the completion of his tenth

year when he would have been eligible to a pension.

On the very next day of his resignation as Labour Inspector in 1947, he

joined the Mauritius Amalgamated Labourers Association (M.A.L.A) and

became its General Secretary.

4.3 General Secretary of the Mauritius Amalgamated Labourers Association

He became the General Secretary of the Mauritius Amalgamated Labourers

Association in 1947.

On 11 April 1947 he wrote in “Advance” an article entitled “A Mistaken

Policy” protesting against the discriminatory attitude of Government

towards workers’ demands.

In October 1947, he wrote a series of three articles entitled “The Voice of

Labour” addressed to the Secretary of State for Colonies, Mr Creech Jones

who was a member of the British Labour Party. The letters were published

in “Advance” and L’Oeuvre”. The tone and tenor of these articles are spelt

out in the following excerpts from the first one which appeared on 4 October

1947: “The Labour Movement is not a fraternity of conspirators and

cutthroats. Nor is it a movement of Indian nationalists or of religious

fanatics as often people presume. It is purely and simply an economic

struggle to ensure the workers adequate food, clothing, shelter, work and

medicine… I contend that all these come to the workers below their

economic and human requirements and that neither Government nor the

employers have given sufficient thought to avert the crisis that is fast

approaching… The history of Mauritius does not hold a glorious record of

man’s attitude towards labour. The spirit of those who chased the Nacarats

and Jeremie still grin derisively at the upsurge of the time while the poor

man’s misery is heaping up, there is complaisance and endless academic

discussions that end up in smoke. Experts fretfully pace platforms but leave

the poor hungry man, hungrier. Those who sit as custodians are too snug to

realise what it is to go without food or shelter. There is bright burnishing

everywhere, but the problem is relegated to limbo. The poor man topples

with his cross till he is hushed in his ditch…”

In 1947, following the failure of the sugar oligarchy to allow cow keepers to

seek fodder on estate lands, Jay Narain Roy threatened in typical

“Satyagraha” manner, learnt under the tutelage of Mahatma Gandhi and the

Indian National Congress, to herd the cow keepers’ cattle to graze on the

Governor’s lawns in Le Reduit. This led to the prompt settlement of this

vital matter to cowkeepers.

He toured the country recruiting members for the Labour Association and

mobilizing workers on the importance of uniting and joining the struggle for

their rights. It is said in “50 ans de lutte syndicale” written by the Plantation

Workers Union “A la fin de 1947, Roy anima une serie de reunion a travers

l’Ile pour expliquer aux laboureurs les raisons et le bien-fondé des actions

lancées par la M.A.L.A. ”

Jay Narain Roy was close and supportive of Union leaders who trusted his

advice. There are numerous examples of Jay Narain Roy’s instant presence

at the site of incidents involving the common man to uphold the rights of the

downtrodden. For example, in 1947, when the planters of Wolmar, who had

rented land from the Sugar Estate for plantation purposes, were ordered to

vacate the land before they could harvest their crops, Jay Narain Roy went

forthwith on the site to defend them. The protagonists had a heated

exchange which degenerated to the point that the police had to intervene.

Jay Narain Roy was not to be intimidated by the turn of events. The matter

was taken to court.

He was systematically accused by the sugar oligarchy of inciting unrest and

violence. The sugar oligarchy and the reactionaries in general deeply

resented his vanguard and pioneering ideas for workers rights, justice and

social progress and opposed him fiercely.

4.4 General Strike 1947

As the living and working conditions of the workers were constantly

deteriorating, the eventuality of a strike was becoming real.

Jay Narain Roy sounded his battle-cry for the strike of 1947 through a poem

entitled “Sewa” or “Service” in the “Arya Vir Jagriti” on 24 October 1947.

He spearheaded the strike of 1947 which started on Monday 27 October

1947. It was one of the most important, one of the most widespread general

strikes in the history of Mauritius, occasioning the closure of 18 sugar

factories, bringing sugar milling to a chastening halt. Jay Narain Roy was

on the move night and day while the strike lasted, visiting the various

regions of the island, sleeping in his car and eating at workers’ places during

nocturnal visits. As from the first day of the strike, he published a daily

communiqué in “Advance”. The first communiqué of 27October 1947 reads

as follows: “There is a strike of agricultural workers on many estates of the

island today as a preliminary to a general strike. It is a legal strike organised

by the Mauritius Amalgamated Labourers Association to protest against the

attitude of the Government and of the employers in regard to the demands

that have been made. The demands are:

(1) An annual contract between the employers and the Association for the supply of regular work to all categories of labourers.

(2) Cost of living bonus to be increased by 90%

(3) If a man who has worked on an estate for 15 years or more has been

dismissed and the Industrial Court considers that the dismissal was not caused by the man’s fault, the estate should give a pension.

(4) Workers wishing to cultivate lands should be given facilities and

those rearing animals should be given sheds and the estate should lay no claims to the agricultural produce or milk and manure.

(5) We have agreed to step down our demand of creches to a litre of

milk per day for at least three months of the post natal period and have even volunteered to help to acquire the milk.

(6) Lorries carrying labourers should be properly sheltered to afford

protection against rain and wind.

(7) Camp houses of day labourers should be repaired.

(8) Trade Union officials be allowed full access to camps, factory, fields and hospitals to meet members and to enquire into grievances.

In the ensuing communiqué of 28 October 1947 it is stated that:”The

strike of labourers organized by the Mauritius Amalgamated Labourers

Association has spread to all the estates. Most estates in North, South

and Flacq areas are not working.”

The communiqué of 30 October 1947 highlights that:” The strike of

Agricultural labourers continue. The discipline is exemplary… Many

women labourers of Bel Ombre have added fasting and prayer to their

sacrifice of going on strike. There is cheerfulness and determination

everywhere.”

The communiqué of 4 November 1947 underlines that: “We are

arranging to keep the labourers informed of the strike situation. Mr Jay

Narain Roy will commence with a round of mammoth meetings of

strikers. To-day he is addressing the following meetings:- Chemin

Grenier at 10.30 a.m; Surinam at noon; Riv. Des Anguilles at 1.30 p.m;

L’Escalier, at 3.30 p.m; Mare d’Albert, at 4.30 p.m.”

The communiqué of 5 November 1947 starts as follows: “In his five

meetings in Grand Port and Savanne, Mr J.N. Roy addressed more than

15,000 labourers. There is tremendous enthusiasm to resist.”

The strike lasted until Thursday 6 November 1947 when the Mauritius Sugar

Producers’ Association(M.S.P.A) capitulated and as General Secretary Jay

Narain Roy signed the first procedural or collective bargaining agreement in

Mauritius between M.A.L.A and the M.S.P.A. Wilkinson who was still the

Labour Commissioner resented this strike personally as Jay Narain Roy, the

man who had resisted his insidious plans when he was at the Labour

Department, had master-minded it.

On 11 November 1947, he wrote an article entitled “After the Strike” in

“Advance” summarising the epic struggle and warning workers that more

was yet to come. An excerpt reads as follows: “The eleven days strike of

agricultural labourers ended on Thursday. It was remarkable in three ways:

in its duration, in its widespread nature and in its peacefulness. Even the

representatives of the Government and of the employees expressed their

admiration on the peaceful manner in which about a hundred thousand

people were mobilized for action …. Either this country accepts Trade

Unionism or not. If it accepts Trade Unionism, then it should be prepare for

collective bargaining and industrial strife which should necessarily follow

from the failure of bargaining. It should be prepared to accept that after the

strife everything should resume its normal course….. If faith and fidelity,

resolution and restraint, discretion and judgment count in democracy, then

the strike has clearly demonstrated that the masses of Mauritius have the

right civic sense and are therefore ripe for adult suffrage…..The statement

issued the other day by the Sugar Producer’s Association betrayed a

tactlessness and an ignorance of the times that surprised me beyond

measure. It said that strikes and demands should be made only during

intercrop. It means, in other words, that the labourers should rest content

with what the employers do and should not be foolish to use their only

weapon of strike. I am sure the manorial lords of the Middle Ages would

not have dared to make such a reactionary statement. The S.P.A’s statement

simply rolls off four hundred years of world history. Was it a joke?”

Jay Narain Roy was thus nominated on the Mauritius Economic

Commission of 1947 together with Dr E.Millien, A.R Osman and Guy

Rozemont to represent workers and formulate policies for the material uplift

of the country. Sittings stated on 14 November 1947 in the Council Library.

4.5 Crusader for Workers’ Rights

His profound commitment to uphold the rights of the working class is

profusely evident in his writings and his actions. The following titles

covering the period 1937 to 1975 illustrate his unstinted crusade to further

this key objective.

- Strike - The song of the Lion and the Lion and the Elephant - Service - Labour Diaries - Matters of the Moment - Not that it matters - Why this unemployment - A unique labour situation - The problem of wages - Trade Unions and Politics - The case of workers - Towards a social reorientation - A plan for rural Mauritius - The years of labour struggle - The labour situation - Wages and Salaries - Three Agrarian Measures - Government lands rends - Journal of a Worker - The Important of Man - Problem of the Sugar Industry - Trade Unions Tribulations - The fundamental mistake - Causes of Strife - Agricultural Workers - Plantation Workers House - The intricate problem of wages - To our friends the magnates - The problem of jobs - The acute hunger for land

- Our problem of unemployment - The causes of Unemployment - Restlessness or revolt - To our local magnates - The Poor Man’s New Year - 3 steps to Marxism - Mauritius for the Mauritians - Changes social concepts

In “The Plantation Workers Union:50 ans de Lutte Syndicale” it is recorded

that “Jay Narain Roy contribua de maniere decisive avec Ramnarain,

Jugdambi et David Barrett, un envoye du British Trade Union Congress, a la

preparation du dossier que la PWU presenta devant le tribunal d’arbritage

preside par le Professeur S. Kirkaldy de l’Universite de Cambridge, lequel

fut des recommendations favorables aux travailleurs. Ensemble, Roy,

Ramnarain et Jugdambi menerent campagne pour le suffrage universel.

Ceci amena JNR, comme on l’appelait alors, a entrer de plein pied dans

l’arene politique …. Ce fut, pour cet homme, le debut d’une carriere au

cours de laquelle il se revela etre un des plus fins intellectuels de son

epoque. » The award of this Arbitration Tribunal was historic victory of the

agricultural workers over the plantocracy. As a result, the conditions of

work of an important section of the working class were materially improved.

5. The Scribe and Chronicler of the Independence Movement In the light of his experience of the struggle for the Independence of India,

Jay Narain Roy was convinced that freedom from the colonial yoke was the

only way of recovering the nation’s dignity and having total control over the

country’s destiny. His dream for his country and his commitment to the

cause of independence for his motherland and his people were therefore

omnipresent in his mind like a leitmotiv since his University days. To this

end, the idea of “swaraj” or “independence” for his country was first spelled

out in his writings at an early stage, in fact in his poem “Abhilasha” or

“Yearning” on 30 July 1937 in “Arya Vir” and the concept gathered

momentum in his subsequent writings.

On his return to Mauritius, history bestowed upon him a unique role as he

outpaced everyone and emerged as the most illustrious pen to champion the

cause of justice and political emancipation and his voice and writings were

listened to attentively and with great regard.

He wrote several articles and poems in Hindi in August 1937 in “Arya Vir”

on the imperative for the working class and the young to mobilize. His

article entitle “Zara Sochiye to Sahi” or “Give it a Thought” relating to the

wind of change blowing across the world and the urgent need for Mauritius

to be part of it appeared on 13 August 1937. On 27 August 1937 two of his

poems were published namely “Bharosa Tumhi Ho Jawan” or “Our faith lies

with the young” which appealed to the sense of patriotism of the young to

defend people’s rights and uphold the unity and the sovereignty of the nation

while inspiring themselves from freedom fighters across the world and

“Oussi Desh ke Vasi” or “Citizen of the same Country” on the importance of

one’s roots and culture.

In 1937, he wrote a book “Wither Indo-Mauritians”, arguing that the Indian

community was an inalienable component of the Mauritian society and that

its working class had its first kinship with the working class of the land. It

was also an appeal to resist categorically and forcefully the policy of divide

and rule of the Colonial Government and its allies namely the sugar

oligarchy and the vested interests. Jay Narain Roy explains that “The

purpose of that writing was to scatter the tangled web in which the Indo-

Mauritian society is enmeshed so that we might be able to see our position in

the right perspective.” He further states that: “The Indo-Mauritians hold as

a legacy from their grandfathers to associate with others in equal partnership

for the welfare and progress of the colony ……………. As Indo-Mauritians,

what is then our goal: social, political or economic……….Politically, they

have their part to play. This part is to be played not in antagonism with the

rest of the population but in conjunction with them. Mauritius is a small

sugar-producing colony. Almost all the activities that contribute to the

economic welfare of the island centre round the production of sugar. The

happiness or sorrow of all sections of the population being so interwoven, if

parties and activities are directed towards a narrow, racial advantage, they

are bound, sooner than later, to receive a rude shock. The common weal

must be based on good-will, equality and brotherhood. Mauritius must be

allowed to prosper as one united entity. For the achievement of this ideal, it

is necessary that every community should respect the rights and privileges of

the other. An unnecessary infringement will undoubtedly be resented by the

injured party and the effect will be to infuse a malignant rancour in the

Mauritian society and to put an undesirable check upon the progress of the

colony. The net result will be that we shall have set the clock back.

Politically and economically, therefore, Indians in Mauritius should become

conscious of their rights and privileges and duties so that we may understand

how best we can help in the prosperity and advance of this important island

………Socially, our aim should be to tone down differences among the

different groups into our society so that we can create that united social

atmosphere……….And language, the open sesame to the Indian Culture,

has yet to be cultivated. We have yet to learn our mother-tongue!”

In 1939, he wrote another book “Towards Uplift”, which was “an open letter

to Indo-Mauritians” as he describes it himself, in which he outlines the

founding principles of the important struggle ahead with a view to achieving

success. He writes “No rational movement can be started unless we have

fully defined the path and goal that are to guide our activities. Whatever we

do or attempt to do must be made to run on the well-laid rails of principles.

In these days of logic and science, we cannot hug a Kaiserian principle like

“forward with full steam” without being sure of the volume of the steam or

of what lies ahead. It is better to wait and think than to rush without prior

reflection……In order to contribute to the greatest good of the greatest

number, we should start with a cohesion of the greatest number. For a

cohesion of the greatest number there should be a greater objective. To have

a greater objective we should dovetail one another’s mentality. In order to

bring about this adjustment of mentality we should sacrifice some of our

whims and fantasies…..Public work especially when it is of a purely social

and cultural character is more a matter of faith than a matter of policy or

ambition. One who professes to be in public life should make his life

entirely public. Duplicity is death. Sincerity is life. Without sincerity the

connection between the leader and the people will remain superficial,

changing and always open to doubt.”

On 25 June 1937, Jay Narain Roy shared his attachment to an illustrious

universal ideal which was an essential element in his bid to speed up the

advent of progress and social justice. He thus wrote: “The new sciences can

only be learnt in English and it is necessary for us to know these. Not to do

so would leave us hanging centuries behind far from the tempo of our

present times”.

Furthermore, as Jay Narain Roy was convinced that a newspaper was an

essential tool to fight for freedom, emancipation and social justice, he

founded “Advance” in October 1940 collecting funds as from 1937 from

every Indo-Mauritian household. The “Arya Patrika” of 1 July 1938 wrote

that Jay Narain Roy had managed to collect Rs15,000 for a press.

The inaugural issue of “Advance” on 8 October 1940 contains a eulogy on

the pioneering work of Jay Narain Roy. The tribute paid to him by K.

Kumar and entitled “At the crossroads of History” says: “Like a lotus

flower tossed away to our shores by tidal waves, one morning a spirited

young man was found in our midst, afire with the determination to serve his

people.

There was something in him that awaked a lively fervour in the community

and the enthusiasm which greeted his return to the native land. He sounded

the trumpet call of unity that found a spontaneous response in the hearts of

his countrymen”.

In the 31 December 1940 issue of “Arya Vir,” its editor Pandit Cashinath

Kistoe stated with pride that the launching of the much awaited “Advance”

daily newspaper had become a reality thanks to its “Janamdatta” or

“Lifegiver”, Jay Narain Roy.

Although he was in Government, he wrote an unsigned editorial daily on

political, economical and a vast number of subjects. As it became quickly

known that the man behind the editorials was Jay Narain Roy, people came

out of their way to meet him and to congratulate him as no one before had

ever written an article daily. Lois Lagesse was so swept off his feet over his

article “On a Lady’s hat” that he wrote a long article in praise. Across time

the paper pulsated to the pace of his writings. His heart and mind beat in

unison with the tribulations of his countrymen.

In 1947 he founded “Janata” and was its first editor from 1947 to 1953. The

first issue of Janata appeared on 4 May 1947 with an opening message from

him as editor entitle “Our paper” which read “A newspaper can be the voice

of a race as it can be its shroud. It is a unique school when conscious of the

need to educate the people, it provides the elements of unfettered thought”.

It was the most vigorous of all papers in the Hindi Language and its

translated articles were read in the Legislative Council.

With the founding of “Advance” and “Janata”, Jay Narain Roy became the

chronicler and scribe of the independence movement. His writings echoed

the inchoate wishes of the multitude. His pen resolutely and relentlessly

depicted the blatant truths regarding the harsh conditions of work and living

of the workers on the sugar estates. He systematically dealt with the

problems of the poor, the working class without distinction of race, colour or

creed. And god knows they were numerous in those days, such as low

wages, hard and difficult conditions of labour, bad housing etc. Nobody had

dared to unveil such a stark picture of poverty and the inhuman conditions

prevailing and this attracted him many enemies among the vested interests,

the sugar oligarchy and in reactionary circles. Through his articles he

wanted to galvanise the fighting spirit of the workers, structure their

demands and grievances, give a sense of purpose and induct political

perspective to their struggle. He thus became one of the stalwarts to

champion the cause of workers and that of political emancipation. At times

he also wrote to rouse the conscience and the humane feelings of employers

and those in power.

His series of famous weekly articles entitled “Random Rambles”, “Matters

of the moment”, “Not that it matters”, provide a potent symbol of his

determination, encapsulates his resolve and have become part of our

independence heritage.

In 1945, he wrote a book entitled “Constitutional Proposals”, which

involved according to him “a three-pronged offensive: fight for the

legitimate rights of the people, fight to purge life of the undesirables and

fight against the fossilized social prejudices that prevent cohesion.” The

book which methodically analysed the proposals of the Governor in regard

to the revision of the Constitution and made a series of counter-proposals

was resolutely anchored in Jay Narian Roy’s struggle to “allow more scope

and opportunities to the inhabitants of a colony to shape their destinies” as

he wrote and was definitely his plan for the independence of Mauritius. He

further added that “We will have universal suffrage one day whether some

of us like it or not. Let those who will be atrophied by the news shake off

their mortal coil before it actually comes. Let them remember this: the fear

of being swamped by others is the haunting shadow of one’s own guilty

psychology.” And he further adds: “Communalism driven to its logical

conclusion means political suicide to the communalists………. We should

not fondly conspire to catch progress by the forelock. On the contrary, we

should at once prepare for a re-orientation in order to march along the

inevitable path of compulsory education, universal suffrage, responsible

Government………..Let the British Government not feel that it is a gift that

it is making to a half-civilised nation. It is our birth-right to clamour for

political advance and it is obviously our right to bargain and to struggle to

change what we deem objectionable………. The social and political reforms

should be inexorably bound up with the life and happiness of the little man.”

After the strike of 1947 he wrote a weekly column in 1947 and 1948 entitled

“Labour Diaries” charting out the grievances of the downtrodden.

In 1948, he argued in a writing entitled “The Parliamentary Front” on the

need to create a front outside Parliament in order to involve the civil society

and the masses to give a new impetus and greater momentum to the struggle

for social justice and freedom.

In the fifties, he wrote to publicly denounce the anti-Mauritian attitude of the

sugar oligarchy. Some of the titles reflecting this momentous crusade were

inter alia: Popular fallacies, Fears of Franco-Mauritians, Reproach to Indo-

Mauritians, Matters of the moment, Going up and going down, Charity to

the poor.

He inspired as well as contributed and influenced in an unique manner the

thinking process on the future of Mauritius through a series of articles

entitled, inter alia:

- What are we fighting for

- Equality of opportunities

- Our three most pressing problems

- Let us think aloud

- Political watermark

- The new colonial policy

- The finances of Mauritius

- Future of small colonies

- The Colonial danger

- Thinking concretely

- The Englishmen and ourselves

- The Sugar Industry

- The Sugar conference

- The future of self governing colonies

- Problems for a socialist government

- Our Economic future (a series of 3 articles)

- The concept of progress

- The Mauritius we all want

- A socialist looks at Mauritius

- What is the issue?

- Government Industrial Policy

- Planning for Prosperity

- What’s a Marketing Board?

- Our land utilisation

- The problem of Mauritius

- Wanted: a land Policy

- Wanted a youth revolution

- To my own people

- The economics of protection

He pushed forward the issue of independence and methodically and

systematically ensured that it was on the top agenda. Some examples of his

writings on the topic are:

- A new constitution for Mauritius

- Wastage in Government

- Administrative sidelights

- Approach for the future

- Towards a Mauritian understanding

- About election formalities

- Elections and things

- Life in council

- Thoughts on independence

- Socialist planning

- Separate electorate

- What of the future

- The responsibilities of Government

- The country first

- The realities of Independence

- What decent Mauritians desire

- The angle of Whiteball

- Mauritius and the World

- The idea of independence

- The national vanguard

- The case for freedom

- Narrowing Political differences

- The independence we want

- The game of politics

- The spirit of coalition

- The H’s of independence

- The coming fight for power

- The electorates must face the facts

- A most disappointing report

- And why independence?

- Talking of the elections.

- Talking of politics.

After having been the General Secretary of the Mauritius Amalgamated

Labourers Association, it was upon him once again that history bestowed the

responsibility to spell out the importance of an exceptional landmark in the

struggle of workers. On the inauguration of the Headquarters of the

Plantation Workers Union, the Plantation Workers House, he thus wrote on

16 February 1963: “Thus is a Plantation House. It stands imposingly upon

an imposing site to snub yonder Government House. Probably as an easy

reminder of the twin mastery of the island’s fate…….On Sunday the 10th of

February was inaugurated in an obscure, camel-backed lane in the centre of

our proud metropolis the Plantation Workers House, one of those imposing

landmarks in the history of a nation. Obviously the two buildings do not

impose for the same reason, nor indeed are they equally happily sited. One

imposes because a lot of everybody’s money has gone into its towering

height, and the other because much sweat and tears and blood have paved its

realisation.”

He also wrote numerous political articles on various aspects of our economy

such as the Sugar industry, Agriculture, Agricultural workers and problems

of wages, The land utilization policy, Insurance policy, Money and

enterprise, Economic planning and the economic future of Mauritius, The

Tea Industry, the Fishing Industry, Tourism prospects, Housing, the trade

unions tribulations, etc.

He also wrote hard articles with precise objectives. Thus after his article on

Mr Bodkin, the then Director of Agriculture entitled “What’s Bodkin

waiting for,” he had to pack up and leave the country hurriedly. Following

his article on Governor Sir Robert Scott entitled “Go Away Scott”, the latter

left the country.

He was also a formidable polemist and he could bring puckish humour to a

controversy while engaging more than one opponent at a time. The polemist

however was rooted in the wishes of the multitude. Noel Marrier

D’Unienville (NMU) had been especially brought form France to champion

the cause of the vested interests. It was Jay Narain Roy once again who

engaged him. NMU wrote in “Le Cerneen” and was supposed to have a

keen mind. Jay Narain Roy had a serious grip with him and he foundered as

was attested in an article he wrote in 1952 which Jay Narain Roy described

as a “laboured, rambling apologia pro vita sua after twenty nine months of

twaddling.”

Philippe Galea of the Chamber of Agriculture wrote an article entitled

“Choses a Dire” strongly criticizing Mauritians of Indian Origin. Jay Narain

Roy gave him a hard time in “More things to Tell.” He backed out.

Raoul Rivet stopped his polemics with Jay Narain Roy after two exchanges.

Subsequently they became good friends.

For his polemics with Father Dethise, he used a different strategy. It was

one of extreme politeness, an exchange of bouquets as he described it, but

nevertheless cogently getting across his messages and arguments.

He was a columnist for forty five years. It was said of him that “Jay Narain

Roy was as irrepressible as an imp and his words knifed through pretence to

reveal the ugly sores it hid. He fashioned a vision of a socialist Mauritius.

His towering intellect allowed him to gush forth ideas at the drop of a hat.

He was extremely prolific, his style was at times humorous, serious, pungent

and critical and the English language has seldom been used with more

felicity in this land”.

No one has written as extensively and as constantly as Jay Narain Roy.

Apart from his political writings there was not one issue that did not catch

his attention. As well as being the scribe and chronicler of the independence

movement, he was also a reference of intellectual refinement and erudition

and people looked up to him and relished insatiably each and every one of

his articles. His interest embraced a wide spectrum of topics such as Roads

infrastructure, Cyclones, Mauritian, Hindi, Russian, American, British and

World Literature, Public morality, Evian Agreement, The importance of

man, The Indo-China war, Terrorism, Communalism, Youth, The

Commonwealth, The caste system, The language issue, History,

Competition, Faith, Standards of progress, Education, Orient and Occident,

Africa, Drought, The school curricula, Gerald Durell, the link between

Mauritius, France, the USA, Russia and South Africa, Nathan Homer Knorr,

Destalinization, The principles of taxation, The concept of nationalism,

Edward Hart, Mauritian topography and many more issues.

In his diary on 20 February 1931 he reveals: More than at any time before

my heart yearns for a journalistic career. Why it fascinates me I cannot tell.

It requires confidence; I can offer diffidence; it requires courage, skill and

tact; I can claim friendship with none. Yet it fascinates me immensely”.

When he came to the conclusion that “Advance”, the newspaper he had

founded, was towing a political line that was contrary to his ideals, he

stopped contributing articles. He took the same decision with respect to

“Janata” that was owned by the same company and had the same

shareholders Not surprisingly, both dailies stopped existing after Jay Narain

Roy dissociated himself from them because both papers lost the support of

the public. He stopped writing in “Advance” in 1980 and the newspaper

stopped appearing in 1984. Janata had ceased its publication in 1982. In his

article “Reminiscences of “Advance” in “Le Mauricien” of 5 June 1984, he

said: “Advance has ceased publication. I was not reading it lately. It was

not worth while. It was no more the one upon which I expended so much

energy, passion and affection to build…….. For it was intimately linked up

with several decades of the intellectual history of my life”. He nevertheless

continued writing in “Le Mauricien” and “L’Express”.

6. The Politician

6.1 Proposed visit of Pandit Nehru to Mauritius

In April 1937, he wrote an article from India saying that Pandit Jawaharlall

Nehru, the President of Congress, who had already visited Burma would be

willing to visit Mauritius. Dr Rajendra Prasad urged him to return to

Mauritius to organize this event as our country would be blessed by this

influencial visit and provide a unique rallying figure to boost further the

cause of social justice. Unfortunately, owing to Nehru’s active and crucial

involvement in the “Swaraj” movement this project could not be realized.

6.2 From “Swaraj” to the struggle for freedom of Mauritius

He returned to Mauritius on 11 May 1937 on board the Querimba straight

from Minapur wearing a Gandhi cap, khadi kurta and dhoti betraying a

unique reverence for his guru, Bapu (Mahatma Gandhi). He was the first of

his generation to have done an M.A; LLB and was given rousing receptions

by the Indian community at Flacq, Riviere du Rempart, Port Louis and other

localities.

He immediately joined the struggle for social justice, workers’ rights and

political emancipation in 1937. Shortly after in the same year, he met

Anquetil again and for nearly ten years they shared the same work, vision

and mission. Thus Anquetil and Jay Narain Roy together with other

workers’ leaders put their heads together to form the trade unions of

Mauritius. A deep friendship grew between them that is epitomized in the

obituary signed simply “A friend” composed on the morrow of a national

setback. Anquetil died on 29 December 1946. The obituary was written by

Jay Narain Roy on 31 December 1946 and published in “Advance” of 7

January 1947. Consolidated excerpts read as follows: “The one man who

had dominated the hearts of the workers during the last ten years is no more.

The great Anquetil has passed away. Anquetil worked hard to give

Mauritius a political party, a living programme for the welfare of the masses,

an active organization to knit the workers together and that comeradeship in

arms that transcends all racialism; all communalism and all social

aloofness…He undoubtedly had a character; that rare political asset. He had

courage in a very conspicuous measure. He was fearless and outspoken and

no power and temptation could curb his will to assert the rights of the

multitude. Anquetil was a powerful speaker. His speeches were often

sermons and he would keep his audience spell-bound for

hours……..Anquetil was, above all, a great organizer. The whole Trader

Union Movement in Mauritius was conceived, planned, created and run by

him. Nothing could have been achieved in the Trade Union line without the

help and cooperation of Anquetil……..His death is no doubt one of the

major calamities of 20th century Mauritius. But if personal drive and

popularity are any criterion in this democratic world; if confidence to sway

the rowdiest is any test of one’s mettle; if character and courage count for

anything in this belated Christian civilization; if selflessness is still among

the virtues of public life; if organizing ability is the hallmark of success; if

voice or dignified argumentation is any weapon of parliamentary

democracy, if one’s vision and one’s life-work has any historical reckoning,

Anquetil was indubitably great, infinitely greater that the gilt-edged

creations of power and pelf……

The Labour Party may not have been founded by him but it was Anquetil

who gave life and vigour to it and worked it out into the first political

organization with a programme and a following…..It will certainly be said

that he worked himself to death for the cause of his fellow country-men.

The country mourns the loss of its heroic and beloved national leader. How

long more shall we bleed to have another Anquetil to lead us into light, out

of this labour blackout caused by the death of one of the greatest Mauritians

of all times?”

Jay Narain Roy always considered Anquetil to be the father of Mauritian

socialism. His tribute was a lonely tribute to Anquetil while many of his

fellow politicians remained silent. Sir Bede Clifford who was then presiding

the Council read Jay Narain Roy’s tribute in the Council and said that it was

so well written that he had nothing to add.

After the strike of 1947, Jay Narain Roy was nominated on the Gorvin

Commission set up to probe into the various sectors of the Mauritian

economy covering the sugar industry, the co-operative movement, non-sugar

agriculture livestock, water resources, transport, shipping and trade among

other things and to make appropriate recommendations thereon. He

prescribed over the committee on the Cooperative Movement and wrote its

report which was unanimously endorsed. These reports were generally

written by their British Chairmen.

6.3 Member of Labour Party and the Legislative Council

He was elected to the Legislative Council as an independent member for

Grand Port/Savanne in August 1948. Raoul Rivet, editor-in-chief of “Le

Mauricien” wrote a potent article in favour of Jay Narain Roy’s candidature.

Guy Rozemont was among the few elected from the Labour Party which

Anquetil had nurtured with his sweat and blood. This was the first election

held with adult suffrage, i.e. a voting age of 21 for those who passed the

literacy test.

In those days the Council comprised 31 members out of which 19 were

elected representatives of the various districts including Rodrigues and 12

were nominees. There were also three officials of the Colonial Government

which included the Colonial Secretary and the Financial Secretary who were

ex-officio members. The Speaker was then the Governor. There was a

general retrograde perception in those days within the Franco-Mauritian

oligarchy that when the franchise was extended the general tone and tenor of

the Council debates would go down considerably. On the very first day of

the Council, which was also attended by the newly appointed first High

Commissioner of the Government of Independent of India, Jay Narain Roy

was the first elected member to address the Legislative Council. He

delivered such a remarkable impromptu speech that impressed one and all so

much that Dr de Chazal, who was a nominee, spontaneously stood up and

admitted amidst applause that contrary to his earlier apprehensions the level

of debates had been raised to lofty heights. Jay Narain Roy had just given

yet another demonstration of the force of his personality, his character, his

intellect, his wit, his mastery of the language and his political finesse.

He joined the Labour Party in 1948 together with other candidates who were

elected as independent members. He remained in Parliament until 1967

when he withdrew completely from politics.

He played a very active role in Parliament and was an outstanding and

forceful speaker and served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly with

distinction. His learned and powerful speeches which he made extempore

without ever reading from a paper or notes were legendary. He presented

motions on a plethora of issues and discussed a number of important

questions relating to inter alia Trade unions, The sugar industry, The wages

policy, Education, Agriculture, Tourism, Housing, The fishing industry,

Industry, The tea industry, The Marketing Board, The land policy,

Independence, The economy, Money and enterprise, Competition, Youth,

The family, Drought, Capital exodus, Culture, The reconstruction plan after

cyclone Carol. It was generally recognized that Jay Narain Roy asked the

greatest number of parliamentary questions. He also fought tooth and nail

for his countrymen and his constituents. He was made an honorary citizen

by the village of the Plaine Magnien on 3 August 1969.

He seconded the motion presented by Guy Rozemont on 28 April 1949 to

make 1 May i.e. Labour Day, a public holiday. He moved the motion to

make the teaching of oriental languages the responsibility of Government.

It should be flagged that in 1955 he comfortably defeated Dr M. Cure who

stood under the banner of the Independent Forward Block and received overt

support from all those who opposed Jay Narain Roy.

6.4 Man of Principles and lofty precepts

As a statesman he was a man of principles who throughout his political

career would make no concessions on those principles he held as sacred. In

one of the numerous articles about him, it is stated that “Jay Narain Roy

strongly believed that people’s representatives should be beyond suspicion,

honest and straightforward citizens and that the interest of the common

people should prevail above all other considerations, that public life should

be dedicated to the uplift of the downtrodden. It is the selfless and the self-

sacrificing action alone that can uphold the trust that is placed in public men.

Salvation and redemption lie in fulfilling the blossoming hope of the

multitude. Such lofty ideals need to be diffused so that the noble ancestry of

public life be better known. Only then can it be salvaged from surrogate

slums, into its proper lineage of service.”

As a politician he constantly propagated his idea of unity among the diverse

communities in all his electoral meetings and exhorted the people to vote for

the labour candidates irrespective of their race, colour and creed. His

campaigning on this issue led to the successive election of non-Hindu

candidates, even in by-elections, against the opposition made up of the

Independent Forward Block led by Sookdeo Bissoondoyal and Le Parti

Mauricien. Once again this was quite as never before had someone

attempted to fight communalism and compartmentalism with such

determination and to champion the cause of unity. In those days the voters

knew that the electoral divide was between Royists and Bissondoyalists.

He was staunchly against communalism and the marginalisation of any

ethnic group. He wrote on 9 July 1948 in an article entitled “Towards a

Party”. “The future of Mauritius lies in the hands of a party. Communalism,

compartmentalism and class and colour politics must be eradicated from

public life. People of goodwill and honesty of purpose should meet and

exchange ideas and narrow down the bridges that divide the communities

and classes. We must get rid of people who have an individual or class

politics and who are eager to raise safely walls on their two sides. We must

get rid of persons whose political existence is pitted between the hatred of

one class and the cry of danger towards another…….The best politics is

what is best for the average citizen. The best political programme would be

the carefully worked out economic and political proposals to raise the

standard of living of the average man and to provide him with equal

opportunities regardless of creed, race, colour or class”.

It is said that to leave his mark in the hearts of the people, a statesman must

be an altruistic dreamer and the selfless architect of a better society for one

and all, have charisma, be an inspiring writer and a powerful orator. Jay

Narain Roy epitomized all this and more.

He withdrew from politics in 1967 before the General Elections for

Independence of 1968 although he was certain to be elected as usual since

his constituents admired his intellect, respected his political acumen and his

honesty as their representative, revered his humanity and adored him, the

more so as the Labour Party was sure to win. It was a surprise to many. In

spite of the insistence of his constituents, he desired because he considered

that as he had nurtured his country to the threshold of independence, he had

accomplished his mission. Further, having seen politics for twenty years

from inside, he had witnessed too many political manoeuvres and intrigues

that had disturbed him. He predicted that this would inevitably lead to

promises being broken and to the emergence of a feeling of betrayal among

the supporters of the Labour Party and those of its allies, the Independent

Forward Block and the Comite d’Action Musulman. He had learnt his

lesson of justice, truthfulness and sincerity in politics under Gandhiji and

that made all the difference. He was honest, selfless, straightforward and

there was total communion between his writings and his actions, his

preachings and his doings. His perspicacious analysis, his unique

understanding of politics and his feel of history proved to be right as only

two years after independence, the Labour Party lost in a by-election,

signaling the beginning of its downfall until the final debacle in 1982 when

it went in political wilderness. Rarely in history has one seen a party that

has led its country towards the greatest of all goals, i.e independence

together with its allies lose its overwhelming popularity in so short a time.

Subsequently the other constituents of the Parti de L’Independence, the

Independent Forward Block of Sookdeo Bissondoyal was dissolved and the

Comite d’Action Musulman of Razack Mohamed was put on ice. When he

quit politics he dedicated the rest of his life to education, social work, the

promotion of Hindi and writing.

Jay Narain Roy’s progressive proposals for constitutional reform, his

revolutionary Five Year Plan for Agriculture which echoed the aspirations of

the multitude coupled with his uncompromising stand on matters of

principle and his unflinching support for the downtrodden caused him to be

throughout his political career the prime target of the forces of reaction. He

was singled out by the vested interests and the sugar oligarchy who actively

supported his political opponents and put pressure on their employees to

vote for his opponents in successive elections. During electoral campaigns

they assiduously encouraged the managerial staff (état major) of the sugar

estates to carry the partisans of his opponents in their cars to vote.

The reactionaries also tries in vain on two occasions to annul his elections on

spurious grounds. They further ensured that even while a member of the

Legislative Council, he was forbidden access to the camps on the sugar

estates. This did not prevent Jay Narain Roy from consistently flouting this

embargo to meet and mobilize his supporters.

6.5 Delegation to India

In 1949 he headed a delegation to India to take part in the first Independence

Day celebrations held on 26 January 1950 and was officially received with

full honours by one of his mentors, Dr Rajendra Prasad, the first President of

India.

To Jay Narain Roy, the Mauritian road to independence was bound to be

inspired by the Indian Freedom movement and by the precepts of Gandhiji.

He chronicled his remarkable journey to India in “Janata”. During his visit

he promoted trade relations between India and Mauritius in an article

entitled “Indo-Mauritian Trade Prospects” published in the magazine

“Indian Affairs” in which he was periodically contributing articles.

He was interviewed as the Head of the Mauritian delegation by Mrs Kusum

Harinarain on All India Radioon 3 January 1950.

6.6 London Conference June 1952

He attended the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in June 1952

which regrouped elected representatives of countries of the Commonwealth

to discuss parliamentary procedures and establish a network of working

relationship among parliamentarians. It was also a unique opportunity for

Jay Narain Roy to take stock of the progress made on the issue of

independence in the other colonies of the United Kingdom. He met

numerous leading parliamentarians of the Commonwealth.

6.7 Founding of Camp Carol Village

Part of the legend of Jay Narain Roy was his instant presence to allay the

woes of the afflicted. After the passage of the cyclone Carol he was

immediately amongst his constituents providing from his funds for materials

to the needy. He thus founded the village of Kenya together with his

constituents to alleviate partly the miseries of the old-aged people who had

been summarily driven out of their houses on the adjoining sugar estate.

The Village became known as Camp Carol in 1964. The lessons learnt

when he founded the village of Minapur in India in 1937 at the request of

Gandhiji and under the leadership of Rajendra Prasad once again guided his

actions.

He wrote in an article entitled “All about ‘Carol Village’’’ on 19 December

1964 “I call the village a phenomenon, and what else is it? Fancy people

who have poured out their lifeblood for decades on end. After that, without

anything like a diplomatic smile, the employer decided to shove them off at

a convenient distance upon the rocks and arid environment. That spot came

to be called Kenya by some ex-servicemen who must have seen the

resemblance to their ramshackle shelter in Mombassa. The name was

graphic and it caught. You can’t say they lack a sense of humour in this

country. Like sucked orange pips, the retired, the invalid and the ageing

widows of ex-employees were planted into the Carol Village. And not

without magnanimity as their houses did resist months before the mild gusts

of Danielle flattened them out like the pricked bubble. And to make the

thing spectacular, they put the sign-board of Carol Village to remind us that

the fault was entirely and solely Carol’s. The post Danielle show is lurid.

The tumbled roofs prostrate in obsequious obeisance. The settlers, hoping

like Micawber for something to turn up, glide under the diminutive hovels to

be lashed by every drop of rain. They have remained there for years, and

they must of all people be feeling that the Queen is too far away and the

great God too high overhead.”

6.8 Distinctions

His distinctions reflect the tribute of the simple for somebody who lavished

them with his love and unstinted service. They were the outcome of the

efforts of a grateful community to pay tribute to an outstanding Mauritian

rather that of the Establishment.

He was conferred the following distinctions:

(1) Honorary citizenship of Plaine Magnien on 3 August 1969.

(2) “Honorary Freeman” of Curepipe on 20 March 1978.

(3) A road in Mahebourg bears his name.

(4) The Curepipe Market Square was named after him on 16 October

1987

(5) In 1988, Government in deference to the wish of his constituents,

decided to name the Trois Boutiques Government School after him.

The two last decisions have not yet been implemented.

In thankful gratitude, the Government of India erected a commemorative

stele in Minapur, the village he built in Bihar after the earthquake of 1935.

During his visit of the United States in 1970 on the invitation of the US

Government, he was made Honorary citizen of the city of Nebraska.

7. The Promoter and Torchbearer of Hindi

During his tenure as President, Jay Narain Roy transformed the Hindi

Pracharini Sabha into a national organization encompassing over 450 hindi

schools and organizing Hindi examinations to graduate levels for thousands

of Hindi students in Mauritius as well as organizing for the first time and

International Hindi Convention in Mauritius.

On the very first Sunday following his return to Mauritius in May 1937, he

was invited by Ooma Shunkur Geerjanand and Sreeneevash Jugduth, who

were to become among his closest collaborators in the Hindi Pracharini

Sabha, to preside over a Hindi school function and subsequently he did that

every Sunday for years and decades. Often he inaugurated in one day up to

six Hindi schools or cultural societies in different localities of the island.

In 1937 he thus joined the Hindi Pracharini Sabha, which was founded in

1935. He was an executive member of the Sabha from 1940 to 1952 and

was unanimously elected President for 25 years continuously from 1952 to

1977 when he retired from the Sabha.

The Indian Community saw in him a messiah for the promotion of Hindi.

On 11 June 1937 in “Mauritius Arya Patrika”, Pandit Atmaram Vishwanath,

editor, in an article entitled “Shri J.N. Roy and Hindi” saw in him “a

historical figure for the uplift of Hindi in Mauritius”.

During his Presidency, he gave a new dimension and importance, a new

impetus to the teaching and learning of Hindi in Mauritius. He relentlessly

and untiringly went around the country promoting the language, making

powerful speeches in Hindi and delivering forceful messages in a tone,

mastery of language and oratory that was unheard of. This had the effect of

awakening an unparalleled enthusiasm for the Hindi language so much so

that the 20 affiliated schools in 1937 had grown to over 450 by 1961. He

used to say in his entourage:”Each school is a temple and I must have been

doubly blessed to have inaugurated so many in my life”.

Jay Narain Roy set up Hindi syllabi for the teaching of Hindi at primary and

secondary levels, complete with their own inspectorates and examinations.

In 1946, he contacted the Hindi Sahitya Samelan of Allahabad to set the

examinations conducted by the Sabha. Thus the Parichaya examination was

instituted in 1946 and the Prathama in 1956. For the Parichaya examination,

he wrote a book entitled “Mauritius Mein Hindi Bhasa Ka Sanshipta Itihas”

or “A Brief History of Hindi Language in Mauritius” which became the

prescribed textbook. The totality of the proceeds went to the Hindi

Pracharini Sabha.

The teachers trained by the Hindi Pracharini Sabha offered free tuition on

thousands of students. As a result of his actions, Government introduced the

teaching of Hindi in Primary schools as from 1950 and it is those who had

qualified through the examinations held by the Hindi Pracharini Sabha who

were called upon as newly appointed Hindi teachers to implement this

policy. It was Jay Narain Roy who had moved the motion to make the

teaching of oriental languages the responsibility of Government.

Tertiary Hindi education was inaugurated through examinations organized

by the Hindi Pracharini Sabha for the Madhyama in 1963 which was

recognized in India as the equivalent of B.A (General) in Hindi and Uttama

in 1964, the equivalent of B.A (Hons). These examinations were held at the

Mauritius College and hundreds of candidates flocked there every year.

Degrees were attributed to those who passed these examinations on a special

Convocation Day held annually at the Hindi Bhavan. Thus the Hindi

Bhavan in Montagne Longue holds the rare distinction of having attained the

status of a University in Mauritius. The Sabha also received constant help

from the Sasta Sahitya Mandal of New Delhi headed by Yaspal Jain, the

famous poet and personal friend of Jay Narain Roy.

He had brought the teaching and study of Hindi to the same level with that

of English and French because as an intellectual it was his intimate

conviction that Hindi deserved the same place as English and French. He

also set up together with the Mauritius Arya Samaj a Joint Hindi Council in

August 1969 to join forces in support of the Hindi Movement in Mauritius

and to formulate proposals for the teaching and other uses of Hindi in

Primary and Secondary schools and Government institutions. A press

communiqué was issued on 15 August 1969 in “Advance” which bears the

signatures of the members of the Joint Hindi Council who were Messrs

Mohunlall Mohith and Teeluck Callychurn, President and Vice President of

the Mauritius Arya Samaj and Messrs Jay Narain Roy and Suruj Mungur

Bhagat, President and Secretary of the Hindi Pracharini Sabha. The press

release contained eight resolutions made on Hindi Day aimed inter alia to

“ask the Government to define and declare its language policy once and for

all so that there may not be any possibility of doubt at any time in future”,

and outlining the conditions under which the official language and the

mother-tongues should be taught and examined. It is therefore stated that

“the Government should make an unequivocal declaration now that all

mother-tongues of Mauritius should be on the same and equal footing as

regards

(a) the time and attention devoted to their teaching and examinations

(b) the facilities for the pupils to take them as examination and

competition subjects in all stages of education in Mauritius

(c) facilities of text-books, libraries, the training of teachers and the

avenues of the promotions of teachers of these language,

…….that the forcing of the mother-tongue of one child on another child of a

different mother-tongue for the purposes of examinations and competitions

is educationally both unfair and unsound and it must be firmly

resisted,……..that the official language being not the mother tongue of any

Mauritian demands the same effort from every Mauritian child and should,

therefore, be reasonably the only language for competitive examinations but

that if any mother-tongue is introduced in such examinations every child

should be given the same facilities to offer his mother-tongue.”

He also encouraged writing in Hindi by introducing competitions in essay

writing and play writing and awarded prizes to the best writers as from 1965.

It was the first time in the history of Hindi language and literature in

Mauritius that such encouragement was given to Hindi writers which gave

the opportunity to a multitude of persons to write. He also launched a Hindi

“Paheli” puzzle competition, the very year he became President.

He made appeals for fund raising each Sunday through Varshik Utsavs with

his two friends Pandit O.S. Geerjanand and Pandit S. Jugduth together with

other social workers year on year in the villages for the running of Hindi

schools. His unique success in collecting colossal funds over the years for

the Hindi cause him the title of “the greatest beggar in Mauritius” just like

Gandhiji used to say that he was a beggar for his country when he made

appeals for funds. People used to come in great numbers to listen to his high

caliber speeches and queue up to donate money during his appeals. He

collected up to Rs27,000 on one occasion.

He became the torchbearer, the tireless promoter of the Hindi language and

culture and thus his tenure as President represented the heyday of Hindi

language and literature and the Hindi Pracharini Sabha. The Property of the

Sabha also knew a net expansion comprising land, buildings and a Hindi

Library during his Presidency.

In 1976, the Sabha organized the 2nd International Hindi Convention in

Mauritius at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute. He was a remarkable speaker in

Hindi and the responsibility of addressing the Convention in the name of

Mauritius developed upon him. The Convention was attended by eminent

Indian writers and Hindi scholars from all over the world. Thus among the

5. The Scribe and Chronicler of the Independence Movement In the light of his experience of the struggle for the Independence of India,

Jay Narain Roy was convinced that freedom from the colonial yoke was the

only way of recovering the nation’s dignity and having total control over the

country’s destiny. His dream for his country and his commitment to the

cause of independence for his motherland and his people were therefore

omnipresent in his mind like a leitmotiv since his University days. To this

end, the idea of “swaraj” or “independence” for his country was first spelled

out in his writings at an early stage, in fact in his poem “Abhilasha” or

“Yearning” on 30 July 1937 in “Arya Vir” and the concept gathered

momentum in his subsequent writings.

On his return to Mauritius, history bestowed upon him a unique role as he

outpaced everyone and emerged as the most illustrious pen to champion the

cause of justice and political emancipation and his voice and writings were

listened to attentively and with great regard.

He wrote several articles and poems in Hindi in August 1937 in “Arya Vir”

on the imperative for the working class and the young to mobilize. His

article entitle “Zara Sochiye to Sahi” or “Give it a Thought” relating to the

wind of change blowing across the world and the urgent need for Mauritius

to be part of it appeared on 13 August 1937. On 27 August 1937 two of his

poems were published namely “Bharosa Tumhi Ho Jawan” or “Our faith lies

with the young” which appealed to the sense of patriotism of the young to

defend people’s rights and uphold the unity and the sovereignty of the nation

while inspiring themselves from freedom fighters across the world and

“Oussi Desh ke Vasi” or “Citizen of the same Country” on the importance of

one’s roots and culture.

In 1937, he wrote a book “Wither Indo-Mauritians”, arguing that the Indian

community was an inalienable component of the Mauritian society and that

its working class had its first kinship with the working class of the land. It

was also an appeal to resist categorically and forcefully the policy of divide

and rule of the Colonial Government and its allies namely the sugar

oligarchy and the vested interests. Jay Narain Roy explains that “The

purpose of that writing was to scatter the tangled web in which the Indo-

Mauritian society is enmeshed so that we might be able to see our position in

the right perspective.” He further states that: “The Indo-Mauritians hold as

a legacy from their grandfathers to associate with others in equal partnership

for the welfare and progress of the colony ……………. As Indo-Mauritians,

what is then our goal: social, political or economic……….Politically, they

have their part to play. This part is to be played not in antagonism with the

rest of the population but in conjunction with them. Mauritius is a small

sugar-producing colony. Almost all the activities that contribute to the

economic welfare of the island centre round the production of sugar. The

happiness or sorrow of all sections of the population being so interwoven, if

parties and activities are directed towards a narrow, racial advantage, they

are bound, sooner than later, to receive a rude shock. The common weal

must be based on good-will, equality and brotherhood. Mauritius must be

allowed to prosper as one united entity. For the achievement of this ideal, it

is necessary that every community should respect the rights and privileges of

the other. An unnecessary infringement will undoubtedly be resented by the

injured party and the effect will be to infuse a malignant rancour in the

Mauritian society and to put an undesirable check upon the progress of the

colony. The net result will be that we shall have set the clock back.

Politically and economically, therefore, Indians in Mauritius should become

conscious of their rights and privileges and duties so that we may understand

how best we can help in the prosperity and advance of this important island

………Socially, our aim should be to tone down differences among the

different groups into our society so that we can create that united social

atmosphere……….And language, the open sesame to the Indian Culture,

has yet to be cultivated. We have yet to learn our mother-tongue!”

In 1939, he wrote another book “Towards Uplift”, which was “an open letter

to Indo-Mauritians” as he describes it himself, in which he outlines the

founding principles of the important struggle ahead with a view to achieving

success. He writes “No rational movement can be started unless we have

fully defined the path and goal that are to guide our activities. Whatever we

do or attempt to do must be made to run on the well-laid rails of principles.

In these days of logic and science, we cannot hug a Kaiserian principle like

“forward with full steam” without being sure of the volume of the steam or

of what lies ahead. It is better to wait and think than to rush without prior

reflection……In order to contribute to the greatest good of the greatest

number, we should start with a cohesion of the greatest number. For a

cohesion of the greatest number there should be a greater objective. To have

a greater objective we should dovetail one another’s mentality. In order to

bring about this adjustment of mentality we should sacrifice some of our

whims and fantasies…..Public work especially when it is of a purely social

and cultural character is more a matter of faith than a matter of policy or

ambition. One who professes to be in public life should make his life

entirely public. Duplicity is death. Sincerity is life. Without sincerity the

connection between the leader and the people will remain superficial,

changing and always open to doubt.”

On 25 June 1937, Jay Narain Roy shared his attachment to an illustrious

universal ideal which was an essential element in his bid to speed up the

advent of progress and social justice. He thus wrote: “The new sciences can

only be learnt in English and it is necessary for us to know these. Not to do

so would leave us hanging centuries behind far from the tempo of our

present times”.

Furthermore, as Jay Narain Roy was convinced that a newspaper was an

essential tool to fight for freedom, emancipation and social justice, he

founded “Advance” in October 1940 collecting funds as from 1937 from

every Indo-Mauritian household. The “Arya Patrika” of 1 July 1938 wrote

that Jay Narain Roy had managed to collect Rs15,000 for a press.

The inaugural issue of “Advance” on 8 October 1940 contains a eulogy on

the pioneering work of Jay Narain Roy. The tribute paid to him by K.

Kumar and entitled “At the crossroads of History” says: “Like a lotus

flower tossed away to our shores by tidal waves, one morning a spirited

young man was found in our midst, afire with the determination to serve his

people.

There was something in him that awaked a lively fervour in the community

and the enthusiasm which greeted his return to the native land. He sounded

the trumpet call of unity that found a spontaneous response in the hearts of

his countrymen”.

In the 31 December 1940 issue of “Arya Vir,” its editor Pandit Cashinath

Kistoe stated with pride that the launching of the much awaited “Advance”

daily newspaper had become a reality thanks to its “Janamdatta” or

“Lifegiver”, Jay Narain Roy.

Although he was in Government, he wrote an unsigned editorial daily on

political, economical and a vast number of subjects. As it became quickly

known that the man behind the editorials was Jay Narain Roy, people came

out of their way to meet him and to congratulate him as no one before had

ever written an article daily. Lois Lagesse was so swept off his feet over his

article “On a Lady’s hat” that he wrote a long article in praise. Across time

the paper pulsated to the pace of his writings. His heart and mind beat in

unison with the tribulations of his countrymen.

In 1947 he founded “Janata” and was its first editor from 1947 to 1953. The

first issue of Janata appeared on 4 May 1947 with an opening message from

him as editor entitle “Our paper” which read “A newspaper can be the voice

of a race as it can be its shroud. It is a unique school when conscious of the

need to educate the people, it provides the elements of unfettered thought”.

It was the most vigorous of all papers in the Hindi Language and its

translated articles were read in the Legislative Council.

With the founding of “Advance” and “Janata”, Jay Narain Roy became the

chronicler and scribe of the independence movement. His writings echoed

the inchoate wishes of the multitude. His pen resolutely and relentlessly

depicted the blatant truths regarding the harsh conditions of work and living

of the workers on the sugar estates. He systematically dealt with the

problems of the poor, the working class without distinction of race, colour or

creed. And god knows they were numerous in those days, such as low

wages, hard and difficult conditions of labour, bad housing etc. Nobody had

dared to unveil such a stark picture of poverty and the inhuman conditions

prevailing and this attracted him many enemies among the vested interests,

the sugar oligarchy and in reactionary circles. Through his articles he

wanted to galvanise the fighting spirit of the workers, structure their

demands and grievances, give a sense of purpose and induct political

perspective to their struggle. He thus became one of the stalwarts to

champion the cause of workers and that of political emancipation. At times

he also wrote to rouse the conscience and the humane feelings of employers

and those in power.

His series of famous weekly articles entitled “Random Rambles”, “Matters

of the moment”, “Not that it matters”, provide a potent symbol of his

determination, encapsulates his resolve and have become part of our

independence heritage.

In 1945, he wrote a book entitled “Constitutional Proposals”, which

involved according to him “a three-pronged offensive: fight for the

legitimate rights of the people, fight to purge life of the undesirables and

fight against the fossilized social prejudices that prevent cohesion.” The

book which methodically analysed the proposals of the Governor in regard

to the revision of the Constitution and made a series of counter-proposals

was resolutely anchored in Jay Narian Roy’s struggle to “allow more scope

and opportunities to the inhabitants of a colony to shape their destinies” as

he wrote and was definitely his plan for the independence of Mauritius. He

further added that “We will have universal suffrage one day whether some

of us like it or not. Let those who will be atrophied by the news shake off

their mortal coil before it actually comes. Let them remember this: the fear

of being swamped by others is the haunting shadow of one’s own guilty

psychology.” And he further adds: “Communalism driven to its logical

conclusion means political suicide to the communalists………. We should

not fondly conspire to catch progress by the forelock. On the contrary, we

should at once prepare for a re-orientation in order to march along the

inevitable path of compulsory education, universal suffrage, responsible

Government………..Let the British Government not feel that it is a gift that

it is making to a half-civilised nation. It is our birth-right to clamour for

political advance and it is obviously our right to bargain and to struggle to

change what we deem objectionable………. The social and political reforms

should be inexorably bound up with the life and happiness of the little man.”

After the strike of 1947 he wrote a weekly column in 1947 and 1948 entitled

“Labour Diaries” charting out the grievances of the downtrodden.

In 1948, he argued in a writing entitled “The Parliamentary Front” on the

need to create a front outside Parliament in order to involve the civil society

and the masses to give a new impetus and greater momentum to the struggle

for social justice and freedom.

In the fifties, he wrote to publicly denounce the anti-Mauritian attitude of the

sugar oligarchy. Some of the titles reflecting this momentous crusade were

inter alia: Popular fallacies, Fears of Franco-Mauritians, Reproach to Indo-

Mauritians, Matters of the moment, Going up and going down, Charity to

the poor.

He inspired as well as contributed and influenced in an unique manner the

thinking process on the future of Mauritius through a series of articles

entitled, inter alia:

- What are we fighting for

- Equality of opportunities

- Our three most pressing problems

- Let us think aloud

- Political watermark

- The new colonial policy

- The finances of Mauritius

- Future of small colonies

- The Colonial danger

- Thinking concretely

- The Englishmen and ourselves

- The Sugar Industry

- The Sugar conference

- The future of self governing colonies

- Problems for a socialist government

- Our Economic future (a series of 3 articles)

- The concept of progress

- The Mauritius we all want

- A socialist looks at Mauritius

- What is the issue?

- Government Industrial Policy

- Planning for Prosperity

- What’s a Marketing Board?

- Our land utilisation

- The problem of Mauritius

- Wanted: a land Policy

- Wanted a youth revolution

- To my own people

- The economics of protection

He pushed forward the issue of independence and methodically and

systematically ensured that it was on the top agenda. Some examples of his

writings on the topic are:

- A new constitution for Mauritius

- Wastage in Government

- Administrative sidelights

- Approach for the future

- Towards a Mauritian understanding

- About election formalities

- Elections and things

- Life in council

- Thoughts on independence

- Socialist planning

- Separate electorate

- What of the future

- The responsibilities of Government

- The country first

- The realities of Independence

- What decent Mauritians desire

- The angle of Whiteball

- Mauritius and the World

- The idea of independence

- The national vanguard

- The case for freedom

- Narrowing Political differences

- The independence we want

- The game of politics

- The spirit of coalition

- The H’s of independence

- The coming fight for power

- The electorates must face the facts

- A most disappointing report

- And why independence?

- Talking of the elections.

- Talking of politics.

After having been the General Secretary of the Mauritius Amalgamated

Labourers Association, it was upon him once again that history bestowed the

responsibility to spell out the importance of an exceptional landmark in the

struggle of workers. On the inauguration of the Headquarters of the

Plantation Workers Union, the Plantation Workers House, he thus wrote on

16 February 1963: “Thus is a Plantation House. It stands imposingly upon

an imposing site to snub yonder Government House. Probably as an easy

reminder of the twin mastery of the island’s fate…….On Sunday the 10th of

February was inaugurated in an obscure, camel-backed lane in the centre of

our proud metropolis the Plantation Workers House, one of those imposing

landmarks in the history of a nation. Obviously the two buildings do not

impose for the same reason, nor indeed are they equally happily sited. One

imposes because a lot of everybody’s money has gone into its towering

height, and the other because much sweat and tears and blood have paved its

realisation.”

He also wrote numerous political articles on various aspects of our economy

such as the Sugar industry, Agriculture, Agricultural workers and problems

of wages, The land utilization policy, Insurance policy, Money and

enterprise, Economic planning and the economic future of Mauritius, The

Tea Industry, the Fishing Industry, Tourism prospects, Housing, the trade

unions tribulations, etc.

He also wrote hard articles with precise objectives. Thus after his article on

Mr Bodkin, the then Director of Agriculture entitled “What’s Bodkin

waiting for,” he had to pack up and leave the country hurriedly. Following

his article on Governor Sir Robert Scott entitled “Go Away Scott”, the latter

left the country.

He was also a formidable polemist and he could bring puckish humour to a

controversy while engaging more than one opponent at a time. The polemist

however was rooted in the wishes of the multitude. Noel Marrier

D’Unienville (NMU) had been especially brought form France to champion

the cause of the vested interests. It was Jay Narain Roy once again who

engaged him. NMU wrote in “Le Cerneen” and was supposed to have a

keen mind. Jay Narain Roy had a serious grip with him and he foundered as

was attested in an article he wrote in 1952 which Jay Narain Roy described

as a “laboured, rambling apologia pro vita sua after twenty nine months of

twaddling.”

Philippe Galea of the Chamber of Agriculture wrote an article entitled

“Choses a Dire” strongly criticizing Mauritians of Indian Origin. Jay Narain

Roy gave him a hard time in “More things to Tell.” He backed out.

Raoul Rivet stopped his polemics with Jay Narain Roy after two exchanges.

Subsequently they became good friends.

For his polemics with Father Dethise, he used a different strategy. It was

one of extreme politeness, an exchange of bouquets as he described it, but

nevertheless cogently getting across his messages and arguments.

He was a columnist for forty five years. It was said of him that “Jay Narain

Roy was as irrepressible as an imp and his words knifed through pretence to

reveal the ugly sores it hid. He fashioned a vision of a socialist Mauritius.

His towering intellect allowed him to gush forth ideas at the drop of a hat.

He was extremely prolific, his style was at times humorous, serious, pungent

and critical and the English language has seldom been used with more

felicity in this land”.

No one has written as extensively and as constantly as Jay Narain Roy.

Apart from his political writings there was not one issue that did not catch

his attention. As well as being the scribe and chronicler of the independence

movement, he was also a reference of intellectual refinement and erudition

and people looked up to him and relished insatiably each and every one of

his articles. His interest embraced a wide spectrum of topics such as Roads

infrastructure, Cyclones, Mauritian, Hindi, Russian, American, British and

World Literature, Public morality, Evian Agreement, The importance of

man, The Indo-China war, Terrorism, Communalism, Youth, The

Commonwealth, The caste system, The language issue, History,

Competition, Faith, Standards of progress, Education, Orient and Occident,

Africa, Drought, The school curricula, Gerald Durell, the link between

Mauritius, France, the USA, Russia and South Africa, Nathan Homer Knorr,

Destalinization, The principles of taxation, The concept of nationalism,

Edward Hart, Mauritian topography and many more issues.

In his diary on 20 February 1931 he reveals: More than at any time before

my heart yearns for a journalistic career. Why it fascinates me I cannot tell.

It requires confidence; I can offer diffidence; it requires courage, skill and

tact; I can claim friendship with none. Yet it fascinates me immensely”.

When he came to the conclusion that “Advance”, the newspaper he had

founded, was towing a political line that was contrary to his ideals, he

stopped contributing articles. He took the same decision with respect to

“Janata” that was owned by the same company and had the same

shareholders Not surprisingly, both dailies stopped existing after Jay Narain

Roy dissociated himself from them because both papers lost the support of

the public. He stopped writing in “Advance” in 1980 and the newspaper

stopped appearing in 1984. Janata had ceased its publication in 1982. In his

article “Reminiscences of “Advance” in “Le Mauricien” of 5 June 1984, he

said: “Advance has ceased publication. I was not reading it lately. It was

not worth while. It was no more the one upon which I expended so much

energy, passion and affection to build…….. For it was intimately linked up

with several decades of the intellectual history of my life”. He nevertheless

continued writing in “Le Mauricien” and “L’Express”.

6. The Politician

6.1 Proposed visit of Pandit Nehru to Mauritius

In April 1937, he wrote an article from India saying that Pandit Jawaharlall

Nehru, the President of Congress, who had already visited Burma would be

willing to visit Mauritius. Dr Rajendra Prasad urged him to return to

Mauritius to organize this event as our country would be blessed by this

influencial visit and provide a unique rallying figure to boost further the

cause of social justice. Unfortunately, owing to Nehru’s active and crucial

involvement in the “Swaraj” movement this project could not be realized.

6.2 From “Swaraj” to the struggle for freedom of Mauritius

He returned to Mauritius on 11 May 1937 on board the Querimba straight

from Minapur wearing a Gandhi cap, khadi kurta and dhoti betraying a

unique reverence for his guru, Bapu (Mahatma Gandhi). He was the first of

his generation to have done an M.A; LLB and was given rousing receptions

by the Indian community at Flacq, Riviere du Rempart, Port Louis and other

localities.

He immediately joined the struggle for social justice, workers’ rights and

political emancipation in 1937. Shortly after in the same year, he met

Anquetil again and for nearly ten years they shared the same work, vision

and mission. Thus Anquetil and Jay Narain Roy together with other

workers’ leaders put their heads together to form the trade unions of

Mauritius. A deep friendship grew between them that is epitomized in the

obituary signed simply “A friend” composed on the morrow of a national

setback. Anquetil died on 29 December 1946. The obituary was written by

Jay Narain Roy on 31 December 1946 and published in “Advance” of 7

January 1947. Consolidated excerpts read as follows: “The one man who

had dominated the hearts of the workers during the last ten years is no more.

The great Anquetil has passed away. Anquetil worked hard to give

Mauritius a political party, a living programme for the welfare of the masses,

an active organization to knit the workers together and that comeradeship in

arms that transcends all racialism; all communalism and all social

aloofness…He undoubtedly had a character; that rare political asset. He had

courage in a very conspicuous measure. He was fearless and outspoken and

no power and temptation could curb his will to assert the rights of the

multitude. Anquetil was a powerful speaker. His speeches were often

sermons and he would keep his audience spell-bound for

hours……..Anquetil was, above all, a great organizer. The whole Trader

Union Movement in Mauritius was conceived, planned, created and run by

him. Nothing could have been achieved in the Trade Union line without the

help and cooperation of Anquetil……..His death is no doubt one of the

major calamities of 20th century Mauritius. But if personal drive and

popularity are any criterion in this democratic world; if confidence to sway

the rowdiest is any test of one’s mettle; if character and courage count for

anything in this belated Christian civilization; if selflessness is still among

the virtues of public life; if organizing ability is the hallmark of success; if

voice or dignified argumentation is any weapon of parliamentary

democracy, if one’s vision and one’s life-work has any historical reckoning,

Anquetil was indubitably great, infinitely greater that the gilt-edged

creations of power and pelf……

The Labour Party may not have been founded by him but it was Anquetil

who gave life and vigour to it and worked it out into the first political

organization with a programme and a following…..It will certainly be said

that he worked himself to death for the cause of his fellow country-men.

The country mourns the loss of its heroic and beloved national leader. How

long more shall we bleed to have another Anquetil to lead us into light, out

of this labour blackout caused by the death of one of the greatest Mauritians

of all times?”

Jay Narain Roy always considered Anquetil to be the father of Mauritian

socialism. His tribute was a lonely tribute to Anquetil while many of his

fellow politicians remained silent. Sir Bede Clifford who was then presiding

the Council read Jay Narain Roy’s tribute in the Council and said that it was

so well written that he had nothing to add.

After the strike of 1947, Jay Narain Roy was nominated on the Gorvin

Commission set up to probe into the various sectors of the Mauritian

economy covering the sugar industry, the co-operative movement, non-sugar

agriculture livestock, water resources, transport, shipping and trade among

other things and to make appropriate recommendations thereon. He

prescribed over the committee on the Cooperative Movement and wrote its

report which was unanimously endorsed. These reports were generally

written by their British Chairmen.

6.3 Member of Labour Party and the Legislative Council

He was elected to the Legislative Council as an independent member for

Grand Port/Savanne in August 1948. Raoul Rivet, editor-in-chief of “Le

Mauricien” wrote a potent article in favour of Jay Narain Roy’s candidature.

Guy Rozemont was among the few elected from the Labour Party which

Anquetil had nurtured with his sweat and blood. This was the first election

held with adult suffrage, i.e. a voting age of 21 for those who passed the

literacy test.

In those days the Council comprised 31 members out of which 19 were

elected representatives of the various districts including Rodrigues and 12

were nominees. There were also three officials of the Colonial Government

which included the Colonial Secretary and the Financial Secretary who were

ex-officio members. The Speaker was then the Governor. There was a

general retrograde perception in those days within the Franco-Mauritian

oligarchy that when the franchise was extended the general tone and tenor of

the Council debates would go down considerably. On the very first day of

the Council, which was also attended by the newly appointed first High

Commissioner of the Government of Independent of India, Jay Narain Roy

was the first elected member to address the Legislative Council. He

delivered such a remarkable impromptu speech that impressed one and all so

much that Dr de Chazal, who was a nominee, spontaneously stood up and

admitted amidst applause that contrary to his earlier apprehensions the level

of debates had been raised to lofty heights. Jay Narain Roy had just given

yet another demonstration of the force of his personality, his character, his

intellect, his wit, his mastery of the language and his political finesse.

He joined the Labour Party in 1948 together with other candidates who were

elected as independent members. He remained in Parliament until 1967

when he withdrew completely from politics.

He played a very active role in Parliament and was an outstanding and

forceful speaker and served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly with

distinction. His learned and powerful speeches which he made extempore

without ever reading from a paper or notes were legendary. He presented

motions on a plethora of issues and discussed a number of important

questions relating to inter alia Trade unions, The sugar industry, The wages

policy, Education, Agriculture, Tourism, Housing, The fishing industry,

Industry, The tea industry, The Marketing Board, The land policy,

Independence, The economy, Money and enterprise, Competition, Youth,

The family, Drought, Capital exodus, Culture, The reconstruction plan after

cyclone Carol. It was generally recognized that Jay Narain Roy asked the

greatest number of parliamentary questions. He also fought tooth and nail

for his countrymen and his constituents. He was made an honorary citizen

by the village of the Plaine Magnien on 3 August 1969.

He seconded the motion presented by Guy Rozemont on 28 April 1949 to

make 1 May i.e. Labour Day, a public holiday. He moved the motion to

make the teaching of oriental languages the responsibility of Government.

It should be flagged that in 1955 he comfortably defeated Dr M. Cure who

stood under the banner of the Independent Forward Block and received overt

support from all those who opposed Jay Narain Roy.

6.4 Man of Principles and lofty precepts

As a statesman he was a man of principles who throughout his political

career would make no concessions on those principles he held as sacred. In

one of the numerous articles about him, it is stated that “Jay Narain Roy

strongly believed that people’s representatives should be beyond suspicion,

honest and straightforward citizens and that the interest of the common

people should prevail above all other considerations, that public life should

be dedicated to the uplift of the downtrodden. It is the selfless and the self-

sacrificing action alone that can uphold the trust that is placed in public men.

Salvation and redemption lie in fulfilling the blossoming hope of the

multitude. Such lofty ideals need to be diffused so that the noble ancestry of

public life be better known. Only then can it be salvaged from surrogate

slums, into its proper lineage of service.”

As a politician he constantly propagated his idea of unity among the diverse

communities in all his electoral meetings and exhorted the people to vote for

the labour candidates irrespective of their race, colour and creed. His

campaigning on this issue led to the successive election of non-Hindu

candidates, even in by-elections, against the opposition made up of the

Independent Forward Block led by Sookdeo Bissoondoyal and Le Parti

Mauricien. Once again this was quite as never before had someone

attempted to fight communalism and compartmentalism with such

determination and to champion the cause of unity. In those days the voters

knew that the electoral divide was between Royists and Bissondoyalists.

He was staunchly against communalism and the marginalisation of any

ethnic group. He wrote on 9 July 1948 in an article entitled “Towards a

Party”. “The future of Mauritius lies in the hands of a party. Communalism,

compartmentalism and class and colour politics must be eradicated from

public life. People of goodwill and honesty of purpose should meet and

exchange ideas and narrow down the bridges that divide the communities

and classes. We must get rid of people who have an individual or class

politics and who are eager to raise safely walls on their two sides. We must

get rid of persons whose political existence is pitted between the hatred of

one class and the cry of danger towards another…….The best politics is

what is best for the average citizen. The best political programme would be

the carefully worked out economic and political proposals to raise the

standard of living of the average man and to provide him with equal

opportunities regardless of creed, race, colour or class”.

It is said that to leave his mark in the hearts of the people, a statesman must

be an altruistic dreamer and the selfless architect of a better society for one

and all, have charisma, be an inspiring writer and a powerful orator. Jay

Narain Roy epitomized all this and more.

He withdrew from politics in 1967 before the General Elections for

Independence of 1968 although he was certain to be elected as usual since

his constituents admired his intellect, respected his political acumen and his

honesty as their representative, revered his humanity and adored him, the

more so as the Labour Party was sure to win. It was a surprise to many. In

spite of the insistence of his constituents, he desired because he considered

that as he had nurtured his country to the threshold of independence, he had

accomplished his mission. Further, having seen politics for twenty years

from inside, he had witnessed too many political manoeuvres and intrigues

that had disturbed him. He predicted that this would inevitably lead to

promises being broken and to the emergence of a feeling of betrayal among

the supporters of the Labour Party and those of its allies, the Independent

Forward Block and the Comite d’Action Musulman. He had learnt his

lesson of justice, truthfulness and sincerity in politics under Gandhiji and

that made all the difference. He was honest, selfless, straightforward and

there was total communion between his writings and his actions, his

preachings and his doings. His perspicacious analysis, his unique

understanding of politics and his feel of history proved to be right as only

two years after independence, the Labour Party lost in a by-election,

signaling the beginning of its downfall until the final debacle in 1982 when

it went in political wilderness. Rarely in history has one seen a party that

has led its country towards the greatest of all goals, i.e independence

together with its allies lose its overwhelming popularity in so short a time.

Subsequently the other constituents of the Parti de L’Independence, the

Independent Forward Block of Sookdeo Bissondoyal was dissolved and the

Comite d’Action Musulman of Razack Mohamed was put on ice. When he

quit politics he dedicated the rest of his life to education, social work, the

promotion of Hindi and writing.

Jay Narain Roy’s progressive proposals for constitutional reform, his

revolutionary Five Year Plan for Agriculture which echoed the aspirations of

the multitude coupled with his uncompromising stand on matters of

principle and his unflinching support for the downtrodden caused him to be

throughout his political career the prime target of the forces of reaction. He

was singled out by the vested interests and the sugar oligarchy who actively

supported his political opponents and put pressure on their employees to

vote for his opponents in successive elections. During electoral campaigns

they assiduously encouraged the managerial staff (état major) of the sugar

estates to carry the partisans of his opponents in their cars to vote.

The reactionaries also tries in vain on two occasions to annul his elections on

spurious grounds. They further ensured that even while a member of the

Legislative Council, he was forbidden access to the camps on the sugar

estates. This did not prevent Jay Narain Roy from consistently flouting this

embargo to meet and mobilize his supporters.

6.5 Delegation to India

In 1949 he headed a delegation to India to take part in the first Independence

Day celebrations held on 26 January 1950 and was officially received with

full honours by one of his mentors, Dr Rajendra Prasad, the first President of

India.

To Jay Narain Roy, the Mauritian road to independence was bound to be

inspired by the Indian Freedom movement and by the precepts of Gandhiji.

He chronicled his remarkable journey to India in “Janata”. During his visit

he promoted trade relations between India and Mauritius in an article

entitled “Indo-Mauritian Trade Prospects” published in the magazine

“Indian Affairs” in which he was periodically contributing articles.

He was interviewed as the Head of the Mauritian delegation by Mrs Kusum

Harinarain on All India Radioon 3 January 1950.

6.6 London Conference June 1952

He attended the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in June 1952

which regrouped elected representatives of countries of the Commonwealth

to discuss parliamentary procedures and establish a network of working

relationship among parliamentarians. It was also a unique opportunity for

Jay Narain Roy to take stock of the progress made on the issue of

independence in the other colonies of the United Kingdom. He met

numerous leading parliamentarians of the Commonwealth.

6.7 Founding of Camp Carol Village

Part of the legend of Jay Narain Roy was his instant presence to allay the

woes of the afflicted. After the passage of the cyclone Carol he was

immediately amongst his constituents providing from his funds for materials

to the needy. He thus founded the village of Kenya together with his

constituents to alleviate partly the miseries of the old-aged people who had

been summarily driven out of their houses on the adjoining sugar estate.

The Village became known as Camp Carol in 1964. The lessons learnt

when he founded the village of Minapur in India in 1937 at the request of

Gandhiji and under the leadership of Rajendra Prasad once again guided his

actions.

He wrote in an article entitled “All about ‘Carol Village’’’ on 19 December

1964 “I call the village a phenomenon, and what else is it? Fancy people

who have poured out their lifeblood for decades on end. After that, without

anything like a diplomatic smile, the employer decided to shove them off at

a convenient distance upon the rocks and arid environment. That spot came

to be called Kenya by some ex-servicemen who must have seen the

resemblance to their ramshackle shelter in Mombassa. The name was

graphic and it caught. You can’t say they lack a sense of humour in this

country. Like sucked orange pips, the retired, the invalid and the ageing

widows of ex-employees were planted into the Carol Village. And not

without magnanimity as their houses did resist months before the mild gusts

of Danielle flattened them out like the pricked bubble. And to make the

thing spectacular, they put the sign-board of Carol Village to remind us that

the fault was entirely and solely Carol’s. The post Danielle show is lurid.

The tumbled roofs prostrate in obsequious obeisance. The settlers, hoping

like Micawber for something to turn up, glide under the diminutive hovels to

be lashed by every drop of rain. They have remained there for years, and

they must of all people be feeling that the Queen is too far away and the

great God too high overhead.”

6.8 Distinctions

His distinctions reflect the tribute of the simple for somebody who lavished

them with his love and unstinted service. They were the outcome of the

efforts of a grateful community to pay tribute to an outstanding Mauritian

rather that of the Establishment.

He was conferred the following distinctions:

(1) Honorary citizenship of Plaine Magnien on 3 August 1969.

(2) “Honorary Freeman” of Curepipe on 20 March 1978.

(3) A road in Mahebourg bears his name.

(4) The Curepipe Market Square was named after him on 16 October

1987

(5) In 1988, Government in deference to the wish of his constituents,

decided to name the Trois Boutiques Government School after him.

The two last decisions have not yet been implemented.

In thankful gratitude, the Government of India erected a commemorative

stele in Minapur, the village he built in Bihar after the earthquake of 1935.

During his visit of the United States in 1970 on the invitation of the US

Government, he was made Honorary citizen of the city of Nebraska.

7. The Promoter and Torchbearer of Hindi

During his tenure as President, Jay Narain Roy transformed the Hindi

Pracharini Sabha into a national organization encompassing over 450 hindi

schools and organizing Hindi examinations to graduate levels for thousands

of Hindi students in Mauritius as well as organizing for the first time and

International Hindi Convention in Mauritius.

On the very first Sunday following his return to Mauritius in May 1937, he

was invited by Ooma Shunkur Geerjanand and Sreeneevash Jugduth, who

were to become among his closest collaborators in the Hindi Pracharini

Sabha, to preside over a Hindi school function and subsequently he did that

every Sunday for years and decades. Often he inaugurated in one day up to

six Hindi schools or cultural societies in different localities of the island.

In 1937 he thus joined the Hindi Pracharini Sabha, which was founded in

1935. He was an executive member of the Sabha from 1940 to 1952 and

was unanimously elected President for 25 years continuously from 1952 to

1977 when he retired from the Sabha.

The Indian Community saw in him a messiah for the promotion of Hindi.

On 11 June 1937 in “Mauritius Arya Patrika”, Pandit Atmaram Vishwanath,

editor, in an article entitled “Shri J.N. Roy and Hindi” saw in him “a

historical figure for the uplift of Hindi in Mauritius”.

During his Presidency, he gave a new dimension and importance, a new

impetus to the teaching and learning of Hindi in Mauritius. He relentlessly

and untiringly went around the country promoting the language, making

powerful speeches in Hindi and delivering forceful messages in a tone,

mastery of language and oratory that was unheard of. This had the effect of

awakening an unparalleled enthusiasm for the Hindi language so much so

that the 20 affiliated schools in 1937 had grown to over 450 by 1961. He

used to say in his entourage:”Each school is a temple and I must have been

doubly blessed to have inaugurated so many in my life”.

Jay Narain Roy set up Hindi syllabi for the teaching of Hindi at primary and

secondary levels, complete with their own inspectorates and examinations.

In 1946, he contacted the Hindi Sahitya Samelan of Allahabad to set the

examinations conducted by the Sabha. Thus the Parichaya examination was

instituted in 1946 and the Prathama in 1956. For the Parichaya examination,

he wrote a book entitled “Mauritius Mein Hindi Bhasa Ka Sanshipta Itihas”

or “A Brief History of Hindi Language in Mauritius” which became the

prescribed textbook. The totality of the proceeds went to the Hindi

Pracharini Sabha.

The teachers trained by the Hindi Pracharini Sabha offered free tuition on

thousands of students. As a result of his actions, Government introduced the

teaching of Hindi in Primary schools as from 1950 and it is those who had

qualified through the examinations held by the Hindi Pracharini Sabha who

were called upon as newly appointed Hindi teachers to implement this

policy. It was Jay Narain Roy who had moved the motion to make the

teaching of oriental languages the responsibility of Government.

Tertiary Hindi education was inaugurated through examinations organized

by the Hindi Pracharini Sabha for the Madhyama in 1963 which was

recognized in India as the equivalent of B.A (General) in Hindi and Uttama

in 1964, the equivalent of B.A (Hons). These examinations were held at the

Mauritius College and hundreds of candidates flocked there every year.

Degrees were attributed to those who passed these examinations on a special

Convocation Day held annually at the Hindi Bhavan. Thus the Hindi

Bhavan in Montagne Longue holds the rare distinction of having attained the

status of a University in Mauritius. The Sabha also received constant help

from the Sasta Sahitya Mandal of New Delhi headed by Yaspal Jain, the

famous poet and personal friend of Jay Narain Roy.

He had brought the teaching and study of Hindi to the same level with that

of English and French because as an intellectual it was his intimate

conviction that Hindi deserved the same place as English and French. He

also set up together with the Mauritius Arya Samaj a Joint Hindi Council in

August 1969 to join forces in support of the Hindi Movement in Mauritius

and to formulate proposals for the teaching and other uses of Hindi in

Primary and Secondary schools and Government institutions. A press

communiqué was issued on 15 August 1969 in “Advance” which bears the

signatures of the members of the Joint Hindi Council who were Messrs

Mohunlall Mohith and Teeluck Callychurn, President and Vice President of

the Mauritius Arya Samaj and Messrs Jay Narain Roy and Suruj Mungur

Bhagat, President and Secretary of the Hindi Pracharini Sabha. The press

release contained eight resolutions made on Hindi Day aimed inter alia to

“ask the Government to define and declare its language policy once and for

all so that there may not be any possibility of doubt at any time in future”,

and outlining the conditions under which the official language and the

mother-tongues should be taught and examined. It is therefore stated that

“the Government should make an unequivocal declaration now that all

mother-tongues of Mauritius should be on the same and equal footing as

regards

(a) the time and attention devoted to their teaching and examinations

(b) the facilities for the pupils to take them as examination and

competition subjects in all stages of education in Mauritius

(c) facilities of text-books, libraries, the training of teachers and the

avenues of the promotions of teachers of these language,

…….that the forcing of the mother-tongue of one child on another child of a

different mother-tongue for the purposes of examinations and competitions

is educationally both unfair and unsound and it must be firmly

resisted,……..that the official language being not the mother tongue of any

Mauritian demands the same effort from every Mauritian child and should,

therefore, be reasonably the only language for competitive examinations but

that if any mother-tongue is introduced in such examinations every child

should be given the same facilities to offer his mother-tongue.”

He also encouraged writing in Hindi by introducing competitions in essay

writing and play writing and awarded prizes to the best writers as from 1965.

It was the first time in the history of Hindi language and literature in

Mauritius that such encouragement was given to Hindi writers which gave

the opportunity to a multitude of persons to write. He also launched a Hindi

“Paheli” puzzle competition, the very year he became President.

He made appeals for fund raising each Sunday through Varshik Utsavs with

his two friends Pandit O.S. Geerjanand and Pandit S. Jugduth together with

other social workers year on year in the villages for the running of Hindi

schools. His unique success in collecting colossal funds over the years for

the Hindi cause him the title of “the greatest beggar in Mauritius” just like

Gandhiji used to say that he was a beggar for his country when he made

appeals for funds. People used to come in great numbers to listen to his high

caliber speeches and queue up to donate money during his appeals. He

collected up to Rs27,000 on one occasion.

He became the torchbearer, the tireless promoter of the Hindi language and

culture and thus his tenure as President represented the heyday of Hindi

language and literature and the Hindi Pracharini Sabha. The Property of the

Sabha also knew a net expansion comprising land, buildings and a Hindi

Library during his Presidency.

In 1976, the Sabha organized the 2nd International Hindi Convention in

Mauritius at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute. He was a remarkable speaker in

Hindi and the responsibility of addressing the Convention in the name of

Mauritius developed upon him. The Convention was attended by eminent

Indian writers and Hindi scholars from all over the world. Thus among the

delegates were R.S. Dinkar, India’s Hindi national poet and Suman the

famous poet and writer.

He thus fulfilled what Pandit Atmaram Vishwanath of “Mauritius Arya

Patrika” had predicted on 11 June 1937 by stating: “For Jay Narain Roy the

uplift of Hindi can become his life’s vocation”.

He also mastered Sanskrit and Urdu and his universality led him to be

regularly invited by the Mauritius Brahman Sabha to address the Sanskrit

students on its Annual Prize Giving Day, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission of

Mauritius for its Annual Congress and Brains Trust. He was also the Chief

Guest of the Arya Samaj for its Annual Convention for decades and was

regularly invited to speak at numerous functions organized by diverse

cultural and religious organizations. The annual Sanskrit examinations

organized by the Mauritius Brahman Sabha are held at the Mauritius College

since 1962. He was in essence a constant rallying force for the nation.

The Hindi Pracharini Sabha in recognition for his long and exceptional

contribution paid tribute to him as guest of honour on 2 December 1985 on

the occasion of its Golden Jubilee. He was offered a commemorative plaque

with the inscription “Dedicated to Mr Jay Narain Roy for his significant

contribution in the promotion and development of the Hindi language.”

In December 1988, Pahlad Ramsurrun editor of the magazine “Indra

Dhanush” in its first issue stated with a burst of passion: “Till when shall we

refuse to recognize the founding role of Jay Narain Roy in Hindi Literature?

Till when shall we avoid to bring light upon his life’s achievements instead

of blowing our own trumpets and persist in our failed attempts to hand Hindi

its proper legacy”.

7.1 Grand Bassin

The idea of creating a sacred place similar to the Ganges in Allahabad where

Jay Narain Roy had studied germinated in his mind after his return to

Mauritius. As from 1948 when he was elected a member for Grand

Port/Savanne, he stepped up his efforts to materialize this project. Grand

Bassin being located in his constituency, he visited the place on several

occasions with his political agents and friends and opened a footpath to

facilitate access via La Flora and Bois Cheri. Once the infrastructure of

Ganga Talao had been set up, he was consistently called upon to address the

pilgrims for Maha Shivaratri.

8. The Educationist

Jay Narain Roy’s front-line actions to advance the cause of workers’ rights,

to mobilize the nation to fight for the political freedom of the country and to

help structure the people’s social fabric constantly confronted him with the

heavy toll of woes afflicting his countrymen and strengthened his belief that

the key to the independence of the country was the education of the masses.

He thus founded the Mauritius College in January 1955 with his wife Mrs

Roheenee Roy. The opening of the Mauritius College by such distinguished

erudites was welcomed as a singular beacon of hope for the majority of

Mauritian children who were being denied this fundamental right as it

breached the wall of social and educational exclusion imposed on the larger

masses of Mauritian students.

At that time there were very few state and private colleges on the island and

the existing school fees were very high, around Rs 20 to Rs 25 per pupil per

month for Form I, which was beyond the reach of the poor working class

families. As a consequence, the majority of Mauritians could not pursue

secondary education. To give access to education to the masses and to the

poorer sections of the population in particular and facilitate their quest for

further studies, school fees practiced at the Mauritius College since its

inception were deliberately low, Rs 8 for Form I. These were further

reduced for the needy. Free education was also granted to the destitute and

pupils who came out first were awarded scholarships.

This timely initiative thus enabled successive generations of Mauritian

students to be better armed to take as adults their destinies in their own

hands and better articulate their choice in favour of the independence of

Mauritius as well as contribute in every facet of the development of

independent Mauritius.

As the founders were known for their exceptional educational and

intellectual acumen, under their tutelage, the Mauritius College became one

of the most prestigious colleges for girls and boys. Alongside poor children,

those from a wide cross-section of Mauritian families including well-known

ones ranked after the scholarship winners and who could not obtain

admission in the limited number of state or confessional colleges came to the

Mauritius College. Thus the founders of the Mauritius College realized one

of their dearest dreams, that is to bring Mauritians of different walks of life,

of different communities to live and co-exist together, to know and respect

one another. They were convinced that the school is the best place where

nation building can be forged in order to fashion a better Mauritius. This

precept still represents one of the philosophical foundations of the Mauritius

College.

In the College Library, the pupils of both the Boys’ and the Girls’

Departments had the unique opportunity of having access to the plethora of

books form the personal collections of Jay Narain Roy and Roheenee Roy.

Both Jay Narain Roy and Roheenee Roy made a lot of sacrifices to convert

the Mauritius College into a modern institution. Thus Roheenee Roy

worked for more than a decade without a salary and Jay Narain Roy took a

minimal salary to cover his family needs. As a result of this, the Mauritius

College is today among the largest institutions of the island on a campus of 6

acres of land in the heart of Curepipe with a school population of 2500

housed in 6000 square metres of custom-built infrastructure, 136 teaching

and non-teaching staff and offering 28 subjects and numerous educational

and recreational facilities as well as extra-mural activities.

The motto of the Allahabad University where Jay Narain Roy had studied

was “Quot Rami Tot Arbores”, “As many Branches, as Many Trees”. This

motto had marked him and he wanted every pupil leaving the Mauritius

College to become the branch of the tree of knowledge through education.

Jay Narain Roy wrote a book on Civics for the pupils of lower forms as he

wanted them to become capable, responsible and honest citizens. The

Mauritius College also initiated the teaching of Mauritian Culture as a

subject and in addition inculcated in the pupils such values as courtesy,

honesty, respect of elders as well as qualities of humility and solidarity

towards the poor.

During the day Jay Narain Roy, the teacher, taught English and English

Literature and in the evenings Jay Narain Roy, the political thinker wrote to

alleviate the trials and tribulations of his countrymen and make enlightened

proposals for a better society.

Apart from being a centre of learning for the downtrodden, after school

hours, the Mauritus College was also from the outset the privileged forum

for the meetings of all progressive forces battling for a better social order.

Thus Trade Unions and various associations of socio-professional groups as

well as political parties upholding the same dream of a better Mauritius were

given free access to hold their meetings at the College even during times

when civil liberties in the country were put on hold.

Jay Narain Roy headed the Boys’ Department until 1978 and Mrs Roheenee

Roy the Girls’ Department till 1986.

9. The Writer

9.1 Writing Skills

Since his childhood Jay Narain Roy developed a passion for writing.

Writing always represented an integral part of his soul, of his being. It could

never be dissociated from him and he felt a permanent urge and an insatiable

need to write in various ways and different manners and using diverse

literary forms and styles.

A writer of unique talent, his literary activities started as early as 1920 when

as a twelve year old he wrote in both English and Hindi. He had an intuitive

grasp of the art of literature crowned by metric rigour and an equal rigour in

rhyming; at times strict rhyme coupled with fluid metre. His prose had a

melody that served to underline his unfeigned passion. His Hindi poems had

the twin qualities of mastery and control equally over things said as over

those hinted, unsaid.

When he returned to Mauritius after his studies and later when he was a

Member of the Legislative Assembly, concomitantly with his political,

trade-union and social activities, his political articles, his polemics, his

actions and initiatives as a Member of Parliament, he also wrote books,

plays, learned articles, poems, stories, novels, obituaries which reveal his

unique intellectual depth and immense versatility. He was known for the

long hours he would spend in from of his Remington typewriter

transforming each clicking sound into continuous and ceaseless creation,

production of ideas, thoughts, proposals, rhyme and unique prose, etc.

This is what he had to say in his Diary on 31 July 1931 about creation: “The

capacity to discern musical and rhythmical prose is a necessary step towards

further pretence. It takes time to train the ear to the music of prose. Poetry

is spontaneous and finds a ready response; prose is thoughtful and guarded

and its music reaches in long meandering ways”.

9.2 Earlier Writings

He wrote many poems including an article on Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das,

the fiery President of Congress elected in 1921, in a daily whose editor was

A.Y. Fokeer while doing his Senior Scholarship in Port Louis.

He wrote a poem on his mother in 1924 in “Mauritius Mitra” when he was

fifteen and articles in the “Indian Review” of Madras and the “Modern

Review” of Calcutta, magazines subscribed from India by his father. When

he was a student in India, Jay Narain Roy was a regular contributor to

the prestigious “Hindustan Times” headed by its well known editor-

in-chief Pothan Joseph who wrote a daily humorous but literary and

learned column edited “Over a Cup of Tea”,

“The Pioneer” where Rudyard Kipling was sub-editor

the “Navjivan Times”.

The “Leader”

He also wrote in Mauritian newspapers from India from 1925 to 1937

including “Mauritius Mitra”, “Arya Vir”, “Mauritius Arya Patrika”, “Le

Radical”, “Sanathan Dharmark” and “Indian Cultural Review”. He trained

in journalism with various editors-in-chief, Pothan Joseph of the “Hindustan

Times”, C. J. Chintamani of “The Leader” and C. F. Wilson of “The

Pioneer”. His first humorous article which appeared in “The Hindustan

Times” under the title “The Philosophy of the Beard” had six cartoons of the

well known cartoonist Shankar Pillai of Shankar’s Weekly and Organiser of

the International Children Art Competition. Thereafter he wrote a daily

column under his reverse initials R.N.J including one under the general title

“Gains, ungainly though”.

He launched two magazines during his studies in India at the Government

Intermediate college of Allahabad and at the Allahabad University.

The following sample of articles he wrote from India in Mauritian

newspapers and magazines depict the range of topics he wrote about during

that period:

“Mauritian Immigrant Students in India”, title which was given to the letter he sent to the “Mauritius Mitra” when he was 17 and which was published on 13 February 1926.

“The Sidelights of the Gandhian Movement” on the momentous march to Dandi by Mahatma Gandhi on 12 March 1930 appeared in “Arya Vir” of 17 April 1931. An excerpt of the article he wrote on the first anniversary of this famous even reads as follows: “This movement is not a mere childish clamour. It is a comprehensive programme directed towards the creation of a new and rejuvenated India.”

In February 1936, “Le Radical” edited by Lois Lagesse, published his “letter to a friend” written in 1935 on the occasion of the Indian National Congress Golden Jubilee Day on the theme of ideals for the young. The same letter appeared on 27 March 1936 in “Mauritius Arya Patrika” entitled “What is Shri Jay Narain Roy MA., LLB saying?” with the sub-title “The new writer with a gushing pen” with an introductory note from the editor Pandit Vishwanath Atmaram commending him for his new ideas.

His poem “Abhilasha” or “The Yearning” appeared on 30 July 1937 in “Arya Vir” edited by Pandit Cashinath Kisteo in which he echoes the idea of “swaraj” or “independence”.

On 6 August 1937 he wrote two poems, “Ahimsa path” or “The Road to Non-Violence” in “Mauritius Arya Patrika” and “Chalo Desh Mere Sang” or “Come with me to my country” in “Arya Vir”.

He said regarding his earlier writings: “As I was young and dynamic, my

articles were written with poise, punch and precision. Some of them were

full of humour”.

9.3 Books

He wrote the following books:

“Whither Indo-Mauritians” (1937). Commenting the book, the

Editor of “Arya Vir” wrote on 15 October 1937: “Mr Roy reveals

himself as a selfless patriot. His words are those of leadership.” The

proceeds went for the Social Service Fund.

“Towards Uplift” (1939)

“Jeewan Sangini” or “Life partner”. This play which was written in

1941 and published in 1942 was later staged. It was the first full

length play written in Hindi in Mauritius. The next one to be written

by a Mauritian came out only in 1977.

“Constitutional Proposals” (1945) under the pen name Indian Youth.

It was prefaced by Dr E. Millien.

“Mauritius in Transition” (1960). Acclaimed by critics here and

overseas as a landmark as it shed a new light on the history of

Mauritius. He wrote in the Preface “This is the first history of

Mauritius from the point of view of the common man” and “It is

necessary for those who may be saddled with the responsibilities of

running a Responsible form of government not only to know our basic

problems but also to have a clear picture of our historical background.

This book wishes to furnish that background…….I want to have the

future built by avoiding past errors. I am convinced that the past of

our history is pregnant with lessons for the future…

Together with prejudices and obsessions we have to do away with

wire pulling by outside agencies that vitiate public life by hoisting

mediocrities on the mere strength of machinations, subsidised

publicity, back-patting and dinner parties…….I have only attempted

to pick up the thread of history and link it with our problems of *

today, and then to look at the problems from a number of angles.”

The books unfolds the tribulations and struggles of his countrymen

across the chequered history of the country and provides an

enlightened insight into the forces which forged the nation into the

transition towards freedom. For him, “history of Mauritius is the

organic action of its multitude across time:. This treatise of over 500

pages is a triumph of good writing.

“When the Tears Mingle”, a collection of three 3-act plays (written in

1962 and published in 1964). The book was first released in India.

Critics had this to say about the book: “Each one of the plays has

afforded ample scope to Jay Narain Roy to exercise his dramatic

talent. On the whole the uncommon stories and underlying reflections

on society are so happily blended that the outcome cannot but strike

you as a satisfying artistic production of a vigorous writer and an

original thinker………….In this place where there is such a dearth of

local literature in any language, Jay Narain Roy’s book is a significant

and welcome contribution” and “ ‘When the Tears Mingle’ is in

English which we know the author handles with perfect elegance……

The characterization is so vivid that some characters continue to linger

in one’s mind….. Not only has Mr Roy the knack of telling stories, his

dosage of the comic and the serious is nicely blended and the story is

sustained. With our own background we begin to become part of the

story. I am sure these plays will become household stories.”

“Mauritius Mein Hindi Bhasa Ka Sanshipta Itihas” or “A Brief

History of Hindi Language in Mauritius” (1970), prefaced by India’s

Hindi national poet Ramdhari Sing Dinkar. R. S. Dinkar who had the

highest regard for Jay Narain Roy’s writings had this to say about the

book: “Jay Narain Roy is a unique writer. He has a thorough

knowledge of India’s religion, language, culture, politics and

economy. The Brief History of Hindi Language in Mauritius” has

been written by the well-known social worker, intellectual and

politician of Mauritius. This book is praiseworthy as it is not only

about the Hindi language. It is also about the history of all the Indian

immigrants in Mauritius and their relentless efforts to promote and

preserve their language as well as their religion and culture”. The

book which he wrote in less than a month was prescribed for the

Parichaya examination with the proceeds of its sale going to the Hindi

Pracharini Sabha.

Book on Civics for school children of lower forms.

An analytical book entitled “Problems of a Free Mauritius” which was

intended to be the sequel to “Mauritius in Transition”. When he

started writing the book, the editor of “L’Express” who obtained

privileged access to his manuscripts wrote on 15 January 1971 in an

article entitled “J.N.R et les problèmes de l’île Maurice”: “JNR est un

Mauricien. Un homme qui pense à son pays avec lucidité, affection.

M. Roy parle d’une voix égale. Comme aime égale. Comme aime

égale. Comme aime à le dire L’Expess de Paris voici un homme qui

« va plus loin » avec certains problèmes. Nous avons hérité le régime

capitaliste et nous avons continué dans le même sens. Plus tard,

lorsque les Anglais sont partis, nous avons hérité du système

impérialiste et nous avons continue dans le même sens. On ne peut

pas mettre des petits morceaux de socialisme sur un fond capitaliste.

Cela ne peut pas marcher. Avons nous réussir? Avons nous tenu nos

promesses ? Pour en juger, il faut des critères. Voyons d’abord la

condition du pauvre ? Allez dans les villages, dans les cahutes.

Voyez le pauvre, voyez son niveau de vie a un moment ou dans le

monde entier il y a de nouveaux concepts de bien-être. Le pauvre est-

il moins pauvre ? Deuxième critère : la démocratie parlementaire a-t-

elle réussi ? En troisième lieu, voyons la moralité publique ? Il faut

un sens de pureté, d’honnêteté foncière. Il faut effacer la moindre

ombre de népotisme, de corruption ? Avons-nous réussi cela ? Voit-

on le mérite reconnu ? Voit-on le Mauricien penser et agir pour le

bien-être de son pays avant de songer a ses intérêts personnels ?

Place-t-on le pays au-dessus des autres considérations ? Est-ce que

les ressources nationale sont mobilisées pour le bonheur du plus grand

nombre ? Autant de questions, autant de critères qui indiquent la

situation actuelle de l’Ile Maurice. JNR souhaite surtout une chose :

que son livre donne a réfléchir. That it turns the tide of conventional

thinking in Mauritius. On sent qu’il a encore mille choses a dire.”

The book was published as a weekly serial in « Le Mauricien » from

1980 to 1983. He took immense pleasure to share his views regarding

the various facets of independent Mauritius, to interpret and analyse

events and give to his countrymen a unique insight of history and

historical figures. Thus he wrote in a chapter entitled “Communalism

and its ungainly litter” in “Le Mauricien” of 28 April 1982:

“Communalism and its ugly litter are form of favours. It means

accommodating at all costs, relatives, agents, friends, in-laws, people

to whom they have obligations at the expense of public funds, whether

they are worthy or not or whether they have the ethical standard or

not. This is not at all compatible with the high profession of faith we

make about the spread of education and the appointment of the very

best to the best jobs. Many poor parents are making heavy sacrifices

to give the best education to their children and the children themselves

are working very hard to upgrade themselves. Communalism and its

ungainly litter are the butchers of these hard-working Mauritian youth

as unworthy people are made to snatch away the food from their

plates. In the national context, they are so heinous crimes that those

responsible should deserve severe punishments.” In yet another

chapter entitled “The Foundations of a Political Re-orientation” in “Le

Mauricien” of 14 July 1982, he wrote: “The Parliamentary Labour

Party was formed in the Council after the 1948 elections. When the

party was called upon to form a regular Government, I was asked to

take charge of Agriculture………….I prepared a memorandum

outlining a Five Year Plan of what we should do and I circularised it

to all the members of my party and also to the CAM members who

were to join us. I knew very well what would happen. That I would

quietly be dropped. But I decided that it should be either this or

nothing. I presume that subsequent history has proved that I was

right. I thought it was proper to place this on record for the future

students of History”.

9.4 Poems, Short Stories, Plays, Novels, Travelogue

He was a prolific writer of short stories, plays and poems in English

and Hindi.

A significant number of the hundreds of poems he wrote principally in

English as well as those he wrote in Hindi related to public life and

universal themes. Some poems with titles such as “The Public Trust”

or “I shall do what is correct” in English and “Ahimsa Path” or “The

Road to Ahimsa” in Hindi are indicative of their overall tenor. His

poems also betray a central concern for the weak and helpless. The

following lists some of the unpublished titles of his plays and poems

in English:

Plays

Dried Octopus Curry

Siren for a Wedding

The Dear Papa is no More

Poems

On Mauritius

The Legend of Mauritius

Song of the Motherland

To my Own People

Religion

The Creation of the World from Self

Expostulation

Namashivaya

Nature

My Sparrows

To a Mosquito

Miss Cyclone Calling Mauritius

Philosophical

Life

After the Mirth

If my Wish were a Dove

Politics

Democracy

The Ombudsman

The Public Trust

He wrote a book entitled “Datoka” in 1975 dedicated to the people of

Mozambique”. He named Datoka “our first great hero” who “came

here, a 20 –year old slave in 1671, during the second period of the

Dutch, and the second term of the governorship of Wreeden.” The

story which was first written in an epic verse of 30,000 lines unravels

the full extent of this literary skills.

He wrote three short stories in Hindi in 1937

(a) “Anand Ki Or” or “Towards Happiness” (9 July 1937)

(b) “Ashirvad” or “Blessing” (16 July 1937)

(c) “Aur ek hi Asha” or “And Yet Only One Hope”

(20 August 1937)

He used to write one act plays for the national radio. Among them

one was entitled “Dr Madho” (1941) and another was an adaptation of

Dr Rabindranath Tagore’s “The Postman” enacted by the students of

the Royal College of Curepipe in 1953.

He wrote a short novel about Agalega in 1941 entitled the “Outcast”

following a visit to the Chagos Archipelago in May 1941 which was

published in the “Indian Cultural Review” a quarterly magazine.

In 1970, he wrote a travelogue entitled “Impressions of the United

States” in a series of twenty articles in “Advance”. This was written

pursuant to an extensive visit of the United States in the context of a

united States Government sponsored programme of visit organised for

prominent writers and educations of developing countries.

9.5 Articles

He was a columnist for 45 years. Apart from his political writings as

scribe and chronicler of the independence movement, his polemics to

defend the rights and dignity of the downtrodden and to counter the

fallacies of the vested interests as well as his determinant stances on

numerous issues of national importance, he also wrote on an

impressive array of topics adding up to thousands of articles. He

wrote constantly and extensively. His intellectual depth, his standing

as a stimulating thinker and erudite prompted him to cover a diverse

range of subjects such as Equality of opportunities, Professor D.B.

Kakelkar, our explosive problem of population, the problem of getting

experts, A plan for rural Mauritius, Prayers, The Mathematics of love,

Building materials, The average house owner, The South African

bloodshed, The price of vegetables, Craftsmen and artificers, Our

smaller industries, League of mediocrities, Chaos in Congo, World

war III, Madame De Stael, Journalism, The question of emigration,

Kennedy’s timely warning, The papal encyclical, The idea of a

University, Jagan’s Guiana, The visit of Archbishop Gregories, Three

agrarian measures, Taxi owners, Electricity supply from sea power,

The tales of Statistics, Children, The old year and the new, Dear old

Port Louis, Propaganda, The quest of the modern drama, The teaching

of history in our schools, Champ-de-Mars on a race day, the District

dispute, The teaching language, The menace of colour, Sir Geoffrey

Clay’s visit. He gushed forth articles at the drop of a hat, with

disconcerting ease, which were devoured by generations of

Mauritians. In an article he wrote in June 1984, he had this to say

about his writings in a paragraph entitled “Who will collect?” “I

myself would love to read my writings in “Advance” once more. But

I have no time to go and collect the old bundles. I am quite sure that it

will be worth one’s while to make a selection. Perhaps more than

one. They could be grouped subject-wise. I am hoping that one day

some enterprising young people will do that.”

9.6 Obituaries

In the tradition of outstanding columnists, he was also famous for the

obituaries he wrote for numerous personalities such as Gandhiji,

Pandit Jawaharlall Nehru, Jean Emmanuel Anquetil, Joseph Guy

Rozemont, Renganaden Seeneevassen, Sreeneevash Jugduth, Sir

Rampersad Neerunjun, Le Corbusier, Sir Winston Churchill, John

Fitzgerald Kennedy, Lall Bahadur Shastri, Schweitzer, and for many

others, friends, simple people, etc.

10. His Marriage

In 1941, he married Roheenee Rughoo a the Nilkanth of Montagne

Longue. It was the first Hindu marriage to be celebrated in a Temple.

The Press described it as “a communion of souls”. They represented a

unique couple that dedicated their entire lives to the upliftment of

others, promoted culture, educated generations of Mauritians and were

tirelessly involved in social work.

Roheenee Roy as the first Indo-Mauritian girl in the History of

Mauritius to win the Junior Scholarship in 1929. Only six

scholarships were awarded to girls in those days. As there were no

state schools for girls, the existing ones owned by either the Christian

church or catholic families adamantly refused to allow Roheenee Roy

to join their institutions for her secondary studies on the pretext that

she was not a Christian. The crusade of her father for her daughter’s

rights led to the voting of a motion in the Legislative Council in

March 1930 against racial and religious discrimination in all

educational institutions of the island and Roheenee Roy thus became

the first non-Christian to be admitted in a Christian college for her

secondary studies. The Legislative Council concurrently decided to

build a state college for girls which led to the founding of the Queen

Elizabeth College. After brilliant secondary studies during which she

won, in the annual national examinations, numerous prizes awarded

by the Department of Education, Roheenee Roy became the first Indo-

Mauritian girl to pass her School Certificate, her Matriculation and

her Intermediate Examinations,

Roheenee Roy lived an equally active and multi-faceted life side by

side with her illustrious husband and leaves a rich legacy of

significant achievements.

Jay Narain Roy wrote a poem dedicated to his wife Roheenee Roy

entitled “Rohini” depicting the unique feeling of togetherness that

existed between them and bonded them as a couple. An extract of the

poem reads as follows:

“You came when in my life I was all alone,

You gave your love, the children their pranks wild;

Two was joy but a bliss to have a child,

When the children be as loving as our own.

………..

I chose the blaze and you have chosen the bleak,

My mind is stuffed with nuts, yours with pure love;

Such is life’s whim and such is its dear strife,

With prayers and hard work we have neared the peak,

We have been helped by the great God above.

Such has been the ways of our humble life.”

11 Mentor of the young

Throughout his life Jay Narain Roy was an assiduous mentor of the

young, however endowed, and helped them aim at excellence.

After 1968, many of the young intellectual leaders who wanted to

reform and rethink Mauritian politics and put it back on the socialist

track, restructure our economy and improve the standard of living of

the Mauritian people came to him to be inspired by his progressive

ideals, for his advice and wisdom as he was known for his

uncompromising principles, his vanguard ideas based on a socialist

vision of Mauritius, his honesty and his commitment for the

downtrodden. But as some of the leading figures subsequently

succumbed to the softer option of realpolitik, caste and ethnic politics

to the dismay of Jay Narain Roy, he wondered whether the

disconcerting and expedient ease with which the callous side of most

politicians seemed to take the better of their proclaimed ideals was not

the true measure of their socialist mettle.

12. Pioneer Venture

He derived immense strength and inspiration from his communion

with Mother Earth and Nature. In the sixties, Jay Narain Roy together

with other planters participated in the scheme of Project Planters to

develop the Tea Industry in the region of Piton du Milieu and

Dubreuil and launched the Chartreuse Co-operative Tea Factory. The

region prospered and Chartreuse became one of the prime tea factories

of Mauritius. The Government subsequently bought over the factory

and the tea estates for distribution to small holders. He describes this

experience in the following terms: “I got interested in tea and the

Kailash Tea Estate was set up near Piton du Milieu. Every morning I

used to go to the breezy and picturesque place. I consider that it was

one of the happiest periods of my life.”

13. The Hindu Sage

For decades, the leaders of all Hindu religious movements wishing to

establish themselves in Mauritius visited Jay Narain Roy first to

obtain assistance, advice and support. He readily helped them in their

endeavours. These included inter alia the Ramakrishna Mission, the

Divine Life Society, the Sewa Shivir of Swami Krishnanand, and the

Hare Rama Hare Krishna Movement.

14. Homage

On the 1 May of each year since his death in 1986, delegations from

the villages of his ex-constituency as well as delegations from the

plantation Workers Union and the Mauritius Labour Congress pay an

unstinted homage to him at his “Samadhi” at Trou-aux-cerfs.

15. The Legend

“Jay Narain Roy was a living legend. A giant is no more” This is

how the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation announced his passing

away on 2 December 1986. Perhaps the best illustration of his spirit is

found in his writings when on the occasion of the first public meeting

of the Labour Party in Curepipe in 1953 in front of the Town Hall, he

poignantly etched for posterity the essence of this momentous event as

follows: “One heart throbs, then another; in the unison of heartbeats

all else is stilled. In silent communion the crowd surges towards its

destiny. As the lid is lifted off its impatience, a clamour surfaces;

active as froth”.

History will remember him as an intellectual giant, a patriot, one who

made his country better than he found it. History will attest that he

was one of the stalwarts who championed the cause of workers and

that of political emancipation and independence, an educationist, a

historian, a social worker, a member of parliament and politician, a

scholar of unique erudition in Mauritius and abroad, a journalist, a

writer, a poet, a trade-unionist. His concern for the downtrodden

could never be wittled by compromise. In an age of tumult, he

unflinchingly pursued his vision of a better order. All through his life,

he sacrificed the worldly honours and advantages which his learning

and position could give.

When Jay Narain Roy died on 2 December 1986, one of his admirers

said: “Pour plagier ce qui a été dit sur De Gaulle a titre posthume, Jay

Narain Roy est mort, son corps est mort, mais son esprit demeure, ses

idées ne sont pas mortes, il est donc éternel.”