Who provided legal defence to the people arrested in the aftermath of Chauri Chaura incident?

(a) C. R. Das

(b) Madan Mohan Malaviya and Krishna Kant

(c) Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew and Khwaja Hasan Nizami

(d) M. A. Jinnah

The correct answer is (b) Madan Mohan Malaviya and Krishna Kant.

Explanation:

The Chauri Chaura Incident: On February 4, 1922, a violent clash occurred between the police and protesters of the Non-Cooperation Movement in Chauri Chaura, Gorakhpur district (modern-day Uttar Pradesh). A mob set a police station on fire, killing 22 policemen.
The Trial: In the aftermath, the British colonial administration arrested hundreds of people. The Sessions Court initially sentenced 172 people to death, a verdict that shocked the nation.
The Legal Defence: An appeal was filed in the Allahabad High Court. A team of lawyers led by the renowned freedom fighter and lawyer Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya took up the defense of the accused.
The Outcome: Due to Malaviya’s brilliant legal arguments, the High Court overturned the majority of the death sentences. Out of the 172 originally sentenced to hang, 153 were saved from the gallows (their sentences were commuted to life imprisonment or they were acquitted), and the death penalty was confirmed for only 19 individuals. This is considered one of the most remarkable legal victories in the history of the Indian freedom struggle.

Impact on the Freedom Movement: The violence at Chauri Chaura deeply disturbed Mahatma Gandhi, who felt that the masses were not yet ready for a non-violent struggle. Consequently, he unilaterally called off the Non-Cooperation Movement on February 12, 1922, a decision that was met with criticism from other leaders like C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru.
Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya: He was a politician, educationist, and four-time president of the Indian National Congress. He is respectfully addressed as ‘Mahamana’. He founded the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in 1916. He was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2014.
Swaraj Party: The suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement led to a split in the Congress. Leaders like C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru formed the Swaraj Party to contest elections and enter the legislative councils, differing from Gandhi’s approach of boycotting them.