UPSC CSE Prelims 2004
Maulana Hasrat Mohani was a prominent Indian freedom fighter, poet, and journalist. In 1921, during the All India Muslim League session held in Ahmedabad, he moved a resolution defining Swaraj as complete independence, free from all foreign control. This was a significant and early demand for Poorna Swaraj, predating the official adoption of the goal by the Indian National Congress at its Lahore session in 1929. At the time, many leading Congress figures, including Mahatma Gandhi, were still advocating for Dominion Status within the British Empire.
Mazharul Haque: He was a nationalist leader from Bihar, a lawyer, and an educationist. He played a significant role in the Non-Cooperation Movement and established the Sadaqat Ashram and Bihar Vidyapeeth. While a strong advocate for Indian self-rule, he is not credited with being the first to propose complete independence in 1921.
Hakim Ajmal Khan: An eminent physician, educationist, and nationalist leader, he was involved in both the Indian National Congress and the All India Muslim League. He served as the President of the Indian National Congress in 1921 and was a key figure in the Khilafat Movement. However, the specific proposal for complete independence in 1921 was not made by him.
Abul Kalam Azad: A leading figure in the Indian National Congress, a scholar, and an Islamic theologian. He was a strong proponent of Hindu-Muslim unity and later became India's first Minister of Education. While a staunch nationalist, he was not the individual who first proposed the definition of Swaraj as complete independence in 1921.