One more event of his life—
Rajendra Babu was on a tour. He has to attend several meeting every day.
After completion of a meeting one day Rajendra Babu set out for another by car. He was due to reach in other city by seven o’clock. Time was over, but Rajendra Babu didn’t reach.
People returned disappointed.
Reason—Rajendra Babu’s car broke down mid way.
Rajendra Babu picked up his bedding and rushed to the nearest Railway station. Train was on time, but he could not reach the meeting venue before nine o’clock. There was no alternative. People doesn’t know that their Rajendra Babu is arriving by train.
Train reached the destination station. No one was there to welcome Rajendra Babu.
Rajendra Babu alighted the train holding his bedding. He reached the station master cabin and said, “Can I make a phone call to Congress office.”
Station master put a glance over his villager like outlook and asked—“Who are you?”
Rajendra Babu politely introduced himself—“I am Rajendra…”
He couldn’t even complete his sentence the station master interrupted—‘‘O! Rajendra Babu not reached yet, get your way.’’
Rajendra Babu came out silently.
Rajendra Babu’s simplicity, tolerance and integrity is clearly understood by the aforesaid event.
One another event is there of same kind. Rajendra Babu was going to his village Ziradei from Patna. It was winter time.
He boarded a ferry from Digha Ghat. There was rush in the ferry. Rajendra Babu sat in a corner covering himself with a blanket. A passenger was lying there. He was looking rich. He did not like that a villager sit near him. He lighted a cigarette and started throwing smoke towards him.
Rajendra Babu tolerated for some time, but when smoke became intolerable then he spoke to him in Bhojpuri language—“E cigaretwa apne houwa hun na?” (This cigarette is your’s. Is it?)
Passenger disgorged smoke after taking a long puff shouted—“Or it is yours?”
“Te E Dhuan apan he ka koi nu, ekro kahe na sanjo ke rakhat banit, Ki Kahe dosara per phenkat bani.” (Then this smoke is also yours, keep it too with you. Why to throw it at others?)
Passenger got annoyed but before he could say something he recognised Rajendra Babu. He felt ashamed. He fell on his feet with tearful eyes.
Look this another event—
Rajendra Babu went to Allahabad for some work. There he wanted to meet the editor C.Y. Chintamani of the ‘Leader’. He informed his arrival through a slip handing it over to the peon.
Inside the editor was busy in his work. Peon put that chit on the table and returned. It was winter time. After returning peon sat near the fire place. Rajendra Babu was shivering due to cold. When no call was made for long he too sat beside the peon. There was no hesitation in his mind.
After a long time Chintamani put a glance over the chit. Seeing it he rushed out. He was surprised to see that Rajendra Babu warming himself sitting beside the peon.
Rajendra Babu was such an innocent and straight forward man.
Once Rajendra Babu was controlling the crowd in a meeting of Charkha Association. A villager came to him and asked, “Babu! Humar Rajendra Babu ke hain?” (Who is our Rajendra Babu?)
Rajendra Babu smiled and told it is me. The farmer did not believe his eyes that such a great person perform an ordinary task of a volunteer.
There is another event of 1917-18—
As a lawyer Rajendra Babu was famous in Patna high court. His income was satisfactory. The entire bar was impressed by the honesty and spotless character of Rajendra Babu. During that time a relative of Bhawanit Dayal wanted to file a suit in the high court.
He reached Patna with the papers of the case and a recommendation letter. He met Rajendra Babu. He studied the suit papers and found out if he wins the case a widow would deprived of her property.
Rajendra Babu instructed him—“Do not file this suit. You would not be in peace by swatch the property of that widow.”
When Bhawanit Dayal asked his relative about the case he said, “Dear brother! You sent me to a saint. Rajendra Babu is not a lawyer, he is a great soul. After study of papers instead of filing the suit, he returned me back. Now I shall not file this suit.”
Aforesaid examples proves that he was a true follower of Gandhi path. He was a successful devotee and was one out of those who achieved success at each and every step of life.
High personality and polite nature always put him forward. Before and later becoming President his main aim was—Human and service of humanity.
According to Seth Govind Dass—
“Rajendra Babu departed from there (President House) in this way, whereas people desire to stuck to their posts, and presume it as final goal of their life.”
Kaka Kalelkar wrote—
“Prime Minister Nehru is attempting to conduct rationality in mutual relations of countries, President Rajendra Babu is exerting not to get dried up sources of Gandhiji’s thoughts.”
It was the incident of 1947—
India had acquired freedom and communal riots broke out in Noakhali. Its reaction was felt in Patna too. Rajendra Babu was making efforts to calm down the communal hatred.
In the meantime he received the news that his daughter-in-law expired. But Rajendra Babu gave priority to the duty towards humanity. He did not attend the funeral of his daughter-in-law.
Duty towards humanity and nation was always at priority for him. In its reference he said, ‘My grief is very small in comparison to those thousands of people who are in grieving for their relatives.’
Gandhiji had blind faith in him. Once he said, “At least one person should be such whom I handle a cup of poison and he might gulp it without asking any question. He is no other than Rajendra Babu.”
About whom Gandhiji had such views, there is no need to explain anything else. Greatness of Rajendra Babu’s all virtues can easily be understood in this single sentence.
