Swaraj is my birth right, and I shall have it”  – This well know quote is often attributed to Bal Gangadhar Tilak, a stalwart of the Indian Independence Movement. However, the truth is that it was not Tilak, but Joseph ‘Kaka’ Baptista, his close associate and fellow freedom fighter, who coined the phrase.

Throughout the struggle for Independence and upliftment of India, the Indian Christian community has played a significant role. Although these freedom fighters are such commonplace that they are often overlooked and are lost in the pages of history. But it is important to recognize their unparalleled contribution that made India what it is now.

Who was Joseph Baptista ?

Mr. Joseph Baptista , lovingly called  “Kaka Baptista” was the first mayor of Bombay(1925-26). Baptista was born in Mumbai in 1864, graduated in Pune and studied Politics and Law in London.

 He was a devoted Roman Catholic, and a god fearing man. He had great oratory and leadership skills noticed by Dadabhai Naraoji, and he urged him to sail to UK for studying law and politics. There, Joseph Baptista came across the Irish Home Rule Movement, which sought self government for Ireland within the UK. The movement  left a real impression on Kaka, and he began to envisage the same for India.

Although this may not seem evident to many, but Joseph Baptista being a Christian reverberated the Bible verse, ” I can do all things in Christ, who strengthens me.”

Paved the road to Freedom

His faith in God and ardent goal to attain freedom for India made him almost invincible; and the Home Rule movement in India led to The Montague Deceleration of 1917.

It was declared that there would be more Indians in the government leading to the development of self-governing institutions ultimately realizing the dream of responsible governance in India.

 The nationalist propaganda was carried to even the villages and organisational links were established between the urban and rural parts of India.

These were to prove very valuable in the later years of the nationalist struggle.

Building an egalitarian society

He was undoubtedly a religious person, but refused to let politics use religion. And though his community, the East Indians, being staunch Catholics could have benefitted, he refused to have separate electorates based on religion.

 “I thoroughly disapprove of separate electorate for Indian Christians in water-tight compartments” were his strong words. Both as a lawyer and labour leader, he fervently took up the cause of blue-collar workers in the city, including mill workers and postmen, among others.

In 1901, he joined the Bombay Municipal Corporation, an agency he would serve for the next 17 years. During his tenure in the BMC, Kaka successfully pushed for reforms which would allow tax-paying tenants in the city to cast their vote for the municipal elections. He was one of the founders of the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) in 1920, and ardently worked towards the development of Labour classes.

Joseph Baptista is yet  one another devoted Christian Freedom fighter who was veiled behind the  pages of history.

 For the longest time, there was no concerted effort to keep his memory alive with possibly the exception of a book by KR Shirsat titled ‘Joseph Baptista: The father of Home Rule in India.

 However in 2018, the East Indian community in Mumbai started the ‘Kaka Baptista Project’ to raise awareness about the contribution of this leader.

[Prepared by Nishant Mishra]

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