Jayaprakash Narayan and His Contribution to Social Movements in India

Jayaprakash Narayan was one among the few luminaries in India, whose life was a message of struggle for freedom and justice. In the post- Independence era he was the only 'Crusader' to launch Total Revolution in the country without any clamour for power. He was more a political activist than a political philosopher. He was a Gandhian-Marxist. Jayaprakash Narayan was a born revolutionary whose mission of life was to fight for both independence and a new socio-economic order. He had left permanent imprint for his revolutionary role and was much acclaimed for his democratic humanitarian views like socialism, Sarvodaya, partyless democracy and total revolution. He was the one of the 'Committed Socialist' who made a dauntless fight against the forces of exploitation i.e., capitalism and landlordism in India. Jayaprakash's Sarvodaya implies a new order in which the society will be class-less and stateless; it will be a political system in which Lokniti will replace rajneeti it will be 'peoples' socialism., which will ensure not only freedom and equality, but also peace and eternity. He was a self-less dedicated revolutionary that mother India has produced. Vinoba Bhave said after Jayaprakash's death that Jayaprakash considered himself only a "Lok-sevak," or servant of the people.