Madhusudan_Das

12 Madhusudan Das:
(3)
AN IDOL OF
THE PEOPLE OF ORISSA
KHAJA MOHAMAD NOOR
By the passing away of Mr. Madhusudan Das, CLE. Orissa
has lost a true patriot and a zealous champion of her aspirations.
It is a matter of extreme regret that Mr. Das did not live long to
see Orissa as a separate province and the fruition of his labour.
I met Mr. Das for the first time in January 1913 when I went to
Cuttack in connection with my election to the Legislative Council of
the newly formed province of Bihar & Orissa and Chhota Nagpur
Division. I was struck with his outstanding personality. He was
then seeking election to the Imperial Legislative Council from the
Legislative; Council of Bihar and Orissa. He explained to me that he
wanted to be in the Imperial Council only to press for a united Orissa
which was then, as he told me, dismembered by being under three
different administrations. I found that a united Orissa was the ambition
of his life. Though he had an ardent love for Orissa, he was absolutely
free from racial or sectarian prejudices. Later on, I became very
intimate with him, and our friendship lasted till his death. I was in
close touch with him for about twenty years and had many occasions
to see his work as a member of the Legislative Council, Minister,
Fellow of the University and member of various committees on which
I had the honour of serving with him. He was a man of wide
knowledge, varied experience and had fullest grasp of the problems
which came before him for solution . It fell to his lot to pilot in the
reformed Legislative Council as Minister for the Department of Local
Self-Government two very important bills, i.e. the Bihar and Orissa
Municipal Bill and Bihar and Orissa Local .Self-Government Bill.
Throughout the progress of these bills showed utmost mastery over
details. He had progressive views and was anxious to advance the
cause of Local Self-Govemment and make the Local Bodies as popular
as practicable, but in his zeal for reform he never lost sight of
efficiency. He was a man of principle. He always had an open
mind and would give due weight to the opinion of others which
was in conflict with his own views, but when he decided upon
a particular line of action nothing prevented him from pursuing it.