Gopal Chandra Mukhopadhyay

Gopal Chandra Mukhopadhyay () (1913–2001) popularly known as Gopal Patha () was an Indian muscleman who raised Bharat Jatiya Bahini to protect the Hindu people from the Muslim League goons during the Great Calcutta Killings.

Early life

Gopal was born in a Bengali Hindu family of Malanga Lane in the Bowbazar of Kolkata. He was the nephew of revolutionary Anukul Chandra Mukhopadhyay. He was known by his nickname 'Patha' (goat, in Bengali), because his family ran a meat shop in College Street.

Partition riots

In defence of Hindu society

On the morning of 16 August, Gopal heard of trouble in the city while he was on his way to shop. He rushed back to his locality where he saw Muslim League volunteers marching with long sticks in their hands. When the news of Hindus being killed reached him, he assembled his men and ordered them to retaliate, answer brutality with brutality. He clearly instructed that for one [...] committed, they should commit ten murders. He recruited Basanta, a muscleman from Beadon Street to repulse the Muslim League mobs.

The Bahini volunteers armed themselves with knives, swords, cleavers, sticks and rods. Gopal himself had two American-made 0.45 bore pistols along with some grenades. He had procured the pistols in post-War Kolkata from the American soldiers posted in the city. Some of the weapons used by the Bahini men were procured during the Quit India Movement.

After a few days of rioting, when the Muslim Leaguers realized that they had incurred heavy casualties, they proposed peace. G.G.Ajmiri, leader of the student's wing of Muslim League along with Mujibur Rahman, a member of the Muslim National Guard and a boxer and strongman himself, requested Gopal to stop the bloodshed.

Refusal to surrender to Gandhi

In 1947, Mohandas Gandhi came to Kolkata and urged the Hindus to harbour any ill feeling towards the Muslims and appealled to them to surrender all their arms to him. Mohandas twice made a personal request to Gopal, but he didn't respond. The third time some Congress leader requested him to surrender at least some of his arms at Gandhi's feet. When Gandhi's secretary asked him why doesn't he surrender his arms to Gandhi, he replied,

Political connection

Gopal was a admirer and a staunch supporter of Subhas Chandra Bose. Coming from a family with a revolutionary background he didn't believe in Gandhian non-violence. He believed that India could only become independent by ousting the British by force. Though he didn't accept the leadership of Gandhi, he was close to some Congress leaders, among whom the foremost was Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy. Gopal though maintained all along that his close relationship Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy was more personal than political.

Later life

During the riots Gopal and Bharat Jatiya Bahini were hailed as saviours, however after the riots, Gopal and his men were looked down upon with social contempt. This led Gopal and his men into organized crime. Gopal became involved in dacoities like the Sonarpur Dacoity and the Guinea Mansion Dacoity. In his later life, Gopal became a social worker and ran a charity named National Relief Centre for Destitutes. He also started a community Durga Puja in his locality. During the Puja festivities, people flock to visit the famous Puja started by him.