Vijender Gupta hails Swami Dayanand as the ‘true architect of India’s freedom’

New Delhi: Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta on Sunday hailed Swami Dayanand Saraswati as the “true architect of India’s freedom,” crediting his teachings with igniting the spirit of revolution that inspired India’s struggle for independence.

Addressing the International Arya Samaj Conference in Rohini, organised to mark 150 years of Arya Samaj, Gupta said ‘Satyarth Prakash’ was not just a philosophical text but a foundation for a new India rooted in truth, equality, and awakening.

“Swami Dayanand’s call for truth and justice became the moral force behind India’s freedom struggle,” he said.

The event was attended by Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat, DAV Management National President Punam Suri, and Arya Samaj International President Surender, along with delegates from India and abroad.

Gupta recalled how Swami Dayanand’s teachings deeply influenced freedom fighters like Lala Lajpat Rai and Ram Prasad Bismil, and praised Swami Shraddhanand for carrying forward his legacy.

“Swami Shraddhanand’s leadership during the 1919 Satyagraha in Delhi marked the first spark of the Jallianwala Bagh movement. Gandhi Ji himself wrote that ‘the word of Swami Shraddhanand was law in Delhi,’” he noted.

Drawing a historical link between the Delhi Legislative Assembly and the Imperial Legislative Council, Gupta said it was here that the controversial Rowlatt Act was passed in 1919, which later fueled the Satyagraha movement.

Gupta said Arya Samaj’s legacy rests on “revolution, reform, and righteousness,” adding that its ideals of truth, equality, and patriotism continue to guide the nation.

Congratulating the Arya Samaj community on its 150th anniversary, he said, “As we celebrate this milestone, let us reaffirm our commitment to the values that shaped modern India.”