Prabhudayal Vidyarthi

British vehemently denied the fact that he was "Tortured" at Delhi Red Fort after his arrest. However, they categorically admitted that torture methods, as described by Prabhudayal were indeed correct and used at Lahore and Red Fort. "'Third degree methods' of physical/mental torture were deployed and continued to be used at Lahore and were certainly used at Delhi. For Delhi it also included some members of INA which has attempted to invade India under Subhas Chandra Bose. A New Statesman letter in july 1945 accused the British of placing sadists above the law, as had Germany, and that Indian prison camps witnessed physical torture that bore comparison with Nazi concentration camps at Buchenwald and Belson". Gandhiji had taken up cases of Prabhudayal Vidyarthi, Sheel Bhadra Yajee of the All India Forward Bloc, an active member of INA and Ram Manohar Lohia with British Authorities and all claims/cases were refuted on "Point of Fact". Prabhudayal Vidyarthi never fully recovered from the torture he underwent at Red Fort. He died, aged 52, on 7 September 1977, at Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.

The bridge on Farenda Naugarh-Barhni Shravasti Road, Siddharth Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, is named "Prabhu Dayal Vidyarthi Van Ganga Bridge" to honour his contribution to "Indian Freedom Struggle". doc no 1963826

"Banganga Barrage" and "Banganga Canal Major Irrigation Project" (1953–56) were his initial contribution to help the farmers in the area. "Banganga Canal Major Irrigation Project" was completed in three years. A 45 km canal was constructed to irrigate 23,000 acres of land, in conjunction with other extensive public work campaign resulting in construction of barrage and roads to connect villages etc. immediately after Independence. "Banganga Barrage" is a serene place and is known in his name as a tribute to him.

Prabhudayal's condition at his release from jail was a telling story of what went behind bars and the same was published in the english daily, The Hindustan Times on 4 November 1945. This was taken up with British Govt by Gandhiji on his release when he came back to Sevagram in dilapidated condition, detailed in Gandhi's Correspondence with the British, LETTER TO SIR EVAN M. JENKINS, Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, Vol 88, Page 371 letter no 686

Prabhudayal returned to his village in Basti, UP in 1945 and started working with local Freedom Fighters, Local Leaders and villagers at Gandhi’s behest. In rural India, “Jamindari” was still prevalent. He tried to convince local zamindars (landlords) and help the farmers get their land back. Many attempts to kill him were made as this did not go down well with zamindars. In 1951-52, Jawaharlal Nehru asked him to contest in the first Indian General Elections.

Prabhudayal was imprisoned several times for his involvement in the Freedom Struggle. He actively participated in Quit India Movement in 1942. He was one of the first Freedom Fighters to be issued an arrest warrant by the British. He went underground and travelled widely across India, which is detailed in "Apni Baat", an account of his travels and hideouts. British had put and award of ₹5000 for his arrest He was eventually asked to surrender by Gandhi and was finally arrested at Sevagram Wardha,on 9 November 1944 by the British, for “actively supporting and helping the underground organisation of the mass movement of August 8, 1942”, at the outset of Quit India Movement. He was immediately taken to Red Fort from Nagpur, put in isolation cell, questioned and tortured because of his active participation in Quit India Movement and close association with Gandhi and prominent leaders such as Subhas Chandra Bose.

Prabhudayal Vidyarthi (1925 –1977), also known as, Prabhu Dayal Vidyarthi, was an Indian Freedom Fighter, Indian independence activist, Gandhian, Writer, Social Worker and politician. He heard Thakkar Bapa's public address, spreading Mahatma Gandhi's quest for "FREE INDIA", left home in search of Azaadi, aged barely 9/10 years, and became a close aide of Mahatma Gandhi. He followed Thakkar Bapa from Uska, in siddharthnagar district, Uttar Pradesh to Sevagram to meet Mahatma Gandhi and fight for India achieve Freedom from the British. Gandhiji, was perplexed to see such a young boy wanting to participate in “Indian Freedom Struggle” and allowed him to stay at 'Segaon', which later come to be known as Sevagram. He is listed as the youngest member of Wardha Aahram. Gandhi also personally taught him.