Sir CP Ramaswamy Iyer

In News 

• Recently, Senior BJP leader Prakash Javadekar and state education minister V Sivankutty traded allegations over erstwhile Travancore Diwan Sir CP Ramaswamy Iyer.

About Sir CP Ramaswamy Iyer

• Sir Chetput Pattabhiraman Ramaswamy Iyer, popularly known as ‘Sir CP’, was the Diwan of the erstwhile Travancore princely state from 1936 to 1947.
• He was a lawyer  who served as the Advocate-General of Madras Presidency from 1920 to 1923
• He rose to glorious heights as he found favour with both the crown prince Sri Chithira Thirunal Bala Rama Varma and Lord Willingdon, the Viceroy of India. 
• He served as adviser to the prince between 1931 and 1936
• Independent Travancore mission
  • On June 3, 1947, Britain announced its intention to quit India, while also accepting demands for the country’s partition. 
    • Following this, the Indian Independence Act of 1947 gave princely states the option to accede to the newly divided territories of India or Pakistan, or continue as an independent sovereign state.
  • Maharaja Sri Chithira Thirunal, who wished to stay independent, was supported by Sir CP, who declared his intention of forming an independent state of Travancore that would be open to the idea of signing a treaty with the Indian union
• Assassination attempt on CP : Amid his dream of an independent state, Sir CP became more unpopular as he proposed an ‘American model’ for Travancore.
  • Communists were opposed to his move and the struggle against the Travancore Kingdom led to the merger of socialist parties, creating a new radical communist party. 
  • The anger and discontent culminated into an assassination attempt on Sir CP on July 25, 1947
    • He survived with multiple stab wounds. 

• End of end of independent Travancore mission: He agreed to the accession of Travancore state to the Indian Union, following which he resigned and left for London.
  • On July 30, 1947, Travancore joined India.

Source:IE