Which leader clearly demanded economic freedom together with political freedom for India, especially focusing on the rights of peasants and toiling masses?

Introduction / Context:
During the Indian freedom struggle, many leaders stressed that political independence would not be meaningful unless it was accompanied by economic justice for ordinary people. This question asks which spiritual and social leader especially demanded economic freedom along with political freedom, with a strong focus on peasants and rural poor. Recognising this leader helps students understand the link between national movement and peasant movements in India.

Given Data / Assumptions:
• The focus is on the demand for economic freedom together with political freedom. • The options list four religious or social reform figures with different areas of influence. • We assume the context is twentieth century India and the peasant movement.

Concept / Approach:
Swami Sahajanand Saraswati was a prominent peasant leader and founder of the All India Kisan Sabha. He worked mainly in Bihar and other regions to organise peasants against zamindari exploitation and unfair land relations. He believed that mere transfer of power from British rulers to Indian elites would not be enough and that peasants needed economic freedom along with political freedom. This made his position distinctive among many leaders. The other swamis listed in the options were important spiritual or social reform leaders but did not play the same direct role in peasant economic struggles of the colonial period.

Step-by-Step Solution:
1. Identify Swami Sahajanand Saraswati as a key peasant leader associated with the Kisan Sabha movement. 2. Remember that he organised peasants, opposed zamindari oppression and demanded land rights and fair treatment. 3. Understand that his slogan and writings emphasised that political freedom from colonial rule had to be accompanied by economic freedom for the masses. 4. Compare this with Swami Vivekanand, whose main work was spiritual awakening and social reform based on Vedanta, though he also spoke about poverty and service. 5. Swami Ramanand was a medieval Bhakti saint, far removed in time from colonial economic debates. 6. Swami Dayanand Saraswati founded the Arya Samaj and focused on religious and social reform based on Vedic principles, not primarily on organised peasant struggles. 7. Therefore, Swami Sahajanand Saraswati is the leader most clearly linked with the demand for economic freedom alongside political freedom.

Verification / Alternative check:
Historical accounts of the Kisan Sabha movement and peasant struggles in Bihar often describe Swami Sahajanand Saraswati as insisting that independence must include transformation of land relations and improvement in the conditions of peasants. These sources highlight his criticism of both colonial authorities and Indian landlords. Such accounts confirm that his concept of freedom was both political and economic, matching the requirement of the question.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Swami Vivekanand: Although he discussed issues of poverty and uplift of the masses, he was primarily a spiritual leader of the nineteenth century and not the central figure in twentieth century peasant economic struggles. Swami Ramanand: A Bhakti saint from medieval India, best known for devotional teachings, not for demands related to colonial era economic and political freedom. Swami Dayanand Saraswati: Founder of the Arya Samaj and leader of religious and social reform in the nineteenth century, but not primarily associated with peasant economic agitations in the freedom struggle.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes choose Swami Vivekanand or Swami Dayanand Saraswati because they are more famous in general religious and social reform contexts. However, this question is specifically about economic freedom along with political freedom in the context of organised peasant movements. Remembering that Swami Sahajanand Saraswati was a central figure of the Kisan Sabha and peasant struggles helps avoid this confusion.

Final Answer:
The leader who especially demanded economic freedom together with political freedom for India is Swami Sahajanand Saraswati.