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International Research Journal of Management Sociology & Humanities

ISSN 2277 – 9809 (online) ISSN 2348 - 9359 (Print)

An Internationally Indexed Peer Reviewed & Refereed Journal

Shri Param Hans Education & Research Foundation Trust

www.IRJMSH.com www.SPHERT.org

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IRJMSH Vol 8 Issue 1 [Year 2017] ISSN 2277 – 9809 (0nline) 2348–9359 (Print)

INDIA LEAGUE -Mainstream of the British Movement for Indian Independence.1

Dr. Rakesh Ranjan, M.A.,Ph.D. Asst. Teacher, High School Jamhore, Aurangabad.

The in London was a successor to several organizations working towards either establishing channels between Indian intelligentsia and the British authorities or encompassing a range of political activity leading to an alignment with the Congress Party in India. This is not to suggest that the Indian Independence Movement in England commenced with the India League. It is a fact of history that Allen Octavian Hume and Sir William Wedderburn along with other Englishmen took part in the inception of the in 1885. Englishmen in general prided themselves in imperial achievements but there had always been some liberal elements in England opposed to imperialist domination. Mention may also be made of the which pursued strong anti-imperialist politics.2 Any analysis of the role of the India League in England without the mention of the name of that illustrious woman a theosophist thinker. She was however a committed socialist and was sympathetic towards Indian Liberal opinion. It was in recognition of her sympathies for India that she became President of the Indian National Congress in 1917. Earlier in 1914 she formed the Home Rule League for India British Auxiliary in the United Kingdom. The India League was the eventual culmination of this Home Rule League which played a vital role in enlisting British opinion towards India’s freedom. The League in England is synonymous with the personality of one individual V.K. Krishna Menon who by virtue of his ability and industry attracted the notice of Dr. Besant. It was at her instance that he got an opportunity to go to England. Dr. George S. Arundale was another fellow who played a major role in arranging his journey to England. Dr. Arundale himself accompanied him in the journey. A month before Krishna Menon had left for England he had registered himself for the B.Sc. (Econ.) of the London School of Economics. It was here that he was attracted towards Harold J. Laski, the world known political scientist who as a teacher and as a mentor moulded the personality of Menon. It is highly significant that it was during the years of office held by Laski as chairman of the Labour Pary that it adopted the Independent Resolution on India. It was the culmination of the activities of India League, “which operated in the heart of the Imperialist Power and mobilized the opposition of the British people to the harsh exercise of power by its own British Government in India.”3 “The India League was an organization in Britain to work for the Indian Freedom”4 claimed V.K. Krishna Menon. The India League in London was to a large extent a sister organization of the Congress Party in India. Although India League as it existed during India’s independence did come into

International Research Journal of Management Sociology & Humanity ( IRJMSH ) Page 397 www.irjmsh.com IRJMSH Vol 8 Issue 1 [Year 2017] ISSN 2277 – 9809 (0nline) 2348–9359 (Print) existence formally on 11 November 1931 before which it existed by the name of Commonwealth of India League since 1923. This was successor to Home Rule for India British Auxiliary which had been in existence since 1912. The objective had been to rally round a small band of progressive Englishmen who were sympathetic towards the aspirations of Indians for self- government. In 1931 when India League was formally founded, the objective became real and political. It was not a mere coincidence that here in India the Congress Party had passed the Lahore Resolution in 1929 calling for Purna . It was at this juncture that Dr. Annie Besant and H.S.L. Polak, another illustrious member of Commonwealth of India League began to drop out of the League. Thus in early thirties Menon transformed it into the India League with a new commitment to .5 The India League attracted the notice of all leftist and anti-imperialist elements in the British intellectual and political circle; Laski and Lansbury were closely associated with V.K. Krishna Menon. Menon was the pupil of the former and the publisher of the later. That Bertrand Russel agreed to become the president of the India League only in the second year of its existence was of immense prestige and popularity. From now on educating the British people on India, appealing to their conscience through meetings, publication of books and journal and making the India League a platform available to visitors from India including some of the influential Indian leaders became the objective of the India League. In fact, Krishna Menon was trying to align India League in Britain with the Congress Party in India. That Laski stood behind Krishna Menon in all these activities was significant in so far as it brought to its fold several influential members of the Labour Party. No less significant was the fact that during this transformation of India League the Labour Party was at the centre of power. This is not to suggest that the Labour Government or Ramsay Macdonald did an appreciable job with regard to the Indian problem. The left wingers in the Labour party and the Independent Labour Party were more vigorously close to India League did not approve the many steps taken by the Labour Government.6 The factor which made the task of India League easier in moulding British opinion towards Indian Independence was the inclination of the Congress in India towards the left. It was quite significant that presided over the session of All India Trade Union Congress at Nagpur in 1929. And it was 1929 that he became president of the Indian National Congress held at Lahore which asked the famous ‘Purna Swaraj’ resolution. Shortly after that the Karanchi Congress passed a resolution to this effect in specific terms. It laid down “in order to end the exploitation of the masses, political freedom must include real economic freedom of the starving millions.7 Jawaharlal Nehru asserted in his autobiography that an independent India would be “a socialist state with equal justice and opportunity for all.”8 All this removed several misunderstandings from the minds of all those Englishmen who were both anti-imperialist and anti-capitalist. There were many people in England associated with the leftist ideology who firmly believed that socialism in England cannot be built on the basis of imperialism abroad. The first few years of the thirties brought about significant changes both in India and England. The Labour Government under Macdonald whom few real leftist supported fell in August 1931. India

International Research Journal of Management Sociology & Humanity ( IRJMSH ) Page 398 www.irjmsh.com IRJMSH Vol 8 Issue 1 [Year 2017] ISSN 2277 – 9809 (0nline) 2348–9359 (Print)

League was formally formed on 11 November 1931. The left wing resolutions passed at the Karanchi Congress was another remarkable political development. All these developments prepared the ground for the future renewal of contact and mutual understanding between sections of the British Left and the Indian Left. The process was on both sides influenced by new forces. The man behind all the activities of India League, V.K. Krishna Menon himself being pupil of Laski was a leftist slowly and steadily for eight years till 1939. V.K. Krishna Menon succeeded to a large extent in aligning the India League in England with the Congress Party in India.9 The India League in the meanwhile had all been active in moulding British public opinion towards granting self rule to the Indian people. Whereas the activity of the League was confined to London in a few years from 1931 onwards there were in fact 13 branches all over Britain. Some of the branches had as chairman or secretary people of immense popularity and energy. There were nearly sixty people tirelessly working for the League. The executive committee and the parliamentary committee passed resolutions affirming and demanding India’s right to determine her own future.10 The parliamentary committee played a very significant role which can be understood by the simple fact that 23 MPs were associated in one way or another with the work of the League. The parliamentary committee discussed policy, advised the Executive, and raised Indian questions in the House of Commons. It organized reception to India’s national leaders and provided their platform to them for expressing their political views. The India League also arranged to send League delegations to India to gain first hand knowledge of the political situation in India. It is noteworthy that the reports of such delegations were welcomed by some influential people who included M.P., Prof. Laski, Tom Williams M.P. and M.P. Every student of history of the last few years of the freedom movement is aware of the role played by Prof. Laski and Stafford Cripps both of whom were associated with India League. The relationship between India League and the Indian National Congress got cemented because of the growing personal friendship between Jawaharlal Nehru and V.K. Krishna Menon. By 1935 it became a political reality and when Nehru visited London and again in 1938 his programme was arranged by India League and especially by Krishna Menon. At the meeting addressed by Nehru held in Saxton, other speakers included Sir Stafford Cripps M.P., Aldous Haxley, Prof. Laski, John Jagger M.P., W.T. Kelly M.P. had a really formidable list. The Government of India Act, 1935 was much below expectations in India and Menon was able in 1936 to activise Sir Stafford Cripps’ Socialist League for a left wing approach on the Indian constitutional problem. Cripps on his part urged the delegates to help the India League in its efforts.11 The ongoing closure co-operation between the British Labour Party and other left groups in England and the Congress Party here in India. India League playing a crucial role therein received a major setback with outbreak of World War II. The Congress Party was committed to the principles of democracy and individual freedom and rightly decided to oppose the Axis powers. This position influenced all freedom loving people of England. However, India was dragged into the war by the then government of India followed by a Defence of India Ordinance.

International Research Journal of Management Sociology & Humanity ( IRJMSH ) Page 399 www.irjmsh.com IRJMSH Vol 8 Issue 1 [Year 2017] ISSN 2277 – 9809 (0nline) 2348–9359 (Print)

Positive developments became visible again with the formation of a coalition government in England with Attlee and Cripps joining the coalition. Attlee and Cripps had already promised Nehru and Krishna Menon in Cripps’ country house of Filkins that next Labour government would agree to a complete transfer of power to a Constituent Assembly based on universal franchise.12 A Labour Government did become a reality in the general elections held in England with Attlee as the Prime Minister. One of the greatest achievements of the Postwar Labour Government was the granting of independence to India. There were a number of friends of India League who come into the new Labour Administration. Mention may be made of Pethick Laurence, A.V. Alexander, Srtafford Cripps, . Indian Independence Bill was logical outcome which was hurried through parliament and the members of League were obviously jubilant.13 In reply to a communiqué from India congratulating the new government in India the Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru replied on 19 August 1947 as follows: “Many thanks for your greetings and good wishes; The India League has done…………. service in the cause of India’s freedom.” It was indeed a tribute to the man at the centre of India League activities for long years V.K. Krishna Menon that he was appointed High Commissioner of free India to Great Britain. References:

1. Title taken from “India League” being chapter XII of Centenary History of the Congress Contributed by Julius Silverman, Secretary of the India League in London and ultimately becoming its chairman. 2. British Labour and the Indian Left, 1919-1939 an article contributed by Partha Sarthi Gupta pp. 70 [ Ed. B.R. Nanda, Vikas, 1972] 3. The India League- Julius Silverman- Chapter XII of of Centenary History of the Congress Vol III. 4. V.K. Krishna Menon- quoted by his biographer V.K. Madhavan Kutti- Publications Division, New Delhi 1988 pp 53. 5. T.J.S. George, ‘Krishna Menon’ A Biography (London, 1964) p 52 (quoted in G. Partha Sarthi’s Article - British Labour and the Indian Left – in socialism in India Ed. B.R. Nanda Vikas 1973 – p 108 6. British Labour and the India Left 1919-1939 – Partha Sarthi Gupta’s article (referred to above) p 101 7. Quoted from – An Autobiography by J.L. Nehru p 543 8. I bid ……… p 548 9. V.K. Krishna Menon – V.K. Madhavan Kutty, Publications Division 1988 p 40 10. The India League by Julius Silverman (the article forming chapter XII of Centenary History of the Congress Vol III page 847 11. British Labour and the India Left 1919-1939, Partha Sarthi Gupta (An article in Socialism in India Ed.B.R. Nanda Vikas 1972, p 114 12. Imperialism and British Labour – P.S. Gupta, pp 257-259 13. India League – Julius Silverman (Being Chapter XII of the Centenary History of Congress Vol III p 860… 14. I bid – p 865

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