Rise of Extremism and Swadeshi Movement

UNIT Rise of Extremism and 2 Swadeshi Movement Learning Objectives To understand the nature and significance of the Swadeshi Movement in Bengal To know the repressive measures of the government of British India To trace the events leading up to the Surat Split (in the Indian National Congress) in 1907 To familiarise ourselves with revolutionary extremism in Bengal To acquaint ourselves with the Swadeshi Struggles in Tamil Nadu To examine the role played by V.O. Chidambaram, V.V. Subramaniam, Subramania Siva and Subramania Bharati Introduction were improvised for the Swadeshi campaign. Swadeshi constructive programme included By the last decade of the nineteenth century, boycott of foreign goods and government- there was conspicuous resentment against administered educational institutions. The moderate politics within the Indian National Swadeshi movement (1905–1911) is the Congress. This feeling of resentment eventually most important phase of the Indian National evolved into a new trend, referred to as the Movement in the pre-Gandhian era, as, during ‘Extremist’ trend. The extremist or what we may the course of the movement, the character call radical or militant group was critical of the of the Indian national movement changed moderates for their cautious approach and the significantly in terms of the stated objectives, “mendicant policy” of appealing to the British methods and in its social base. by way of prayers and petitions. This form of militancy developed under the leadership of Bal Gangadhar Tilak in Maharashtra, Bipin Chandra Pal in Bengal and Lala Lajpat Rai in the Punjab. The primary reasons for the rise of this trend were: factionalism in the Congress, frustration with the moderate politics, anger against Lord Curzon for dividing Bengal. The partition of Bengal in 1905 – a prime example of the British divide and rule policy – acted as the catalyst for the growth of anti- colonial swadeshi nationalism. The partition plan was first opposed by moderates but as the movement progressed, different techniques Swadeshi Movement 16 12th_History_EM_Unit_2.indd 16 21-05-2019 15:10:58 The mass base of the movement was expanded by exposing the problems of various social groups under the British governance and the underlying commonality in their lives - that is colonial exploitation. For the first time, in the history of Indian national movement, women, workers, peasants, and marginalised groups were exposed to modern nationalist ideas and politics. It was a period when the elite made a conscious effort to address the common people, Partition of Bengal calling upon them to join politics. The other prominent development during the Swadeshi was increasing due to the impact of recurring period was the growth of the vernacular press famine and the plague. Curzon did little to (newspapers published in Indian languages) change the opinion of the educated Indian class. in various parts of India. The nationalistic Instead of engaging with the nationalist tone of the vernacular press became more intelligentsia, he implemented a series of pronounced during this time. The role played repressive measures. For instance, he reduced by Swadesamitran in Tamil Nadu, Kesari in the number of elected Indian representatives in Maharashtra, Yugantar in Bengal are a few the Calcutta Corporation (1899). The University examples. Act of 1904 brought the Calcutta University As the movement gained support among under the direct control of the government. The the people, the government passed a series of Official Secrets Act (1904) was amended to curb repressive Acts such as the Public Meetings Act the nationalist tone of Indian newspapers. (1907), the Explosive Substance Act (1908), Finally, he ordered partition of Bengal in 1905. the Newspaper (Incitement and Offence Act The partition led to widespread protest all across 1908) and the Indian Press Act (1910) to crush India, starting a new phase of the Indian the nationalistic activities of any nature. One national movement. such measure was recording and monitoring Bengal Presidency as of public meetings which were considered a an administrative unit was matter of judicial scrutiny. (Shorthand was used indeed of unmanageable in by the police for the first time to record political size; the necessity of partition Q.R.Code speeches.) In this lesson, while discussing was being discussed since the Bengal as well as national scenarios, the the 1860s. The scheme of Swadeshi Campaigns conducted in Tamil nadu partition was revived in with particular focus on the role played by V.O. March 1890. In Assam, when Curzon went on a Chidambaram, V.V. Subramaniam, Subramania tour, he was requested by the European planters Siva and Subramania Bharati. to make a maritime outlet closer to Calcutta 2.1 Partition of Bengal to reduce their dependence on the Assam– Bengal railways. Following this, in December On January 6, 1903, Curzon drew up a scheme in his Minutes 1899, Lord Curzon on Territorial Redistribution of India, which was appointed the new was later modified and published as the Governor General and Risely Papers. The report gave two reasons in Viceroy of India. This support of partition: Relief of Bengal and the was a time when improvement of Assam. The report, however, British unpopularity concealed information on how the plan was Lord Curzon 17 Rise of Extremism and Swadeshi Movement 12th_History_EM_Unit_2.indd 17 21-05-2019 15:10:58 originally devised for the convenience of British Tagore as the central figure. The growth of officials and the European businessmen. regional language newspapers played a role in From December 1903 and 1905 this initial building the narrative of solidarity. Similarly, idea of transferring or reshuffling some areas recurring famines, unemployment, and a slump from Bengal was changed to a full-fledged plan in the economic growth generated an anti- of partition. The Bengal was to be divided colonial feeling. into two provinces. The new Eastern Bengal and Assam were to include the divisions of 2.2 Anti-Partition Movement Chittagong, Dhaka, parts of Rajshahi hills of Both the militants and the moderates were Tippera, Assam province and Malda. critical of the partition of Bengal ever since it was announced in December 1903. But the anti- Aimed at Hindu Muslim Divide partition response by leaders like Surendranath The intention of Curzon was to suppress Banerjee, K.K. Mitra, and Prithwishchandra the political activities against the British rule Ray remained restricted to prayers and petitions. in Bengal and to create a Hindu–Muslim The objective was limited to influencing public divide. The government intentionally ignored opinion in England against the partition. alternative proposals presented by the civil However, despite this widespread resentment, servants, particularly the idea of dividing partition of Bengal was officially declared on 19 Bengal on linguistic basis. Curzon rejected July 1905. this proposal as this would further consolidate the position of the Bengali politicians. Curzon was adamant as he wanted to create a clearly segregated Hindu and Muslim population in the divided Bengal. Curzon, like many before him, knew very well that there was a clear geographical divide along the river Bhagirathi: eastern Bengal dominated by the Muslims, and western Bengal dominated by the Hindus and Bipin Chandra Pal Aswini Kumar Dutta in the central Bengal and the two communities balancing out each other. There was a conscious With the failure to stop the partition of attempt on the part of British administration Bengal and the pressure exerted by the radical to woo the Muslim population in Bengal. In leaders like Bipin Chandra Pal, Aswini Kumar his speech at Dhaka, in Februry 1904, Curzon Dutta, and Aurobindo Ghose, the moderate assured the Muslims that in the new province leaders were forced to rethink their strategy, of East Bengal, Muslims would enjoy a unity, and look for new techniques of protest. Boycott which they had never enjoyed since the days of of British goods was one such method, which old Muslim rule. after much debate was accepted by the moderate The partition, instead of dividing the leadership of the Indian National Congress. So, Bengali people along the religious line, united for the first time, the moderates went beyond them. Perhaps the British administration had their conventional political methods. It was underestimated the growing feeling of Bengali decided, at a meeting in Calcutta on 17 July identity among the people, which cut across 1905, to extend the protest to the masses. In caste, class, religion and regional barriers.By the same meeting, Surendranath Banerjee the end of the nineteenth century, a strong gave a call for the boycott of British goods and sense of Bengali unity had developed among intuitions. On 7 August, at another meeting at large sections in the society. Bengali language the Calcutta Town Hall, a formal proclamation had acquired literary status with Rabindranath of Swadeshi Movement was made. Rise of Extremism and Swadeshi Movement 18 12th_History_EM_Unit_2.indd 18 21-05-2019 15:10:58 However, the as ‘a revolt against agenda of Swadeshi their state of movement was still dependence…in all restricted to securing branches of their an annulment of the national life’. In partition and the the words of Gopal moderates were very Krishna Gokhale, much against utilizing ‘the swadeshi the campaign to start Aurobindo Ghose movement is not only G. Subramaniam a full-scale passive resistance. The militant for the improvement of our industry but for nationalists, on the other hand, were in favour an allround enhancement of our national life of extending the movement to other provinces ....’ As the movement progressed, different too and to launch a full-fledged mass struggle. definitions of Swadeshi appeared. However, for the larger part, the movement of Swadeshi Spread of the Movement and Boycott was practiced as an anti-colonial Besides the organized efforts of the leaders, political agitation and not as a viable method there were spontaneous reactions against the to achieve dignity and freedom in life, a partition of Bengal.

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