UNIT Rise of Extremism and 2

Learning Objectives „„To understand the nature and significance of the Swadeshi Movement in „„To know the repressive measures of the government of British „„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

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 in Maharashtra, in Bengal and 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

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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

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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.

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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. Students, in particular, definition which would be later infused with came out in large numbers. Reacting to the the entry of . increased role of the students in the anti- partition agitation, British officials threatened Evolution of the idea of Swadeshi to withdraw the scholarships and grants to those who participated in programmes of direct During the freedom struggle, the idea of Swadeshi movement was conceptualized first action. In response to this, a call was given to during 1905 by a string of Congress leaders and boycott official educational institutions and it then later in the 1920s under the leadership of was decided that efforts were to be made to open Mahatma Gandhi. national schools. Thousands of public meetings Swadeshi means ‘of one’s own country’. The were organized in towns and villages across origin of the idea can be traced to 1872 when Bengal. Religious festivals such as the Durga , in a series of lectures Pujas were utilized to invoke the idea of boycott. in Poona, popularised the idea of Swadeshi. The day Bengal was officially partitioned – According to Ranade, the goods produced in 16 Oct 1905 – was declared as a day of mourning. one’s own country should be given preference Thousands of people took bath in the Ganga even if the use of such goods proved to be less and marched on the streets of Calcutta singing satisfactory. Bande Mataram. In the 1920s Gandhi gave a new meaning 2.3 Boycott and Swadeshi to the idea of Swadeshi by linking it to the fulfilment of a duty that all Indians owed to the Movements in Bengal land of their birth. For Gandhi, Swadeshi did (1905–1911) not merely mean the use of what is produced in one’s own country. Gandhi defined Swadeshi Such efforts, both organized and in following words “Swadeshi is that spirit in us spontaneous, laid the foundation for a which restricts us to the use and service of our sustained campaign against the British. The immediate surroundings to the exclusion of boycott and swadeshi were always interlinked more remote. I should use only things that are to each other and part of a wider plan to produced by my immediate neighbours and make India self-sufficient. G. Subramaniam, serve those industries by making them efficient a nationalist leader from Madras, succinctly and complete where they may be found wanting.” explained the aim of the swadeshi movement

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12th_History_EM_Unit_2.indd 19 21-05-2019 15:10:58 (a) Constructive Swadeshi in a range of activities such as physical and The constructive moral training of members, philanthropic work Swadeshi programmes during the famines, epidemics, propagation largely stressed upon of Swadeshi message during festivals, and self-help. It focused organization of indigenous arbitration courts, on building alternative and schools. By its very nature boycott was institutions of self- passive action and its aim was to refuse to governance that would cooperate with the British administration. operate entirely free But these mass mobilization efforts failed from British control. Rabindranath Tagore to flourish as they could not extend their base It also laid emphasis on the need for self- among the Muslim peasantry and the “Depressed strengthening of the people which would help Classes”. Most of the samitis recruited from the in creating a worthy citizen before the launch of educated middle class and other upper caste political agitations. Hindus. Besides this, the swadeshi campaigners often applied coercive methods, both social and Rabindranath Tagore was one of the central physical. For instance, social boycott of those figures who popularised such ideas through purchasing foreign goods was common and his writings. He outlined the constructive taken up through caste associations and other programme of atmashakti (self-help). Tagore nationalist organisations. called for economic self- development and insisted that education should be provided in (c) Passive Resistance swadeshi languages. He also made the call for From 1906, when the abrogation of partition utilising melas, or fairs, to spread the message of was no longer in sight, the Swadeshi Movement atmashakti. This became the creed of the whole took a different turn. For many leaders, the of Bengal and swadeshi shops sprang all over movement was to be utilized for propagating the place selling textiles, handlooms, soaps, the idea of the political independence or earthenware, matches and leather goods. across India. The constructive programmes came under heavy criticism from Aurobindo Ghose, The idea of education in Bipin Chandra Pal, and other militant leaders. vernacular language made Under their new direction, the swadeshi agenda its appearance much before included boycott of foreign goods; boycott of the swadeshi movement with government schools and colleges; boycott of the foundation of Dawn Society by Satish courts; renouncing the titles and relinquishing Chandra in 1902. government services; and recourse to armed struggle if British repression went beyond the On 5 November 1905, at the initiative limits of endurance. The programme of this of the Dawn Society, the National Council of nature required mass mobilization. Using Education was formed. In August 1906, Bengal religion, combined with the invocation of a National College and a School were founded. A glorious past, became the essential features of passionate appeal was made by Satish Chandra their programmes. to the students to come out of ‘institutions of slavery.’ Such efforts, however, failed to attract 2.4 Militant Nationalism many due to the bleak job prospects. As pointed out earlier, thanks to the (b) Samitis campaigns conducted by Bal Gangadhar Tilak The other successful method of mass Bipin Chandra Pal and Lala Lajpat Rai, often mobilization was the formation of samitis referred to as the Lal–Bal–Pal triumvirate, (corps of volunteers). The samitis were engaged Maharashtra, Bengal, Punjab, emerged as the

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12th_History_EM_Unit_2.indd 20 21-05-2019 15:10:58 epicentres of militant nationalism during the the patriotic sentiments of the people using the Swadeshi phase. Aurobindo Ghose was another religious symbols. influential figure in the militant leadership. The nationalism of this form was more assertive Swaraj or Political Independence compared to the early . One of the common goals of the militant leaders was to achieve Swaraj or Self Rule. However, the leaders differed on the meaning of Swaraj. For Tilak, Swaraj was restricted to the Indian control over the administration or rule by the natives, but not total severance of relation with Britain. In Bipin Chandra Pal’s view, Swaraj was the attainment of complete freedom from any foreign rule. Triumvirate : Lal–Bal–Pal The other point of departure of the militants from the moderates was over the rising Both the groups, moderate and militant, extremism in Bengal, Punjab, and Maharashtra. were well aware of the evils or the wrong doings Unlike the moderates, who were critical of the of the British rule. The moderates, however, reckless revolutionaries, militant nationalists worked under the belief that the British rule were sympathetic towards them. However, in India could be reformed by convincing the the political murders and individual acts of rulers through representation and petitioning. terrorism were not approved of by the militant The militant nationalist, on the other hand, was leaders and they were cautious of associating of the opinion that the colonial rulers would themselves with the cause of revolutionaries. never be amenable to reason, as they would not The patriotism glued with the assertion of like to give up the advantages of an empire. Hindu beliefs was not accepable to the Muslims. Sometime around 1905, Aurobindo Also much like their predecessors the leaders of Ghose was asked by a man as to how to become the swadeshi movement failed to penetrate the a patriot. In response Aurobindo pointed to larger section of the society. By 1908 militant a wall map of India, and said “Do you see nationalism was on the decline. The Surat split this map? It is not a map but the portrait of of 1907 was another contributing factor to this Bharat Mata: its cities and mountains rivers decline. and jungles form her physical body. All her children are her nerves, large and small…. Surat Split Concentrate on Bharat as a living mother, worship her with nine-fold bhakti.”

Militant nationalism also changed the nature of political pressure from the earlier force of public opinion of educated Indians to the protesting masses. Despite these changes, the militant nationalism phase retained a continuity from the moderate phase. This continuity was evident in the inability to transcend the peaceful method of struggle and for the most parts militant nationalism remained tied to the idea of non-violence. However, they appealed to Congress Split at Surat

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12th_History_EM_Unit_2.indd 21 21-05-2019 15:10:58 The tension between the militants and the 2.5 Revolutionary Extremism moderates became more pronounced with the appointment of Lord Minto as the new Secretary of State to India in 1906. As the tension was Around 1908, the rising between the two groups, a split was decline of the militant avoided, in the 1906 Calcutta session, by nationalists and the accepting demands of moderate leaders and rise of revolutionary electing as president. Most of activities marked an the moderates, led by Pherozeshah Mehta, were important shift from defeated in the election. The militants managed non-violent methods to pass four resolutions on Swadeshi, Boycott, to violent action. It also meant a shift from Bankim Chandra National Education, and Self-Government. Chatterjee mass-based action The next session of Congress was originally to elite response to the British rule. In Bengal, planned to be held in Poona, considered to be revolutionary terrorism had developed even a stronghold of the militants. Fearing a repeat earlier; around the 1870s, when the akharas or of the Calcutta session, the moderates shifted gymnasiums were setup in various places to the venue to Surat. The militants proposed develop what had described Lala Lajpat Rai’s name for the next Congress as strong muscles and nerves of steel. Bankim presidency opposing the moderate’s candidate Chandra Chatterjee’s novel, Anandmath also Rash Behari Ghosh. Lala Lajpat Rai, however, had a significant impact.Anandmath was widely turned down the offer to avoid the split. The read by the revolutionaries in Bengal. The Bande matter finally boiled down to the question of Mataram song, which is part of the novel, became retaining the four resolutions that were passed the anthem of the swadeshi movement. in the Calcutta session in 1906. The Pherozeshah Mehta group sought removal of those items from During the Swadeshi movement three factors the agenda. In order contributed to the upsurge in the individual acts to counter Mehta’s of violence: manoeuvering, the „„ The apolitical constructive programmes militants decided to had little acceptance among the youth who oppose the election of was growing impatient under the repressive Rash Behari Gosh as foreign rule. president. The session „„ The failure of the militant nationalists to ended in chaos. lead the young people into a long-term mass Pherozeshah Mehta The Indian movement also contributed to the growth of National Congress, born in December 1885, individual action. was now split into two groups – militant and „„ The revolutionary action was part of an moderate. The Congress which emerged after effort towards the symbolic recovery of the Surat split was more loyal to the British than Indian manhood, which the revolutionaries they were before. The new Congress, minus the believed was often challenged and looked militants, came to be known as Mehta Congress down upon by the British. and the 1908 session of the Congress was attended only by the moderates who reiterated Such actions, however, did not lead to their loyalty to the Raj. The politics of militants, any organised revolutionary movement as was on the other hand, could not crystallize into a the case in Russia. The revolutionary actions new political organization. The primary reason were mostly attempts to assassinate specific was the repressive measures of the government oppressive British officers. by putting all the prominent leaders in jail.

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12th_History_EM_Unit_2.indd 22 21-05-2019 15:10:58 (a) Alipore Bomb Case thirty-five other comrades, were arrested. In Bengal, the story of revolutionary took up the case. It came to be terrorism begins in 1902 with the formation known as the Alipore Bomb case. of many secret societies. Most notable among The judgement observed that there was them all was the Anushilan Samity of Calcutta, no evidence to show that Aurobindo Ghose founded by Jatindernath Banerjee and was involved in any conspiracy against the Barindarkumar Ghose, brother of Aurobindo British rule. Ghose was acquitted of all the Ghose. Similarly, the Dhaka Anushilan Samity charges. Barindra Ghose and Ullaskar Dutt was born in 1906 through the initiative of were given the death penalty (later commuted Pulin Behari Das. This was followed by the to the transportation of life), with the rest being launch of the revolutionary weekly Yugantar. condemned to transportation for life. The The Calcutta Anushilan Samity soon started year-long hearing of Alipore Bomb case made its activities and the first swadeshi dacoity, a great impact and portrayed the nationalist to raise funds, was organised in Rangpur in August 1906. revolutionaries as heroes to the general public. In the same year, Hemchandra Kanungo Trial and the Aftermath went abroad to get After his acquittal, Aurobindo Ghose military training in took to a spiritual path and shifted his base Paris. After his return to Pondicherry, where he stayed until his to India in 1908, he established a bomb death in 1950. The idea of bringing an armed factory along with a revolution, envisaged by Aurobindo Ghose, religious school at a never materialized. The reason for the gradual garden house in decline in the revolutionary activities in Maniktala. In the same Bengal was a combination of government garden house, young inmates underwent repression and alienation from the people. various forms of physical training, reading Beside this, revolutionary terrorism suffered classic Hindu text, and reading literature on from certain social limitations too as most of revolutionary movement across the world. the revolutionaries were drawn from the three A conspiracy was hatched there to kill upper castes – Brahmin, , and Vaishya. Douglas Kingsford, notorious for his cruel ways of dealing with the swadeshi agitators. Two (b) British Repression young revolutionaries - 18-year-old Khudiram In December 1908 the Morley-Minto Bose and 19-year-old – were constitutional reforms were announced. The entrusted with the task of carrying out the moderates welcomed the reforms. However, killing. On 30 April 1908, they mistakenly threw they soon realised that there was hardly any a bomb on a carriage, that, instead of killing shift of power. In fact, measures taken by Minto Kingsford, killed two English women. Prafulla were highly divisive as it institutionalised Chaki committed communal electorates creating Hindu-Muslim suicide and Khudiram divide. Beside this, the colonial government Bose was arrested and also introduced certain repressive laws such as: hanged for the murder. „„ The Newspapers (Incitement to Offence) Act, Aurobindo 1908. This act empowered the magistrate to Ghose, along with his brother Barinder confiscate press property which published Kumar Ghose and objectionable material making it difficult to Prafulla Chaki publish anything critical of British rule.

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12th_History_EM_Unit_2.indd 23 21-05-2019 15:10:59 „„ Indian Press Act 1910 made it mandatory the students with shouts of Vande Mataram. In for publishers and the printers to deposit 1907, Bipin Chandra Pal came to Madras and a security that could be seized in case they his speeches on the Madras Beach electrified printed ‘obnoxious material’. the audience and won new converts to the „„ The Indian Criminal Law Amendment Act nationalist cause. The visit had a profound allowed summary trails and also imposed impact all over Tamil Nadu. The public speeches the prohibition of ‘association dangerous to in the Tamil language created an audience the public peace’. which was absent during the formative years of Even with the widespread repression, the the political activities in Tamil Nadu. charm of revolutionary action never disappeared (b) V.O.C. and Swadeshi from the Indian national movement. The Steam Navigation Company centre of activities moved from Bengal to Uttar (SSNC) Pradesh and Punjab. The Swadeshi 2.6 Swadeshi Campaign in movement in Tamil Nadu came to Tamil Nadu national attention Swadeshi movement in Tamil Nadu, in 1906 when V.O. notably in district, generated a lot Chidambaram of attention and support. While the Swadeshi mooted the idea of movement in Tamil Nadu had an all India launching a swadeshi flavour, with collective anger against the shipping venture in V.O. Chidambaranar British rule remaining the common thread, opposition to the monopoly of the British in it was also underpinned by Tamil - pride and navigation through the coast. consciousness. There was a deep divide in the In 1906, V.O.C. registered a joint stock Tamilnadu congress between the moderates company called The Swadeshi Steam Navigation and the extremists. Company (SSNC) with a capital of Rs 10 Lakh, (a) Development of Vernacular divided into 40,000 shares of Rs. 25 each. Oratory Shares were open only to Indians, Ceylonese and other Asian nationals. V.O.C. purchased Initially, the movement was more of a two steamships, S.S. Gallia and S.S. Lawoe. reaction to the partition of Bengal and regular When in the other parts of India, the response meetings were held to protest the partition. to Swadeshi was limited to symbolic gestures The speakers, in such meetings, spoke mostly of making candles and bangles, the idea of in the vernacular language to an audience forging a Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company that included students, lawyers, and labourers was really spectacular. V.O.C invoked the rich at that time. The shift from English oratory history of the region and the maritime glory to vernacular oratory was a significant of India’s past and used it as a reference point development of this time, which had a huge to galvanize the public opinion in favour of a impact on the mass politics in Tamil Nadu. Swadeshi venture in the sea. Swadeshi meetings at the Marina beach in Madras were a regular sight. The Moore Market The initiative of V.O.C. was lauded by complex in Madras was another venue utilised the national leaders. Lokmanya Tilak wrote for such gatherings. During the period (1905- about the success of the Swadeshi Navigation 1907) there are police reports calling students Company in his papers Kesari and Mahratta. dangerous and their activities as seditious. Aurobindo Ghose also lauded the Swadeshi Europeans in public places were greeted by efforts and helped to promote the sale of shares

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12th_History_EM_Unit_2.indd 24 21-05-2019 15:10:59 of the company. The major shareholders Tuticorin. Finally, the mill owners decided to included Pandithurai Thevar and Haji Fakir negotiate with the workers and concede their Mohamed. demands. This victory of the workers generated excitement among the militants in Bengal and it was hailed by the newspapers in Bengal. For instance, Aurobindo Ghosh’s Bande Matram hailed the strike as “forging a bond between educated class and the masses, which is the first great step towards swaraj…. Every victory of Indian labour is a victory for the nation….” V.O.C. Ship (d) Subramania Bharati: Poet The initial response of the British and Nationalist administration was to ignore the Swadeshi company. As patronage for Swadeshi Company The growth of increased, the European officials exhibited newspapers, both in blatant bias and racial partiality against the English and Tamil Swadeshi steamship. language, aided the swadeshi movement (c) The Coral Mill Strike in Tamil Nadu. G. After attending the session of the Indian Subramaniam was National Congress at Surat, V.O.C. on his one of the first among return decided to work on building a political the leaders to use Subramania Bharati organisation. While looking for an able orator, newspapers to spread the nationalist message he came across Subramania Siva, a swadeshi across a larger audience. Subramaniam, along preacher. From February to March 1907, both with five others, foundedThe Hindu (in English) the leaders addressed meetings almost on a and Swadesamitran (which was the first ever daily basis at the beach in Tuticorin, educating Tamil daily). In 1906 a book was published by the people about swadeshi and the boycott Subramaniam to condemn the British actions campaign. The meetings were attended by during the Congress Conference in Barsal. thousands of people. These public gatherings Swadesamitran extensively reported nationalist were closely monitored by the administration. activities, particularly the news regarding In 1908, the abject working and living V.O.C. and his speeches in Tuticorin. conditions of the Coral Mill workers attracted Subramania Bharati became the sub- the attention of V.O.C and Siva. In the next editor of Swadesamitran around the time few days, both the leaders addressed the mill (1904) when Indian nationalism was looking workers. In March 1908, the workers of the for a fresh direction. Bharati was also editing Coral Cotton Mills, inspired by the address went Chakravartini, a Tamil monthly devoted to the on strike. It was one of the earliest organised cause of Indian women. labour agitations in India. Two events had a significant impact The strike of the mill workers was fully on Subramania Bharati. A meeting in 1905 backed by the nationalist newspapers. The with , an Irish woman and a mill owners, however, did not budge and was disciple of Vivekananda, whom he referred supported by the government which had to as Gurumani (teacher), greatly inspired his decided to suppress the strike. To further nationalist ideals. The churning within the increase the pressure on the workers, the leaders Congress on the nature of engagement with were prohibited from holding any meetings in the British rule was also a contributory factor.

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12th_History_EM_Unit_2.indd 25 21-05-2019 15:10:59 As discussed earlier in this lesson, the militants life sentence for his own seditious speech. ridiculed the mendicancy of the moderates This draconian sentence reveals how seriously who wanted to follow the constitutional the Tirunelveli agitation was viewed by the methods. Bharati had little doubt, in his mind, government. that the British rule had to be challenged with In the aftermath of this incident, the a fresh approach and methods applied by the repression of the British administration was not militant nationalists appealed to him more. For limited to the arrest of a few leaders. In fact, people instance, his fascination with Tilak grew after who had actively participated in the protest were Vanchinathan the Surat session of the Congress in 1907. He also punished and a punitive tax was imposed on translated into Tamil Tilak’s Tenets of the New the people of Tirunelveli and Tuticorin. Party and a booklet on the Madras militants’ trip to the Surat Congress in 1907. Bharati Excerpts from the Judgment in the edited a Tamil weekly India, which became the case of King Emperor versus V.O.C. and voice of the radicals. Subramania Siva (4 November 1908).“It (e) Arrest and imprisonment seems to me that sedition at any time is a of V.O.C. and Subramania most serious offense. It is true that the case is Siva the first of its kind in the Presidency, but the present condition of other Presidencies where On March 9, 1907, the crime seems to have secured a foothold Bipin Chandra Pal was would seem to indicate that light sentences released from prison of imprisonment of a few months or maybe after serving a six- a year or two are instances of misplaced month jail sentence. leniency. ...The first object of a sentence is The swadeshi leaders that it shall be deterrent not to the criminal in Tamil Nadu planned alone but to others who feel any inclination to to celebrate the day of follow his example. Here we have to deal with his release as ‘Swarajya Subramania Siva a campaign of sedition which nearly ended in Day’ in Tirunelveli. The local administration revolt. The accused are morally responsible refused permission. V.O.C., Subramania Siva for all the lives lost in quelling the riots that and Padmanabha Iyengar defied the ban and ensured on their arrest”. went ahead. They were arrested on March 12, 1908, on charges of sedition. The local public, angered over the arrest (f) Ashe Murder of the prominent swadeshi leaders, reacted Repression of the Swadeshi efforts in violently. Shops were closed in a general show Tuticorin and the subsequent arrest and of defiance. The municipality building and the humiliation of the swadeshi leaders generated police station in Tirunelveli were set on fire. anger among the youth. A plan was hatched to More importantly, the mill workers came out in avenge the Tirunelveli event. A sustained large numbers to protest the arrest of swadeshi campaign in the newspapers about the repressive leaders. After a few incidents of confrontation measures of the British administration also with the protesting crowd, the police open fired, played a decisive role in building people’s anger and four people were killed. against the administration. On 7 July 1908, V.O.C. and Subramania In June 1911, the collector of Tirunelveli, Siva were found guilty and imprisoned on Robert Ashe, was shot dead at Maniyachi charges of sedition. Siva was awarded a sentence Railway station by Vanchinathan. Born in the of 10 years of transportation for his seditious Travancore state in 1880, he was employed as a speech whereas V.O.C. got a life term (20 years) forest guard at Punalur in the then Travancore for abetting him. V.O.C. was given another

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12th_History_EM_Unit_2.indd 26 21-05-2019 15:10:59 life sentence for his own seditious speech. state. He was one of „„Besides building new techniques of This draconian sentence reveals how seriously the members of a political propaganda, the movement also the Tirunelveli agitation was viewed by the radical group called gave impetus to carry on a sustained government. Bharata Mata resistance even in the Gandhian phase of In the aftermath of this incident, the Association. The aim freedom movement. repression of the British administration was not of the association was „„It was also a communication revolution limited to the arrest of a few leaders. In fact, people to kill the European as the Swadeshi movement resulted in a who had actively participated in the protest were officers and inspire Vanchinathan shift from English to swadeshi language also punished and a punitive tax was imposed on Indians to revolt, (regional language) as the medium of the people of Tirunelveli and Tuticorin. which they believed would eventually lead to political propaganda. Swaraj. Vanchinathan was trained in the use of „„The swadeshi movement also led to Excerpts from the Judgment in the a revolver, as part of the mission, by V.V. the emergence of youth who remained case of King Emperor versus V.O.C. and Subramanianar in Pondicherry. fascinated by the idea of taking to violence. Subramania Siva (4 November 1908).“It After shooting seems to me that sedition at any time is a Ashe at the „„The swadeshi atmosphere richly most serious offense. It is true that the case is Maniyachi Junction, contributed to an interest in history, the first of its kind in the Presidency, but the Vanchinathan shot literature, and poetry on patriotism and present condition of other Presidencies where himself with the nationalism in vernacular languages. the crime seems to have secured a foothold same pistol. A letter „„The militants, however, failed to connect would seem to indicate that light sentences was found in his the nationalist slogans with larger of imprisonment of a few months or maybe pocket which helps economic grievances and the mass contact a year or two are instances of misplaced to understand the programmes, as the British unleashed strands of inspiration leniency. ...The first object of a sentence is V.V. Subramanianar violence against the nationalists. that it shall be deterrent not to the criminal for the revolutionaries „„The use of religion and religious symbols alone but to others who feel any inclination to like Vanchinathan. to mobilize the Hindus alienated Muslims. follow his example. Here we have to deal with The aftermath of the a campaign of sedition which nearly ended in Assassination revolt. The accused are morally responsible During the course of the trial, the British for all the lives lost in quelling the riots that government was able to establish that V.V.S ensured on their arrest”. EXERCISE and other political exiles in Pondicherry were in close and active association with the accused Q.R.Code (f) Ashe Murder in the Ashe murder conspiracy. The colonial I. Choose the correct Repression of the Swadeshi efforts in administration grew more suspicious with the answer Tuticorin and the subsequent arrest and Pondicherry groups and their activities. Such 1. In the Surat session of the humiliation of the swadeshi leaders generated an atmosphere further scuttled the possibility Congress, whose name was proposed by anger among the youth. A plan was hatched to of nationalistic propaganda and their activities militant nationalists for the next Congress avenge the Tirunelveli event. A sustained in Tamil Nadu. As a fall-out of the repressive Presidency? campaign in the newspapers about the repressive measure taken by the colonial government, the A. Aurobindo Ghose measures of the British administration also nationalist movement in Tamil Nadu entered a B. Dadabhai Naoroji played a decisive role in building people’s anger period of lull and some sort of revival happened against the administration. only with the Home Rule Movement in 1916. C. Pherozesha Mehta In June 1911, the collector of Tirunelveli, D. Lala Lajpat Rai Robert Ashe, was shot dead at Maniyachi Summary 2. Consider the following statements Railway station by Vanchinathan. Born in the „„ Travancore state in 1880, he was employed as a The swadeshi campaigns in the wake of (i) The partition of Bengal in 1905 was the forest guard at Punalur in the then Travancore partition of Bengal are watershed moments most striking example of the British in the history of anti-colonial struggles. divide and rule policy.

27 Rise of Extremism and Swadeshi Movement

12th_History_EM_Unit_2.indd 27 21-05-2019 15:10:59 (ii) In the Calcutta meeting 1905, (c) Jatindernath Banerjee and Barindar Surendranath Banerjea gave a call for the Kumar Ghose boycott of British goods and institutions. (d) Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki (iii) On 7 August 1905 at Town Hall meeting 6. Assertion (A): 16 October 1905 was declared a formal proclamation of Swadeshi as a day of mourning. Movement was made. Reason (R): That day Bengal was officially Which of the statements given above is/are divided into two provinces. correct? (a) (i) only (b) (i) and (iii) only (a) A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A. (c) (i) and (ii) only (d) All of the above. (b) A and R are true and R is not the correct 3. Match List I and List II and select answer explanation of A. with the help of the codes given below. (c) A is correct and R is wrong. List I List II (d) A is wrong and R is correct. A. Indian Press Act 1910 - 1. Self-rule 7. Assertion (A): V.O. Chidambaram established a B. Dawn Society - 2. a revolt against Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company. their state of Reason (R): He wanted to oppose the dependence monopoly of the British in navigation C. Swaraj - 3. crushed the through the coast nationalistic (a) A and R are true and R is the correct activities explanation of A D. Swadeshi - 4. The National (b) A and R are true and R is not the correct Council of explanation of A education (c) A is correct and R is wrong Codes (d) A is wrong and R is correct A B C D (a) 3 1 4 2 8. Which of the following statement is not true (b) 1 2 3 4 about Subramania Bharati? (c) 3 4 1 2 (a) Bharati was the sub–editor of (d) 1 2 4 3 Swadesamitran 4. Which one of the following is correctly (b) He translated Tilak’s Tenets of the New paired? Party into Tamil (a) Bankim Chandra (c) Bharati’s Gurumani was Swami Chatterjee - Anandmath Vivekananda (b) G. Subramaniam - Dawn Society (d) He was editor of a woman’s magazine by name Chakravartini (c) Lord Minto - The University Act of 1904 II Write brief answers (d) Epicentre of 1. What was called the mendicant policy of the militant nationalism - Madras Moderates? 5. Anushilan Samity of Calcutta was founded by 2. How did M.G. Ranade explain the idea of (a) Pulin Behari Das Swadeshi? (b) Hemachandra Kanungo 3. Identify the leaders of the epicenters of militant nationalism in British India

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12th_History_EM_Unit_2.indd 28 21-05-2019 15:10:59 4. Why was militant nationalism was on the IV. Answer the following in detail decline by 1908?. 1. Evaluate the contributions of Lal-Bal-Pal 5. What were the repressive measures adopted triumvirate to Indian National Movement. by the colonial government to crush the 2. Attempt an account of Swadshi movement in nationalist movements? Tamilnadu

III. Write short answer V. Activity 1. Give an account of the proceedings of Surat 1. Conduct a discourse on the vision of Poet session that ended in the split of the Congress. Subramaia Bharati. 2. Explain the reasons for the spurt in individual 2 The Tamil movie Kappalotiya Tamilan be acts of violence during the Swadeshi arranged to be screened. movement. 3. Highlight the methods used by samitis for REFERENCES mass mobilization. 4. What do you know of Coral Mill Strike of 1. Bipan Chandra, etal. India’s Struggle for 1908? Independence, Penguin Books, New Delhi, 5. Outline the essence of the Alipore Bomb 2016. Case. 2. Sumit Sarkar, Modern India 1885-1947, 6. What was the outcome of the plan of the Pearson, New Delhi, 2018. Swadeshi leaders to celebrate the release of 3. Sekhar Bandopadhyay, From Plassey to Bipin Chandra Pal from prison as Swarajya Partition and After: A History of Modern Day in Tirunelveli? India, Orient BlackSwan, Hyderabad, 2009. 7. Write about the swadeshi venture of V.O. C. 4. A.R. Venkatachalapathy, 'In Search of Ashe, 8. Why was Collector Ashe killed by 'Ecnomic & Political Weekly, 9 Janauary 2009. Vanchinathan.

GLOSSARY difference of opinion or disagreement factionalism between two groups within a political உட㞕ட殿 ꯂச쯍 organization. highly educated or the intellectual intelligentsia elite of a society அ잿ퟁ 珀ힿக쿍 / கற㞱잿ꏍேதா쏍

annulment invalidation, nullification ꏀக㞕믍, ஒ펿ꯍꯁ, ர鏍鏁 செய்쯍

Swadeshi made in one’s own country தன鏁 நாட羿쯍 உற㞪鏍鎿 செய் பெ쏁쿍 refusal to take part in an activity or to Boycott buy a foreign product ꯁறக㞕辿ꯍꯁ a group of three persons dominating triumvirate or holding control 믁믍믂쏍鏍鎿க쿍 Inciting people to rebel against the seditious authority of a state அர毁க埁 எ鎿ராக / ஆட殿 எ鎿쏍ꯍꯁ punitive tax a tax intended as punishment தண㞟னை வ쎿

29 Rise of Extremism and Swadeshi Movement

12th_History_EM_Unit_2.indd 29 21-05-2019 15:10:59 ICT CORNER Rise of Extremism and Swadeshi Movement

Th rough this activity you will know about the historical and Political Maps of India

Step - 1 Open the Browser and type the URL given below (or) Scan the QR Code.

Step - 2 Click on ‘World History’ and Select ‘India’ in menu

Step - 3 Click the topics one by one and explore the maps (Ex.1903)

Step1 Step2 Step3

Web URL: https://www.euratlas.net/history/index.html

*Pictures are indicative only *If browser requires, allow Flash Player or Java Script to load the page

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12th_History_EM_Unit_2.indd 30 21-05-2019 15:11:01