6. Beginning of Freedom Movement

English education made mixed effects of western education, new ideas such as on the Indian society. The seeds of Justice, Liberty, Equality, Democracy etc. nationalism were sown by the reforms of were introduced to the Indians. Rationalism, newly educated society. Due to various Scientific attitude, humanity, nationalism movements in different parts of India a these principles were accepted by the favourable situation was created to build Indians. Therefore there inculcated a a political organisation on an all India feeling that we are capable of carrying out level which will bring together the various the work of the country and its progress provincial political organisations, different is possible by following these principles. groups of politically aware people and to India is a country of diverse languages but express the aspiration of the nation by with the introduction of English language diverting the public attention towards the India got a new medium of communication. questions of the nation. Study of Ancient Indian History : Centralisation of administration The ‘Asiatic Society’ during British rule : Due to the British was established at administration, its implementation on India Bengal by the British. brought the nation under one roof in its Many Indian and true sense. Due to identical reforms all western scholars started over the country and equality before law, study of Indian culture. the feeling of nationalism developed among The manuscripts in the people. For the convenience of Sanskrit, Persian and administration and swift movement of the other languages were army the British built network of roads examined and research and railways. But these facilities benifited Dr. Bhau Daji Lad was published. the Indians as well. People from different Dr.Bhau Daji Lad, Dr. R. G. Bhandarkar parts of India came in contact of each these Indian scholars made intensive study other, there was increase in communication of ancient Indian culture. After and the feeling of nationalism grew up. understanding that we Economic exploitation : The Indian are blessed with wealth was flowing towards England by all glorious ancient means. Due to the imperialist policy of tradition, the Indians England there was beginning of economic were awakened with exploitation of India. Farmers were a sense of Identity. compelled to take cash crops, burden of The ‘Bhandarkar land taxes, continuous famines all this Oriental Research broke down the backbone of Indian Institute’ is working agriculture. Traditional industries declined since last 100 years in which led to rise in unemployment. The Pune. Dr. R. G. Bhandarkar Capitalists exploited the worker class. Contribution of Newspapers : During Various new taxes were imposed on the this period, English and Vernacular middle class. This led to growth of discontent newspapers and periodicals came to be among the people. published. Through these newspapers, Western Education : Due to spread political and social awakening took place.

Newspapers like Darpan, methods. They had a hope that if we

Prabhakar, Hindu, Amrit demand through constitutional methods Bazar Patrika, Kesari, then the British will give justice to our Maharatta started demands. Gopal Krishna Gokhale, criticising the Government. Ferozshah Mehta, Surendranath Banerjee

Establishment of were all moderate leaders. In the session of Indian National Indian National Congress : On 28 Wyomesh Chandra Congress different resolutions were put December 1885, the first Banerjee forward by them such as, to get session of Indian National Congress was representation in provincial legislature, held at Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit School in jobs for educated Indians, cutting down the Mumbai. 72 delegates from different increasing expenses on military, Legislature provinces of India participated in this and Judiciary should be seperated for session. Wyomesh Chandra Banerjee, a safeguarding legal rights of Indians etc. renowned lawyer from Kolkata, was the To cause a split in the national President of this session. In this session movement the British implemented the they established the Indian National policy of ‘Divide and rule’. Congress. Allan Octavian Hume, a British Extremist Phase officer, took lead in the establishment of the (1905-1920) : All Indian National Congress. Increased Indian leaders who proportion of Indians in the administration, were politically aware reduction of military expenses by the British kept aside their government such statements were sent to differences of caste, the British. religion, language, Objectives of the Indian National province and gathered Congress : To make the people from on a single platform of Indian National different parts of India forget the differences Lokmanya Tilak in religion, race, caste, language, Congress. There were geographical territories and bring them on unanimous decisions regarding the a common platform, to understand each objectives of the Congress and taking others problems and views, to increase the forward the movement by constitutional feeling of oneness among the people, to means, but there were differences regarding take efforts for the development of the the working system. These were ideological country were the objectives of the Indian differences. From these differences two National Congress. main political groups were formed. The Moderate Phase (1885-1905) : The Moderates who advocated peaceful and constitutional manners and the Extremist early ten years after establishment of Indian National Congress their contribution who believed in severe struggle for was very slow but consistent. The leaders attainment of freedom. Lala Lajpat Rai, of Indian National Congress were realistic Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Bipin Chandra and highly educated. They were aware that Pal were believed to be extremist leaders. through organised work a strong foundation In the early period, the Extremist needs to be built up. Western thinker’s, leaders, for bringing political awakening philosophy of liberalism, freedom, equality, among the Indians used methods like fraternity these values had an impact on newspapers, national festivals and national them. They believed in constitutional education. ‘Kesari’ and ‘Maratha’ were the

newspapers through which Lokmanya Partition of Bengal : The British Tilak made severe criticism on the decided to use the policy of ‘Divide and suppressive policy of the British. In Bengal Rule’ to create a rift between Hindu-Muslim province, ‘Amrit Bazar Patrika’ was a community. The then Viceroy Lord Curzon mouthpiece of extremist ideology. By contributed to it. Bengal was a very large forgetting the internal differences people province. To carry out the work of this should come together and exchange their province was difficult from administrative ideas, common people should get point of view. By putting up this reason, in inspiration from contribution of national 1905, he declared the partition of Bengal personalities, with these objectives Tilak province. With this partition, arrangement started organising of Shiv Jayanti and was made such that majority Muslims will Ganesh Utsav. For political reasons if remain in East Bengal and West Bengal for people come together then government majority of Hindus. The hidden strategy of will ban them, but for religious reasons the British was, if the Hindu-Muslims were if people come together the government divided, due to partition, then the freedom will not ban them was his opinion. In the movement will be weakened. Mandalay prison, Tilak wrote Anti Partition Movement : There ‘Geetarahasya’. Its core was philosophy of was public awakening against partition not karmayoga and stressed that people should only in Bengal but all over India. 16 always be in action. The extremist leaders October, the day of partition was observed established education institutions for as National Mourning Day. All over India creating a generation concerned about own there were protest meetings to condemn the language and tradition. The extremist Government’s decision. ‘Vande Mataram’ leaders were of the opinion that if lakhs came to be sung everywhere. As a symbol of people take part in the freedom of unity, ‘Raksha Bandhan’ programmes movement and challenge the British were held. Students in large number government by struggling against them boycotted government schools and colleges only then success will be achieved. They and participated in the movement. The unanimously believed that the movement leadership of this movement was in the should be made more severe. But they did hands of Surendranath Banerjee, Anand not adopt the means of armed revolution Mohan Bose, Rabindranath Tagore and rather insisted for an extensive public such other leaders. The extent of Indian agitation. The moderates laid the foundation National Congress increased due to the of freedom movement and the extremists anti partition movement. It became a carried forward the movement. national movement. Owing to the severity of dissatisfaction, the British anulled the In 1897, in Pune, the epidemic of partition of Bengal. Plague had spread on a large scale. Four point programme of Indian Hundreds of people died due to it. An National Congress : Gopal Krishna officer named Rand was appointed. The Gokhale was the President of Indian plague patients were searched out and National Congress session of 1905. He oppressive measures were adopted. As a supported the anti partition movement. revenge, the Chapekar brothers assasinated Dadabhai Nowrojee was the President of Rand. The government tried to connect 1906 session. For first time he pronounced relation of Lokmanya Tilak with this the word ‘Swaraj’ from the stage. In his conspiracy. After being unsuccessful the Presidential speech he gave the message government imprisoned Tilak with revenge. that remain united, try sincerely and fulfill

the aim of Swaraj, so extremist trying that this opposition should that today we will be not be successful. Gopal Krishna Gokhale, able to save lakhs of Surendranath Banerjee, Ferozshah Mehta people suffering from such moderate leaders blamed that the poverty, hunger, extremist leaders are trying to capture the diseases and India Indian National Congress. Lala Lajpat Rai will get a respectable tried to act as a mediator. As per Tilak's position among opinion, Indian National Congress was a developed countries. national platform, hence it should not be In the same session divided. During the session the tension Swaraj, Swadeshi, Dadabhai Nowrojee increased and since no compromise was National Education and Boycott, this 4 possible finally there was a split in the point programme was unanimously accepted Indian National Congress. by the Indian National Congress. Due to Supression of the British : After anti Swadeshi movement we will be self partition movement, the government was sufficient. To follow the path of Swadeshi disturbed looking at the influential public we need to bring together capital, resources, protest. To control this movement, the manpower and such other forces and from Government used the policy of suppression. this the benefit of the country could be Holding of public meetings was legally achieved. It was decided that boycotting of banned. Strict punishments were given to foreign goods is the first step and boycott those who broke the law. School children of foreign rule will be the next step. Due were also beaten up. Many restrictions to boycott we will be able to attack the were imposed on newspapers. Many roots of British imperialism, was the printing press were confiscated on grounds opinion of some of the leaders. of blame of criticising the government. Writers and editors were imprisoned. Strict Do you know ? actions were taken against the extremist leaders. This led to a severe reaction in Gopal Krishna Bengal. The revolutionaries adopted, the Gokhale founded the means of firing, bomb blasts etc. These ‘Servants of India bomb attacks were advocated through Society’ in 1905. To Kesari newspaper by Lokmanya Tilak. create love for the The charge of sedition was put on country, teach them sacrifice of self interest, differences between religion and Gopal Krishna Gokhale

caste should be destroyed and to create social harmony, spread of education were the main objectives of the servants of India society.

Differences between Moderates and Extremists : The differences between the ideologies of Indian National Congress rose to great extent in the Surat session in 1907. The moderates were trying to keep aside the resolution of swadeshi and boycott. The Lal-Bal-Pal Lokmanya Tilak for which he was sent to 1916, under the leadership of Lokmanya Mandalay jail at Myanmar for 6 years Tilak, an attempt was made to resolve the imprisonment. Bipin Chandra Pal was dispute in the Indian National Congress. sentenced to jail and Lala Lajpat Rai was In the same year there was an agreement deported from Punjab. between Indian National Congress and Establishment of Muslim League : Muslim League known as the ‘Lucknow The British became very disturbed looking Pact’. According to this pact, the Indian at the overwhelming response to the Indian National Congress agreed to seperate National Congress in the anti partition electorates to Muslims and Muslim League movement. The British once again followed agreed to support the Indian National the policy of ‘divide and rule’. They Congress in its work for getting political started using the propaganda that for rights to India. safeguarding the interest of Muslims they Home Rule Movement : In 1914, should have a seperate political when Lokmanya Tilak organisation. Due to the motivation of the was released from the British government a committee of upper Mandalay Jail, the first class Muslims under the leadership of Aga world war had begun Khan met Governor General Lord Minto. in Europe. The direct Due to the motivation from Lord Minto consequences of this and other British officers, the Muslim war had to be beared League was established in 1906. by India as well. The Morley-Minto Act : There was Dr. Annie Besant rates of basic necessary dissatisfaction among the Indians regarding commodities increased. the work of British government. The Many restrictions were put up on the Indians Indians felt that the reason of poverty in by the British government. This led to India was the economic policy of the increased dissatisfaction in the minds of British. Oppressive policy of Lord Curzon, Indians. In these circumstances, Dr. Annie exclusion of educated Indians in Besant and Lokmanya Tilak started the government services, unjust behaviour Home Rule movement. Home Rule means towards Indians in Africa, all this added self government. Such movement also to the dissatisfaction of the Indian people. began in Ireland against Colonialism. On As a temporary remedy on the discontent similar lines, Home Rule movement among Indians, the Morley Minto Reform demanded right of self government in India. Act of 1909 was passed. According to this Annie Besant and Lokmanya Tilak made act, it increased the number of Indian extensive tour in different parts of the members in the Legislative Assembly and country and the demand for self government provision of inclusion of some elected reached the common people. Tilak firmly Indian representatives in Legislative stated that, ‘Swaraj is my birthright and I Assembly was made. In the same act shall have it’. seperate electorates were provided to the First World War and India : The war Indian Muslims. Due to this conspiracy of atmosphere in Europe, growing the British the seeds of division in India dissatisfaction in the minds of Indians, were sown. popularity of Home Rule movement; in Lucknow Pact : In the Lucknow such conditions it was necessary for the session of Indian National Congress in British to get cooperation from the Indians.

The British government decided to provide Chelmsford Reform Act’. According to this some political rights to the Indians. In 1917, Act, less important departments were Montague, Secretary of State for India, transfered to the Indian ministers, whereas declared that step by step Indians will be the important departments like Finance, given the right to self government and Home affairs and Revenue were under the responsible political system. Tilak also control of the Governor. The 1919 Act did declared that if the government is going to not give much exposure to the demand for show sympathy and considerable attitude Responsible Government of Indians. towards the demands of the Indians, only Everybody was disappointed due to this then Indian public is ready to co-operate act. Tilak criticised the act in following the British. This policy of Lokmanya Tilak words, ‘This is neither Swaraj nor its is known as ' Responsive Cooperation'. foundation’. The Indians understood that Montague Chelmsford Reform Act : if they have to subdue the British In 1919, the British Parliament passed government then the agitation needs to be another act to bring constitutional reforms more rigorous. India got prepared for a in India. This act is known as ‘Montague new movement.