Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11)

Modern History

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Growth Of Militant Nationalism

I. Recognition of the True Nature of British Rule: ● Having seen that, the Government was not conceding any of their important demands, the more militant among those politically conscious got disillusioned & started looking for a more effective mode of political action. ● Also, the feeling that only an Indian Government could bring India on a path of progress started attracting more & more people.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Growth Of Militant Nationalism (Cont…)

● The economic miseries of the 1890s further exposed the exploitative character of colonial rule. ● Severe famines killed 90 lakh persons between 1896 & 1900. ● Bubonic plague affected large areas of the Deccan leading to large-scale riots there. ● The nationalists were wide awake to the fact that instead of giving more rights to the Indians, the Government was taking away even the existing ones.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Growth Of Militant Nationalism (Cont…)

● 1892: Indian Councils Act was criticized by nationalists as it failed to satisfy them. ● 1897: The Natu brothers were deported without trial & Tilak & others, imprisoned on charges of sedition. ● 1898: Repressive laws under IPC Section 124 A were further amplified with new provisions under IPC Section 156 A. ● 1899: Number of Indian members in Calcutta Corporation were reduced.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Growth Of Militant Nationalism (Cont…) II. Growth of Confidence & Self-Respect: ● A feeling started gaining currency that only the masses were capable of making the immense sacrifices needed to win freedom. III. Growth of Education: ● Led to an increased awareness among the masses & the rise in unemployment & underemployment among the educated drew attention to poverty & the underdeveloped state of the country's economy under colonial rule.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Growth Of Militant Nationalism (Cont…)

IV. Reaction to Increasing Westernization: ● The new leadership felt the stranglehold of excessive westernization & sensed colonial designs to submerge the Indian national identity in the British Empire V. Dissatisfaction with Moderates: ● Younger elements within the Congress were dissatisfied with the achievements of the Moderates. They were strongly critical of the methods of peaceful & constitutional agitation, popularly known as the “3 P's”— prayer, petition & protest & described these methods as 'political mendicancy’

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Growth Of Militant Nationalism (Cont…)

VI. International Influences: ● Progress made by Japan & its emergence as an industrial power. ● The defeat of the Italian army by Ethiopians (1896), the Boer wars (1899-1902) where British faced reverses & Japan's victory over Russia (1905) demolished myths of European invincibility. ● The nationalists were inspired by the nationalist movements worldwide — in Ireland, Russia, Egypt, Turkey, Persia & China.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Previous Year Question

Which one of the following defines the extremists ideology during the early phase of Indian freedom movement? (a) Stimulating the production of indigenous articles by giving them preference over imported commodities. (b) Obtaining self-government by aggressive means in place of petitions & constitutional ways (c) Providing national education according to the requirements of the country. (d) Organizing coups against the British empire through military revolt

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Reactionary policies of Curzon ● He spoke derogatorily of Indian character in general. ● Administrative measures adopted during his rule: ○ 1904: Official Secrets Act curbed freedom of press. ○ 1904: Indian Universities Act ensured greater government control over universities, which it described as factories producing political revolutionaries. ○ The partition of Bengal ● Left no doubts in Indian minds about the basically reactionary nature of British rule in India.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Reactionary policies of Curzon (Cont…)

● Risley, the Home Secretary to the GoI, was more blunt. ● He said on 6 December 1904: ‘Bengal united, is power, Bengal divided, will pull several different ways. That is what the Congress leaders feel: their apprehensions are perfectly correct & they form one of the great merits of the scheme...in this scheme... one of our main objects is to split up & thereby weaken a solid body of opponents to our rule.’

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Partition of Bengal

● Day of Partition: 16 Oct 1905 ● Lord Curzon was the brain behind this partition but by the time actual partition took place, Lord Minto II had replaced Lord Curzon as the Viceroy. ● Reasons for Partition: ○ British Government Explanation: ■ Bengal was a very big state. Very difficult to manage the administrative work

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Nationalist View

● Divide & Rule Policy as Calcutta was the hub of Nationalistic activities ● Demarcation of boundary in terms of religious & linguistic basis. ● If ease of administration was the only reason why wasn’t Punjab, Bombay or Madras partitioned?

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Previous Year Question

2009 - In the context of the Indian Freedom struggle, 16th October 1905 is well known for which of the following reasons? (a) The formal proclamation of Swadeshi movement was made in Calcutta town hall (b) Partition of Bengal took effect (c) Dadabhai Naoroji declared that the goal of Indian National Congres was Swaraj (d) Lokmanya Tilak started Swadeshi Movement in Poona

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Partition of Bengal-divide people ● On the basis of language: ○ Thus, reducing the Bengalis to a minority in Bengal itself as in the new proposal Bengal proper was to have 17 million Bengalis & 37 million Hindi & Oriya speakers. ● On the basis of religion: ○ As the western half was to be a Hindu majority area (42 million out of a total 54 million) & the eastern half was to be a Muslim majority area (18 million out of a total of 31 million)

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Effect of demarcation

● Created divide amongst residents in terms of Hindu & Muslim religion ● Created a divide in within Hindi, Oriya & Bengali speaking population ● Changed the Fusion to Fission Culture i.e. from collective thinking to individualism or community ideology

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) During the period of 1903-05

● Government's decision to partition Bengal had been made public in December 1903 ● During this period, the leadership was provided by SN Banerjee, K.K. Mitra & Prithwish Chandra Ray. ● The methods adopted were petitions to the Government, public meetings, memoranda, & propaganda through pamphlets & newspapers such as Hitabadi, Sanjibani & Bengali.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Objective

● Exert sufficient pressure on the Government through an educated public opinion in India & England to prevent the unjust partition from being implemented.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Swadeshi Movement (After-effects of Partition of Bengal)

● On August 7, 1905: the passage of the Boycott Resolution led to the formal proclamation of Swadeshi Movement. ● People came out on street to protest against decision of partition. ● They assembled at Town Hall & formed Swadeshi Bandhav Samiti which propagated swadeshi goods and services. ● Local industries like textile, paper, glass flourished during this period

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Swadeshi Movement

● Lawyers resigned from the bar councils & Panchayats started hearing the grievances of people ● Social boycott ● Women, who were traditionally home-centred, especially those of the urban middle classes, took active part in processions &picketing.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Students ● Teachers & students boycotted English schools ● Students came out in large numbers to propagate & practise swadeshi, & to take a lead in organising picketing of shops selling foreign goods. ● Police adopted a repressive attitude towards the students. ● Schools and colleges whose students participated in the agitation were to be penalised by disaffiliating them or stopping of grants & privileges to them. ● Students who were found guilty of participation were to be disqualified for government jobs or for government scholarships, & disciplinary action— fine, expulsion, arrest, beating, etc. — was to be taken against them.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Effect of movement

● The value of British cloth sold in some of the mofussil districts fell by 5-15 times between September 1904 & September 1905. ● 16 October was declared a day of mourning throughout Bengal. ● People fasted & no fires were lit at the cooking hearth. ● In Calcutta a hartal was declared.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Effect of movement (Cont…)

● People took out processions & band after band walked barefoot, bathed in the Ganges in morning & then paraded the streets singing Vande Mataram which, almost spontaneously, became the theme song of the movement. ● People tied rakhis on each other’s hands as a symbol of the unity of the 2 halves.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Effect of movement (Cont…)

● ‘Amar Sonar Bangla’, the national anthem of present-day Bangladesh, was sung by huge crowds marching in the streets. ● Later in the day A M Bose & SN Banerjea addressed 2 huge mass meetings which drew crowds of 50,000 to 75,000 people. These were, perhaps, the largest mass meetings ever to be held under the nationalist banner this far. ● Within a few hours of the meetings, a sum of Rs. 50K was raised for the movement.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Spread of Swadeshi Movement

● Soon, the movement spread to other parts of the country: ○ In Poona & Bombay under Tilak ○ In Punjab under Lala Lajpat Rai & Ajit Singh ○ In Delhi under Syed Haider Raza ○ In Madras under Chidambaram Pillai.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Spread of Swadeshi Movement (Cont…)

● It was also galvanized by Bipin Chandra Pal’s extensive lecture tour. ● In response to the British India Steam Navigation Company trade monopoly, Chidambaram started an Indian-owned shipping company. He registered the Swadeshi Shipping Company in October 1906. ● Rawalpindi, Kangra, Jammu, Multan & Haridwar witnessed active participation in the Swadeshi Movement.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Previous Year Question - Prelims Q. With reference to Swadeshi Movement, consider the following statements: 1. It contributed to the revival of the indigenous artisan crafts and industries. 2. The National Council of Education was established as a part of Swadeshi Movement. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Features of Swadeshi Movement

● It was the first movement under the Indian National Congress. ● Class composition of the movement was everyone from the high class to low class participated due to which it was not only an elitist movement. ● Mobilization of masses was done by the leaders using religious symbols & organizing festivals which led to alienation of religious minority.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Programmes of National Education

● One of the major planks of the programme of ‘self reliance’. ○ Bengal National College, inspired by Tagore's Shanti Niketan was set up with Aurobindo Ghosh as its principal. ○ August 15, 1906: the National Council of Education was set up to organize a system of education—literary, scientific & technical—on national lines & under national control from the primary to the university level.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Programmes of National Education (Cont…)

○ Education was to be imparted through the medium of vernaculars. ○ A Bengal Institute of Technology was set up for technical education & funds were raised to send students to Japan for advanced learning. ○ Scores of national schools sprang up all over the country within a short period.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Swadeshi /Indigenous Enterprises ● Self-reliance also meant an effort to set up Swadeshi or indigenous enterprises. ● Swadeshi textile mills, soap , match factories, tanneries, banks, insurance companies & shops, etc mushroomed. ● While many of these enterprises, whose promoters were more endowed with patriotic zeal than with business acumen were unable to survive for long, some others such as Acharya P.C. Ray’s Bengal Chemicals Factory, became successful & famous.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Impact in the cultural Sphere ● It was, perhaps, in the cultural sphere that the impact of the Swadeshi Movement was most marked. ● The nationalists of all hues took inspiration from songs written by Tagore, Rajnikanta Sen, Dwijendralal Ray, Mukunda Das, Syed Abu Mohammad etc. ● Tagore’s Amar Sonar Bangla written on this occasion. ● In Tamil Nadu, Subramania Bharati wrote Sudesha Geetham.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Impact in the cultural Sphere (Cont…)

● Swadeshi influence could be seen in Bengali folk music popular among Hindu & Muslim villagers (Palligeet & Jan Gan) & it evoked collections of India fairy tales such as, Thakurmar Jhuli (Grandmother’s tales) written by Dakshinaranjan Mitra Majumdar which delights Bengali children to this day. ● Painting: Abanindranath Tagore broke the domination of Victorian naturalism over Indian art & took inspiration from Mughal, Ajanta & Rajput paintings. ● In science, Jagdish Chandra Bose, Prafulla Chandra Roy & others pioneered original research which was praised the world over.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Previous Year Question

The song ‘Amar Sonar Bangla’ written during the Swadeshi Movement of India inspired the liberation struggle of Bangladesh and was adopted the national anthem of Bangladesh. Who wrote this song? (a) Rajanikanta Sen (b) Dwijendralal Ray (c) Mukunda Das (d) Rabindranath Tagore

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Nandalal Bose ● Left a major imprint on Indian art, was the 1st recipient of a scholarship offered by the Indian Society of Oriental Art, founded in 1907 ● To mark the 1930 occasion of Mahatma's arrest for protesting the British tax on salt, Bose created a black on white linocut print of Gandhi walking with a staff.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Nandalal Bose (Cont…)

● He was also famously asked by JL Nehru to sketch the emblems for the Government of India's awards, including the Bharat Ratna & the Padma Shri. ● Along with his students, Nandalal Bose took up the historic task of beautifying/decorating the original manuscript of the Constitution of India.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Muslim Participation ● Some participated — Barrister Abdul Rasul, Liaqat Hussain, Ghuznavi, Azad (who joined one of the revolutionary terrorist groups)— but most of the upper & middle class Muslims stayed away or, led by Nawab Salimullah, supported partition as it would give them a Muslim-majority East Bengal. ● But the movement was not able to garner support of the Muslims, especially the Muslim peasantry, because of a conscious government policy of divide & rule helped by overlap of class & community at places. ● To further government interests, League was propped up as an anti-Congress front.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Social base ● The to include certain sections of the zamindars, the students, the women, & the lower middle classes in cities & towsocial base of the movement expandedns. ● Hitherto untouched sections— students, women, some sections of urban & rural population—participated. ● Attempt was also made to give political expression to economic grievances of working class by organising strikes in British owned concerns such as Eastern Indian Railways.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Assessment

● Despite its gradual decline into inactivity, the movement was a turning point in modern Indian history. ● It proved to be a “leap forward” in more ways than one. ● The richness of the movement was not confined to the political sphere alone, but encompassed art, literature, science & industry also.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Assessment (Cont…)

● People were aroused from slumber & now they learned to take bold political positions & participate in new forms of political work. ● Swadeshi campaign undermined the hegemony of colonial ideas & institutions. ● The future struggle was to draw heavily from the experience gained.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Decline of Moderate Stature

With the coming of Swadeshi & Boycott Movement, it became clear that the Moderates had outlived their utility and their politics of petitions & speeches had become obsolete. ● They had not succeeded in keeping pace with time, & this was highlighted by their failure to get the support of the younger generation for their style of politics. ● Their failure to work among the masses had meant that their ideas did not take root among the masses.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Decline of Moderate Stature (Cont…)

● Even the, propaganda by the Moderates did not reach the masses. ● No all- India campaigns of the scale of Swadeshi & Boycott Movement had been organized earlier by the Moderates & in this campaign, they discovered that they were not its leaders, which was rather natural.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Extremists

● The Extremist ideology & its functioning also lacked consistency. ● Its advocates ranged from open members & secret sympathisers to those opposed to any kind of political violence. ● Laal Bal Pal & Aurobindo had different perceptions of their goal. ● For Tilak, swaraj meant some sort of self-government, while for Aurobindo, it meant complete independence from foreign rule. ● But at the politico-ideological level, their emphasis was on mass participation & on the need to broaden the social base of the movement. ● They raised patriotism from a level of 'academic pastime' to one of 'service & sacrifice for the country'.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Extremists (Cont…) ● But the politically progressive Extremists proved to be social reactionaries. ● They had revivalist & obscurantist undertones attached to their thoughts. ● Tilak's opposition to the Age of Consent Bill (which would have raised the marriageable age for girls from 10 years to 12 years, though his objection was mainly that such reforms must come from people governing themselves & not under an alien rule). ● His organizing of Ganapati & Shivaji festivals as national festivals, his support to anti-cow killing campaigns etc. portrayed him as a Hindu nationalist. Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Extremists (Cont…)

● Similarly, B.C. Pal & Aurobindo spoke of a Hindu nation & Hindu interests. ● Though these revivalist & obscurantist tactics of the Extremists were directed against the foreigners, they had the effect of promoting a very unhealthy relationship between politics & religion, the bitter harvests of which the Indians had to reap later.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Previous Year Question

The `Swadeshi’ and ‘Boycott’ were adopted as methods of struggle for the first time during the (a) Agitation against the Partition of Bengal (b) Home Rule Movement (c) Non-Cooperation Movement (d) Visit of the Simon Commission to India

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Moderates Extremists

● Believed & practiced through legal ● Practiced boycott & mass means movement

● Wanted changes in system like ● Demanded Swaraj & mass constitutional reforms & share for mobilization Indians in services but not Swaraj

● Social base: zamindars & upper ● Social base: educated middle middle classes in towns. classes in towns & lower middle class.

● Believed in England's providential ● Rejected 'providential mission mission in India. theory' as an illusion. Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Moderates Extremists

● Focus of the movement was only in ● Wanted an all India Movement Bengal

● Ideological inspiration: western ● Indian history, cultural heritage liberal thought & European history. & Hindu traditional symbols.

● Professed loyalty to the British ● Believed British Crown was Crown. unworthy of Indian loyalty.

● Believed that the movement should ● Had immense faith in the be limited to middle class capacity of masses to intelligentsia; masses not yet ready participate & to make sacrifices. for participation in political work. Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Extremist Leaders ● Aurobindo Ghosh ● Lala lajpat rai ● Bal Gangadhar Tilak ● Bipin Chandra Pal

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Banaras Session (1905)

● Presided by Gokhale, the Moderate-Extremist differences came to the fore. ● Extremists wanted to extend the Boycott & Swadeshi to outside Bengal & also to include all forms of associations (such as government service, law courts, legislative councils, etc. within the boycott & thus start a nationwide mass movement. ● The extremists wanted a strong resolution supporting the programme at the session.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Banaras Session (1905) (Cont…)

● Moderates were not in favor of extending the movement beyond Bengal & were totally opposed to boycott of councils & similar associations. ● They advocated strictly constitutional methods to protest against the partition. ● As a compromise, a relatively mild resolution condemning the partition & the reactionary policies of Curzon & supporting the swadeshi & boycott in Bengal was passed.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Calcutta session(1906)

● Moderate enthusiasm had cooled a bit because of the popularity of the Extremists & the revolutionary terrorists. ● Extremists wanted either Tilak or Lajpat Rai as the president, while the Moderates proposed the name of Dadabhai. ● Finally, Dadabhai was elected as the president & as a concession to the extremists, Swarajya was defined as the goal of Congress.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Calcutta session(1906) (Cont…)

● Also 4 compromise resolutions supporting the programme of swadeshi, boycott , Self-Government & national education was passed. ● The word swaraj was mentioned for the 1st time, but its connotation was not spelt out, which left field open for differing interpretations by Moderates & Extremists.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Previous Year Question

Four resolutions were passed at the famous Calcutta Session of Indian National Congress in 1906. The question of either retention or of rejection of these four resolutions became the cause of a split in Congress at the next Congress session held in Surat in 1907. Which one of the following was not one of the resolutions? (a) Annulment of Partition of Bengal (b) Boycott (c) National education (d) Swadeshi

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Surat Split (1907)

Extremists: ● Emboldened by the Calcutta session, called for wide passive resistance & boycott of schools, colleges, legislative councils, municipalities, courts, etc. ● Thought that the people had been aroused & the battle for freedom had begun. ● Felt the time had come for the big push to drive the British out & considered the Moderates to be a drag on the movement.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Surat Split (1907) (Cont…)

Moderates: ● Encouraged by the news that council reforms were on the anvil, decided to tone down the Calcutta programme. ● Thought that it would be dangerous at that stage to associate with the Extremists whose anti-imperialist agitation, it was felt, would be ruthlessly suppressed by the mighty colonial rule. ● They saw in the council reforms an opportunity to realise their dream of Indian participation in the administration. ● They felt any hasty action under extremist pressure was bound to annoy the Liberals in power in England then. Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Surat Split (1907) (Cont…)

● The Moderates did not realise that the council reforms were meant by the Government more to isolate the extremists than to reward the moderates. ● Extremists did not realise that the Moderates could act as their outer line of defence in face of state repression. ● Both sides did not realize that in a vast country like India ruled by a powerful imperialist country, only a broad-based nationalist movement could succeed. ● Extremists wanted 1907 session to be held in Nagpur with Tilak as the president & reiteration of the swadeshi, boycott & national education resolutions.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Surat Split (1907) (Cont…)

● The moderates wanted the session at Surat in order to exclude Tilak. ● They wanted Rashbehari Ghosh as the president & sought to drop the 4 resolutions. ● 26/12/1907: Session was held, on the banks of the river Tapti. ● Extremists were excited by the rumors that the Moderates wanted to scuttle the 4 Calcutta resolutions. ● Moderates were deeply hurt by the ridicule & venom poured on them in mass meetings held at Surat on the previous 3 days. The delegates, thus, met in an atmosphere surcharged with excitement & anger.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Surat Split (1907) (Cont…)

● The Extremists wanted a guarantee that the 4 resolutions would be passed. ● To force the Moderates to do so they decided to object to the duly elected President for the year, Rash Behari Ghosh. ● Both sides came to the session prepared for a confrontation. ● In no time, the 1600 delegates were shouting, coming to blows & hurling chairs at each other. ● In the meantime, some unknown person hurled a shoe at the dais which hit Mehta & SN Banerjea. The police came & cleared the hall. The Congress session was over.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Surat Split (1907) (Cont…)

● The only victorious party was the rulers. ● Minto immediately wrote to Morley that the ‘Congress collapse’ at Surat was ‘a great triumph for us’. ● The suddenness of the Surat fiasco took Tilak by surprise. ● He had not bargained for it because, as Aurobindo Ghose wrote later, Tilak viewed the split as a ‘catastrophe’. ● He valued the Congress “as a great national fact & for its unrealized possibilities.”

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Surat Split (1907) (Cont…)

● He sent a virtual letter of regret to his opponents, accepted Rash Behari as the President of the Congress & offered his cooperation in working for Congress unity. ● But Pherozeshah & his colleagues would not relent. ● The Moderates were indulging their own foolish beliefs. ● They gave up all the radical measures adopted at the Benaras & Calcutta sessions of the Congress, spurned all overtures for unity from the Extremists & excluded them from the party. ● They thought they were going to rebuild, to quote Pherozeshah Mehta, a ‘resuscitated, renovated, reincarnated Congress.’ Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Surat Split (1907) (Cont…)

● But the spirit had gone out of the Congress & all efforts to restore it failed. ● They had lost the respect & support of the political Indians, especially the youth, & were reduced to a small coterie. ● Most of the Moderate leaders withdrew into their shells ● Only Gokhale plodded on, with the aid of a small band of co-workers from the Servants of India Society. And the vast majority of politically conscious Indians extended their support, however passive, to Tilak & the militant nationalists.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Surat Split (1907) (Cont…)

● Between 1907 & 1911, new laws were enforced to check anti-government activity. ○ Seditious Meetings Act, 1907; ○ Indian Newspapers (Incitement to Offences) Act, 1908; ○ Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1908; ○ Indian Press Act, 1910.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Previous Year Question

2015.Which one of the following movements has contributed to a split in the Indian National Congress resulting in the emergence of ‘moderates’ and ‘extremists’? (a) Swadeshi Movement (b) Quit India Movement (c) Non-Cooperation Movement (d) Civil Disobedience Movement

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Previous Year Question

2016. What was the main reason for the split in the Indian National Congress at Surat in 1907? (a) Introduction of communalism into Indian politics by Lord Minto (b) Extremists’ lack of faith in the capacity of the moderates to negotiate with the British Government (c) Foundation of Muslim League (d) Aurobindo Ghosh’s inability to be elected as the President of the Indian National Congress

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) The government strategy

● GoI had been hostile to the Congress from the beginning. ● Even after the Moderates, who dominated the Congress, began distancing themselves from the militant nationalist trend which had become visible during the last decade of the 19th century itself, government hostility did not stop. ● This was because, in the Government's view, the Moderates still represented an anti-imperialist force consisting of basically patriotic & liberal intellectuals.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) The government strategy (Cont…)

● With the coming of Swadeshi & Boycott Movement & the emergence of militant nationalist trend in a big way, the Government modified its strategy towards the nationalists. ● A 3 pronged approach of repression, conciliation, suppression.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Carrot and Stick

● In the 1st stage extremists were to be repressed mildly, mainly to frighten moderate ● In the 2nd stage, the moderates were to be placated through some concessions, & hints were to be dropped that more reforms would be forthcoming if the distance from the extremists was maintained. This was aimed at isolating the extremists.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Carrot and Stick (Cont…)

● Now, with the moderates on its side, the Government could suppress the extremists with its full might. The moderates could then be ignored. ● Unfortunately, neither moderates nor the extremists understood the implications of the strategy. ● Surat split suggested that the policy of carrot & stick had brought rich dividends to the Government.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Suppression

● Government immediately launched a massive attack on the Extremists. ● Extremist newspapers were suppressed. ● Between 1907 & 1908, 9 major leaders in Bengal including Ashwini Kumar Dutt & Krishna Kumar Mitra were deported, Ajit Singh of Punjab were deported & Chidambaram Pillai & Harisarvothama Rao from Madras & Andhra were arrested ● Tilak, was sent to Mandalay jail for 6 years. ● Aurobindo & B.C. Pal retired from active politics.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Suppression (Cont…)

● Lajpat Rai, who had been a helpless onlooker at Surat, left for Britain in 1908 to come back in 1909 & then to go off to the US for an extended stay. ● Extremists were not able to organize an effective alternative party to sustain the movement. ● Moderates were left with no popular base or support, especially as the youth rallied behind, the extremists. ● The Government had won, at least for the moment. ● 1914: Tilak was released & he picked up the threads of the movement.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Why Swadeshi Movement Fizzled out by 1908?

● Severe government repression. ● Movement left leaderless ● Narrow social base: largely remained confined to the upper & middle classes and zamindars , & failed to reach the masses—especially the peasantry. ● Surat split ● The movement failed to create an effective organisation or a party structure. ● It is difficult to sustain a mass-based movement at a high pitch for too long.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Previous Year Question Q. He wrote biographies of Mazzini, Garibaldi, Shivaji and Shri Krishna stayed in America for some time and was also elected to the central assembly he was (a) Aurobindo Ghosh (b) Bipin Chandra pal (c) Lala Lajpat Rai (d) Motilal Nehru

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Muslim League

● Formed at Dhaka in 1906 ● Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah (Aga Khan III) was appointed the 1st Honorary President of the League. ● Aga Khan (Not a name but a spiritual post within Shia Muslim community) ● Nawab Waqar ul Mulk & Nawab Mohsin ul Mulk (political heir) were the other notable names in its formation.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Muslim League (Cont…)

● Shimla deputation ● 58 delegates from all over the Subcontinent were the founding members of League. ● The headquarters were established at Lucknow. ● To preach loyalty to the British Government & to keep the Muslim intelligentsia away from the Congress.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Important Leaders

● Muhammad Ali Jinnah ● Muhammad Ali Jauhar ● Shaukat Ali ● Hakim Ajmal Ansari ○ Sole person elected to the Presidency of the Congress, the Muslim League & the All India Khilafat Committee. ○ Elected 1st chancellor of the Jamia Millia Islamia University. ● Raja of Mehmoodabad

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Hindi-Urdu controversy

● The Muslims resented Hindi in Devanagari script replacing Urdu in Persian script as the official language & called for protest meetings all over the Province. ● The Hindus held counter meetings & the controversy continued for months, as the rift between the communities widened. ● This led to communal polarization, thus it is considered one of the reasons which led to the formation of Muslim League.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Sample Question Which of the following events influenced formation of All India Muslim League? 1. Swadeshi Movement. 2. Morley’s Budget speech of 1906. 3. The Hindi-Urdu language controversy. 4. Formation of Hindu Mahasabha. Select the correct answer using the codes given below: (a) 1, 2 and 3 only (b) 1 and 3 only (c) 2 and 4 only (d) 1, 2 and 4 only

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Explanation

Only Statement 4 is incorrect: In April 1915, Sarvadeshik (All India) Hindu Mahasabha was formed as an umbrella organization of regional Hindu Sabha, at the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar whereas AIML was established way before in 1906. Thus, it was not influenced by the formation of Hindu Mahasabha.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Indian Councils Act (1909) - Minto-Morley Reforms ● Act increased the number of elected members in the imperial & provincial legislative councils. ● 1st attempt at introducing a representative & popular element: Direct election for some seats along with nominations for the others ● Most of the elected members were still elected indirectly. ● The number of members in the provincial legislative councils was not uniform.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Indian Councils Act (1909) - Minto-Morley Reforms (Cont…) ● Central Legislative council will be expanded to 68 members. ● Of the 68 members of the Imperial Council, 36 were officials & 5 were nominated non-officials. Out of 27 elected members, 6 were elected by big landlords & 2 by British capitalists. ● At least 1 Indian in the Viceroy’s Executive Council (Satyendra Sinha was the 1st to be appointed as the law member)

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Indian Councils Act (1909) - Minto-Morley Reforms (Cont…)

● 2 Indians will be made members of Indian Council office in London ● Councils, for the 1st time, referred to as 'Legislative Councils'. ● It also provide for a separate representation of Zamindars, presidency corporations, universities, Chamber of Commerce-Calcutta & Bombay.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Indian Councils Act (1909) - Minto-Morley Reforms (Cont…) ● Powers of legislatures both at the center & in provinces were enlarged ● Legislatures could now pass resolutions (which may not be accepted) ● Ask questions & supplementary ● Vote separate items in the budget but the budget as a whole could not be voted upon.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Separate Electorate

● Real purpose of the Reforms was to divide the nationalist ranks & to check the growing unity among Indians by encouraging the growth of Muslim communalism. ● To achieve the objective, the Reforms introduced the system of separate electorates. ● This was done to encourage the notion that the political, economic & cultural interests of Hindus & Muslims were separate & not common.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11) Separate Electorate (Cont…)

● Besides separate electorates for the Muslims, representation in excess of the strength of their population was accorded to the Muslims. ● Income qualification for Muslim voters was kept lower than that for Hindus. ● Act ‘legalised communalism’ & Minto came to be known as the Father of Communal Electorate.

Modern History: X - Indian Freedom Struggle (1905-11)