3/15/24, 7:17 PM 2023-IIC: British Rule in India and Indian Freedom

2022 Batch - India and Indian Constitution

◄ Further Reading PPT ►


British Rule in India and Indian Freedom

Indian Freedom Struggle: British Rule in India and Indian Freedom Struggle

 Early political organisations

Indian Freedom Struggle is also seen as a successful Political Struggle led by the Indian National Congress (INC). The
 INC was the biggest and most well-known political association in India. However, Congress was not the First Political
Association. There were quite a few Political associations before Congress that worked to achieve Political rights.

The organisations were dominated by aristocratic people like the Zamindars. This was because the aristocratic class
had received English, Modern Education. As a result, they were trained in modern ideals and thoughts leading to a
Political awakening. These Associations worked for demands like

Spread of Education

Increasing the Indian representation in the Executive and Legislative councils and opposing discriminatory steps
taken by British Administration toward Indian

Reforms in Administration

Freedom of Press

These organisations were in the 3 corners of India – Bengal, Bombay, and Madras.

1) Bangabhasha Prakasika Sabha

This was started by the Associates of Raja Ram Mohan Roy in 1836.

Raja Ram Mohan Roy was one of the first politically active leaders in the modern sense.

He started agitations for demands like appointments of Indians to Higher Government Offices, Freedom of the Press,
Prevent Zamindari Oppression of Ryots, etc.

2) Zamindari Association (Bengal Landholder’s Society

It was formed in 1836 by Prasanna Kumar Tagore, Dwarkanath Tagore and Radhakant Deb.

The main purpose of the organisation was to safeguard the interests of Landlords.

They used constitutional methods of agitation to fulfill their demands.

3) British India Society

The Organisation was set up in 1843 by William Adam, a friend of Raja Ram Mohan Roy, In England.

The organization’s aim was to improve the situation of Indians by letting the people of England know of the dire
condition in which the British were keeping the Indians.

They used constitutional and Legal means to achieve this aim.

4) British India Association

The Bengal Landholder’s Society and British India Society merged together to form British India Association in 1851

Post-merger, they used to submit petitions for the grievances of common people as well.

They had submitted a petition to British Parliament with suggestions for the new Charter Law of the company. The
suggestions were – a separate legislative council of popular nature, the Abolition of the stamp, salt, and abkari
duties, reducing the salaries of British officers at higher posts, etc.

In the Charter Act of 1853, one of the above suggestions was incorporated and the Governor General’s Council for
Legislative purposes was expanded by adding 6 new members.

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However, the organisation was not able to penetrate the country through its branches, mainly because of a lack of a
constructive political policy.

Post the 1857 revolt, the organisation supported the British in giving harsh punishments to the rebels.

5) Indian League

In 1875, noted journalist Sisir Kumar Ghosh started the Indian League in Calcutta.

Its main aim was to develop the feeling of nationalism among the common people.

6) Indian Association of Calcutta (Indian National Association)

Indian League was superseded by the Young Bengali Nationalists like Anand Mohan Bose and Surendranath Banerjee
Indian Association of Calcutta (Indian National Association) was formed in 1876.

British India Association’s pro-landlord policies and the conservative outlook were a source of discontent among youn
Bengalis, which led to the formation of this organisation.

The demands of the Indian Association of Calcutta were nationalist in nature, which makes it one of the most importa
congress nationalist associations.

Reforming civil services Examinations, generating and unifying public opinion on political issues of national importanc

They opened branches in different cities to expand their membership among the masses.

Surendranath Banerjee was the first Indian to gain all Indian popularity when he traveled across India to gain support
demands of the association.

This organisation was later merged with the Indian National Congress.

7) East India Association

Dadabhai Nawrojee started the East India Association in London in 1867.

The association’s main goal was to make the people of UK aware of the conditions in India and generate popular supp
among British People for Indian Welfare.

This association is also called the predecessor to the Indian National Congress.

In 1866, the Ethnological Society of London tried to prove Asians were inferior to Europeans. The East India Associatio
also targeted to challenge this notion.

The association had opened Branches in Bombay, Madras, and Calcutta in 1869

8) Bombay Association (Bombay Native Association

In 1852, Jagannath Shankersheth started the Bombay Association along with Sir Jamshedji Jejibhai, Jagannath Shanka
Naoroji Fursungi, Dr. Bhau Daji Lad, Dadabhai Naoroji and Vinayak Shankarshet.

This is also called the first political party/organisation in Bombay Province.

They too aimed to address public grievances through Legal agitational means.

9) Poona Sarvanajanik Sabha

It was started in 1870 by Mahadev Govind Ranade and his associates in Pune.

They aimed to be a connecting link between the Government and the common people.

It also worked for the legal rights of the peasants.

Many prominent leaders of the Freedom struggle like, Lokmanya Tilak were members of this organisation.

10) Bombay Presidency Association

The association was started in 1885 by Pheroshah Mehta, Badruddin Tayabji and KT Telang.

It was formed in opposition to the Ilbert Bill and Lytton’s other reactionary policies.

11) Madras Native Association

Formed by Gazulu Lakshminarasu Chetty in 1849 in Madras Presidency.

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It was the First Political Organisation in Madras

12) Madras Mahajan Sabha

It was formed in 1884 in Madras by B. Subramaniya Aiyyar, P. Ananda-Charlu, and M. Viraraghavachari.

The organisation took moderate stance on opposing govt policies in the beginning.

INC

• The credit for organizing the first meeting of the Indian National Congress goes to a retired government servant A.O

• He was on very good terms with Lord Ripon and shared his view that the emergence of the educated class should be
accepted as a political reality and that timely steps should be taken to provide legitimate outlets to the grievances of
and efforts be made to satisfy its ambitions.
• He got in touch with prominent Indian leaders and organised with their cooperation the first session of the Indian N
Congress at Gokul Singh Tejpal Sanskrit School, Bombay in December 1885. It was presided over by W.C. Banerjee and
by 72 delegates.

The aims and objects of the Congress were described in the first session as:

• Promotion of personal intimacy and friendship amongst the countrymen,

• Eradication of all possible prejudices relating to race, creed or provinces,
• Consolidation of sentiments of national unity,
• Recording the opinions of educated classes on pressing problems of the day, and
• Laying down lines for future courses of action in the public interest.
• This organization initially fought for reforms in the country, and subsequently for the freedom of India from the fore
• The history of the Indian National Movement can be categorized into three important phases:

• The phase of 1885-1904; Phase of moderate nationalism when the Congress continued to be loyal to the British cro
• The phase of 1905-1917; Swadeshi Movement, the rise of militant nationalism, and the Home Rule Movement.
• The phase of 1918-1947; Known as the Gandhian era.

There are two broad theories behind this:

a) Mythical Theory: This suggested that it was the humanistic approach of A.O. Hume that was cited as one of the fac
led to the establishment of the INC. In fact, it was said that Hume was deeply moved by the political plight of the India
he wanted to establish a political platform for Indians that could serve as the ‘voice for Indians’ so that the grievances
reach the British and the discontentment which was gradually growing between the British ruling system and the India
be minimized.

The biographer of A.O. Hume, William Wedderburn, who later on also became the President of the INC as well, deep
believed in the humanistic approach of A.O. Hume.

b) Realistic Theory:

1. The extremist elements in India like Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, etc. laid down the theo
as the ‘Safety- valve’ theory.

2. Lala Lajpat Rai wrote two books, ‘Unhappy India’, and ‘Punjabi’. In these two books, he explained and criticized th
the British regarding the establishment of the INC.

3. According to him, it was a conspiracy of Lord Dufferin, and A.O. Hume, that lead to the establishment of the INC
second half of the 19th Century with the growing tide of nationalism, the aggression of Indians kept on increasing aga
British policies, thus the British think tanks derived a concept by which it was said that in between the British Governm
India and the Indian public, there would be a buffer organization known as the Indian National Congress (INC).

Thus the INC would work as a buffer organization, or in other words, it would work as a safety valve. The safety-valve
a strong momentum in the political circles of India. But, on the basis of modern analysis, the INC was a result of many
consciousness uniting together under the context of commonality of interests. In fact, at the beginning of the 19th Ce
there were many cultural organizations that were established by social reformers. And cultural organizations always le
political and social awareness. Thus, in this regard, we find that immediately after the socio-cultural movement in India
19th-century renaissance), we find various political organizations being established like: The Landholders Society, whic
established by Dwarakanath Tagore. This was also known as Zamindar Sabha. There were many other organizations lik
India Association, Bengal British East India Association, Poona Sarvajanik Sabha, and the Indian League, established by
Kumar Ghosh.

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This lesson is not ready to be taken.

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