Cnapter

10
Struggle for Freedom-
KEY CONCEPTS
The Spread of Nationalism in The Formation of the Indian
India National Congress
The Moderates and Radicals The Swadeshi movement and
Morley-Minto Reforms Boycott

he rising resentment against the British rule

was largely seen in the 1857 revolt. The
equality and fraternity. Indians became aware
that they were being denied their rights by the
agitation continued even after the revolt. There Britishers and therefore began to resent the
were many reasons for the agitation. British had suppression of their fundamental rights.
exploited India shamelessly. Peasants had to pay
Use of
became English
as a medium of
huge taxes, agriculture and industry was not expression
an important factor as people from
encouraged, only limited educational different states could now communicate with
opportunities were provided, low wages were
each other easily through a common language.
paid to people working in the British factories
and even artists were ruined due to overseas Indians also became |
competition. Apart from these reasons, British conscious of their cultural|
Cconsidered themselves as a superior race and heritage. Some of the
Indians as an inferior one. These led to the western scholars such as
grow th of nationalistic feelings among the Max Mueller and William
Jones translated the Vedas
Indians against the British. Some of the major
factors that led to the growth of nationalism and Upanishads in English
were:
lànguage. Indians became|
conscious of their past and
William Jones
Spread of Modern Education their cultural heritage.
he British introduced western system of Moreover, during this time period, many
missionaries such as Arya Samaj, Ramakrishna
education in order to take help from the
i Mission, Brahmo Samaj and Theosophical
educated Indians by employing them in their
Society emerged which awoke the feeling of
administration. They considered that educated
Indians would be loyal to the British and patriotism among the Indians.
romote theirinterest in India. However, things Political and Economic Unification of the
did not turn out as the British had expected. Country
nstead, western ideas made people more aware
The British introduced a uniform system of
their rights. They learnt about the freedom governance in India. This created a feeling of
oituggle in the countries like America and oneness in the Indian society. Apart from the
Prance and estern ideas of liberty,
adopted the 09
 concept of Swaraj
or self-rule and ci
self-rule and
political unity, India was also united on the masses. The Dree
disobedience to ress
economic front. of the
brought the news internationalw
The Introduction of the modern industries by the which made the people conscious
us of
of tho:
their
British interlinked different parts of India as nosition in
in India.
India.
ow
position
People trom different regions came to work here
Bal Gangadhar Tilak
was a

They worked in these industries irrespective of who used lhis

their caste, community or religion. Most of them nationalist
Marathi dail
travelled together through a long network of popular
Kesari, to
roads or railways built by the Britishers. newspaper, nationalist
his nationalist
propagate
Travelling and working together arose in ma
Subramania
feeling of solidarity and togetherness. ideas.
was a noet who
Bharathi
Without the modern means of transport, no
national conference could have been held. Apart
raised patriotic fervour in
the Tamil section of the
from this, post and telegraph system started by
Indian sOciety for Bal Gangadhar Tilok
the Britishers helped to bridge the difference spreading theseideas.
between different sections of the society in India
The patriotic song Vande Mataram was write
by strengthening the communication network. by Bankim Chandra Chatteriee. Ram Prasasad
Through travelling and better communication Bismil and Bhartendu Harichchandrawere me
system, they came in contact with each other and
realised how all Indians shared the same culture other poets and authors who inspired the
and values and British rule was responsible for
Indians with their fiery writing in th
vernacular.
creating division among them. All this gave rise
to anti-British feelings and contributed to the rise
Immediate Factors
of nationalism.
In the second half of the
19th century, famines and
various British economic
policies impoverished
India which further
aggravated the poverty.
Along with this, the spirit
of national identity deeply Viceroy Lord Lytton
entered into the minds of
Central Telegraph Office in Bombay
people by the 1870s. Discontent against Britist
Growth of Press rule was intensified by the policies of Viceroy
Lord Lytton. India paid for the war against
Both regional as well as the English press grew
Afghanistan. In 1877, a lavish Imperial Durbar
during this time period which became an washeld by the British government at the time
important factor in developing the feelings of when India was facing a terrible famine. A large
nationalism. These newspapers asked people to
amount of money was wasted on it.
unite and work for a common cause.
In 1878, another action by the British
The capacity of the vernacular or regional press
government raised anger when the maximuu
was far more than the English press. It reacheda age limit for the Indian Civil Service
wider base of readers with their revolutionary
ideas as most of the people were well versed in Examination was reduced from 21 to 19. 5mt
the examination was in
amination English and it was heu
their regional languages. Vernacular press the
in
England, Indians found it more difficult to
mobilized the public opinion by introducing
 pete with the English.
egulation oduced the
o t h e Indians to join

me of the other acts which

rther imposed restrictions

nIndians raised strong
htions from all sections of
the Indian society. In 1878,
emacular Press Act was
Tposed by Lord Lytton,
the then viceroy of India
gOYerned 1876-80). It
torbade any provocative
Writing against the First session of Indian National Congress, Bombay, 28-31, December, 1885
gOvernment in vernacular
Language. India saw this act as an attempt to 1851. Bombay Association and Madras Native
suppress the rising feeling of nationalism against Association formed in the following year.
were
Bnitish rule. Indians were also forbidden from Many associations such as Poona Sarvajanik
keeping arms by the Arms Act of 1878.
Sabha, Indian Association, Madras Mahajan
in 1883, a bill was passed by the British Sabha and Bombay Presidency Association
government. This bill was known as Ilbert Bill were established in the 1870s and 1880s. The
and it was passed by Lord members of all these associations were educated
Ripon's law member, Indians who belonged to the
Sir Ilbert. It was aimed at
establishing equality
among the lndians and the British judges. Until
upper sections of
the society. These associations had
limited
1883, Europeans in India could be tried
by agendas as well as membership. They requested
European courts of law. However, with the the government by sending petitions to
introduction of the Ilbert Bill, the British or introduce new administrative reforms, reduce
the burden of tax and end the
Europeans in India could be tried by an Indian practices of
Judge. Europeans considered highly educated discrimination which could improve India's
Indians unfit for this job. The role in the administration.
government However, these
amended the bill petitions were
were ignored
ignored byby the
the government and
in response to the criticism government and
the
Europeans. Indians were shocked by the oyactivities of these associations
remained
Tesponse of the Europeans and the government's restricted to specific regions.
tions. They realised that they could never
Indian National Congress
pect equality from the British government and
elt the need to organise themselves at the
Allan Octavian Hume, a
national level to get equal
rights and to get their retired British civil servant,
demands met by the
government. founded the Indian
National Congress on 28
EARLY POLITICAL ASSOCIATIONS
December, 1885. He
ndians began to form political associations after devised the plan of the
650s. Most of these associations worked for foundation of Indian
eir own
welfare. British Indian Association National Congress in a
t h e first of one such association. It was meeting which was held in
rmed by Surendranath Banerjee in the year Bombay. Allan Octavian Hume
A. O. Hume convened the Indian National representatives in the Imperial and Proin
Congress in which 72 delegates attended the Legislative Councils and responsible posi
meeting trom all over the country. Womesh for Indians in the government. Syed Ahr
Chandra Bonnerjee, Dadabhai Naoroji, Khan, one of the leading Muslim leaders, did
Pherozeshah Mehta. Badruddin Tyabji, S. join the Indian National Congress since t
Subramania lyer, Dinshaw Wacha, Kashinath Congress demands would only give high
Trimbak Telang. Gopal Ganesh Agarkar, M. position to the Hindu majority ignoring
Veeraraghavachariar, G. Subramania Iyer, N.G. Muslim. Congress had a very modest beginni
Chandavarkar and Rahmatullah Sayani were It held its sessions once in a year in differe-
some of the eminent leaders who took
part in parts of India. British were also involved in
this meeting. They
requested the British activities in its years. In the
early Britis
government for a larger share of the elected
Parliament, the Indian demands gaine:
Not to scale

helun
u

Lahore. Amritsar
(1929) (1919)
 Table supOrt. As a result ot all and appeal policy
this, Indian inettective to follow the praver
Act was tormed which met the of the moderates instead of action.) Lala Lajpat
ess demand Chandra Pal
E etive Council.
tter representation in Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin
legislative Council. Howe
l e g i s l a t i v
However, Congress and Aurobindo Ghose were the prominent
a nulisi that it was not enough. The first three of
leaders of the radical group.
Bal Gangadhar
them were known as Lal-Bal-Pal.
The Moderates and Lala Lajpat Rai
Tilakwas from Maharashtre
The moderate nationalists belonged to Punjab. They were in favour of
or moderates donminated strong political
extreme measures and called for
the Congress actions such as strikes, bovcott of the British
party for the
first 20 years from 1885 to institutions and goods and demonstrations
1905. Some of the in of his statements, had
Lokmanya Tilak, one
important moderate declared that 'Swaraj is my birthright and I
le a d ers Were shall have it'. It became the source of inspiration
Surendranath Banerjee, for Indians.
Dinshaw Wacha,
Pherozeshah Mehta and
Gopal Krishna Gokhale Gopal Krishna Gokhale.
Moderate nationalists
followed moderate approach and believed in
methods of persuasion. They took the help of
constitutional and peaceful methods for
achieving their objectives. They regularly sent
petitions and resolutions to the government for
requesting the fulfillment of their interest. They
regularly asked the government for of
freedom
speech and expression, expansion of welfare
programs, promotion of education, recruitment
of Indians to higher posts. They wanted to raise Lal-Bal-Pal, the three leaders who changed the
political course of the Independence movement
the strength of Indians in Legislative Councils.
also wanted the civil services Vande Mataram our national song was
Moreover, they
examination to be held in India instead of composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee. He
aroused a feeling otf patriotism across the
England.
In the initial years, British were favourably Country.
inclined towards the Congress. They actively PARTITION OFBENGAL
attended and participated in the discussion of
19 July 1905, Lord Curzon issued an order
Some of the Congress sessions. However, laterOn
dividing the provinçe of Bengal into East and
on, they turned hostile towards it and began to
West regions East Bengal then comprised the
openly criticise the Congress. region which is presently known as Bangladesh
and West Bengal included present day West
The Radicals As
A new group of leaders emerged as radicals
after Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Orissa) (The"real
intention of Lord Curzon was of separating East
tailure of the moderates to achievg political
radical Bengal which had a majority pf Muslim
TetormsRadicals were also known as the
hationalists extremists fhe leaders of this
or
population from the rest of Bengal.)The'partition
and was a deliberate attempt to sow the seeds of
8roup were radical in their objectives discord between the Hindus and the Muslims.
nethods.They felt that it was completely
his partition took efect on 16th of October,
1905. This day was observed asa
ay of
mourning throughout BengalyAll'sectlons o1 th
Population rose in opposition. People fasted an
walked barefoot on the street.
)They exprewMCI
their solidarity by tying sacre> threads oneach
other's wrists. No business was conducted in the
entire province and the
national movement
became more organised,
radical and mass based.
The Congress sess/on at Calcutta In 1906
Rabindranath Tagore, a preslded by Dadabhal Naoroj
famous Bengali poet,
composed a song for the Swaraj was the most important aspect
occasion which was annual session of the Congress which wau
ung by huge crowds in Calcutta in the year 1906 Dadabhai Na
Dadabhai
which gathered on the was the President of the Congress of thia ww

Rabindranath Tagore streets. The concept of Swaraj or sell government wa

important change in the alms of Congres th
SWADESHI AND BOYCOTT MOVEMENTS Dadabhai
was introduced by Naoroji. Congn
Two new movements after the Partition of
rose now wanted an important change in the existi
Bengal in the early 20th century. These were framework of the governance like that exisled
popularly known as Swadeshi and Boycott the countries like Canada and Australia.
movements. These movements later
Swarn
spread was declared as the goal of the
from
on
Congress in th
Bengal to other parts of India. Swadeshi session by passing a resolution
'of one's own
means
country'. These movements
encouraged mass participation of a large section Surat Split (1907)
of the society in modern nationalist politics. According tothe moderates, waraj meant v
These movements were aimed at increase the role of the Indians in the
popularizing
Swadeshi goods that were manufactured in India administration of the British government whi
and boycotting British goods. Foreign cloth was radicals were of the view that swaraj
total freedom from the British
implik
publicly banned at many places in Bengal. The
main objectives of
domination.)
popularising these Moderates agreed to the promotion of the Indu
movements was to stop the British from treating ods but
India as a dumping ground for the British they did not favour the boycott
goods. British goods)
They believed that, boycottn
The result of these movements was that
people British goods would ruin the relations
berwe
in India began to use
clothes completely made
India. Huge bonfires of imported clothes were
in India and
Britain and it would become m
difficult for the Indians to
organised at some places. Some washermen even achieve o
refused to offer their services to the people constitytional power in the British governa
whoModerdtes wanted to continue
wore imported clothes and shops
selling such education while the extremists were in we
products. Students and women played a very favou
important role in these movements by standing (The
encouraging Indian education.
)
outside the shops selling imported goods and difference between the moderate and the

persuading customers not to buy goods from extremist approaches was not easy to recon
and led to a split in the ion
these shops. Congress sesslo
year 1907 in Surat.
 in the
year 1908. The
expelled from Bengal and frustrated as
people of Bengal were angered
a v e n u e s of peaceful
all
the government blocked
the people were
and political action. Some of
of protests.
drawn towards the violent means
from
The revolutionary movements spread
and Maharashtra.
Bengal to the region of Punjab these
Most of the young men joined
advocated the
revolutionary movements. They
and to
use expel the British from India
of force to
the
attain the objective of independence from
National Congress at Surat (1907) foreign rule.
British dealt the extremist political leaders
Moderates, who were in majority in the
Tongress, took complete control over the severely. They considered the extremists
working of the Congress and expelled the responsible for inciting the revolutionaries. Bal
extremists from the CongressThey declared that Gangadhar Tilak was sentenced to six year
it was the main objective of India to self rigorous imprisonment in the year 1908. Lala

governance under the British empire. Radicals, Lajpat Rai and Ajit Singh of Punjab were

on the other hand, began to function from
outside the Congress.The two groups, later, re-
united in the Congress session that was held at
Lucknow in the year 1916.
SNIPPET
Bankim Chandra Chatterjee's greatest desire
was to see Independent India. While
travelling in a train he was inspired to write
a poem about his motherland. This poem was
Vande Mataram. This poem was sung by
Tagore in 1896 in a session of the Indian
National Congress.
REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT
deported from India in the year 1907.
The revolutionaries formed secret societies to
train their members in the use of firearm and
explosives. Anushilan Samiti in Bengal and
Abhinava Bharat Society in Maharashtra were
two of the most active revolutionary societies.
They killed British officials. Two unpopular
British officials in Maharashtra were
assassinated by Chapekar brothers. Two
revolutionaries of Bengal, Khudiram Bose and
Prafulla Chaki, threw a bomb at Kingsford, the
district judge in Muzzaffarpur. In the year 1912,
an attempt was made on the life of Viceroy Lord
Hardinge.
In Europe and America, some of the

Lord Curzon's administration

unleashed a policy of repression
towards the nationalists. As a
reaction to the anti-partition
OVement in Bengal, many ordinary
swadeshi workers and
people,
Students were persecuted and

unprisoned on his orders. Freedom

0f the press was curbed and several
launched
prosecutions were

gainst the nationalist leaders. Nine

The Ghadar Party
ationalist leaders of Bengal were
315)
terolutionaries were Ghadar Party
also active. Ghadar the Viceroy of
India in the
Was one Sactive.
such revolutionary ray 1905. He introduced
primarily founded bv Indians. Theassociation,
year
was this by tollowing the
act by
this act
multi
t i ethnic and dans. party
party was
and rule.
and had SIkh,
Sikh, Muslim
Hindu and Musim policy of divide
leaders. ItIt espread was named after
revolutionary ideas through This act
many journals. Ghadar was one of the journals Viceroy Lord Minto and
published by them. It Oganised
organised uprisings Secretary of State Lord
in India b many
many uprisings
by sending revolutionaries. Lala Morley as Morley-Minto
Hardayal, Rashbehari Bose, Shyamaji reforms.
Krishnavarma, Madam Bhikaji Cama, Seeds of division were sown Lord Minto
Muhammed Barkatullah, Sohan
V.D. Savarkar, Obeidulla Singh Bhakna, between Hindu and Muslim on the basis
Sindhi were some of
the
prominent leaders who worked from religion, with the introduction of Morley
Morley-
outside Reforms. Some seats in the council
India. x
reserved for the Muslims. They were
Britishers suppressed revolutionaries by to
all elected only by Muslim voters under #
means. They hanged Khudiram Bose and put system. Muslims were further isolated
Aurobindo Ghosh and Barindra Kumar Ghosh from
in jail. Some of the growing freedom movement as a result f s
revolutionaries were separate electorates.
sentenced to life
imprisonment by the Britishers.
Revolutionaries of the early years of the MUSLIM LEAGUE
twentieth century became national heroes. With the support of Lord Minto,
inspired many people to join the national
They Muslim Leage
was founded in the
movement in the year 1906. Naw
spirit of self-sacrifice. Salimullah, Agha Khan and Mohsin-ul-Mi
THE BRITISH POLICY OF were its
DIVIDE AND founding members. Its original purp
RULE AND MORLEY-MINTO was to
safeguard the political rights of Muslins
REFORMS in India.
British pursued the
policy of divide and rule. Ther wasa
They took advantage of the differences on the There
growing fear among the Muslimsth
basis of caste and
religion. They wanted to win Indian
Indian Nationsl
National Congress did not
the support of the Moderates adequat
represent the needs of Muslims. The Musl
and Muslims
through Syed Ahmed Khan. British created feared that they would
have no say in the hd
differences between Hindu and Muslims govermment if British left India. Some
Musli
favouring one group over the other. Separate oyleaders,
leaders, therefore, set
set up
up aa separate pu olitica/
electorates were created by them for the Muslims. T
Organisation in the form of Muslim League Th
British formation of this Britis
government passed the Indian Council an organization gave the
Act of 1909 under the
governance of Lord Minto. opportunity to once again impleme
ent

Lord Minto replaced Lord Curzon and olicy of 'divide and rule'.
became