Bipan Chandra Summary

• Home
• Bipan Chandra Summary

Bipan Chandra Summary

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

Revolt of 1857

• Simon Fraser, the Political agent  and several other Englishmen were killed by SEPOYS
• Some info
  • 19th Native infantry – Berhampur
  • 34th Native Infantry – Mangal Pandey
  • 7th Oudh Regiment defied too
• Leaders
  • Kanpur – nana Saheb
  • Lucknow – Begum Hazrat Mahal
  • Bareily – Khan Bahadur
  • Bihar – Kunwar Singh
  • Jhansi – rani Laxmibai
  • Delhi – Bakht Khan
• The Revolt embraced almost every cantonment in the Bengal and a few in Bombay, ONLY the MADRAS Army remained totally loyal
• WHY The Sepoys Revolted ?
  • Religious issues – Beef , Christians, Going Videsh , most of the Sepoys were from upper caste and that too BRAHMANS
    • Mixing of bone dust in atta
    • The orthodox section believed that British Legislation was carried out  to aid missionaries in their Quest for EVANGELIZATION
  • Conditions of services – Poorly paid and treated
    • A sawar in cavalry was paid only rs 27 out of which he had to pay for his Uniform , food , upkeep
  • Foreign land – Unhappiness first surfaced in 1824 in the 47th Regiment at Barrackpur was ordered to go to Burma, when SEPOYS refused they  were hanged
  • Against British Rule : the SEPOY was a peasant in Uniform, when land annexed he was hurt , Dalhousie
  • AWADH Annexation ::
    • The new land revenue system after annexation was cruel and confiscation of land attached to charitable institutions affected his well being.
  • Civilian Support :: EXCEPT in Muzzafarnagar and SAHARANPUR, civil rebellion followed the Revolt of Sepoys.
    • It had a Broad Social Base embracing all sections of the society
  • Taxes :: Excessive Taxes and the Peasantry became indebted and impoverished
    • In Rohilkhand there were as many as 2,37,388 coercive collection during 1845-56
  • Taluqdars :: traditionally aristocracy also suffered
    • In Oudh the Taluqdars lost all their  powers and privileges
  • Artisans and craftesman ::
    • Annexation by british Cut-off their major source of patronage.
    • They discouraged Indian handicrafts and promoted British Goods
• WAS it Planned or not ?
  • In the absence of any reliable account  it is difficult to ascertain
  • UNPlanned b4 and Planned after
• Court of Administration
  • In Delhi COA was estb which was responsible for all matters of state
  • It consist of 10 members – 6 from army 4 civilian dept
  • All decisions were taken by majority Vote
  • It seems to have been a sort of Constitutional MILOCRACY
• Why Failed ?
  • Poor Arms and org
  • Merchants , intelligentia  and Indian Rulers kept aloof and even supported British
  • The SEPOYS fought against their Own  Countrymen
    • The Recapture of Delhi was effected by 1700 British and 3200 indian Soldiers
  • Poor Leaders
    • Bahadur Shah and Zeenat mahal had no faith in Sepoys and negotiated with the British for their Safety
    • Most Taluqdars tries to protect their Own Interest, Some Like Man Singh Changed sides several times
  • Lack of Vision
    • John Lawrence said that had a single leader of ability arisen among them we must have been lost beyond redemption
• Results::
  • Bahadur Shah sent ot BURMA
  • First to Break was delhi
  • General Hugh Rose killed Jhansi rani
  • Nana Saheb nepal gaye
  • Tantya Tope hanged in Shivpuri

Civil and Tribal Uprising

Causes of revolts ?

• The rapid changes introduced by the British in the economy, administration and land revenue system
  • In Bengal for eg the land revenue Doubled in less  than 30 years as compared to Mughals
  • Not even a part of it was spent on development
• Zamindars
  • They lost control over their land
  • They were displaced by merchants and moneylenders
• Peasants
  • Increaing revenue demands
  • Economic decline is reflected in the  numerous famines  from 1770-1857
• Courts
  • The new system encouraged the oppresion of poor by rich
  • Corruption at lower level of administration
    • WILLIAM EDWARDS , a British Official wrote in 1859 ” the police were a scourge to the people and is  one of the main causes of disaffection in the people”
• Priests ::
  • Against conversion and changing their practises
• From 1763-1856 there were more than 40 major rebellions apart from 100s of minor ones
• Loss of Forest Rights
• BEGAR – the revenue farmers and Govt intensified  and expanded the system of BEGAR

Some Eg

• SANYASI – made famouus by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in his Novel ANAD MUTH – lasted from 1763-1800
  • In this the SANYASIS stood against the oppressive tax collection by British post famine 1770
  • Because of excess taxes nobody was giving them money and this anger manifested in rebellion in which monks led villagers  and peasants , soldiers and dispossed Zamindars etc against British
  • The DASNAMI SANYASIS, known for their martial tradition were involved in landholding , money lending and trade in raw silk, copper , spices etc
  • The MADARI Fakirs enjoyed rent free land since Mughal Days, they were armed too
  • Company   was intolerant about these armed wandering monks
• CHUAR Uprsising – Bengal and Bihar
• BHIL uprising – 1818-31
• SANTHAL
  • Lived in DAMAN I KOH – between Bhagalpur and Rajmahal
  • Effort to expel Dikus or Outsiders and proclaimed complete annhiliation of  alien regime
  • They considered DIKUS and govt servent as morally corrupt  being given to beggary , stealing , lying and drunkness
  • In 1854 the tribal heads MAJHIS and PARAGNITES began it
  • The raised the banner of revolt under SATYUG or The reign of Truth
  • They believed that their actions had blessings of GOD or THAKUR , l
  • Leader – SIDO and KANU
  • They attacked MAHAJANS , ZAMINDARS , POLICE
  • They were helped by a large number of poor non-tribals
  • Govt declared MARTIAL LAW, SIDO and KANU killed
• RAMPA Revolt – 1879 in Andhra against the govt supported mansabdars and restriction on Forest Rights
• MUNDA rebellion 1899-1900
  • By MUNDA sardars against Zamindars , Jagirdars , Merchants , Thikardars (revenue farmers)
  • Birsa Munda declared himself as Messiah having powers
  • Non-tribal poor were not attacked

WEAKNESS of the revolt and character

• The leaders were backward looking and traditional outlook
• Their objective was to restore old form
• They were scattered , disunited  and spordiac
• Many sided with British for small concessions
• The Suppression of these Uprising was one of the major reason why the revolt of 1857 did not spread to S and other parts
• The Uprising were Broad Based involving Thousands of tribals
• The Ethnic ties were a basic feature of Tribal Rebellions,  they saw themselves as one class and having a tribal identity
• Not ALL outsiders were attacked , those sided with British attacked,
• Most of the leaders claimed to derive their authority from GOD, they often claimed to posses magical powers
• Fighting with Primitive Weapons

Peasant Movement and Uprising

Indigo Revolt – 1859-60

• The planters were also above the law . With a few exception, the magisterates, mostly Europeans favored the Planters
• HEM CHANDRA KAR , Deputy Magistrate of KALAORA, published in 17 Aug a proclamation that in case of Disputes with Ryots, no one can force them to grow
• Initially they were peaceful, they sent numerous petitions to authorities nut no response
• Beginning was fro NADIA District Govindpur Village under the leadership of Digambar Biswas and Bishnu Biswas
• They also gradually learnt to use the legal machinary, they joined together raised funds to fight court cases, used Social Boycott

Why success ?

• Cooperation , org and discipline of ryots
• Complete Hindu-Muslims Unity
• Leadership was provided by well off ryots n some Zamindars, moneylenders etc
• Role of Intelligentia of Bengal which organized a powerful campaign in support of ryots
  • Harish Chandra Mukherjee – editor of Hindu patriot
  • Din Bandhu mitra’s play NEEL DARPAN
• Missionaries also supported them
• Govt response was also not too harsh, following the exp of 1857 and Santhal revolt
  • A commision was appointed to look into the matter 1873, to resist the demands of ZAMINDARS
• Main form was legal resistance, few attacks only , hardly any violence
• Govt sided with Zamindars, peasants were arrested
• But it assumed a  neutral policy when legal battles were fought
• In 1885 Bengal Tenancy Act was passed
• The movement was not against ZAMINDARI system, it was not ANTI COLONIAL
  • They were against high rents, torture
  • They even raised slogans of Queen , as they were her subjects
• Supporters – bankim Chandra , RC Dutt
• During the Discussion of Bengal tenancy Bill, the Indian Association led by Suri Bannerjee, Anand Mohan Bose and Dwarkanath Ganguly campaigned for the rights of tenants, helped form unions tec
• The newspapers asked for permanent fixation of rents

Other Events:

• KARDAH Village , SIRUR Taluq revolt , 1847
  • BULLETODARS – Village Servants – barbers , washerman etc, they boycotted  money lenders
• DECCAN Uprising
  • Poona SARVAJANIK Sabha helped them
  • Sabha as well as newspapers supported the DAR bill
• MAPILLA
  • They were endemic in MALABAR
• VASUDEV BALWANT PHADKE, an educated clerk raised RAMOSI Peasant Force in MH
• KUKA revolt in Punjab led by BABA RAM Singh
• After 1857 , the peasants directly fought for themselves , not through princes , leaders etc

WEAKNESS ::

• Lack of adequate understanding of colonial rule
• Their struggle however militant occurred within the framework of the Societal Order
• Lack of clear ideology
• Lack of positive conception of society that could unite people

Sovio-Religious reform and National Awakening

• The socio-cultural regeneration in 19th century India was occasioned by Colonial presence, but not created by it
• Some movements::
  • Brahmo Sabha
    • It is a monotheistic  reformist movement in Hindu Religion
    • Practised mainly today as ADI DHARMA samaj after the exit  of TATTWABODHINI SABHA in 1859
    • Started in 1828 by RRR and debendranath Tagore
    • The objective of this association were to publicize  the true VEDANTA
    • ((( BRAHMO SAMAJ was founded in 1861 by NABIN CHANDRA ROY in Lahore to propogate BRAHMO RELIGION
  • TATTWABODHINI SABHA
    • Estb in 1839 by DEBENDRANATH TAGORE, as a splinter group of BS
    • In 1859 it was dissolved back into the BS
    • Amongst its first members were AK DUTT and IC VIDYASAGAR
  • Prathna Samaj
  • Paramhans mandali
    • Secret socio-religious group in Bombay
    • Started by DADOBA Pandurang in 1849
  • Arya Samaj
• Backward class reforms ::
  • Satyasodhak Samaj
  • Sri Narayan Dharm Paripalan Yogam
  • Ahmadiya and Aligarh Movement
  • Singh Sabha Movement
  • Rehnumai Mazdeyasan Sabha – Parsis

Important Points to remember:

• Religiuos reform was their main aim but none was exclusively confined to religion alone.
• Their attention was focussed on worldly existence not on salvation and otherworldiness
• AK Dutt and IC Vidyasagar refused to be drawn into any discussion on supernatural questions, when asked about god Vidyasagar said that  he do not think about god as there is much to be done on earth
• Religion was the dominant ideology of that time and it was not possible to  undertake social reforms without coming to grips with this
• The reform movement sought to create a climate for social reform , in doing so they referred to indias glorious past when  no such malaise existed.
• “the practise based on faith cannot be challenged without bringing faith itself into question” raja Ram Mohan Roy  took up sati issue based on scriptures support
• Two important intellectual criteria which  informed the reform movements were rationalism and religious universalism
• AK Dutt said that all natural  and social phenomenun could be analyzed and understood by purely mechanical processes.
• The movement wanted to replace faith with rationality , in the Brahmo  Samaja it led to the  repudiation of the infalliability of VEDAS, and In Aligarh  Movement to the reconciliation of the teachings of Islam with the needs of modern age.
• Syed Ahmed Khan Emphasized the role of religion in society, “if religion did not keep pace with and meet the demands of the time it would get fossilized as in the case of Islam in India “
• AK Dutt
  • Instead on citing scriptures he cited medical opinion against child marriage
  • He held partnership and equality as the basis of married life
• GOPAL HARI DESHMUKH – LOKHITWADI
  • To him whether social reforms had sanction of religion is immaterial
  • If religion did not sanction these he emphasized that religion itself be changed as it was made by man
• For RRR Brahmo Samaj Was a universalist Church, he was a defender of basic principals  of all religions- the monothesim of VEDAS and the Unitarianism of the Christianity. At the same time he attacked POLYTHEISM of Hinduism and tritarianism of Christianity.
• Syed Ahmed Khan echoed the same idea, all religion had the same DIN and every country and nation had different Prophets
• RRR considered Muslim Lawyers to be more honest than Hindu Counterparts and Vidyasagar did not discriminate between Hindus and Muslims in his humanitarian Activities.
• Even to bankim Chandra , Who  was credited with a Hindu Outlook , DHRAMA rather than religion was the criteria for determining superiority.
• Critique – faced with the challenge of colonial culture and ideology, universalism, instead of providing the basis for development of secular ethos, retreated into religious particularism.
• In the religious sphere they sought to remove idolatry, Polytheism and priestly monopoly of religious knowledge and to amplify religious rituals
• Caste – Raja RMR initiated in ideas but not in practise the opposition which became loud and clear as the century progressed.
• DAYANAND gave an utopian explanation of Chaturvarna  and sought to maintained it on the basis of virtue, the deserving must be Brahmana
• Most virulent opposition to caste system came from lower caste movements – JYOTIBHA and NARAYAN GURU
• GURU gave a call – ONE RELIGION , ONE CASET , ONE GOD for Mankind
• His disciples SHADARAN AYYAPAN . Changed  it to ” No religion , NO caste , NO GOD for mankind”
• The reformers had not totally rejected religion they were aiming for modernization and not westernization.
• LEX LOCI ACT – the Act proposed in 1854 and passed in 1850 provided the right to inherit ancestral property to Hindus Converts to Christianity.

ECONOMIC CRITIQUE OF COLONIALISM

• It was the moderates who were the first to develop an economic critique of Colonialism
• What are PRABHAT PHERIS ?
  • The indian intellectuals adopted a positive attitude towards British Rule  in the hope that the most advanced nation of the time would help modernize India.
  • They supported Colonial rule as they expected it to rebuild  India as a spit of the Western Metropolis.
• Three most important economic critique ::
  • DADABHAI NAOROJI
    • Born in 1825, he became a successful businessman
  • MG RANADE
    • Taught indian the value of modern industrial development
  • RC Dutt
    • A retired ICS officer, he Published “The Economic History of India”
    • In this he  examined the entire economic record of colonial rule since 1757.
  • Others
    • GV Joshi
    • G SUBRAMANIAN IYER
    • GK GOKHLE
    • PRITHWIS CHANDRA RAY
  • They concluded that Colonialism was the main obstacle to India’s economic development
  • They agiatated for an Alternative path which would lead to an independent economy
  • Imp feature of the agitation was the use of bold, Hard-hitting and Colorful language

Points to Remember:

• The economic agitation started with the assertion that indians were poor and were growing poorer every day
• The early nationalist did not see this all encompassing poverty as inherent and unavoidable, it was seen as man made
• RC Dutt said ” If india is poor today it is because of economic causes”
• The problem of poverty was seen as the problem of increasing the “productive capacity and energy” of the people in other words as the problem  of National Development
• Economic development above all was seen as rapid development of Modern industry
• Complete transformation of the country  on the basis of modern technology and capitalist enterprise was the primary goal of them
• GV JOSHI said ” Industrialism is a superior type and higher stage of Civilization”
• RANADE said ” Factories could far more effectively than Schools and Colleges give birth to the activities of the nation”
• Modern Industry was also seen as a force which could unite people into a single entity having common interest.
• SURI BANNERJEE in his  newspaper BENGALEE said ” the agitation for political rights may bind people for sometime but agitation for economic cause will bind them forever”
• ALL nationalist were clear on one aspect ” however the great the need for industrialisation in india be , it must be based on Indian capital and  not Foreign Capital” ( SWADESHI EG)
  • They saw foreign capital as evil that did not develop a country but exploited it
• HINDUSTAN REVIEW and KAYASTHA SAMACHAR – foreign capital is a system of International Depradation
• The foreign capital is a political as well as economic danger.
• The nationalist economist said that foreign trade and  railways represent not economic development but colonization and underdevelopment of the economy
  • What mattered in foreign trade was not its volume but its pattern or the nature of goods internationally exchanged and their impact on national industry and agriculture
  • GV JOSHI said expenditure on indian arilways should be seen as indian Subsidy to British Industries or as Tilak Put it ” it was like Decorating Another’s Wife”
• As per early nationalist the major road block to  rapid industrialisation was the policy of free trade
• They demanded the reduction of land revenue and also abolition of salt tax and supported the imposition of income tax and import duties on products which rich and middle class consumed
• They condemned the high expenditure on Army, which was used to conquer Asia and Africa
• The drain took the form of Export over import and India getting no benefit of it
• In 1867 DADABHAI put forward the idea that British was draining and BLEEDING India
• The drain he declared that was the basic evil of British Rule and the cause of Poverty
• RC Dutt made drain the major theme of ” The Economic History Of  India”
  • He said taxation raised by king is like moisture sucked by sun and rain elsewhere”
• The drain possessed the meirt of easily grasped by the Peasants of the country
• The secret of British Power in India lay not only in Physical Force  but also in Moral Force, the Belief that British were the MAI BAAP
• The indian nationalist said that the India was Poor because of British rule
• Tilak said in his paper KESARI that “Surely India is treated as vast Pasture for the Europeans To feed Upon”
• DADABHAI said the Romance is the Beneficence of the British Rule but the reality is the ” Bleeding” of the British Rule.
• By 1905 most of the nationalist leaders were putting forward the demand for some sort of :”Self rule”
  • DADABHAI , while speaking at the International Socialist Congress in 1904, put forward the demand for Self-Govt  and treatment of India like Other British Colonies.
  • In 1905 in BANARAS Session he categorically asserted that self-govt is the only remedy for India Woes and Wrongs”
  • In 1906 he laid down the goal of the national movement as “self-govt or SWARAJ” like that of UK or the Colonies

Freedom Of PRESS

• As early as 1824 RRR protested against the restrictions on PRESS
• Some Newspapers::
  • The Hindu – G S Iyer
  • SWADESHAMITRAN –  GS Iyer
  • Kesari and MAHARATTA
  • BENGALEE – SURI
  • Amrit BAZAR PATRIKA – Sisir Kumar Ghosh and MOTILAL GHOSH
    • It was one one of the oldest newspaper in india
    • Launched in Bengali in 1868
    • Built In rivalry with BENGALEE of SURI, an English Daily
    • Discontinued in 1986
    • Vernacular Press Act of LYTTON in 1878 was mainly against it
    • In 1878 it turned to ENGLISH overnight
    • It espoused the cause of communal harmony during partition of India
  • SUDHARAK – GK GHOKLE
  • INDIAN MIRROR – NN SEN
  • VOICE OF INDIA – DADAHAI
  • HINDUSTANI and ADVOCATE –     GP VARMA
  • TRIBUNE and AKHBAR -i-am  – Punjab
  • Induprakash  – GUJJU
  • Dyan PRAKASH – GUJJU
  • KAL – GUJJU
  • SOM PRAKASH – BENGAL
  • BANGANIVASI- BENGAL
  • SADHARNI- BENGAL

Facts to Remember

• OPPOSE OPPOSE OPOSE was the MOTO of indian Press
• Since 1870 Section 124A
  • It excluded writings of persons whose loyalty to govt was undoubted
• VERNACULAR Press ACT, 1878
  • The newspapers were highly critical of LORD LYTTON measures post 1870 famine
  • It was directed ONLY against Indian Language Newspapers
  • It was passed with great secrecy and passed at single sitting of Imperial Legislative Council
  • It provided for the confiscation of printing press, paper and other materials of newspaper if the govt believes that it was performing seditious article and had flouted an official warning.
  • The first great demonstration on an issue  of PUBLIC IMPORTANCE was organized in Calcutta on this question where a large meeting was held at TOWN HALL
  • The ACT was particularly aimed at AMRIT BAZAR PATRIKA
  • Consequently it was repealed by LORD RIPPO
• SURI BANNERJEE was the first India To go to jail in performance of his duties as a journalist.
  • A dispute concerning a family idol , a SALIGRAM, had come b4 Justice NORRIS in Calcutta
  • NORRIS said the idol was not 100 years old and it hurt people sentiments
  • SURI wrote an ANGRY article in BENGALEE over it
  • Jailed in CONTEMPT of COURT case
  • After his arrest CALCUTTA for the first time witnessed several large open air meetings
• TILAK
  • In 1881 along with GG Agarkar he founded KESARI and MAHRATTA
  • In 1893 he started using GANPATI festival to propagate nationalist ideas through patriotic songs and speeches
  • In 1896, he started SHIVAJI Festival to stimulate Nationalism  among young MAHARASHTRIANS
  • In the same year he organized an all MAHA campaign for boycott of foreign cloth in protest against the imposition of  excise duty on Cotton
  • He was the first among the national leaders to grasp  the  imp role of lower middle class, peasants , workers etc
  • He initiated a NO TAX campaign inMH in 1896-97 with the help of young workers of POONA SARVAJANIK  SABHA
  • Referring to the official Famine Code he asked the peasants to withhold the payment of land revenue if their crops failed
  • In 1897 he supported govt efforts in PLAGUE in POONA, but he also criticized the harsh manner in which it was dealt
  • CHAPEKAR BROS Murdered RAND in 1898, who was the Chairman of the PLAGUE committee
    • For this Tilak was jailed for his articles in newspaper KESARI  under 124A
    • A poem written by TILAK in his newspaper on SHIVAJI and his defence of SHIVAJI killing AFZAL in his speech at a festival
    • TILAK was sent to 18 months rigrous imprisonment that too when he was a member of Bombay Legislative Council
    • He earned the title LOKMANYA after this – Who gave it ?
  • Tilak Denied the charges and said that he had no intention  of preaching disaffection against the Alien Rule
  • In 1898 govt amended section 124A and added section 153A, making it a criminal offence for anyone to “attempt to bring into contempt”  the GOI or to create hatred among different classes.
  • In 1908  revolutionary terrorism was at its peak
    • TILAK wrote articles on arrival of BOMB ob the Indian Scene
    • He condemned the use of Violence and individual killing
    • He described NIHILISM as a poisonous tree but also criticized GOI
    • Ob 24 JUNE 1908, Tilak was arrested on sedition charges and sent to BURMA for 6 years
    • Public protest was massive , textile mills , railway workshop were closed
    • LENIN hailed this as entry of indian working class into political age
  • GANDHI was also tried in 1922 for his articles in YOUNG INDIA Under section 124A
  • The ONLY difference between the two trials was that GANDHI had pleaded GUILTY to the charges while TILAK refused

Propaganda in LEGISLATURES

• Legislatice Councils In INDIA had no REAL power till 1920
• The India Council Act of 1861 enlarged the GG Executive Council for the purpose of making laws
  • The GG could now add 6-12 members to EC and atleast half of these nominations had to be NON OFFICIAL, Indian or British
  • This Council came to be known as Imperial Legislative Council
  • It possesed No real Power
• While Moving indian Councils Bill in 1861 SOS charles WOOD said ” when a dominant race rules another, the mildest form of govt is despotism”
• The indian  members were added post 1857 because many believed that Indian view was not known which caused revolt
• Mostly govt chose ZAMINDARS or princes for nimination
  • Only a handful of Intellectuals like Syed Ahmed Khan,  KRISTODAS PAL,  VN MANDLIK, KL NULKAR , RASH BEHARI GHOSH were nominated
  • In the VERNACULAR press Bill MAHARAJA JOTENDRA TAGORE voted in favor of it !!
  • In 1888 MOHAN MUKHERJEE and DINSHAW PETIT representative of big ZAMINDARS supported the enhancement of salt tax and recommended the reduction of liscence tax on merchants
• By ICA of 1892 the non-official members of Imperial and  Provincial Legislative Council were increased from 6-10 to 16
  • A few of these members could be elected indirectly through Municipal Committees, district Boards etc
  • But the OFFICIAL MAJORITY remained
• Many leaders like DADABHAI , GOKHLE , TILAK started raising the demand for self-govt on the model of selg-governing colonies of canada and Australia.
• Some names associated with councils::
  • BENGAL – SURI BANNERJEE, Kalicharan BANNERJEE, WC Bonnerjee, Rash Behari GHOSH , LAL MOHAN GHOSH, ANAND Mohan Bose
  • MADRAS- ANANDA CHARLU , SANKARAN NAIR , VIJAYRAGHAVACHARIAR,
  • UP – MM MALVIYA, AYODHYANATH , BISHAMBHAR NATH
  • BOMBAY – TILAK , P MEHTA , RM SAYANI , CHIMANLAL SETALVAD, GOKHLE , CHANDRAVARKAR
• P MEHTA::
  • Came under DADABHAI while studying law in LONDON
  • One of the founders of BOMBAY PRESIDENCY ASSOCIATION and also INC
  • First major intervention in Imperial Legislative Council came in  january 1898 on a bill for the amendment of Police Act of 1861
• First walk out of Council
  • MEHTA , GOKHLE , PAREKH , BALCHANDRA KRISHNA,  DA KHARE –
  • On the issue of a Bill in 1901 to take away the peasants right of ownership of land to prevent him from bartering it away in Bombay Legislative Council
• P MEHTA ka CHELA tha GOKHLE
  • He was also the secy of POONA SARVAJANIK SABHA
  • EDITOR of SUDHARAK
  • Famous hua after Budget Speech in Council in which he exposed them
  • GANDHIJI was to declare him his political GURU
  • His followers  were to confer him the title of Leader of Opposition

SWADESHI MOVEMENT

• For the first time WOMEN  and a large section of Urban and rural population of nation actively involved in politics
• From Conservative Moderation to extremism, terrorism to socialism, petitioning to passive resistance and Boycott all had there origin in it
• The period also saw a breakthrough in indian Art, Lit , Music < society , Science , industry etc
• The partition was to reduce the BENGALI people in Minority in Bengal itself, with Hindi and ORIYA people
• It was meant to foster communalism
• In DEC 1903, Partition proposal came to be known publically
• SURI BANNERJEE, KK MITRA and  PRITHWISCHANDRA RAY launched a powerful campaign against the partititon in newspapers
  • BENGALEE, HITABADI , SANJIBANI
• Even the Big ZAMINDARS joined forces with Congress
• From 1903-1905, the modern techniques of petition , memoranda , speeches, press , etc held full sway
• The decision to partition Bengal was announced in 19 july 1905
• The FORMAL proclamation of SWADESHI was made on 7th August 1905 in a meeting held at calcutta town hall
  • The famous Boycott resolution was passed
  • Every Moderate leader like SURI toured the country to bouycott MANCHESTER  CLOTH and LIVERPOOL SALT
  • BARISAL drew a crowd of 11-15 Thousands
• Partition took affect in 16 Oct 1905
  • It was declared as a day of MOURNING, black day
  • People on the streets sang BANDE MATRAM
• ANAND MOHAN BOSE and SURI addressed 2 huge meetings
• ABDUL RASHID was the President of the BARISAL Conference in 1906
• SWADESHI IN different parts
  • TILAK took it to MH, and other
  • AJIT SINGH and LALA in PUNJAB and N india
  • SYED HAIDER RAZA in JAMMU, RAWALPINDI , MULTAN , HARIDWAR, KANGRA
  • CHIDAMBRAM PILLAI to MADRAS also galvanised by BIPAN CHANDRA PAL’s extensive lecture tour
• The indian national Congress took the  Swadeshi Call at the BANARAS session in 1905, presided by GOKHLE
• BOYCOTT as a powerful weapon – Earlier a tribes movement like SANTHAL also did this ?
• SWADESH BANDHAV SAMITI – ASHWINI KUMAR DUTT was  founder of it
• The period also saw creative use of festivals and melas  and art like JATRAS to spread the message
• The GANPATI and SHIVAJI festival became fanous not only in MH but also in BENGAL
• It emphasized on self reliance
  • It also meant social reform and campaign against evils such as caste Oppression, early marriage , dowry etc
• One of the major plamk of SWADESHI was national education::
  • Taking a cue from TAGORE’s SANTI Niketan, the BENGAL NATIONAL COLLEGE Was Founded with AUROBINDO as Principal
  • In Aug 1906 National Council for Education was set up.
  • The Chief medium of instruction was to be VERNACULAR to enable the widest possible reach
  • For technical education, BENGAL TECHNICAL INSTITUTE was set up and funds were raised to send students to JAPAN
• The period saw mushrooming of SWADESHI textile mills, soap and match factories, banks , shops , insurance companies etc
  • ACHARAYA PC ROY’s CHEMICAL’s factory became successful
• Tagore’s AMAR SONAR BANGLA was written at that time
• THAKURMAR JHUMLI of DAKHINARANJAN MITRA MAJUMDAR became famous
• ABHANINDRANATH TAGORE  – Indian Art
• NANDLAL Bose, was the first recipient of a scholarship offered by the Indian Society of Oriental Art Founded in 1907
• In Science JAGDISH CHANDRA , PRAFULLA CHANDRA and other became famous
• The social base now extended to include certain section of ZAMINDARS , Women , Youth etc
• Some were influenced by international socialist current in RUSSIA , GERMANY to organize strike
• The movement was not able to organize peasantry except in certain areas like Barisal
• It was not able to garner the MUSLIM support
  • Due to British efforts
  • Communal riots broke out in Bengal at the height of movement
  • Use of traditional popular customs , festivals – these were distorted by communalist as an excuse
• Why it waned ?
  • Govt came down with a heavy hand
    • In Barisal in 1906 Police Brutally lathicharged
  • Internal splits and issues
  • It lacked an effective organisation
    • It had all the elements that GANDHI will use but these were not organised like he did
    • The very logic of mass movement is flawed, the masses cannot agitate for long
      • Gandhi therefor used STS and PCP methods
• Its decline led to rise of individual heroism

SPLIT of CONGRESS

• It split in dec 1907 in SURAT
• Failure of moderates::
  • They lacked faith in the common people
  • No mass base
  • They believed in Foreign Rule
  • They failed to meet the demand of new aspirations of younger generations
• MORLEY – new policy of carrot and Stick
• 3 pronged attack on Congress
  • To suppress extremist to frighten the moderates
  • Concession to moderates
  • Suppressing the extremist and ignoring the moderates
• Why split?
  • The extremist wanted to expand swadeshi to all india nd also wanted to BOYCOTT cooperation with govt
  • The moderates were opposed to it
  • 4 resolutions were passed in 1906 calcutta session – national Education, Self Govt , swadeshi and Boycott
  • Session of Congress in 1907 on the banks of river TAPTI
• The moderates and the country as a whole was disappointed by the constitutional reforms of 1909
  • Voting on separate Budget items was allowed
  • Elections were indirect
  • Councils were still an advisory body
  • No element of democracy or self govt
• Revolutionary Youth decided to copy the methods of Irish nationalist and Russian Nihilist and Populists
• EXTREMIST failed to provide a positive way to the youth energy
• In 1908 – P CHAKi and KHUDIRAM BOSE threw Bomb at a carriage of Kingsford, unpopular judge of MUZZAFRAPUR
• Revolutionaries
  • ABHINAV BHARAT of SAVARKAR in 1904
  • ANUSHILAN SAMITI and JUGANTAR – ( Jugantar was known as SWADESHI DACOITS)
  • RASH BEHARI BOSE and S SANYAL tried to Kill  HARDINGE
• International Org
  • LALA HARDAYAL – London
  • BHIKAJI KAMA  – EU
  • AJIT Singh – EU

Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on telegram
Telegram
Share on whatsapp
WhatsApp
Share on email
Email

Subscribe to our newsletter

Sign up to receive updates, promotions, and sneak peeks of upcoming courses. Plus 20% off your next course.

Subscribe Now

Your information will never be shared with any third party