History Quiz: Freedom Struggle under Extremist Phase | 24 May, 2021

A radical trend of a militant nationalist approach to political activity started emerging in the 1890s and it took a concrete shape by 1905. As an adjunct to this trend, a revolutionary wing also took shape.

Many factors contributed to the rise of militant nationalism:

• Recognition of the true nature of British Rule.
• Growth of Self-confidence and Self-respect.

• Growth of Education.
• International influences like Japan – Russia War.

Source: Spectrum Modern India.

The defeat of the Italian army by Ethiopians (Battle of Adwa) (1896), the Boer wars (1899 – 1902) where the British faced reverses and Japan’s victory over Russia (1905) demolished myths of European invincibility.

• Also, the nationalists were inspired by the nationalist movements worldwide—in Ireland, Russia, Egypt, Turkey, Persia and China.

• The Indians realized that a united people willing to make sacrifices could take on the mightiest of empires.

Source: Spectrum Modern India.

The objective of the Early Nationalists (Moderates) was to influence the British government and the British public.

• To achieve this objective, they followed some methods; three Ps was one of them.

• They made use of three P’s i.e., Petitions, Prayers and Protests.
• They sent petitions, requests and letters of protest to the British government to look into the problems of the Indians.

Source: Spectrum Modern India.

By the dawn of the twentieth century, a band of nationalist thinkers had emerged who advocated a more militant approach to political work.

• These included Raj Narain Bose, Ashwini Kumar Datta, Aurobindo Ghosh and Bipin Chandra Pal in Bengal;

• Vishnu Shastri Chiplunkar and Bal Gangadhar Tilak in Maharashtra; and Lala Lajpat Rai in Punjab.
• Tilak emerged as the most outstanding representative of this school of thought.

Source: Spectrum Modern India.

In the period 1903-1905, the leadership was provided by men like Surendranath Banerjea, K.K. Mitra and Prithwishchandra Ray.

The methods adopted were petitions to the government, public meetings, memoranda, and propaganda through pamphlets and newspapers such as Hitabadi (Dwijendranath Tagore), Sanjibani and Bengalee (Surendranath Banerjee).

Source: Spectrum Modern India.

The Indian National Congress, meeting in 1905 under the presidentship of Gokhale, resolved to

• condemn the partition of Bengal and the reactionary policies of Curzon, and
• support the anti-partition and Swadeshi Movement of Bengal.

The militant nationalists led by Tilak, Lajpat Rai, Bipin Chandra Pal and Aurobindo Ghosh wanted the movement to be taken outside Bengal to other parts of the country and go beyond a boycott of foreign goods to become a full-fledged political mass struggle with the goal of attaining swaraj.

But the Moderates, dominating the Congress at that time, were not willing to go that far.

Source: Spectrum Modern India.

A big step forward was taken at the Congress session held at Calcutta (1906) under the presidentship of Dadabhai Naoroji, where it was declared that the goal of the Indian National Congress was “self-government or swaraj like the United Kingdom or the colonies” of Australia or Canada.

Source: Spectrum Modern India.

Bengal National College, inspired by Tagore’s Shantiniketan, was set up with Aurobindo Ghosh as its principal.

• Soon national schools and colleges sprang up in various parts of the country.
• On August 15, 1906, the National Council of Education was set up to organise a system of education— literary, scientific and technical—on national lines and under national control.
• Education was to be imparted through the vernacular medium.
• A Bengal Institute of Technology was set up for technical education and funds were raised to send students to Japan for advanced learning.

Source: Spectrum Modern India.

The government launched a massive attack on the Extremists. Between 1907 and 1911, five new laws were brought into force to check anti-government activity.

• These legislations included the Seditious Meetings Act, 1907;
• Indian Newspapers (Incitement to Offences) Act, 1908;
• Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1908;

• The Indian Press Act, 1910.

Source: Spectrum Modern India.

“We shall die to awaken the nation”, was the call of Bagha Jatin.

Source: Spectrum Modern India.