VisionIAS - Video Classroom Lecture

Modern Indian History Class 02

BRIEF BACKGROUND OF THE PREVIOUS CLASS (01:10 PM)

REVOLUTIONARY NATIONALISM IN NORTH AMERICA (01:15 PM)

Reasons

A large number of Indians were residing in the US and Canada.
They took motivation from American values of freedom, and liberty.
As compared to India under British rule, there was much more freedom of speech and expression in North America.
Indians were still racially mistreated by the British in North America.
Indians came in contact with socialist and communist ideas in North America.

Important organisations and magazines

United India House - Seattle by GD Kumar and Taraknath
Tarakanth released a newspaper-free Hindustan
Ramnath Puri releases a circular known as Circular-e-Azadi.
Hindi Association of Portland
It was the most important organization in North America.
Its first meeting happened at the house of kashiram which was attended by Bhai Permanand Lala Hardyal, Sohan Singh Bhakna and Harnam Singh Tundilat.
Hindi association decided to create a yugantar ashram in San Francisco.
And they also decided to release a weekly newspaper the Gadar.
It was edited by Lala Hardayal.
In one of the prints of Gadar Lala Hardayal re-released a yugantar circular praising the attack on Viceroy Hardinge.
In one of the editions, he wrote a sensational article Angrezi Raj ka Kaccha Chittha.
In this article, he ripped apart the exploitative phase of British rule.
This article further popularised Gadar newspaper

Gadar Movement and Komagatamaru incident (1913-1915) (01:30 PM)

In 1913 British authorities released an order whereby they allowed some Indians to visit Canada.
For this purpose, a Japanese ship Komagatamaru was commissioned.
A large number of Indians boarded the ship for Canada.
Once the ship reached the coast of Vancouver the Canadian authorities did not allow the Indians to disembark the ship.
They were forced to return back to India.
Once the ship reached to coast of Budge Budge in Bengal, there was a clash between the Indians and British officials.
British opened fire which led to the killing of a large number of people, particularly from Punjab.
it became a precipitating factor for the initiation of the Gadar movement.

Developments during Gadar

Rash Behari Bose emerged as the major leader of the Gadar movement.
Under his leadership, the Gadar movement was initiated in northern and northwestern India.
Lala Hardayal was the major strategy maker of this movement.
They were able to secure the help of German Chancellor Zimmerman ( Germany will supply weapons to Indian Revolutionaries)
In eastern India, Jatin Das- Bagha Jatin; secured some weapons from Germany but unfortunately, he was captured and executed by British authorities.
A young revolutionary Kartar Singh Sarabha was captured by the British and hanged till death.
It led to a very violent response, particularly from Punjab.
They tried to provoke the Indian Army to revolt against the British Authority.
With their help, Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh and Barkatullah Khan created a temporary provincial government in Afghanistan.
This movement was completely secular in nature and they did not keep a scope for religious polarisation.

Analysis of Gadar Movement and reasons for its failure (01:52 PM)

There were many flaws in the Gadar movement, i.e. at the level of ideology, strategy and tactics.
They wanted a violent overthrow of British rule from India but without a large standing Army.
They had wishful thinking that the Indian army would join them.
They overestimated their strength and underestimated the strength of the British.
Lala Hardayal created an initial strategy of movement but it failed completely.
One of the major hurdles in the movement was the crunch of finances.

Significance of the Movement

It united Indians, particularly the NRIs.
It also popularised Indian nationalism in Europe and North America.
It popularised socialist, secular democratic ideals in the country.
The theme of India's aspirations for freedom became an international topic of debate and discussion.

GANDHI (02:14 PM)

Gandhi got an opportunity to study law in England.
After completing his education in Britain, Gandhi came back to India
In 1893 Gandhi got an opportunity to sort out the legal problems of his client Dada Abdullah in South Africa.
While in South Africa Gandhi observed three types of Indians in South Africa:
1)Indentured labourers from South India who were working in mines in South Africa.
2)Their children who were born in South Africa but did not enjoy any privileges.
3)Gujarati Muslim memon merchants who were economically better than indentured labor but highly discriminated.
The problem with all three classes was their skill in the English language as such they were not able to oppose British authorities and accepted their way of life

Gandhi's experience in South Africa

Gandhi himself faced racial discrimination in South Africa
He purchased a first-class compartment ticket while travelling from Pretoria to Johannesburg.
But unfortunately, he was bundled out from the compartment by the ticket collector.
Moreover, Gandhi had to spend his night at Johannesburg railway station as no hotelier gave him a room.
Gandhi was highly disaffected by this incident.
He decided to teach the Indian English language so that they could contest British authority in South Africa.
After solving the problems of Dada Abdullah Gandhi decided to return back to India.
But at this time Indians persuaded Gandhi to stay a little more and solve their problem related to disenfranchised Indians in South Africa.
Gandhi decided to stay for a few months but it went to the extent of 20 years.

The moderate phase of Gandhi in South Africa (02:32 PM)

In 1894 Gandhi founded the Natal Indian Congress to raise the issue of discrimination of Indians.
He also released a newspaper Indian opinion
In this phase, Gandhi adopted the method of Prayer, Petition, and Memorials to the South African Legislature and the colonial secretary in London.
During the Second Boer War (1899) Gandhi created an ambulance corps of Indians to provide medical support to the British who were afflicted in war.
After the end of the war British granted him the title of Kaisar-i-Hind.
Once again in 1906 during the Zulu War Gandhi created the ambulance corps of Indians to provide medical support but this time British did not return the favour.

Passive resistance phase or satyagraha phase (1906-1914) (02:48 PM)

The main issues at this time were:
The indian were instructed to carry their registration certificate all the times.
A restriction was imposed on the movement of Indians.
They were not allowed to move from Natal Province.
Marraiges of Indians, if not conducted according to British ways was to be Invalidated (an indirect way of promoting Christianity)
At this time Gandhi was inspired by John Ruskin's book "Unto This Last" and inspired by this book he created the Phoenix farm where he trained his satyagrahis.
Later he also created Tolstoy farm with the help of his German friend Kallenbach.
Tolstoy farm was meant for providing asylum for Indians and and also training them vocationally so that they could earn their livelihood.
Gandhi was also inspired form Leo tolstoy book "Kingdom of God is within you".
From 1912, a series of negotiations started involving Gandhi, viceroy hardinge, general smut and C.F. Andrews.
By mid 1914, all the major demands of Gandhi were accepted and a satisfied Gandhi started his journey back to India.
Gopal Krishna Gokhale is regarded as Mahatma Gandhi's political guru, while Raichandbhai /Srimad Rajchandra is considered his spiritual guru.

GANDHI IN INDIA (02:24 PM)

On the 9th of January 1915, Gandhi landed in India.
From 2003 onwards, the Government started to celebrate this day as Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas.

HOME RULE MOVEMENT (03:30 PM)

In 1914, Tilak was released from jail, at this time he wanted to start his political activity but with caution.
He also urged Indians to support the British in the World War I effort.
He also wanted to unite the two branches of Congress.
But nothing was moving in a positive direction.
At this time another important leader was Mrs. Annie Besant
She also wanted to initiate some political activity against the actions of British authority.
It was also the phase of World War 1 and at this time there was requisitioning of food grains from India, which was diverted to Europe.
It led to very high food inflation, particularly in wheat, rice, and pulses.
As a result life living costs increased and people were reeling under inflation.
Both Tilak and Mrs. Annie Beasant wanted to bring back accountability of British authority towards Indians.
Both of them wanted to initiate a home rule movement like the Irish home rule league.
When Annie Beasant proposed this idea to Congress they did not give any response.
As such she gave time to Congress till August 1916, to think about the Home Rule Movement.

Tilak's League (03:42 PM)

It became operational in April 1916.
It had six branches and it was highly organized.
It was operational in the areas of Karnataka, Maharashtra ( excluding Bombay City), Central Province, Bidar and Berar.
Tilak's league had three demands:
1) Home rule or swaraj or self-rule
2) Education must be imparted in vernacular languages
3) Creation of linguistic states

Annie Besant's League

It became operational in September 1916, in the rest of India including Bombay.
It had more than 200 branches and it was loosely organised.
George Arundale was the secretary of her league and C.P. Wadia was another important leader.
With her league, a large number of nationalists got associated which included Madan Mohan Malviya, Moti Lal Nehru, C.R.Das, Jawahar Lal Nehru, Bhulabhai Desai, Tej Bahadur Sapru, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Bipin Chandra pal, Lala lajpat Rai etc.

Objectives of home rule movement (03:50 PM)

Apart from home rule they also wanted to create political awareness in the society.
They organised libraries, reading rooms and propaganda through posters, pamphlets and street plays (nukkad natak).

TOPIC FOR THE NEXT CLASS: HOME RULE MOVEMENT CONTINUED.