The Indian National Movement was a prolonged process of opposition to British colonial rule that led to the independence of India on 15th August, 1947. The national struggle comprised constitutional politics, mass movement, revolution, peasantry and tribal revolt, labor movement, social reforms, the participation of women and the growth of nationalist literature and press.
The process of development went through several phases where early nationalists were dependent upon the constitutional means and the later ones resorted to Swadeshi, boycott, revolutionary acts, Satyagraha and mass civil disobedience. Gandhiji turned the struggle for freedom into a mass movement whereas some other prominent leaders of this struggle include Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai, Bipin Chandra Pal, Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose, Sarojini Naidu and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Revolt of the 1857
The 1857 Revolt was a great uprising against British rule, and the beginning of a new era of struggle against colonial rule.
The revolt started from Meerut on 10th May 1857 and soon extended to Delhi, Kanpur, Lucknow, Jhansi and other parts of the country.
Major Leaders of 1857 Revolt
- Mangal Pandey – Barrackpore
- Bahadur Shah Zafar – Delhi
- Queen Rani Lakshmibai – Jhansi
- Nana Sahib – Kanpur
- Tantia Tope – Central India
- Begum Hazrat Mahal – Lucknow
- Kunwar Singh – Bihar
Causes of the 1857 Revolt
- Political annexations and expansions
- Economic exploitation
- Discontent among the troops
- Land Revenue Policies
- Social and religious apprehensions
- Introduction of the Enfield rifle cartridges
Though the revolt was quelled, it remained a significant symbol of resistance and influenced later nationalist consciousness.
Three Major Stages of Indian National Movement
The organized Indian National Movement is generally divided into three major stages by historians,
- Moderate Stage – 1885-1905
- Extremist/Agressive Nationalism Stage – 1905-1919
- Gandhian/Mass Movement Stage – 1919-1947
1. Moderate Stage (1885-1905)
The early nationalists felt that political rights could be won through constitutional means such as petition, speeches, representations and dialogues with the British rulers.
Leaders
- Dadabhai Naoroji
- Gopal Krishna Gokhale
- Surendranath Banerjee
- Pherozeshah Mehta
- W.C. Bonnerjee
Objectives
- Expansion of Legislative Councils
- Increasing participation of Indians in administration
- Civil Rights
- Economic Reforms
- Cutting down of excess taxation
- Employment opportunities for Indians
Drain Theory
- Dadabhai Naoroji presented the Drain Theory to show how systematically India’s wealth was being drained away to Britain through colonial economic policy.
Formation of INC
- The Indian National Congress was founded in 1885. Its first session was organized in Bombay. The first president of INC was W.C. Bonnerjee.
Important Development
- Indian Councils Act, 1892 increased legislative participation to some extent but not political power.
Significance
The moderate stage,
- Established a political platform
- Developed political consciousness of the nation
- Highlighted the economic effects of colonialism
- Prepared the ground for more aggressive nationalism
2. Extremist or Assertive Nationalist Phase (1905 – 1919)
Partition of Bengal was an important turning point in the Indian history. This younger group of nationalists thought that appeals or petitions would not do any good.
Lal-Bal-Pal
Three prominent leaders of the assertive nationalism were,
- Lala Lajpat Rai – Punjab
- Bal Gangadhar Tilak – Maharashtra
- Bipin Chandra Pal – Bengal
They advocated the concepts of swaraj, swadeshi, boycott and national education.
Swadeshi Movement – 1905
Partition of Bengal led to the Swadeshi Movement.
Following were its main features,
- Boycott of British goods
- Favoring of Indian Industries
- National Education
- Public demonstrations
- Use of indigenous goods
This movement converted nationalism into a wider movement.
Surat Split -1907
Difference between moderates and extremists led to the Surat Split in 1907.
Their differences were regarding,
- Methods of struggle
- Boycott
- Swadeshi
- Political confrontations with the British
3. Gandhian Era / Mass Movement Phase (1919-1947)
Mahatma Gandhi converted the struggle for freedom of India into a mass movement including peasants, workers, students, women and middle classes.
Before undertaking mass movements throughout India, Gandhi had undertaken some regional struggles.
Champaran Satyagraha – 1917
- Gandhi sided with the indigo growers in Champaran, Bihar who were oppressed by the planter’s treatment.
- It became one of the first major satyagraha movements initiated by Gandhi in India.
Kheda Satyagraha -1918
- In Kheda, Gujarat Gandhi sided with the farmers who were affected due to failure in their crop production and demanded the reduction of land revenue from them.
Ahmedabad Mill Strike -1918
- Gandhi intervened in the dispute between the textile workers and the factory owners of Ahmedabad.
Major Gandhian Movements
Rowlatt Act – 1919
- This act made it possible for the British Government to arrest people without any due process.
Jallianwala Bagh Massacre – 1919
- On 13th April 1919, the British Troops headed by General Reginald Dyer opened fire on a crowd that had assembled at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar.
- This Massacre aroused national indignation and greatly shattered the faith of Indians in British Rule.
Non-Cooperation Movement – 1920–1922
The Non-Cooperation Movement was started by Gandhi in 1920.
- Methods of this Movement
- Boycott of government schools
- Boycott of courts
- Boycott of foreign cloth
- Surrender of titles
- Propagation of Swadeshi.
This movement was withdrawn following the incident of Chauri Chaura where the demonstrators attacked and killed some policemen.
- Bardoli Satyagraha – 1928
- This movement was started by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in opposition to increase in land revenue in Gujarat.
- It proved very successful and gained Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel much popularity and he came to be known as Sardar.
Civil Disobedience Movement – 1930–1934
- The Civil Disobedience Movement started with Gandhi’s famous march to Dandi.
Dandi March
- Gandhi started the march from Sabarmati Ashram with 78 selected volunteers on 12th March 1930 and reached Dandi on 6th April 1930.
- He violated the Salt Act of the Colonial Government by making salt.
The movement spread all over India through,
- Violations of the Salt Act
- Boycott of foreign goods
- Refusal to pay certain taxes
- Picketing
- Demonstrations.
Government of India Act, 1935
- The Government of India Act, 1935 ushered in many Constitutional changes including provincial autonomy.
- This Act emerged to be a constitutional milestone but it could not satisfy the demand of complete independence.
Quit India Movement – 1942
- The Quit India Movement was started by the Indian National Congress in 1942.
Gandhi issued his famous call,
- “Do or Die.”
- This movement demanded immediate withdrawal of British Government from India.
Though this movement was ruthlessly crushed by the British Government and the leaders were put behind bars, it showed how much resentment there was against the colonial government.
Indian National Army and Subhas Chandra Bose
Subhas Chandra Bose carried out his fight for India by way of war against the British.
Indian National Army (INA) was organized by Bose in Southeast Asia during the Second World War.
Some of the well-known slogans raised by the INA were,
- “Give me blood, and I will give you freedom.”
- Provisional Government of Free India (Azad Hind) was formed by Bose in 1943.
- Campaigns of the INA comprised fighting towards northeastern frontiers of India, especially Imphal and Kohima.
Even though the military movement ended in failure, it had a great effect on India.
Indian National Movement Time Line (1857-1947)
- 1857 – Revolt of 1857: Started at Meerut and reached other places like Delhi, Kanpur, Lucknow and Jhansi; prominent leaders were Mangal Pandey, Rani Lakshmibai, Nana Sahib and Bahadur Shah Zafar.
- 1885 – Founding of INC: Formed in Bombay, it provided an arena for constitutional dialogue and reforms.
- 1885 -1905 – Moderate Phase: Leaders like Dadabhai Naoroji, Gopal Krishna Gokhale and W.C. Bonnerjee worked through petitions, constitutional reforms and economic criticism.
- 1905 – Partition of Bengal: Ordered by Lord Curzon; this event started protests and the Swadeshi Movement.
- 1905 – 1919 – Extremist Phase: Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal and Lala Lajpat Rai preached boycott, direct action and aggressive nationalism.
- 1916 – Home Rule Movement: Led by Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Annie Besant, calling for self-government under the British rule.
- 1917 – Champaran Satyagraha: Organized by Gandhi in Bihar for the issues of indigo cultivators.
- 1918 – Kheda Satyagraha: Organized by Gandhi to help farmers in Gujarat who faced the problems of famine and excessive taxation.
- 1919 – Rowlatt Act and Jallianwala Bagh Massacre: It is one of the repressive acts of the colonial regime; Amritsar massacre.
- 1920 – 1922 – Non-Cooperation Movement: Led by Gandhi advocating the boycott of the British establishments; the movement was withdrawn due to the Chauri Chaura incident.
- 1928 – Bardoli Satyagraha: Led by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel for farmers in Gujarat for their problems of increased land revenue.
- 1930 – Salt March/Civil Disobedience Movement: The famous Dandi March of Gandhi to break the British salt law and civil disobedience movement.
- 1935 – Government of India Act: Provided the provincial autonomy and an important constitutional step towards self-government.
- 1942 – Quit India Movement: Initiated by Gandhi demanding immediate withdrawal of the British from India.
- 1942 – Indian National Army (INA): Organized by Subhas Chandra Bose for the armed struggle against the British rule.
- 1943 – Provisional Government of Free India (Azad Hind): Organized by Subhas Chandra Bose in Singapore representing the sovereign India.
- 1944 – INA Campaigns: INA took part in the campaigns in Imphal and Kohima but had to retreat.
- 1947 – Indian Independence: India got its freedom from the British rule on 15 August 1947.