7.

THE RISE OF NATIONALISM IN INDIA

Q1:- In India, the growth of modern nationalism is intimately connected to the anti colonial movement .
Explain.
A:- 1. People became discovering their unity in the process of their struggle with colonialism.
2. The sense of being oppressed under colonialism provided shared bond that tied many different groups
together.
Q2:- The first world war, created new economic and political situations. Explain.
A:- 1. It lead to a huge increase in defence expenditure which was financed by war loans and increasing taxes.
2. Custom duty were raised and Income tax introduced.
3. Through the war years, prices increased- dublling between 1913 and 1918 - leading to extreme hardship for
the common people.
4. Villagers were called upon to supply soldiers and the force recruitment in rural areas caused wide spread
anger.
5. 1918 - 1990 and 1920 - 21, crops failed in many parts of India, resulting in acute shortage of food.
6. This was accompanied by an influenza epidemic.
(A) The idea of Satyagraha-
1. Gandhiji returned to India in January 1915. He brought along with him a novel method of Mass education
called Satyagraha.
2. Satyagrah emphasized on the power of truth and the need to search for truth.
3. It suggested that if the cause was true, there was no need of any physical force. The battle could be won
through non-violence.
4. This could be done by persuading the enemy to see the truth.
5. Satyagrah is not a physical force. It is not passive resistance but active resistance.
6. It is a pure soul force.
(B) Initial Satyagrahas of Gandhiji in India-
1. After arriving in India Gandhiji successfully organised three Satyagraha in India.
2. 1916 - Champaran- Bihar - for Indigo planters.
3. 1917- Kheda - Gujarat- to support the peasants in relaxation of revenue due to crop failure.
4. 1918- Ahmedabad- Gujarat for cotton mill workers.
(C) Rowlatt act-
Gandhiji decided to start a nationwide Satyagraha against the proposed Rowlatt act.
Q3:- What is Rowlatt act ?
A:- Rowlatt act was passed by the British legislative council despite opposition of Indian members.
1. It give enormous power to the British government to suppress political activities.
2. It allow detention of political prisoners without trial for 2 years.
(D) Response towards Rowlatt act -
1. Gandhiji decided to start the Satyagraha against Rowlatt act with a hartal on 6th April 1919.
2. Rallies were organised, workers went on strike, shops closed down.
3. Alarm by the popular uprising, the British government started arresting local leaders. barred Gandhiji from
entering into Delhi.
4. 10th April police filed on a peaceful procession in Amritsar.
5. People started attacking post offices, banks, railway station.
6. Martial Law was imposed and General Dyer took the command.
(E) Jallianwala Bagh Massacre-
1. 13th April- Jallianwala Bagh incident took place. On this day, people had come to Amritsar to attend Baisakhi
fair unaware of martial Law.
2. General Dyer entered the area and closed the only exit and opened fire killing hundreds.
3. As the news of the Jallianwala Bagh spread, people came on the streets, There were fights, clashes and
attacks on government buildings.
4. Seeing violence spread, Mahatma Gandhi called back the movement.
(F) Khilafat movement-
1. Ottoman Turkish Empire was defeated at the first world war.
2. Muslims all over the world revolted against removing Khalifa from the post.
3. Khilafat movement is a pan Islamic political protest launched by Muslims of British raj to influence the British
government not to abolish the post of Ottoman khalif.
4. The Khalifa was the spiritual and political leader of the Muslims.
5. Mohammed Ali and Shaukat Ali known as Ali brothers had formed Khilafat committee in Bombay.
6. Gandhiji felt that by joining Khilafat movement, Hindu's and Muslims can be brought together.
7. Gandhiji entered into negotiation with the brothers.
8. At the Calcutta session of Congress in September 1920 to convince other leaders to start a non - cooperation
movement in support of Khilafat and Swaraj.
(G) Swaraj and complete independence-
1. Swaraj - Swaraj means self rule, remaining under the British we would govern ourselves.
2. Complete independence- No kind of British interference will be accepted in the governance of the country.
(H) Why Non - Cooperation ?
1. In Mahatma Gandhi's book 'Hind Swaraj' he declared that the British rule was established and survived in
India only because of the cooperation of Indians. If Indians refused to co-operate the British rule would collapse
and come to an end.
Q4:- How could Non- Cooperation become a movement ?
A:- Gandhiji said the movement should unfold in stages.
1. It should begin with the surrender of titles that the government awarded.
2. Boycot of civil services, army, police, courts and legislative councils, schools and foreign goods.
3. In case the government used repression, a full civil-disobedience movement would be launched.
4. December 1920 - Nagpur session Non - Cooperation movement was adopted.
(I) Differing strands in the movement -
1. Started in January 1921.
2. Various social groups participated in the movement with each one with its own aspirations.
(J) Various social groups which participated in the movement-
(a) The middle class in cities ( students ,teachers, lawyers etc. )
(b) Peasants and tribal groups in villages.
(c) Plantation workers.
3. Movement in the towns-
Students left government schools and colleges. Teachers resigned, lawyers gave up practices and council
elections were boycotted.
4. Effects of non-cooperation movement in towns-
(a) Foreign goods were boycotted, liquor shops piketed and foreign cloth burnt in huge bonfires.
(b) The import of foreign cloth halved between 1921 and 1922.
(c) In many places, merchants and traders refused to trade in foreign goods.
Q5:- The Non-cooperation movement in the cities slowly faded away. Why ?
A:- 1. Khadi cloth was more expensive than mass produced mill cloth and poor people could not afford to pay it.
2. There were no alternative Indian institutions. So students and teachers began trickling back to government
schools.
3. Lawyers joined back work in government courts.
(K) Rebellion in the countryside-
1. Peasants were led by Baba Ramachandra. The movement was against zamindars who demanded high rents
and other taxes.
2. Peasants were forced to do begar.
3. The peasants demanded reduction of revenue, abolition of begar and boycott of landlords.
4. In 1920 June, Jawaharlal Nehru setup Oudh Kisan sabha.
5. Slowly, the participation of peasants reduced or decreased in non- cooperation movement because Congress
was not ready to support the peasants against talukdar.
(L) Participation of tribals-
1. The tribal peasants interpreted the message of Mahatma Gandhi and the idea of Swaraj in yet another way.
2. In the Guddem hills of Andhra Pradesh, a militant Guerilla movement spread in the early 1920's.
3. Government began forcing them to contribute begar for road building. The hill people revolted.
4. The person who came to lead them was an interesting figure : Alluri Sitaram Raju claimed that he had a
variety of special powers: he could make correct astrological predictions and heal people and he could survive
even bullet shots.
5. Captivated by Raju, the rebels proclaimed that he was an incarnation of God.
6. Raju talked of the greatness of Mahatma Gandhi, said he was inspired by the non- cooperation movement
and persuaded people to wear khadi and give up drinking.
7. The Guddem rebels attacked police station, attempted to kill British officials and carried on Guerrilla warfare
for achieving Swaraj. Raju was captured and executed in 1924.
(L) Swaraj in the plantations-
1. For plantation workers in Assam, freedom meant the right to move freely in and out of the confined space, in
which they were enclosed.
2. Under the inland emigration act of 1859, plantation workers were not permitted to leave the tea gardens
without permission and in fact they were rarely given such permission.
(M) Towards civil disobedience movement-
1. In February 1922, Mahatma Gandhi called back Non - Cooperation movement because of Chauri - Chauraha
incident.
2. A Police station in Chauri Chauraha ( Uttar Pradesh ) was attacked by the Satyagrahi's in which 22 policeman
were burnt alive.
(N) Two factors which shaped Indian politics towards late 1920's were-
1. Due to economic depression, agriculture prices fell, exports declined and peasants found difficult to pay the
taxes.
2. Simon commission-
(a) The new 'Tori' government in Britain, formed a commission called Simon commission under the leadership of
Sir John Simon.
(b) The commission was formed to look into the functioning of the constitutional system in India and suggest
changes.
Q6:- Why was Simon commission boycotted ?
A:- 1. There were no Indian members in it.
2. There was no sign of Swaraj.
3. Simon commission arrived in 1928. It was greeted with black flags and the slogans 'Go back Simon'.
-> October 1929, the Viceroy Lord Irwin declared that dominion status would be given to India in an unspecified
future and a round table conference to discuss future constitution.
-> Congress decided not to participate in the round table conference.
-> December 29- Lahore session of Congress under the presidentship of Jawaharlal Nehru.
-> In this session it were decided to demand Poorna Swaraj or complete independence and it was decided to
celebrate January 26 1930 onwards as independence Day.
-> Mahatma Gandhi decided to start the Civil Disobedience movement with the salt march.
-> 31st January 1930, he sent a letter to Lord Irwin stating 11 demands.
Q7:- Why did Gandhiji choose salt to protest ?
A:- 1. Gandhiji found in Salt a powerful symbol that could unite the nation.
2. Salt was something that was consumed by the rich and the poor alike.
3. It was the most essential item of food.
4. The tax on salt and the government Monopoly over its production revealed the most oppressive face of the
British rule.
Q8:- Explain salt march or Dandi March.
A:- 1. Gandhiji started the famous salt march with 78 of his trusted volunteers.
2. The march was over 250 miles from Gandhiji's ashram in Sabarmati to Gujarat's coastal town of Dandi.
3. The volunteers walked for 24 days, over 10 miles a day.
4. On 6th April he reached Dandi and ceremonially violated the law, manufacturing salt by boiling sea water.
Q9:- What is the difference between non cooperation movement and civil disobedience movement ?
A:- 1. In non cooperation movement, people were asked to refuse cooperation with the British.
2. In civil disobedience movement, people were asked not only to refuse co-operation but also to break colonial
laws.
3. In civil disobedience movement, they broke the salt law, manufactured salt and demonstrated in front of
government salt factories.
4. Foreign cloth was boycotted and liquor shops were picketed.
5. Peasants refused to pay revenue and chaukidari taxes.
-> Worried by the development the government adopted repressive measures-
(a) started arresting leaders.
(b) Khan Abdul Gaffar ( also known as 'Frontier Gandhi' ) was arrested in 1930 April.
(c) Gandhiji himself was arrested.
(d) Peaceful Satyagrahi's were attacked, women and children were beaten and about 1,00,000 people work
arrested.
(e) In such situations, Gandhiji called off the movement and entered into a pact with Lord Irwin known as Gandhi
- Irwin pact.
(O) 5 March 1931- Gandhi- Irwin pact-
1. Under this pact it was decided that Gandhiji would participate in the second round table conference in
London.
2. The government agreed to release the political prisoners.
3. Negotiations failed. Gandhiji returned to India and restarted the movement.
4. By 1934 the movement lost its momentum.
Q10:- Which social groups participated in the movement and why ?
A:- 1. Rich peasants-
(a) Patidar's from Gujarat and Jhats of Uttar Pradesh joined the movement to get the revenue reduced.
(b) For them Swaraj meant struggle against high revenues.
(c) When the movement was called off in 1931 without revenues being reduced, they decided not to participate
when the moment was restarted.
2. Poor peasants-
(a) They joined the movement, not only to get the revenue reduced but also to get the unpaid rent to the
landlord to be remitted.
(b) Congress was unwilling to support poor peasants as this might upset the rich peasants.
3. Business class-
(a) They joined the movement to get protection against import of foreign goods and rupees - sterling foreign
exchange ratio that would discourage imports.
(b) They formed the Indian Industrial and Commercial Congress in 1920 and the Federation of the Indian
chamber of Commerce and Industries ( FICCI ) in 1927.
(c) Led by Purushotam Das and Thakur Das and GD Birla.
(d) After the failure of round table conference, business group decided not to participate in the movement.
4. Industrial working class-
(a) Did not participate in the movement in large numbers, except in Nagpur.
(b) As the Industrialist came closer to the Congress, workers stayed away.
5. Participation of women-
(a) Women participated in large numbers. During Gandhiji's Salt March, thousands of women came out of their
homes to listen to him.
(b) They participated in protested marches, manufactured salt and picketed foreign cloth and liquor shops.
(c) Many went to jail. In urban areas, these women were from high - caste families, in rural areas they came
from rich peasants household.
Q11: What were the limits of civil disobedience movement ?
A: Not all social groups participated in the civil disobedience movement-
1. Untouchables-
(i) For long time, Congress did not fight for the rights of dalits, fearing of offending the high caste.
(ii) Gandhiji thought, that until, unless untouchability is removed Swaraj will not come.
(iii) He began calling them Harijans ( Children of God ) and organised Satyagraha to secure entry into the
temples, access to public Wells, tanks, roads etc.
(iv) There participation was limited ,except in Maharashtra and Nagpur regions.
2. Muslims-
(i) Some of the Muslim political organisations in India also did not participate in large numbers.
(ii) After the Non- Cooperation Khilafat movement, Muslims stayed away from Congress. There were frequent
clashed among the Hindus and Muslims.
3. Women - were also not allowed to participate.
-> Dr BR Ambedkar organised Dalits into depressed classes association in 1930 and clashed with Gandhiji in
the second round table conference, demanding separate electorates for the Dalits.
-> The British government concieded to his demand. Gandhiji decided fast and to death.
Q12: Why was Gandhiji against separate electorates ?
A: 1. He believe that separate electorates for dalits would slow down the process of their integration into the
society.
2. Ambedkar accepted Gandhiji's proposal and they entered into a pact called Poona pact in September 1932.
Q13: What were the provisions of Pune pact -1932 ?
A: It gave the depressed classes reserved seats in provincial and Central legislative councils, but they were to
be voted by general electorate.
Q14: Explain the sense of collective belonging ?
A: The sense of collective belongingness came partly through United struggles and through a variety of cultural
processes like history and fiction, folklore and songs, popular prints and symbols.
1. Allegory- Bharatmata
(a) the people began identifying the nation with the image of Bharat Mata.
(b) First image was created by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay. He wrote Vande Mataram.
(c) Abanindranath Tagore painted the image of Bharat Mata as an aesthetic figure- calm, composed, divine and
spiritual.
(d) Devotion to this mother figure came to be seen as one's nationalism.
2. Folk songs-
(a) The nationalist thought, that the true picture of traditional culture was there in the folk songs, which was
captuated by the outside forces.
(b) It was essential to preserve this folk tradition in order to discover once National identity and restore sense of
pride.
Ex- In Bengal, Rabindranath Tagore, himself began collecting ballads, nursery rhymes and myths.
Natesan Shastri in Madras, collected Tamil folk tales, the folklore of Southern India.
3. Icons and symbols-
(a) National flag- Carrying the flag, holding it aloft during marches became a symbol of self defence.
-> First flag - Swadeshi movement- tricolor ( red, green and yellow ) with 8 Lotuses and a Crescent moon
representing Hindus and Muslims.
-> 1921- Gandhiji designed flag- Swaraj flag ( red, green and white ) tricolour with Spinning Wheel in the
centre.
-> Pingle Venkaiah designed the final flag of India. Tricolour ( Saffron , white and green ) with Ashoka Chakra at
the centre.
(P)
-> Many nationalists thought that in order to bring a sense of pride among the Indians, Indian history had to be
thought about differently.
-> The British saw Indians as backward and primitive , incapable of governing themselves.
-> Indians began looking into the past to discover India's great achievements.
-> They wrote about the glorious developments in ancient times, when art and architecture, science and
mathematics, religion and culture, law and philosophy, crafts and trade had flourished.
-> This glorious time in their view, was followed by a history of decline, when India was colonised.
-> These nationalist histories urged the readers to take pride in India's great achievements in the past and
struggle to change the miserable conditions of life under British rule.