HPAS/ N.T. Allied Mains 2022-23 Answer Writing Challenge: Model Answer

Question: Discuss How swadeshi movement started and to what extant it united India & played a role in Bringing all the classes together for Nationalistic struggle?

Answer: 

Introduction:-

In August 1905, at Calcutta Townhall, a massive meeting was held and the formal proclamation of the Swadeshi Movement was made.

• The message was propagated to boycott goods such as Manchester cloth and Liverpool salt.
• After the partition of Bengal came into force, widespread opposition was shown by the people of Bengal by singing Vande Mataram.
• Rabindranath Tagore also composed Amar Sonar Bangla.
• People tied Rakhis on each other’s hands as a symbol of unity.

• Although the movement was confined majorly to Bengal, it spread to a few different parts of India:
• In Poona and Bombay under Bal Gangadhar Tilak
• In Punjab under Lala Lajpat Rai and Ajit Singh
• In Delhi under Syed Haider Raza
• In Madras under Chidambaram Pillai.

• Congress Reaction:
• The Indian National Congress (INC) in a meeting in 1905 resolved to condemn the partition of Bengal and support the anti-partition and Swadeshi Movement.
• The radical nationalists wanted the movement to be taken outside Bengal and go beyond just the boycott of foreign goods.
• However, the moderates, dominating the Congress, were unwilling to go that far.
• In the 1906 Congress Session held at Calcutta, the INC under the presidentship of Dadabhai Naoroji declared self-government or Swaraj as the goal of INC.

• Rise of the Radical Nationalists:The Extremists (or the Garam Dal) gained a dominant influence over the Swadeshi Movement in Bengal after 1905 till 1908; it is also known as the “Era of Passionate Nationalists”.
• Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Bipin Chandra Pal (Lal-Bal-Pal)were important leaders of this Radical group.
• The reasons for the rise of radicals were:
• Failure of the Moderate-led Swadeshi movement.
• Divisive tactics of the governments of East Bengal and Western Bengal.
• Violent measures of the British to suppress the movement.
• In addition to boycotting the Extremists gave a call for boycotting government schools and colleges, government service, courts, legislative councils, municipalities, government titles, etc.
• Tilak gave the slogan “Freedom is my birthright and I shall have it”.

• Participation of People & Students:School and college students were the most active participants of the movement.
• Student participation was visible in Bengal, Poona (Maharashtra), Guntur (Andhra Pradesh), Madras and Salem (Tamil Nadu).
• The police adopted a repressive attitude towards the students. The students found guilty were fined, expelled, beaten, arrested and disqualified for government jobs and scholarships

• Women:Traditionally home-centered women too took active part in the movement.
• Stand of Muslims:Some of the muslims participated, however, most of the upper and middle class muslims stayed away.
• They supported the partition on the belief that it would provide them a Muslim-majority East Bengal.

Impact of Swadeshi Movement

• Decline in Imports:It resulted in significant decline in the foreign imports during 1905-1908.
• Growth of Extremism:Movement resulted in growth of extreme nationalism amongst youth which took to violence and wanted to bring an instant end to British dominance.
• Morley-Minto Reforms:It forced British dispensation to offer some concessions to Indians in forms of Morley-Minto reformsin 1909.
• Gopal Krishna Gokhale played an important role in framing these reforms.

• Establishment of Swadeshi Institutions:Inspired by Rabindranath Tagore’s Shantiniketan, the Bengal National College and a number of national schools and colleges in various parts of the country were set up.
• In August 1906, theNational Council of Education was set up to organise the national education system.
• A Bengal Institute of Technology was set up for technical education.
• Growth in Swadeshi Industries:It led to establishments of swadeshi textile mills, soap and match factories, tanneries, banks, insurance companies, shops, etc.
• It also revived the Indian Cottage Industry.
• Indian industries saw regeneration with reawakening of use of indigenous goods.

• Boycott of Buyers and Sellers:The foreign goods including clothing, sugar, salt and various other luxury items were not only boycotted, but they were also burned.
• The Swadeshi movement also led to social boycott of not only buyers but also sellers of foreign goods.

• Internal Conflicts:The internal conflicts and difference in ideologies among the leaders did more harm to the movement than good.
• Limited Extent:The movement failed to reach the peasantry and was confined to the upper and middle classes only

Conclusion:-

• As a result The partition of Bengal was annulled in 1911 by Lord Hardinge primarily to curb the revolutionary terrorism.
• Bihar and Orissa were taken out of Bengal and Assam was made a separate province.
• The annulment was not taken well by the Muslims, consequently, the British shifted the administrative capital from Calcutta to Delhi, as the place was associated with Muslim glory.