Chronology of Revolutionary Activities: The Freedom Struggle | History for UPSC CSE PDF Download

Chronology of Revolutionary Activities
 First Phase
 Maharashtra

• B.G. Tilak a pioneer in starting politico-religious festivals like Ganapati and Shivaji festivals to popularise the concept of Swaraj among the people.
• Chapekar brother killed Mr. Rand, the cruel Plague Commissioner at Poona on 22 June, 1897.
• On 18 Feb., 1905 Krishnavarma set up India Home Rule Society in London to work for India’s freedom.
• Madan Lal Dhingra shot dead Col. William Curzon Wyllie at India House, London on 1 July, 1909.
• Jackson, the District Magistrate of Nasik, was shot dead on 21 Dec., 1909.

Bengal

• Agitation against partition of Bengal stirred political consciousness at an unprecedented pitch during the early 20th century.
• Violent activities and robberies erupted in different parts of Bengal dur­ing 1906-1907.
• Muzaffarpur murder on 30 April, 1908 by Khudiram Bose.
• Public Prosecutor was shot dead in Calcutta in Feb., 1909.
• Deputy Suprintendent of Police, Calcutta was killed on 24 Feb., 1909.

Delhi
 Bomb thrown at Lord Hardinge on 23 Dec., 1912.
 Ghadar Morement

• Ghadar organisation formed by Indian revolutionaries at San Francisco, U.S.A. on 1 Nov., 1913. Its aim was to send volunteers to organise mutiny and rebellion in India
• Kamagata Maru incident at Calcutta on 29 Sept., 1914.

Second Phase

• Meeting of All-lndia revolution­aries at Kanpur in Oct., 1924.
• Kakori Dacoity case on 9 Au­gust, 1925.
• Hindustan Socialist Republican Association founded in Sept., 1928 to:

(a) do propaganda against non-vio­lent methods.
 (b) propagate value of Direct Ac­tion.
 (c) preach Socialist ideology.

• Shooting of Mr. Saunders, As­sistant Police Suprintendent at Lahore on 17 Dec., 1928.
• Bomb thrown in Central Legis­lative Assembly, Delhi on 8 April, 1929.
• Chittagong Armoury raid on 18 April, 1930.
• Execution of Freedom martyrs Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru on 23 March, 1931.
• Popular revolts in many parts of India in August, 1942.
   

THE LUCKNOW PACT

• After the declaration of First World War in 1914, the British asked the Indian leaders for their cooperation. Indian response was three fold:
• Moderate Congress leaders wanted to help in defence of the em­pire as a matter of duty.
• Extremist leaders promised to help in the hope of getting conces­sions.
• Terrorist Revolutionaries hoped to gain their objective out of England’s difficulties.
• Two major developments during First World War in Indian politics were reunion of the Moderates and the Extermists and the Congress League Lucknow Pact of 1916.
• Reunion of the Moderates and the Extremists took place due to fol­lowing factors:
• Tilak clarified his objective of attainment of self-govt. by constitutional means.
• Death of Gokhale and Mehta in 1915 softended Moderates’ attitude.
• Mrs. Besant played the role of mediator.
• Congress constitution amended to make possible the entry of Extrem­ists.
• Due to all this, the union was achieved at Lucknow session in Dec., 1916.

Congress-League Lucknow Pact, 1916

• Indian Muslims were estranged from British Government over:
• Annulment of Partition of Ben­gal.
• Britain’s anti-Turkish attitude.
• Arrest of Muslim leaders.
• Congress was willing to make compromise with the League so that the national movement could be made stronger. A compromise formula was worked out.
• Muslim League was to support Congress demand for self-government. Congress was to accept League’s de­mand for communal electorates.
• Reform Scheme Demands were:
• Reduction of Secretary of State’s control over Indian affairs.
• 80% members of Central and Provincial Legislative Councils to be elected.
• 50% members of Governor General’s and Governor’s Executive Councils to be Indians.
• Legislative Councils not to dis­cuss any bill if 75% councils members of any community objected to it.
• The Congress of 1916 at Lucknow was memorable in several ways. It was attended by extremists, moderates, Muslim League–in short all political workers belonging to different schools of thought and owning differ­ent creeds participated in it.
• The Congress and the League drew up a joint scheme for reforms. It marked the unity of the Hindus and the Muslims under what is known as Lucknow Pact.
• The Congress called upon the Brit­ish 
   

Government:

• To declare that its aim was to grant self-government to India in view of its cultural and educational advance­ment;
• To accept the Congress-League scheme for Home Rule;
• To grant Dominion status to India;
• To apply Defence of India Act under the circumstances similar to those for Defence of Realm Act.