Socio-Religious Movements in West Bengal | WBCS Preparation: All Subjects - WBCS (West Bengal) PDF Download

Fakir-Sannyasi Resistance Movement 

The Fakir-Sannyasi Resistance Movement was orchestrated and led by Majnu Shah, a Sufi saint belonging to the Madaria sect. Commencing in 1760, the Fakir resistance gained momentum in 1763. Their primary targets were the Company kuthi, revenue kacharis of zamindars loyal to the Company rulers, and the residences of their officials. The rebels employed various weapons such as swords, spears, guns, fire-throwing devices, hawais, and even revolving cannons. 
In 1763, the rebels attacked the Company's commercial kuthi in Bakerganj, confining the factory chief Calley for several days and plundering the kuthi. By 1767, rebel attacks intensified in Rangpur, Rajshahi, Kuch Bihar, Jalpaiguri, and Comilla. To suppress rebel activities in North Bengal, an English army, led by Captain De Mackenzee, was dispatched to Rangpur in 1767. 
The Fakir-Sannyasi raids intensified further in 1776 in the districts of Bogra, Rajshahi, Dinajpur, and Chittagong. In 1785, Majnu Shah proceeded towards Mahasthangarh and suffered defeat in a battle. The following year, Majnu Shah planned simultaneous attacks in Eastern Bengal under himself and in the North Bengal area under his Lieutenant Musa Shah. 
In a battle against the Company army under Lieutenant Brenan in the Kaleswar area on December 8, 1786, Majnu Shah lost a significant number of followers. He himself was wounded in the Kaleswar battle and succumbed to his injuries on January 26, 1788. 

Socio-Religious Movement

In the 17th century, Bengal experienced an intellectual awakening reminiscent of the Renaissance in Europe. This movement challenged existing orthodoxies, especially regarding women, marriage, the dowry system, the caste system, and religion. 
One of the early social movements during this period was the Young Bengal Movement initiated by Anglo-Indian Henry Louis Vivian Derozio, advocating rationalism and atheism as common principles of civil conduct among upper-caste educated Hindus. Derozio, who arrived in Calcutta in 1826, launched the Young Bengal Movement. As a teacher of English Literature and History, he influenced his students both inside and outside the classroom, encouraging free discussions on social, moral, and religious matters.
Prominent figures of the Young Bengal Movement included Krishna Mohan Banerjee, Sib Chandra Deb, Hara Chandra Ghosh, Ramgopal Ghosh, Ramtanu Lahiri, Rasik Krishna Mallick, Peary Chand Mitra, Dakshinaranjan Mukherjee, Radhanath Sikdar, and others.

Brahmo Samaj 

Founded in Calcutta in 1828 by Raja Rammohan Roy, Brahmo Samaj emerged as one of the most influential reformist movements shaping modern India. Rejecting the authority of the Vedas, disavowing avatars (incarnations), and eschewing belief in Karma and samsara, Brahmo Samaj discarded Hindu rituals while incorporating certain Christian practices in its worship. 
Denouncing polytheism, image worship, and the caste system, Brahmo dharma embraced positive elements from various religions, including Islam and Christianity. Rammohan Roy aimed to reform Hinduism, while his successor, Debendranath Tagore, advocated Vedic authority and made reason and intuition the foundation of Brahmanism.
Debendranath Tagore established Tattwabodhini Sabha in 1839 as a subgroup of Brahmo Samaj, but in 1859, he dissolved it back into Brahmo Samaj. Despite retaining some traditional Hindu customs, he condemned idol worship, discouraged pilgrimages, ceremonies, and penances among the Brahmos. 
Under Debendranath's leadership, Brahmo Samaj expanded its branches across the country. Keshab Chandra Sen joined Brahmo Samaj in 1858, becoming Acharya. His dynamic leadership led to the establishment of branches outside Bengal, in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Bombay, Madras, and other towns. However, his liberal and cosmopolitan outlook resulted in a split in Brahmo Samaj, with Keshab Chandra Sen and his followers forming the Brahmo Samaj of India in 1866. Debendranath's Samaj thereafter became known as the Adi Brahmo Samaj. 

Vedanta Movement or Ramakrishna Movement 

The Ramakrishna Mission, established by Swami Vivekananda on May 1, 1897, at Belur Math in Howrah, West Bengal, serves as the focal point for a global spiritual initiative recognized as the Ramakrishna Movement or the Vedanta Movement. The mission is actively engaged in diverse areas such as healthcare, disaster relief, rural management, tribal welfare, elementary and higher education, and culture. Grounded in the principles of Karma Yoga, it aspires to foster religious harmony and advocate for peace and equality across humanity. Rooted in the ancient Hindu philosophy of Vedanta, the movement flourished primarily through the efforts of Swami Vivekananda, a disciple of Ramakrishna.

Swadeshi Movement 

The Swadeshi Movement originated from the anti-partition movement that emerged in response to the division of Bengal by Lord Curzon, the Viceroy of India. Commencing in Bengal in 1905 and persisting until 1911, this movement ushered in a new era of mobilization, introducing policies like boycotts, passive resistance, and mass agitation. Recognized as the most successful movement before the Gandhian era, it was spearheaded by influential figures such as Aurobindo Ghosh, Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, and Lala Lajpat Rai. Ashwini Kumar Dutta, in his role as the founder of Swadesh Bandhab Samiti, aimed to promote the use of indigenous products and the avoidance of foreign goods.

Formation of Muslim League and Anushilan Samiti 

Established in 1906 in Bengal, the Muslim League became the first organization advocating for the independence of the Islamic community in India. Concurrently, the Anushilan Samiti, founded in 1906 by Pramathanath Mitra, emerged as a militant nationalist group challenging British rule. The Samiti actively accumulated arms, manufactured indigenous bombs, and sought to acquire German weaponry. Dhaka Anushilan Samiti, distinct from its counterpart in West Bengal, adopted a radical agenda, breaking ties with the Jugantar group due to differences in strategy. In 1911, it carried out retaliatory actions, including the assassination of law enforcement officers.

• Dhaka Anushilan Samiti 
  It took a radical programme and broke with the Jugantar group in West Bengal due to differences with Aurobindo’s approach of slowly building a mass base for further revolution. In 1911, Dhaka Anushilan Samiti took revenge and shot dead sub-inspector Raj Kumar and Inspector Man Mohan Ghosh. This was followed by the assassination of CID Head Constable Shrish Chandra Dey in Calcutta.  
• Jugantar Anushilan Samiti 
  Led by figures such as Aurobindo Ghosh, Barindra Ghosh, and Bagha Jatin (Jatindranath Mukherjee), Jugantar Anushilan Samiti gained notoriety. In February 1911, its members bombed a car in Calcutta, and during the 1912 transfer of the imperial capital to New Delhi, they targeted Viceroy Charles Harding's procession, resulting in casualties. 
• Alipore Bomb Case
  In 1908, revolutionaries in Bengal conspired to assassinate Chief Presidency Magistrate DH Kingsford of Muzaffarpur. However, the attempt led to the unintended killing of two English women. The subsequent trial, known as the Alipore Bomb Case or Muraripukur Conspiracy, took place at Alipore session court from May 1908 to May 1909. Aurobindo Ghosh and 17 others were acquitted, while Ullaskar Dutt and Barindra Kumar Ghosh initially received a death sentence, later commuted to life imprisonment in Cellular Jail in Andaman. 

The Communist Movement in Bengal 

Bengal played a significant role in the Communist Movement of India during the 1930s. The Tebhaga movement, initiated by the Kisan Sabha in 1946, was a notable instance. This movement, advocating for sharecroppers, demanded two-thirds of the harvest for themselves and one-third for landlords. Tebhaga, meaning 'three shares,' led to conflicts between Jotedars and Bargadars.

Ahl-e-Hadith Movement 

The Ahl-e-Hadith Movement emerged in the late 19th century among Shariah adherents. Rooted in the early Muslim lifestyle, it emphasized the principles of pure Unitarianism, Prophet Muhammad's Sunnah, enthusiasm for jihad, and submission to Allah. The movement gained momentum in India, with the formation of the Bengal and Assam wings of 'Anjuman-i-Hadith' in 1914 and subsequent developments, including the establishment of 'Nikhil Banga and Assam Jami’at-e-Hadith' in 1946.

Khadya Andolan (Food Movement) 

The Food Movement of 1959 marked a turning point in West Bengal's class struggle. Fueled by widespread food insecurity, a massive demonstration in Calcutta led by the Kisan Sabha resulted in significant casualties. This movement not only diminished Congress support but also contributed to the split of the Communist Party of India in 1964, giving rise to the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

Naxalbari Movement 

The Naxalbari Movement in 1972, a peasant revolt led by local tribals and radical communist leaders, sought to protect the interests of peasants and laborers. It caused a split in the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and gave birth to the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), receiving moral support from Nepal and China.

First Left Front Government 

The Left Front, an alliance of various leftist parties, won the 1977 assembly election in West Bengal, forming the state's first leftist government with Jyoti Basu as Chief Minister. The government implemented 'Operation Barga' in 1978 to register sharecroppers but faced criticism for the Marichjhapi massacre in 1979. Jyoti Basu served as Chief Minister until 2000, succeeded by Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.

Singur Movement 

The Singur Movement in 2006 saw protests against Tata Motors' small car factory. Fertile multi-crop land allocation led to widespread opposition, involving social activists like Medha Patkar and Arundhuti Roy. Tata Motors eventually withdrew from Singur in October 2008. In 2011, the Trinamool Congress, led by Mamata Banerjee, won the Legislative Assembly election, retaining majority in the 2016 election with the slogan 'Ma Mati Manush' (Mother, Motherland, and People).