Extremist phase and Partition of Bengal | History(Prelims) by UPSC Toppers PDF Download

Extremist phase and Partition of Bengal

Reasons for the emergence of Extremists

• It was gradually realized that British Raj was exploitative in its character and there are inherent conflicts in the interests of British Raj and the Indian masses.
• The rise in vernacular newspapers and expansion of middle class expanded the political base of the congress. As a result the elitist demands by Moderate no longer satisfied the masses.
• International influences and events which demolished the myth of European supremacy. These events included-Abyssinia/Ethopia’s victory over Italy (1896), Boer wars (1899-1902) in which the British faced reverse, Japan victory over Russia (1905).
• Reactionary policies of Curzon such as Calcutta Cooperation Act (1905) and Partition of Bengal.
• Existence of a militant school of thought and emergence of a trained leadership.

A critique of Moderates

The Moderates were the forerunner in generating political consciousness in India, yet they failed to achieve anything phenomenal in their dominance of two decades on INC. The following are the reasons for their failure:

1. They failed to realize the true character of the imperial British Raj
2. They lived in an illusion that India was being prepared for the self rule by the British Raj
3. They also were unable to recognize the fact that miserable condition of Indians was not due to the apathy of bureaucracy but because of the inherent conflicts in the interests of the two nations.
4. The moderate style of prayer and petitions was considered as dishonorable and was considered as political mendicancy

Methods of Extremists

1. They used vernacular languages to propagate their ideas
2. They used the religion and culture as  vehicles to gain popularity
3. They tried to evoke pride among the masses for the ancient religion and culture
4. They did not have faith in “prayers and protests”, rather they adopted mechanisms like boycott, constructive work, political extremism passive resistance and non cooperation
5. They gave great emphasis on self reliance

Extremist leaders

1. Bal Gangadhar Tilak : ‘Lokmanya’ Tilak was the uncompromising leader of extremists as was influenced by Agarkar, Ranade and Naoroji. He launched two newspapers the Kesari (in Marathi) and the Maratha (in English). He organized Ganpati Festival (1893) and Shivaji Festival (1895). He was deported to Mandlay Jail (Burma) for writing seditious articles. He started Home Rule League in 1916. He wrote Gita Rahasya. Tilak asserted that: ‘Swarj is my Birth Right and I will have it.’
2. Lala Lajpat Rai : He was an extremist from Punjab. Under the influence of Arya Samaj founded National School at Lahore, he presided over the AITUC in 1920. He boycotted Simon Commission and demonstrated against it at Lohore during which he was brutally assaulted by the police and succumbed to his injuries.
3. Bipin Chandra Pal: He discarded orthodox Hinduism and entered Brahmo Samaj and visited England and America. He founded English weekly New India. He led the Swadeshi movement. He carried gospels of Boycott, Swadeshi, National Education, Swaraj and the Passive Resistance.
4. Sri Aurobindo Ghosh : He passed ICS exam with record marks in Greek & Latin. He had European upbringing. He worked for secret societies in Bengal and Maharashtra. He started Bengali daily Jugantar. He wrote seditious articles in “Vande Matram”. He was trialed for Maniktalla (Calcutta) Bomb Conspiracy Case. He finally retired to the life of a Yogi at Pondicherry.

The Partition of Bengal (1905)

• The Partition of Bengal came into effect on October 16, 1905, in the reign of Viceroy Lord Curzon. 
• The official stated reason for the partition was administrative convenience However the main objective was to ‘Divide and Rule’ the most advanced region of the country at that time.
• The main reason for partition of Bengal was to destroy the political influence of the educated middle class among whom the Bengali intelligentsia was the most prominent. It also set up a communal gulf between Hindus and Muslims.
• The INC unanimously condemned the partition of Bengal
• The Boycott and Swadeshi movement was galvanized by the anti-partition movement which was started to oppose the British decision to divide Bengal.
• The INC took up the Swadeshi call in Benaras Session, 1905, presided over by G.K. Gokhle.The extremist leaders like Bal Gangadhar Tilk, B.C. Pal, Arbindo Gosh and Lala Lajpat Rai played an active role in the movement.

The Swadeshi movement in Bengal had three major trends:

1. To ignore the British Raj by constructive programs like promoting local industries, national education etc
2. Political action based on passive resistance and boycott
3. Revolutionary terrorism.

The events

• On Aug 7, 1905, a resolution to boycott British goods was adopted at a meeting of the INC held in Calcutta. It was started a purely economic measure for the development of Indian industry.
• Many social and political organizations mushroomed up during the Swadeshi wave in Bengal. For example Krishna Kumar Mitra’s Anti Circular society, Pulin Das’s Dhaka Anushilan Samiti and Ashwani Kumar’s Barisal Swadeshi Bandhav.
• Bone fire of foreign goods was conducted on a large scale in all major cities.
• Tilak took the movement to different parts of India especially in Pune and Mumbai.
•  Ajit Singh and Lala Lajpat Roy spread the Swadeshi message in Punjab and other parts of Northern India.
•  Syed Haidar Raza set up the agenda in Delhi. Rawalpindi, Kangra, Jammu, Multan and Hardwar witnessed active participation in the Swadeshi Movement.
• Chidambram Pillai took the movement to Madras Presidency which was also galvanized by Bipin Chandra Pal’s extensive lecture tour