Revolutionary Activities in India [Early 20th Century]

Revolutionary Activities: Overview

• The revolutionary movement in India emerged in the early 20th Century.
• The revolutionary movement in India can be divided into two phases, namely –
  • the early revolutionary movements (before World War I) and
  • the later revolutionary movements (after World War I).
• To overthrow British rule and establish self-government, the early revolutionary activists were inspired by the unification of Italy and the Extremists in Congress.
• Discontent with the withdrawal of the Non-Cooperation Movement and Gandhian method, there was a rise of a new type of revolutionary movement in the 1920s.
• Those later revolutionary activists were inspired by the socialist and Marxist ideology.

Revolutionary Activities in Bengal

Revolutionary activities in Bengal played a significant role in India’s struggle for independence, particularly through underground groups committed to armed resistance against British rule. After the partition of Bengal in 1905 revolutionary organizations like the Jugantar Party and Anushilan Samiti emerged, led by leaders like Aurobindo Ghosh, Barin Ghosh, and Surya Sen. These groups carried out sabotage, bombings, and assassinations targeting British officials and infrastructure. Their actions was driven by a strong sense of patriotism. Bengal’s revolutionaries inspired Indians to resist colonial rule, significantly influencing the broader Indian independence movement.

Revolutionary Activities in Punjab

Revolutionary activities in Punjab were an important part of India’s struggle for freedom. Inspired by the Ghadar Party, founded by Indian expatriates in 1913, Punjab’s revolutionaries aimed to incite rebellion among Indian soldiers and civilians. Leaders like Bhagat Singh, Kartar Singh Sarabha, and Udham Singh became iconic figures, known for their courage and dedication to India’s freedom. They carried out protests, bombings, and targeted assassinations to challenge British authority. The activities in Punjab ignited local support and strengthened India’s larger freedom struggle.

Revolutionary Activities in Maharashtra

Maharashtra’s revolutionaries opposed British rule through armed resistance and activism. Leaders like the Chapekar Brothers, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, and Vasudev Balwant Phadke played important roles. They organized secret societies, planned bombings, and inspired people to take action. Savarkar, especially, promoted the idea of complete independence and encouraged young Indians to join the struggle. Maharashtra’s revolutionary movement boosted national pride and motivated people across India to fight for freedom.

Abhinav Bharat Secret Society (Young India Society)

• Foundation:
  • Abhinav Bharat Society was a secret revolutionary organization founded in 1904 by Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and his brother Ganesh Damodar Savarkar in Nasik.
  • Initially founded as Mitra Mela and formed when Vinayak Savarkar was a student at Fergusson College in Pune.
• Objectives and Expansion:
  • Aimed to end British rule in India through armed resistance.
  • Grew to include hundreds of members and established branches across India and in London, where Vinayak Savarkar studied law.
• Key Revolutionary Actions:
  • Responsible for high-profile assassinations, including:
    • Lt. Col. William Curzon-Wyllie in London, assassinated by Madanlal Dhingra on July 1, 1909.
    • A. M. T. Jackson, district magistrate of Nasik; killed in India by Anant Laxman Kanhare in 1909.
• The Nasik Conspiracy Case:
  • The investigation of Jackson’s assassination uncovered Abhinav Bharat’s operations and the Savarkar brothers’ leadership.
  • Vinayak Savarkar was found to have sent 20 Browning pistols to India, one of which was used in Jackson’s assassination.
• Conviction and Imprisonment:
  • Vinayak Savarkar was arrested, charged with the Jackson murder, and sentenced to life imprisonment. He was sent to Cellular Jail in the Andaman Islands in 1910.
• Disbandment:
  • Abhinav Bharat Society was formally disbanded in 1952.

Revolutionary Activities Outside India

Revolutionary activities outside India involved Indian expatriates organizing movements to fight British colonial rule. One example is the Ghadar Party (1913), founded by Indians in the U.S. and Canada. This group aimed to incite armed rebellion in India by sending weapons and revolutionary material. Another example is India House in London, led by Shyamji Krishna Varma, which became a centre for nationalists like Vinayak Savarkar and Madanlal Dhingra. These activities helped spread anti-British sentiment, inspired uprisings in India and strengthened the independence movement.

Ghadar Party

• The Ghadar Party was an international political movement formed by Indian immigrants in the United States and Canada.
• Its objective was to overthrow British rule in India through armed revolution.
• The party was founded on July 15, 1913, in Astoria, Oregon, USA, by Lala Har Dayal, Sant Baba Wasakha Singh Dadehar, Baba Jawala Singh, Santokh Singh and Sohan Singh Bhakna.
• Sohan Singh Bhakna was its founding president.
• The party found a large support base among Indian expatriates in the United States, Canada, East Africa, and Asia.
• The Ghadar Movement was suppressed using a massive international counter-intelligence operation and draconian political acts (including the Defence of India Act 1915) of the colonial government.

India House (London)

Notable Revolutionaries

Bhagat Singh

• He participated in the non-cooperation movement led by Mahatma Gandhi in 1921 at the age of 14.
• Joined the Young Revolutionary Movement, inspired by Kartar Singh Sarabha.
• Became a member of the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA) and later helped establish the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) in 1928.
• Led the bombing of the Central Legislative Assembly in Delhi along with Batukeshwar Dutt in 1929, to protest against repressive laws and British rule.
• Published revolutionary literature, including the famous pamphlet “Why I am an Atheist,” advocating for socialist revolution and criticizing religious orthodoxy.
• Involved in the assassination of British police officer John Saunders in Lahore in 1928, leading to his arrest and subsequent trial.
• Used his trial as a platform to propagate revolutionary ideals, famously stating, “It is easy to kill individuals but you cannot kill the ideas. Great empires crumbled while the ideas survived.” Bhagat Singh wrote this quote on leaflets he threw at the Central Assembly on April 8, 1929.
• Went on a hunger strike in jail to protest against the inhumane treatment of political prisoners and demand equal rights for Indian political prisoners.
• Became an iconic figure of the Indian independence movement, inspiring generations with his bravery, intellect, and commitment to the cause of freedom.
• Despite being executed by the British authorities in 1931 at the age of 23, Bhagat Singh’s legacy continues to inspire millions of Indians in their fight against injustice and oppression.

Chandrashekhar Azad

• Initially associated with the non-cooperation movement led by Mahatma Gandhi, but later disillusioned by its nonviolent approach.
• Joined the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA) and played a crucial role in transforming it into the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) in 1928.
• Adopted the pseudonym “Azad,” meaning “free” in Urdu, to symbolize his commitment to the cause of Indian independence and his resolve to never be captured alive by the British.
• Known for his exceptional skills in guerrilla warfare and tactical planning, which earned him the reputation of being a fearless revolutionary.
• Participated in several revolutionary activities, including the Kakori Conspiracy (1925), where he played a supporting role and helped plan the escape route for the revolutionaries.
• Involved in various acts of sabotage and attacks on British officials and institutions, including the killing of J.P. Saunders, a British police officer, in 1928.
• Maintained a clandestine lifestyle, constantly changing his hideouts and aliases to evade British authorities, earning him the nickname “The Immortal.”
• Died on February 27, 1931, during a shootout with British police in Alfred Park (now Chandrashekhar Azad Park) in Allahabad, refusing to surrender and keeping his pledge to never be captured alive.

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