Swarajya Party [1923] | Study Material for UPSC WBCS

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Introduction: Swarajya Party

The Swarajya Party, established in 1923 by prominent Indian leaders Motilal Nehru and Chittaranjan Das, played a pivotal role in India’s struggle for independence.

Formed as a faction within the Indian National Congress, the party sought to enter legislative councils to influence governance and advocate for self-rule from within the system. The Swarajya Party’s primary objectives were to push for political reform, ensure greater Indian participation in governance, and promote economic policies beneficial to Indians.

Although it eventually merged back into the Congress, the Swarajya Party left a lasting legacy by demonstrating the effectiveness of legislative action in the fight for independence.

Formation of Swarajya Party

Disagreements within the INC: Following the suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement by Gandhiji in 1922 after the Chauri Chaura incident, there were disagreements among INC leaders regarding the future course of action. Some leaders, including Motilal Nehru and Chittaranjan Das, were disappointed by Gandhi’s decision and felt that the INC should pursue a more practical approach to achieve self-governance.
Advocacy for Responsible Government: Motilal Nehru, Chittaranjan Das, and others believed in the importance of working within the British constitutional framework to demand responsible government for India, rather than outright confrontation.
Formation of Swarajya Party: In 1923, the Swarajya Party was formed by leaders who broke away from the INC due to these ideological differences.

Founded	1 January 1923

Swarajya Party

The Congress Working Committee, in its Bardoli session on 12th February 1922, decided to call off the non-cooperation movement.
The decision was opposed by Motilal Nehru, C.R. Das, and N.C. Kelkar.
In December 1922, in the Gaya session of the Congress, the member was divided into two groups.
The group led by Motilal Nehru and C.R. Das was willing to enter the council. They were called pro changers.
The group led by Rajagopalachari was in favor of Gandhiji’s decision and did not want to enter the council, they were called no changers.
CR Das resigned along with Motilal Nehru as the President and the Secretary of Congress. CR Das along with Motilal Nehru and others pro-changer on 31st December 1922 announced to form Swaraj Party (also known as Congress-Khilafat Swaraj party).
CR Das became its President and Motilal Nehru its Secretary.
Other prominent leaders were Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy and Subhas Chandra Bose.
In the election held in 1923, the Swaraj Party secured 45 of the 145 seats in the Central Legislative Assembly.
In provincial elections, they got a clear majority in Central Province.
In Bengal, the Swaraj Party was the largest party.
Vithalbhai Patel became the president (the equivalent to the Speaker of Lok Sabha) of the Central Legislative Assembly.

Chittaranjan Das

Chittaranjan Das, also known as Deshbandhu (Friend of the Nation), was a notable figure in the Indian independence movement.
Early Life: Chittaranjan Das was born on November 5, 1870, in Bengal.
He was a close associate of prominent leaders like Bipin Chandra Pal and Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
He played a crucial role in popularizing the concept of Swaraj (self-rule) among the masses.
He was known for his defense of political prisoners and his advocacy for civil liberties.
He was the first Mayor of Calcutta Municipal Corporation.
Death: Chittaranjan Das passed away on June 16, 1925, at the age of 54.