Nationalism in India

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Nationalism

• Nationalism refers to the feeling of oneness and common consciousness that emerges when people living in a common territory share the same historical, political and cultural backgrounds. 
• People may be speaking different languages but the love for the nation keeps them together.
• In Europe, nation states were formed and in colonies like India and Vietnam, anti-colonial movement led to the formation of nations.

Effects of First World War

• Increased defense expenditure financed by war loans and higher taxes.
• Raised customs duties and introduced income tax.
• Prices doubled from 1913 to 1918.
• Forced recruitment in rural areas caused anger.
• Crop failures in 1918-1921 led to food shortages.
• Influenza epidemic accompanied the shortages.
• Census of 1921 reported 12-13 million deaths from famines and epidemic.

Satyagraha

• It was a new mode of struggle based on truth and non-violence.
• Satyagraha means fighting for a true cause. 
• No use of Physical Force to fight.
• It was a mode of struggle through non-violence. 
• Non-violence: idea of fighting without being aggressive or revengeful. 
• Gandhiji returned to India in January 1915. 
• He had won against the British in South Africa. 
• His heroic fight in South Africa for the Indians was well known. 
• He used the method  of Satyagraha for mass agitation, and it had yielded a good result in South Africa. 

Champaran Satyagraha(1917)

• British landlords enforced the oppressive “Tinkathia System” for indigo cultivation, exploiting local farmers.
• Gandhi arrived in Champaran in 1917 to address farmers’ grievances and fight against oppressive indigo plantations.
• Gandhi used Satyagraha to challenge British landlords and fight for justice for farmers.
• Gandhi initiated a legal battle, exposing exploitative practices and fighting for farmers’ rights in court.
• Champaran Satyagraha exposed oppression, leading to British government acknowledgement.
• Champaran Satyagraha was a turning point in India’s freedom struggle, inspiring nationwide nonviolent resistance movements.

Kheda Satyagraha

• Crop failures and an epidemic exacerbated grievances. Farmers resisted heavy land taxes led by Mahatma Gandhi.
• Satyagrahis displayed resilience and unity against the British. Protest compelled the British government to negotiate.
• Tax collection suspended for a year in Kheda. Kheda Satyagraha represented nonviolent resistance against British oppression. Sparked similar movements nationwide.

Rowlatt Act(1919)

• Allowed detention of political prisoners for up to 2 years without any trial.
• This step was taken to repress political activities.
• It was an attack on the civil liberties of Indian people. 
• All India Hartal was planned by Mahatma Gandhi on 6th April 1919.
• Rallies were organised in various cities. 
• Shops were closed, workers went on strike. 
• Attacks on Banks Post offices and Police Stations.

Jallianwala Bagh Incident(1919)

• Jallianwala Bagh Incident took place on April 13, 1919, in Amritsar, Punjab, India.
• Thousands of Indians gathered at Jallianwala Bagh to protest the repressive Rowlatt Act and express their grievances against British rule.
• Without warning, British troops under General Reginald Dyer opened fire on the unarmed crowd, indiscriminately shooting into the crowd for about 10 minutes.
• The brutal massacre resulted in the deaths of hundreds of innocent men, women, and children, while many others were injured.
• The Jallianwala Bagh massacre triggered widespread outrage and anger across India and around the world.
• The incident became a symbol of British brutality and oppression, further fueling the demand for independence in India.
• Following the massacre, martial law was imposed in Amritsar, and severe repression measures were taken against the local population.
• The massacre was condemned internationally, leading to increased scrutiny and criticism of British colonial rule in India.
• The Jallianwala Bagh incident galvanized the Indian independence movement and inspired greater unity and resistance against British rule.

Khilafat Issue(1920)

• Khilafat Issue was a 1920s movement to protect Ottoman caliphate.
• Mahatma Gandhi backed Khilafat cause, initiated movement in India.
• Maulana Mohammad Ali and Maulana Shaukat Ali led Khilafat Movement.
• Movement aimed to unite Hindus and Muslims.
• Khilafat merged with Gandhi’s Non-cooperation Movement.
• Indians boycotted British goods as part of the movement.
• Leaders were jailed for participation.
• Ottoman caliphate dissolved in 1924, disappointing supporters.
• Khilafat Movement emphasized unity in India.
• Mobilized masses, shaped independence movement.

Hind Swaraj

• In his famous book Hind Swaraj (1909), Gandhi argued that British Rule in India was established by the Co-operation of Indians. 
• So, if Indians refused to co-operate with it, the British rule in India would collapse.
• Reasons for Non-Cooperation Movement: 
  • Atrocities on Indians after the first world war. 
  • Refusal of demand of Swaraj. 
  • Passing of Rowlatt Act. 
  • Jallianwala Bagh incident. 
  • Congress passed the resolution of non-cooperation.
• Proposals of Non-Cooperation Movement:
  • Surrender the titles which were awarded by the British Government. 
  • Boycott of civil services, police, courts, legislative councils and schools. 
  • Boycott of foreign goods.
  • Launch full civil disobedience if the government continues with its repressive policies. 

Different Strands of the Movement

• Each group participating in the movement had different agendas.
• The Term ‘Swaraj’ meant different thing to different sections of the society.
• However, each social group thought Swaraj is when all their suffering will be over.

Awadh

• The Peasant movement in Awadh was led by Baba Ramchandra. He was a Sanyasi who had earlier worked in Fiji as indentured labourer. 
• Peasants were against high rents and many other cesses. 
• Peasant demands : reduction of revenue, abolition of Begar, and social boycott of oppressive landlords

How the Tribes Participated

• Tribes had a different meaning for Swaraj
  • For Example: Gudem Hills in Andhra Pradesh, there was militant form of guerilla warfare. Congress did not approve of this.
• Alluri Sitaram Raju – Claimed he had superpowers and could even survive bullets. He was seen as an incarnation of god.
• People followed  him and he preached words of Gandhi, telling people to use khadi and stop drinking. At the same time he said that liberation can only be attained by force. 

Non-Cooperation in Plantations

• In plantations too, workers had their own understanding of Swaraj.
• For workers in Assam Plantations, Swaraj meant the permission to move freely. 
• Inland Immigration Act 1859 : Plantation workers were not allowed to leave the plantations without permission.
• Thousands of workers abandoned the Plantations and headed home after hearing about the Non-Cooperation.
• They thought that Gandhi Raj was coming, and everyone will be given land in their villages.
• They did not reach their homes due to steamer and railway strikes. They were caught and brutally beaten by the police.
• The Movement was taken back by Gandhi ji after the infamous Chauri Chaura incident.

Civil Disobedience(1922)

• There was an internal tug of war going within the congress after Government of India Act 1919. 
• Due to the Great Depression between 1929 and 1933, prices of agricultural goods collapsed. 
• Due to this, a statutory commission was set up in Britian under Sir john Simon. 
• It was set up in response to the nationalist movement going on in India.
• The Simon Commission had no Indians in it, even though it was to look after the affairs in India and suggest constitutional changes.
• When it arrived in India in 1928, Indians Greeted it with the slogan “Go back Simon”. All parties participated in the demonstrations.
• In October 1929, Lord Irwin announced that the British Government will give ‘dominion status’ to India, a round table conference to discuss the constitution.
• Radical leaders of congress like Jawaharlal Nehru and S.C. Bose weren’t satisfied with this. They wanted ‘purna Swaraj’.
• In December  1929, at Lahore session of the Congress, Jawaharlal Nehru announced that the main goal is to attain ‘Purna Swaraj’.
• On 26^th January 1930, was celebrated as independence day and every citizen present had to take pledge to struggle for complete freedom.

Salt March and Civil Disobedience

• Salt March was a historic protest led by Mahatma Gandhi in 1930 against the British salt monopoly in India.
• Gandhi and 78 followers marched 240 miles from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi, producing salt from seawater in defiance of British laws.
• The act of making salt was symbolic, as salt was an essential commodity used by all Indians and the British monopoly caused hardship and resentment.
• The Salt March inspired thousands of Indians to join the movement, making it a powerful symbol of unity and resistance against British rule.
• The British responded with arrests and violence against protesters, which further exposed the brutality of their rule.
• Salt March ignited civil disobedience, inspiring widespread participation in the independence movement against British rule.
• In response to this, the government began arresting the Congress leaders one by one. This agitated the crowds even more, violet clashes took place. 
• When Gandhiji was arrested in 1930, the crowds staged violent protests, in response, the British government took even more repressive action, and many were killed.  Knowing this, Gandhiji called off the movement.

Gandhi-Irwin Pact(1931)

• The Gandhi-Irwin Pact was an agreement signed between Mahatma Gandhi and the British Viceroy Lord Irwin in 1931.
• The pact aimed to end the Civil Disobedience Movement and initiate negotiations between  Indian National Congress and  British government.
• Gandhi agreed to suspend the movement, join the Second Round Table Conference, and seek peaceful resolution for Indian independence.
• Lord Irwin, the British Viceroy, acknowledged the demand for self-rule and agreed to release political prisoners, except those convicted of violence.

The Poona Pact(1932)

• The Poona Pact was a significant agreement reached between Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in 1932, following the Communal Award announced by the British government.
• The Communal Award proposed separate electorates for Dalits (Scheduled Castes) and led to concerns about further division within the Indian society.
• The Poona Pact aimed to address the issue of separate electorates and promote greater unity among different communities. It provided reserved seats for Dalits within general electorates rather than separate electorates.
• Gandhi advocated for the eradication of untouchability and believed that separate electorates would perpetuate divisions among communities. He actively worked towards achieving a united society and equal rights for all.
• Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, a leader representing the interests of Dalits, initially supported separate electorates to ensure adequate representation and safeguard the rights of the marginalized community.
• The Poona Pact helped in avoiding further fragmentation of Indian society and promoting unity. It also led to increased representation of Dalits in political processes.

A Sense of Collective Belonging

• These cultural processes captured people’s imagination, evoking emotional connections and pride in their nation.
• Through the cultural processes, nationalism fostered unity and solidarity among diverse communities, transcending regional, linguistic, and religious boundaries.
• Image of Bharat Mata associated with the identity of India.
• Created by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in the 1870s.
• “Vande Mataram” written as a hymn to the motherland.
• Popular during the Swadeshi movement in Bengal.
• Abanindranath Tagore painted the iconic image of Bharat Mata.
• Depicts Bharat Mata as an ascetic figure, divine and spiritual.
• Various forms of Bharat Mata circulated in popular prints and paintings
• Devotion to Bharat Mata seen as a sign of nationalism.

Folklore and Nationalism

• Nationalist movement revived Indian folklore.
• Folk tales recorded by nationalists to preserve traditional culture.
• Folk songs and legends gathered from villages.
• Folklore seen as a true reflection of undamaged traditional culture.
• Importance of preserving folk tradition for national identity.
• Revival aimed to restore pride in the nation’s past.
• Rabindranath Tagore collected ballads, nursery rhymes, and myths in Bengal, leading the folk revival movement.
• Natesa Sastri published a four-volume collection of Tamil folk tales in Madras, titled “The Folklore of Southern India.”
• Both Tagore and Sastri believed that folklore represented the genuine thoughts and characteristics of the people.
• Folklore was considered national literature and an authentic expression of the nation’s identity.

Symbolism and Nationalism

• Icons and symbols played a vital role in unifying people and fostering nationalism.
• Tricolor flag with lotuses and crescent moon symbolizes unity during the Swadeshi movement in Bengal.
• Gandhiji designed the Swaraj flag in 1921, featuring a tricolour with a spinning wheel in the center representing self-help.
• Carrying and raising the flag during marches became a symbol of defiance and resistance.
• History reinterpretation created a sense of nationalism.
• Indians sought to instill pride by rethinking Indian history.
• British viewed Indians as backward, fueling the need for a different historical perspective.
• Indians highlighted ancient achievements in art, architecture, science, religion, and more.
• Glorious past followed by a history of decline under colonial rule.
• Nationalist histories encouraged pride in India’s past achievements.