Swadeshi Movement

One of the first mass movements in the history of India’s struggle for independence, the Swadeshi movement was one which sprouted due to anti-colonial politics to divide the nation, it’s growth gave chills to the British government and it’s eventful fall had dire consequences. Nevertheless, the enthusiasm and spirit bought into the political atmosphere and mass inclusion is the biggest achievement of the movement.

The roots of the Swadeshi movement sprang from the anti-partition movement opposing the divide of Bengal in the 1^st decade of the twentieth century. Bengal, the capital of British India from where all its business was controlled, with its huge demography was becoming administratively unwieldy and the British cited this as the reason for partition. But the real motive was political and the nationalist leaders sensed it in no time. Bengal was the epicenter of Indian nationalism and all anti-colonial activities. British believed Bengal divided will slow the nationalist movement.

In 1903, news of partition was public and there were large scale public meetings, speeches, gatherings, press criticisms and petitions opposing partition. These were new techniques never tried before in the subcontinent.

In 1905, Bengal was divided. The nationalist leaders in Bengal, prominent among them Surendranath Banerjee, called for boycott of foreign goods, foreign offices, schools, colleges etc.. Every possible means of passive resistance and civil disobedience was being called for. And instead the usage of Swadeshi commodities and institutions was promoted. The news, ideology and practice were spread to other parts of the country by congress leaders. Tilak in Bombay presidency, Ajit Singh and Lala Lajpat Rai in present day Punjab & Chidambaram in Madras presidency put their efforts to spread the Swadeshi zeal. 

During the 1905 congress session at Benaras which was presided by Gopal Krishna Gokhle, the congress leaders supported the Swadeshi and boycott movement. But the extremist leaders in the congress ranks were demanding the extension of the movement to pan India. Their goal was poorna swaraj (complete self-rule).  The partition of Bengal was now a subset of the whole gamut.

After the split of Bengal, things changed in Bengal. Extremist influence became dominant over the moderates’. The appeal of boycott and Swadeshi movement was hugely supported by the local population.

·         New forms of mass mobilization emerged.

·         Demanding political reforms through legislative debates was on retreat.

·   Political freedom ws to be achieved through every form of passive resistance and boycott.

·   Samitis (volunteer groups) were formed to spread political awareness and social reforms.

·         Traditional and cultural festivals became devices of mass movement.

·         Self-help and self-reliance were on rise

o  Social reforms against caste repression, early marriage, dowry system etc.

oEducational institutions like Shantiniketan, Bengal national college were popular.

o Swadeshi initiatives in the field of industries, banks, companies saw an upsurge.

·                                               oCultural revolution: patriotic songs composed, political awakening through street

                            plays, jatras etc.

For the 1^st time, almost all sections of the society stood up for a cause together and women too participated. The involvement of peasants gave mass to the movement.

However large, the movement couldn’t draw muslim support. The british policies of communal electorate and misinterpretation of cultural festivals created tiffs between leaders and people. AIML was at this time under the guidance of Government of India.

The 1906 session of congress held at Calcutta declared ‘self-government’ as its goal. Meanwhile differences grew between the moderates and extremists in the congress regarding the pace and techniques of the movement. As a result congress split up in 1907.

After the split, the Govt. came with heavy hand against the extremists. Their leaders were either deported or sent to jail. Press freedom was suppressed by laws. Students were expelled from colleges. As a result, the movement was rendered leaderless and leaderless against a mighty colonial empire. The movement lacked structure and organization.

In years to come, Gandhiji added the required structure and led from the front. The Swadeshi movement touched masses hitherto unknown to large section of the society. The legacy of mass mobilization, boycott and passive resistance was later garnered and nourished and ultimately yielded dividends in the national movement.

Photo credit: http://collections-of-dokkasrinivasu.blogspot.in/2012/09/buy-swadeshi-label.html

ROLE OF PRESS AND JOURNALISM IN THE STRUGGLE FOR INDIA'S INDEPENDENCE

In the second innings of the struggle for independence of the nation, spanning nearly a century after the historical uprising of 1857, the press played a crucial role. It became the tool to develop and propagate political consciousness, nationalist ideology, mass mobilization and countrywide coordination. It was the chief instrument of spreading the unjust policies and acts by the British government. In short, Press played the role of opposition.

In those days, press and journalism was more like a national service than business enterprise or profession. Almost all leading personalities were associated with one or other newspaper of the time and have contributed to the national awakening against the British hegemony. Many nationalist newspapers came into being during this era. Congress, the largest political platform of the time propagated its proceedings and plans through the newspapers. Press became the voice of the junta.

The British administration was not unaware of the intellectual and political awakening, developments of the mass and its dividends. Measures were put in place to curb the rising discontent. Moreover laws were passed to utilize the press to their own benefit. The new young India was dynamic and knew the importance of civil rights most importantly the right of the press freedom. According to section 124A of the IPC, whoever attempts to frame conspiracy and sedition against the government established by British India was punishable under law. Earlier Bal Gangadhar Tilak and later Mahatma Gandhi were arrested under this booked under this law. Further, the Vernacular press act of 1878, aimed to zip only the regional language newspapers, prohibited them from publishing seditious materials and warned them of confiscation of press and imprisonment.

In such circumstances, the nationalist leaders and press devised innovative ways to combat the restrictions.  The arrest of leaders resulted in country wide mass agitation. Responding to the Vernacular press act, Amrita Bazar Patrika, a bengali daily converted itself overnight into a english language newspaper. Tilak and Motilal Ghosh had mastered a new way of writing where government policies were subjected to sharp criticism but in a way written by a friendly well wisher.

Dadabhai Naroji through 'Voice of India openly criticized the economic policies and spread his drain theory. Junta could relate money being siphoned from one land to another was the easiest way of explaining the reason of dwindling economic state.

Satyendranath Banerjee criticized a calcutta high court judge for hurting Hindu sentiments by ordering to produce a deity's idol, saligram, in the court to determine its age. Banerjee was subsequently arrested. But, this led to a  large scale public demonstration and agitation against the government.

BG Tilak was an epitome of militant nationalism through his press. In his publication of Kesari and Mahratta, he called for celebrating the traditional Ganpati festival in community, thereby developing a new way of public gathering which remains popular till date.  His stand for the cause of cotton farmers when excise was imposed on cotton and appeal to the mass for boycotting foreign goods made him Lokmanya. He stood tall and advocated his views expressed through newspapers.

There are such countless examples of both individuals and institutions fighting for the cause of people. The causes of these protests might have been different but all of them hit the national sentiment adding one brick at a time to the national building. Without press or its freedom the task of spreading the nationalist ideology would have been impossible.