Rise in Extremism During the Indian Freedom Struggle: Notes for UPSC

It is important for Civil Services aspirants to be well acquainted with the various factors that contributed to the rise in Extremism, which in turn had an impact on the Indian Freedom struggle.

In this article, we briefly outline these factors. We will also briefly outline some of the internal politics prevalant at the time. This will be useful when candidates attempt the Indian history segment of the IAS Exam.

Factors contributing to the Rise of Extremism during the Freedom Struggle

There were various internal and external factors that contributed towards rise in Extremism in India.

1. External/International Factors:

a) Ethiopia, had defeated Italy.
b) In 1904, Japan defeated Russia.

These two defeats broke the invincibility of the west and at the same time, it greatly encouraged Indians to overthrow British rule.

To know the difference between Extremists and the Moderates of the Indian Independence Movement, visit the linked article.

2. Internal Factors:

1. Role of Arya Samajists:

a) The entry of Arya Samajists into the INC and the Indian National Movement, created a huge uproar in terms of the cultural nationalism.

b) The Arya Samajists were the first to give the notion of Swaraj, the Arya Samajists were the first to give the notion of Swadeshi, they believed in the cultural nostalgia of the past, they laid down the theory of ‘India for Indians’.

c) Thus, the inclusion of the Arya Samajists created a wave of radical nationalism in the Indian National Movement. Most of the extremist leaders had an ‘Arya Samajist’ background.

2. Internal Politics of Maharashtra:

a). It was Gokhale Vs. Tilak. Both Gokhale and Bal Gangadhar Tilak were members of the ‘Poona Sarvajanik Sabha’, before becoming members of the INC. Gokhale was a renowned nationalist at the time.

b). Here were many admirers of Gokhale in England as well. Many of his friends were British Members of Parliament. Thus, Gokhale had an established political routine. However, Tilak, believed in the Arya Samajist notion, and believed in the idea of ‘India for Indians’. Thus, Gokhale and Tilak represented different streams.

c).Tilak used to publish two newspapers, ‘Kesari’,  and Mahratta. Kesari was in Marathi, and Mahratta was in English. In these newspapers, Tilak criticized British policies in India, and highlighted issues concerning Indian Nationalism.

d). During the Poona plague, which Tilak had criticized vehemently, he accused some of the British officers involved in inhuman treatment of the plague victims. But, he failed to provide evidence, on which Gokhale charged by referring to his reports as ‘Irresponsible Journalism’

e) So, the differences between Gokhale and Tilak had a deep impact on the Indian National Congress, and thus the INC was divided into ‘moderates’, and ‘extremists’

4) ‘Aggressive Policy of Divide and Rule’:

In the closing decade of the 19^th Century, the mass-base of Indian nationalism, was the biggest pain to the British. The British also developed the policy of ‘Aggressive Policy of Divide and Rule’, and in this regard the period of Lord Curzon and Lord Minto can be cited as an ‘aggressive’ period for the policy of ‘divide and rule’.

1. Lord Curzon passed the ‘Calcutta Corporation Act’, in this act, the British wanted to take control over the municipal activities, by nominating more and more British people to the corporation.

2. The ‘Indian Universities Act’ was passed. Senates were created in Universities, with a majority constituted by British nationals. The Senates were created to govern the administrative functions of the universities, but basically the Senates were created to know whether the Universities had become grounds for nationalist activities or not. Thus the efforts of Curzon created a rift between the Indian public and among the Indian masses.

3. Curzon wanted to create feelings of communalism, minority consciousness, which could be triggered easily against the majority. This was the divide and rule policy which had aggressively worked during the time of Curzon.

4. Curzon’s act of ‘Partition of Bengal’ was expressed with deep resentment amongst the extremists. The extremists held the moderates responsible for encouraging the British to the extent that they went ahead with the ‘Partition of Bengal’. Thus the ‘Partition of Bengal’ indicated the climax between the rift that grew between the moderates and extremists.

Likewise, there were many internal and external factors that began in the closing year of the 19^th Century, and spilled over to the 1^st decade of the 20^th Centuries, in which extremism developed very strongly in the Indian National Movement.

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