Concept Notes 1: Awakening Resistance: From the 1857 Uprising to Early Nationalism
The Indian National Movement was not an overnight political event; it was the historic culmination of decades of armed revolts, intellectual awakening, and mass political mobilization against British colonial exploitation.
1. The Great Uprising of 1857
Known as the First War of Indian Independence, the 1857 Revolt erupted across Northern and Central India:
- Immediate Spark: Introduction of the Enfield rifle cartridge greased with animal fat (cow and pig fat), offending the religious sentiments of Hindu and Muslim sepoys at Barrackpore (Mangal Pandey) and Meerut.
- Underlying Causes:
- Political: Lord Dalhousie's aggressive 'Doctrine of Lapse' (annexing Satara, Sambalpur, Jhansi, Nagpur) and the arbitrary deposition of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah of Awadh.
- Economic: Ruin of indigenous artisanal weavers, exorbitant land revenue systems (Zamindari/Ryotwari), and massive peasant indebtedness.
- Military Discrimination: Sepoys were denied promotions, received low wages compared to British soldiers, and faced loss of caste through mandatory overseas service.
- Key Leaders: Rani Lakshmibai (Jhansi), Begum Hazrat Mahal (Lucknow), Nana Saheb and Tantia Tope (Kanpur), Kunwar Singh (Bihar), and Bakht Khan (Delhi).
- Consequences: The British Crown passed the Government of India Act 1858, abolishing the East India Company and placing India directly under Queen Victoria, represented by the Viceroy.
2. Emergence of Organized Nationalism & The INC (1885)
In the late 19th century, unified communication (railways, telegraphs), print journalism in vernacular languages, and exposure to western political philosophies fostered a pan-Indian consciousness:
- Founding of the Indian National Congress (INC): Established in December 1885 at Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College in Bombay, attended by 72 delegates under the presidency of Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee, facilitated by retired civil servant A.O. Hume.
- The Moderate Phase (1885–1905):
- Leaders: Dadabhai Naoroji, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Surendranath Banerjea, Pherozeshah Mehta.
- Strategy: Constitutional agitation through prayers, petitions, public speeches, and press articles ('3 Ps').
- Major Contribution: Dadabhai Naoroji formulated the Drain of Wealth Theory in his book Poverty and Un-British Rule in India, scientifically proving how British colonialism siphoned India's resources to Britain without adequate economic return.
3. The Radical Phase & The Swadeshi Movement (1905–1919)
- Partition of Bengal (1905): Viceroy Lord Curzon partitioned Bengal on communal lines, claiming administrative efficiency.
- The Extremist / Assertive Nationalists: Led by the famous triumvirate Lal-Bal-Pal (Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal) and Aurobindo Ghosh. Tilak proclaimed the electrifying slogan: "Swaraj is my birthright, and I shall have it!"
- Swadeshi & Boycott: Urged the burning of foreign Manchester textiles, promotion of indigenous handloom industries, and the founding of national schools and colleges.