The Indian Home Rule
movement was a movement in British India on the lines of the Irish Home
Rule movement and other home rule movements. The movement lasted around two
years between 1916—1918 and is believed to have set the stage for the Indian
independence movement under the leadership of Annie Besant and Bal Gangadhar
Tilak to the educated English speaking upper class Indians. In 1920, All India
Home Rule League changed its name to Swarajya Sabha.
Flag –
Five red and four green
horizontal stripes. On the upper left quadrant was the Union Flag, which
signified the Dominion status that the movement sought to achieve. A crescent
and a seven-pointed star, both in white, are set in top fly. Seven white stars are
arranged as in the Saptarishi constellation (the constellation Ursa Major),
which is sacred to Hindus.
Background –
The Indian Home Rule
movement began amidst the backdrop of the ongoing First World War. The 1909
Government of India Act failed to satisfy the demands of Indian nationalist
leaders. However, the split in the congress and the absence of leaders like
Tilak, who was imprisoned in Mandalay, meant that nationalistic response to the
British policies remained tepid. By 1915, many factors set the stage for a new
phase of nationalist movement. The rise in stature of British activist Annie
Besant (who was of Irish descent and a firm supporter of the Irish Home Rule
movement), the return of Tilak from exile and the growing calls for solving the
split in congress began to stir the political scene in India. The Ghadar Mutiny
and its suppression led to an atmosphere of resentment against British colonial
rule. Wartime policies such as the 1915 Defence of India Act, which were
perceived as oppressive restrictions, also contributed to the rise of the
Indian Home Rule movement.
In context of World War I
–
Most Indians and Indian
political leaders had been divided in their response to World War I and the
Indian soldiers fighting on behalf of the British Empire against Germany, the
Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Ottoman Empire. The latter's involvement irked
India's Muslims, who saw the Sultan as the Caliph of Islam.
Many Indian
revolutionaries opposed the war, while moderates and liberals backed the war.
The issue divided India's political classes and left the increasing demand for
self-government going nowhere. Besant however declared, "England's need is
India's opportunity". As editor of the New India newspaper, she attacked
the colonial government of India and called for clear and decisive moves
towards self-rule. As with Ireland, the government refused to discuss any
changes while the war lasted. This set the stage for the movement.
Foundation –
Between 1916 and 1918,
when the war was beginning, prominent Indians like Joseph Baptista, Muhammad
Ali Jinnah, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, G. S. Khaparde, Sir S. Subramania lyer, and
the leader of the Theosophical Society, Annie Besant, decided to organize a
national alliance of leagues across India, specifically to demand Home Rule, or
self-government within the British Empire for all of India. Annie Besant an
important personality in the Ireland history created the first Irish home rule
league from which Tilak got inspired and created the first Indian home rule
league to which Besant supported Tilak found the first indian home rule league
at the Bombay provincial congress at Belgaum in April 1916. then after this
Annie Besant founded second league at Adyar Madras in September 1916. While
Tilak's league worked in areas like Maharashtra (excluding Bombay city), Karnataka,
Central provinces and Berar, Annie Besant's league worked in the rest of India.
The move created
considerable excitement at the time, and attracted many members of the Indian
National Congress and the All-India Muslim League, who had been allied since
the 1916 Lucknow Pact. The leaders of the League gave fiery speeches, and
petitions with hundreds of thousands of Indians as signatories were submitted
to British authorities. Unification of moderates and radicals as well as unity
between Muslim League and Indian National Congress was a remarkable achievement
of Annie Besant.
The government arrested
Annie Besant in 1917 and this led to nationwide protests. The movement actually
spread out and made its impact in the interior villages of India. Many moderate
leaders like Muhammad Ali Jinnah joined the movement. The League spread
political awareness in new areas like Sindh, Punjab, Gujarat, United Provinces,
Central Provinces, Bihar, Orissa and Madras, which all sought an active
political movement.
The pressure of the
movement, especially after Annie Besant's arrest, led to the Montague's
declaration on 20 August 1917 which stated that "progressive realization
of responsible government in India" was the policy of the British
government.
During this time various
meetings were held in Nellore, Kurnool, Bellary, Cuddapah, Kakinada,
Rajahmundry and Vizagapatnam. In Kurnool a prominent leader, Raja Sir P. V.
Madhava Rao of Panyam has supported the home rule league. The speech given by
him in a meeting held in kurnool is highlighted here in which he thrashed the
British Government saying the (bulk of) bureaucracy has failed to understand
the needs of the people and the requirements of time. Later after the completion
of meeting's in Madras Presidency many prominent leaders gave support to the
league under the leadership of Annie Besant.
Significance and impact
of Home Rule movement in India –
In India, the Home Rule
movement resurrected Nationalist activities. It paved the way for extremists'
re-entrance into Congress. The movement put tremendous pressure on British
rule. The movement of home rule continued to provide strength to nationalist
sentiments in the future and this sequence of activities eventually resulted in
the Independence of India in 1947.
Decline –
The Movement was also
left leaderless once Tilak left for England to pursue a libel case he had filed
against Valentine Chirol and Annie Besant was largely satisfied by the promise
of Reforms.
Its further growth and
activity were stalled by the rise of Mahatma Gandhi and his Satyagraha art of
revolution: non-violent, but mass-based civil disobedience. Gandhi's Hindu
lifestyle, mannerisms and immense respect for Indian culture and the common people
of India made him immensely popular with India's common people. His victories
in leading the farmers of Champaran, Bihar and Kheda, Gujarat against the British
authorities on tax revolts made him a national hero.
After the Montagu
Declaration, also known as the August Declaration, the league agreed to suspend
its expansion of the movement. After this the moderate candidates gave up the
membership of league. The league believed that the British government will
gradually reform the administration and local representative system by ushering
in participation of local Indians.
Dissolution –
In 1920, the All India
Home Rule League merged with Congress which elected Mahatma Gandhi as its
president. Several leaders of Home Rule Movement played an important role in
the national movement when it entered a truly mass movement phase under the
leadership of Gandhi.
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