Page 73 - SST Class 08
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THE NATIONALIST REVOLUTIONARIES
The reactionary policy of the British developed
deep hatred in a section of younger generation of
India. Many young people chose the path of
violence to gain independence. They were
convinced that the petitions and protests were not
Bhai Mohammad Sohan Singh
enough to remove the British from India. These
Paramanand Barkatulla Bhakna
people are called revolutionaries .
These leaders decided to raise an armed rebellion.
The centres of activities for these revolutionaries They collected money and bought arms and
were Punjab, Maharashtra and Bengal. They ammunition. They sent a large number of
believed that India could achieve freedom by an
volunteers to India in 1915. However, the British
organised violent movement, for which they were came to know of the plan. Consequently, many
ready to receive even some foreign support. They volunteers were imprisoned and executed.
wanted to strike terror in the British. They targeted
unpopular British officers. First World War
In April 1908, an attempt was made to kill The First World War was fought from 1914 to
Kingsford, the magistrate of Muzaffarpur in Bihar, 1918. Britain declared India a party to the war. It
but he escaped. In this case, Prafulla Chaki and declared that the war was being fought for the
Khudiram Bose were accused. The former defence of liberty and democracy in the world.
committed suicide while the latter was hanged to The Congress cooperated with the British
death. In 1912, a bomb was hurled at Lord Hardinge government in its war effort with the hope that
when he was passing through Chandni Chowk in India would be granted self-government after the
Delhi. He escaped, but four revolutionaries were war. But this was not to be.
hanged to death in this case. You can see that the
British government was very harsh on these Just Think!
revolutionaries. The punishment meted out to these
revolutionaries exceeded by all accounts. Why did India become a party to the First World
War?
Many Indian revolutionaries worked in other
countries, such as the US, Germany, Indo-China, Lucknow Pact, 1916
Singapore, Middle East etc. The important of these
In 1916, the Congress and the
revolutionaries were V.D. Savarkar, Lala Hardayal, Muslim League came to an
Madan Lal Dhingra, Madam Bhikaji Cama, understanding with each other
Rashbehari Bose, Obeidulla Sindhi etc.
and signed the Lucknow Pact.
Ghadar Party The Congress accepted the
major demands of Muhammad
The revolutionaries who migrated to the US and
Canada did some useful work there. They formed Ali Jinnah, the President of the Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Muslim League. The Congress accepted the
the Ghadar Party. These revolutionaries were Lala demand for separate representations for the
Hardayal, Bhai Paramanand, Mohammad
Barkatulla, Sohan Singh Bhakna etc. Muslims in the councils. The two parties decided
to join the national movement.
Another important event of 1916 was that the
moderates and the extremists resolved their
differences at the Congress Session in Lucknow.
Home Rule Movement
V.D. Savarkar Lala Hardayal Madam Bhikaji Cama In 1916, some leaders decided to hold movement
Nationalist Movement (1885-1919)
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