The Making of the National Movement

1870s-1947
Question 1
Why were people dissatisfied with British rule in the 1870s and 1880s?
Solution
The dissatisfaction with British rule intensified in the 1870s and 1880s. The main reason was the
two Acts was passed by the British.

 The Arms Act, 1878

The Arms Act disallowed Indians from possessing arms and the Vernacular Press Act allowed the
government to confiscate the assets of newspapers including their printing presses if the newspapers
published anything that was found “objectionable”.

Question 2
Who did the Indian National Congress wish to speak for?
Solution
Indian National Congress wished to speak for all the people of India, irrespective of class, colour, caste,
creed, language, or gender. It stated that India, its resources and systems were not of any one class or
community of India, but of all the different communities of India.
Question 3
What economic impact did the First World War have on India?
Solution
The First World War changed the economic and political situation in India. There was a huge rise in the
defence expenditure of the Government of India. The government increased taxes on individuals and
businesses. The price of all commodities increased putting the common man into a lot of hardship. There
was a great demand for industrial goods due to the war and this resulted in the decline of European goods
being imported into India. This in turn gave the Indian industrialists a chance to expand their production.
Question 4
What did the Muslim League re Solution of 1940 ask for?
Solution
In 1940 the Muslim League passed a re Solution demanding “Independent States” for Muslims in the
north-western and eastern areas of the country. The re Solution did not mention partition or Pakistan.
Question 5
Who were the Moderates? How did they propose to struggle against British rule?
Solution
During the first 20 years, after it was formed the Congress was “moderate” in its objectives and methods.
Some of the ‘Moderate’ leaders were Dadabhai Naoroji, Pherozeshah Mehta, Badruddin Tyabji, W.C.
Bonnerji, Surendranath Banerji, Romesh Chandra Dutt and S. Subramania Iyer.
They proposed to struggle against the British in a non- violent manner, which the Radicals called the
“politics of prayers”.
The Moderate leaders wanted to develop public awareness about the unjust nature of British rule. They
published newspapers, wrote articles, and showed how British rule was leading to the economic ruin of
the country. They criticised British rule in their speeches and sent representatives to different parts of the
country to mobilise public opinion. They felt that the British had respect for the ideals of freedom and
justice, and so they would accept the just demands of Indians. What was necessary, therefore, was to
express these demands, and make the government aware of the feelings of Indians.
Question 6
How was the politics of the Radicals within the Congress different from that of the Moderates?
Solution
In Bengal, Maharashtra and Punjab, many leaders adapted more radical means to gain freedom from the
British. They were Bepin Chandra Pal, Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Lala Lajpat Rai
Bepin Chandra Pal, Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Lala Lajpat Rai were known as the Triumvirate or the three
militant patriots of the Congresses – “Lal Bal Pal”. The trio was responsible for initiating the first popular
upsurge against British colonial policy in the 1905 partition of Bengal, before the advent of Gandhi into
Indian politics. Bepin Chandra Pal was also the founder of the nationalistic journal Bande Mataram.
They argued that people must rely on their own strength, not on the “good” intentions of the government.
They felt that the people must fight for Swaraj.
Question 7
Discuss the various forms that the Non-Cooperation Movement took in different parts of India. How did
the people understand Gandhiji?
Solution
During 1921 and 1922 the Non-Cooperation Movement gained impetus. Thousands of students left
government controlled schools and colleges and lawyers gave up their practices. Many Indians
surrendered their British titles and Legislatures were boycotted.
People publicly burnt foreign cloth. The Non-Cooperation Movement was only a precedent to the large
scale revolt against the British that was yet to come.
Slowly people from all walks of live joined in the movement for Swaraj. Some took the route of non-
violence as advocated by Gandhiji, while others protested in their own way.
The Patidar peasants who belonged to Gujarat organised non-violent campaigns against the high land
revenue demanded by the British. In Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, liquor shops were attacked and the
tribals and poor peasants of Guntur, in Andhra Pradesh, staged forest satyagrahas, for the British did not
allow them to use the forests for grazing their cattle.
In Sind, Muslim traders and peasants supported the Khilafat call, while in Bengal the Khilafat-Non-
Cooperation alliance gave enormous communal unity and strength to the national movement. In Punjab,
the Akali agitation of the Sikhs wanted the corrupt mahants who supported by the British removed from
the Gurdwaras.
In Assam, tea garden demanded a big increase in their wages. They left the British-owned plantations
amidst declarations that they were following Gandhiji’s wish.
Many Indians regarded Gandhiji as a saviour, who would free India from the clutched of the British and
help them over come their misery and poverty. The peasants hoped that Gandhiji would help them in their
fight against zamindars. Agricultural labourers believed he would provide them land. The peasants of
Pratapgarh in the Uttar Pradesh managed to stop illegal eviction of tenants; but they felt it was Gandhiji
who had won this demand for them. Many a time peasants used Gandhi’s name and indulged in un-
Gandhian activities.
Question 8
Why did Gandhiji choose to break the salt law?
Solution
The British introduced a law stating that the Government had control over the manufacture and sale of
salt. It also imposed a tax on the sale of salt. Mahatma Gandhi and other national leaders felt that it was
wrong to impose tax on salt which was an essential commodity for food. The leaders decided to oppose
this tax.
In 1930, Gandhiji declared that he would lead a march to break the salt law. The Salt March was related to
the desire for freedom felt by everyone, the rich and the poor alike.
Gandhiji and his followers marched for over 240 miles from Sabarmati to the coastal town of Dandi
where they broke the government law by gathering natural salt found on the seashore, and boiled sea
water to produce salt.
Peasants, tribals and women participated in large numbers. Pamphlets were published on the Salt
Satyagraha.
Question 9
Discuss those developments of the 1937-47 period that led to the creation of Pakistan
Solution
In 1937 the government announced elections to the provincial legislatures. The Congress was victorious
in 7 out of 11 provinces and formed governments in the 7 provinces.
A new phase of civil disobedience movement was started by Gandhiji.
The ‘Quit India was initiated. The British did their best to suppress the movement. Finally the British
began accepting the demand for freedom by the Indians.

In 1940 the Muslim League passed a re Solution demanding “Independent States” for Muslims in the
north-western and eastern areas of the country.
The Muslims feared that they may be suppressed by the Hindus as the Hindus were a majority in India. A
social divide was created between the Hindus and the Muslims increased as the Congress failed to
mobilise the Muslim masses.

At the end of the Second World War in 1945, the British opened talks with the Congress, the League for
the independence of India. The talks failed because the League saw itself as the sole spokesperson of
India’s Muslims. The Congress could not accept this claim since a large number of Muslims still
supported it.

In 1946 elections to the provinces were held. The divide between the congress and the Muslim League
became more evident after the elections. The Congress did well in the “General” constituencies, at the
same time the Muslim League succeeded in areas where seats were reserved for Muslims. The League
persisted with its demand for “Pakistan”.

In March 1946 the British cabinet sent a three-member mission to Delhi to examine the best suited
political framework for a free India. It was suggested that India should remain united with some
autonomy for Muslim-majority areas. The Congress and the Muslim League were unable to come to a
consensus and partition became inevitable.
After the failure of the Cabinet Mission, the Muslim League decided on mass agitation for an independent
state of Pakistan.

It announced 16 August 1946 as “Direct Action Day”. Riots broke out in Calcutta which lasted for many
days. Thousands of people died in these riots.

By March 1947 violence spread to different parts of northern India. Many hundred thousand people were
killed and numerous women had to face atrocities.
Millions of people were forced to flee their homes.

The state of Pakistan was born. The partition brought untold misery to millions of Indians.