The Nationalists and the First World War

Context:

World War I (1914–1918):
- Allies → Britain, France, Italy, Russia, Japan, USA.
- Central Powers → Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey.
For India, the war meant:
- A chance for nationalists to press their demands.
- A chance for revolutionaries to exploit Britain’s difficulties.

🔹 Initial Support of Indian Nationalists

Leaders like Lokamanya Tilak and later Annie Besant initially supported the British war effort.
Why? Not out of loyalty, but out of a political calculation:
- They hoped Britain would reward India’s support with self-government (Swaraj).
But this was a mistaken belief — because the war was being fought for colonial preservation, not liberty.

👉 Lesson: Indian moderates miscalculated. Revolutionaries, however, saw the war as the right opportunity to strike at the British.

🔥 The Ghadar Movement

Formation (1913)

Indian revolutionaries in USA and Canada founded the Ghadar Party (meaning Rebellion).
Composition: Mainly Punjabi Sikh peasants and ex-soldiers who had emigrated for work but faced:
- Harsh racial discrimination.
- Restrictive immigration laws.

🌍 Background

Punjabi immigration to Pacific Coast (North America) since 1904.
Local hostility and racist laws convinced them they must organise politically.

👉 They noticed a double standard:

British encouraged Indians to migrate to places like Fiji (for plantation labour),
But discouraged migration to North America, fearing exposure to ideas of liberty and equality.

📢 Early Activities

📰 Revolutionary Journalism

Tarak Nath Das: Started Free Hindustan (Vancouver).
G.D. Kumar: Started Swadesh Sevak in Gurmukhi, urging social reform and even revolt by Indian soldiers.

🏠 Organisations

Swadesh Sewak Home (1909, Vancouver) → Hostel + meeting point for revolutionaries (like India House in London).
United India House (1910, Seattle, USA) → Started by Das & Kumar. Weekly lectures given to Indian labourers about freedom.

🤝 Connections

Built ties with Khalsa Diwan Society (a Sikh reform and political organisation).
In 1913, decided to send a deputation to London and India:
- Failed to meet British Colonial Secretary.
- But met the Viceroy and Punjab Lieutenant Governor.
- Their Punjab tour became a mass awareness campaign, attracting press support and public enthusiasm.

🔥 Arrival of Bhagwan Singh (1913)

A Sikh priest from Hong Kong & Malaya, came to Vancouver.
Openly preached violent overthrow of British rule.
His fiery speeches created such an impact that:
- He was expelled from Canada within 3 months.
- But his revolutionary message deeply influenced the Sikh migrants.

🌍 The Ghadar Party and Its Revolutionary Attempt

Towards Organisation (1913)

Indian immigrants in North America felt the need for a central body and strong leadership.
They found their leader in Lala Har Dayal, a brilliant intellectual, political exile, and Stanford lecturer.
In May 1913, the Hindi Association was formed in Portland → later renamed Hindustan Ghadar Party.
Key leaders:
- Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna → President.
- Lala Har Dayal → General Secretary.
- Pandit Kanshi Ram Maroli → Treasurer.
HQ → Yugantar Ashram, San Francisco.
Started a weekly paper Ghadar (Revolt), funded by $10,000 contributions from the community.

👉 Ideology: Strongly secular. Despite being mostly Punjabi Sikhs, they declared:

“We were not Sikhs or Punjabis. Our religion was patriotism.” – Sohan Singh Bhakna

👉 Presence: Members spread across Canada, USA, Mexico, Japan, Malaya, Singapore, Thailand, Indo-China, East & South Africa.

📰 Launching of Ghadar (1913)

First issue: 1 November 1913 (in Urdu), followed by Gurmukhi edition.
Motto: “Angrezi Raj ka Dushman” (Enemy of British Rule).
Each issue had: “Angrezi Raj ka Kacha Chittha” → 14 points exposing British exploitation.
Wide circulation: Reached immigrant communities worldwide and even India.
Poems compiled in Ghadar ki Goonj → sung at meetings, spreading revolutionary passion.

🔥 Turning Points in 1914

1. Lala Har Dayal’s Arrest

Arrested in March 1914 (ostensibly for anarchism, but clearly at Britain’s behest).
Released on bail, escaped to Switzerland.
His removal was a blow, but the movement survived.

2. Komagata Maru Incident (1914)

Gurdit Singh, a contractor from Singapore, chartered a Japanese ship Komagata Maru with 376 Indian passengers.
Goal: Bypass racist Canadian “continuous journey” law (which made direct entry from India impossible).
Ghadar activists met the ship, gave lectures and literature.
But:
- Canadian press warned of “Asiatic invasion.”
- The ship was blocked, police cordoned it off.
Despite campaigns by Husain Rahim, Sohan Lal Pathak, Balwant Singh (Vancouver) and Barkatullah, Bhagwan Singh, Ram Chandra (USA), the ship was forced back.
When it reached Calcutta, police provoked a clash → 18 killed, 202 arrested.
Result: Deep resentment, and further radicalisation.

3. Outbreak of World War I (August 1914)

Britain’s weakness = opportunity.
Ghadar Party issued Ailan-e-Jung (Proclamation of War).
Thousands of emigrants decided to sail back to India.
Funds poured in; men sold land, gave lifelong savings.
Contacts built with Indian soldiers in Far East, Southeast Asia, and India.

⚔️ The Final Push (1914–15)

Return to Punjab

Government carefully screened returnees, but many slipped through.
Kartar Singh Sarabha, a 19-year-old student from USA and sub-editor of Ghadar, emerged as a fiery organiser.
He toured villages, distributed literature, mobilised youth and emigrants.

👉 But: Punjab peasants were cautious, not ready for such a “romantic adventure.”

Attempts at Revolt

Focus shifted to Indian soldiers.
November 1914: First attempt at mutiny → failed due to poor organisation.
February 1915: A more organised revolt planned under Rash Behari Bose (who had led the 1912 Hardinge Bomb attempt).
- Revolt date fixed for 21 February 1915.
- But: British intelligence infiltrated → plans betrayed.
- Regiments disbanded, leaders arrested.
- 12 men of the 23rd Cavalry executed.

👉 Rash Behari Bose escaped (later fled to Japan). But most leaders were caught.

❌ Collapse of the Ghadar Movement

Brutal repression: mass arrests, executions, imprisonments.
Kartar Singh Sarabha was hanged at age 19 → became a symbol of sacrifice.
By mid-1915, the movement inside India was crushed.

✨ Significance

Ghadar was the first truly international revolutionary movement for Indian independence.
It was secular, modern, and uncompromising in its goal of armed struggle.
Though it failed, it inspired later revolutionaries (Bhagat Singh regarded Sarabha as his guru).
It showed the potential of diaspora nationalism, linking India with Indians abroad.

👉 So, the Ghadar story ends in tragedy but leaves behind a legacy of sacrifice and revolutionary fervour.

🌍 The Repression of the Ghadar Movement

Brutal Crackdown

In Punjab, the British unleashed mass arrests and trials.
Results:
- 42 Ghadarites hanged
- 114 transported for life (sent to Andamans, etc.)
- 93 imprisoned for long terms
Some leaders, after release, went on to found Kirti movement and later played roles in the Communist movement in Punjab.

👉 Prominent Ghadarites: Baba Gurmukh Singh, Kartar Singh Sarabha, Sohan Singh Bhakna, Rahmat Ali Shah, Bhai Parmanand, Mohammad Barkatullah.

Mutiny in Singapore (1915)

Inspired by Ghadarites, 700 men of the 5th Light Infantry revolted on 15 February 1915.
Leaders: Jamadar Chisti Khan and Subedar Dundey Khan.
Suppressed after a bitter battle.
Punishment:
- 37 executed publicly
- 41 transported for life

👉 Shows how far the revolutionary wave spread — even Indian soldiers in Singapore were influenced.

🔎 Analysis of the Ghadar Movement

Many ask: Was the Ghadar Movement a failure because it did not overthrow British rule?

If yes, then even Non-Cooperation (1920–22), Civil Disobedience (1930–34), and Quit India (1942) would be “failures,” because none immediately delivered freedom.
But historically, we judge movements by their impact on national consciousness, not just immediate results.

By this standard, Ghadar was a landmark.

✨ Achievements of the Ghadar Movement

Popularising Nationalist Ideology
- Spread the understanding that British rule = root cause of poverty and backwardness.
- Did this not just in India, but among Indians abroad.
Creating a Cadre of Nationalists
- Built a strong, motivated group of revolutionaries.
- Many later helped in peasant struggles and leftist movements in Punjab.
Egalitarian & Democratic Ideology
- Called for an independent republic in India.
- Ideals: equality, democracy, anti-exploitation.
Secular Outlook
- Though mostly Sikh peasants, they welcomed Hindus, Muslims, Bengalis.
- Leaders: Har Dayal (Hindu), Barkatullah (Muslim), Rash Behari Bose (Bengali Hindu).
- Rejected colonial labels like “martial race.”
- Patriotism = true religion.
Counteracting Communalism
- Rejected Hindu-Muslim divisions.
- Popularised Bande Mataram as a unifying slogan, not sectarian greetings.
Rallying Cry for Nationalism
- Created a culture of sacrifice, fearlessness, and unity.
- Inspired later revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh (who called Kartar Singh Sarabha his “guru”).

⚠️ Weaknesses of the Ghadar Movement

Overestimation of Readiness
- Called for revolt too soon, without adequate preparation.
Misleading Response from Abroad
- Punjabi migrants in USA/Canada were fired up because of racism → Ghadar leaders assumed Indians back home were equally ready. But in reality, the masses in Punjab were not prepared for a sudden armed rebellion.
Underestimation of British Power
- Believed a single call to action could spark mutiny and mass uprising.
- Did not grasp the deeply entrenched military-administrative machinery of the Raj.
Heavy Costs
- Brutal suppression removed a whole generation of committed revolutionaries.
- If these leaders had survived, they might have checked communal tendencies that later divided the movement.

🌟 Conclusion

The Ghadar Movement was not a failure — it was a torchbearer of militant nationalism, laying down traditions of:

Secularism
Equality
Sacrifice
Globalised struggle

It did not win independence in 1915, but it kept the flame alive, ensured that the idea of freedom through sacrifice survived, and inspired future generations.

🌟 Tilak’s Return (1914): A Changed Leader

After six years in Mandalay Jail (Burma), Tilak returned in June 1914, transformed:

Secular Approach:
- His speeches dropped religious appeals.
- Defined alienness not by religion but by conflicting interests.
- Quote: “If someone helps the people in this country, whether they are Muslim or English, they are not an alien.”
Inclusivity:
- Opposed linguistic chauvinism → supported education in vernacular languages.
- Linked Swaraj with the idea of linguistic states.
Against Untouchability:
- “If a god were to tolerate untouchability, I would not recognise him as God.”
Rejected caste bias:
- Urged Brahmins not to resist non-Brahmin demands.
- Urged non-Brahmins to see their problems not as Brahmin oppression but as unequal access to education.

👉 Tilak had clearly matured into a nationalist statesman, broad, secular, and inclusive.

🏛 Lucknow Session of the Congress (1916)

Presided by Ambica Charan Mazumdar.
First Congress session attended by Gandhiji after his return from South Africa (1915).

Reunion of Moderates and Extremists

The Surat Split (1907) had benefited the British:
- Extremists were crushed.
- Moderates ignored with half-hearted reforms.
After Tilak’s release (1914), many leaders realised unity was essential.

Efforts by Tilak

Focused on re-entry of Extremists into INC.
Reassured Moderates and government:
- “We seek administrative reforms, not overthrow of government.”
- Declared loyalty to the Crown, condemned violence.

Efforts by Annie Besant

Inspired by the Irish Home Rule model.
Urged Moderates to accept Extremists back.
By 1915, launched separate campaigns through newspapers and associations.

Moderates’ Shift

After Pherozeshah Mehta’s death (1915), opposition to Extremists weakened.
By 1915 Congress session, Extremists were readmitted.
Finally, at Lucknow (1916), Moderates and Extremists reunited.

🤝 The Lucknow Pact (1916)

This was the most dramatic outcome of the Lucknow session — the Congress and Muslim League came together for the first time.

Why Unity?

Though ideologically different, both sides wanted constitutional reforms from Britain.
Tilak and Mohammad Ali Jinnah played key roles in bridging divides.
Annie Besant also worked behind the scenes.
Sarojini Naidu hailed Jinnah as the “Ambassador of Hindu-Muslim Unity.”

Demands

More constitutional reforms.
50% Indians in the Viceroy’s and Governors’ Executive Councils.

Separate Electorates

Both Congress and League jointly accepted separate electorates for Muslims.
Seen as:
- A gesture to reassure minorities of protection.
- But also a dangerous precedent, as it reinforced communal divisions.

🌟 Importance of the Lucknow Pact

Political Unity: First and only time Congress and League worked together wholeheartedly.
Hindu-Muslim Unity: Marked a new high point, creating hope for joint struggle.
Communalism’s Entry: By conceding separate electorates, Congress inadvertently strengthened communal politics.

👉 So, the Lucknow Pact was both a milestone of unity and a seed of future division.

✅ In short:

Tilak returned as a more inclusive and secular leader.
Extremists and Moderates were reunited.
Congress and League came together under the Lucknow Pact (1916) — a rare but short-lived moment of Hindu-Muslim unity.

Indian Home Rule Movement (1916–1918)

🌍 Background: Why Home Rule, Why Now?

World War I (1914–18) created new political openings.
Indian leaders realised: Britain would not grant reforms voluntarily unless there was widespread public pressure.
Learning from the Irish Home Rule Movement, Tilak and Annie Besant launched parallel but coordinated campaigns in 1916.
Objective: Self-government (Home Rule) within the British Commonwealth — not full independence yet, but an Indian-run government under British suzerainty.

🔹 Tilak’s Home Rule League (April 1916)

Founded at the Bombay Provincial Conference, Belgaum. HQ: Poona.
Area: Maharashtra (excluding Bombay city), Karnataka, Central Provinces, and Berar.
Tilak toured villages, explained Home Rule in vernacular languages, and tied Swaraj with linguistic states.
Famous slogan: “Home Rule is my birthright, and I shall have it.”
By April 1917 → membership: 14,000+.
Defended by Jinnah in a sedition case; acquittal gave legitimacy to the movement.

Annie Besant’s Home Rule League (September 1916)

Annie Besant (theosophist, educationist, social reformer) → deeply influenced by Irish nationalism.
HQ: Adyar, Madras. Organising Secretary: George Arundale.
Area: Rest of India (including Bombay city).
Loosely organised but wide: 200 branches by 1917.
Publications: New India and Commonweal.
Supporters included: Jawaharlal Nehru (Allahabad), B. Chakravarti, J. Banerjee (Calcutta).
By March 1917 → membership: 7,000.

🔹 Joint Effort

At the end of the Lucknow Session (1916), both leagues held a joint convention → 1,000+ delegates, addressed by Tilak & Besant.
Spread political education: libraries, pamphlets, study circles, village meetings, student classes, fundraising.

🔥 Government Repression & People’s Response

1917: Besant, Arundale, B.P. Wadia arrested → massive protests nationwide.
S. Subramania Aiyar renounced his knighthood.
Jinnah, Surendranath Banerjee, Madan Mohan Malaviya joined movement.
Tilak advocated passive resistance / civil disobedience if detainees weren’t freed.
Gandhi proposed: collect signatures of 1,000 men willing to defy internment orders → symbolic step toward later satyagraha.

🏛 Change in British Attitude

Secretary of State Edwin Montagu’s declaration (August 1917):

Policy of His Majesty’s Government is the gradual development of self-governing institutions with the ultimate goal of responsible government in India.

A distinct advance from Morley (1909), who had denied self-government as a goal.
Annie Besant released (Sept 1917). Later became Congress President (1917, Calcutta session) — first Englishwoman to hold this post.

📉 Decline of the Movement (1918 onwards)

Moderates withdrew support → satisfied with Montagu’s promise.
Besant vacillated → sometimes rejected reforms, sometimes urged acceptance.
Tilak left for England (1918) to fight a libel case (Valentine Chirol’s Indian Unrest) → leadership weakened.
Post-war → Gandhi’s rise shifted focus to mass satyagraha.

In 1920, Gandhi took over the All India Home Rule League, renamed it Swarajya Sabha, and merged it into Congress.

🌟 Achievements of the Home Rule Movement

Kept the spirit of nationalism alive during World War I.
Popularised the demand for Home Rule/Self-government.
Used peaceful propaganda and education rather than violence.
Prepared a network of cadres, study circles, and branches → later crucial for Gandhian movements.
Made Swaraj a mass slogan, not just an elite aspiration.
Linked urban intellectuals with rural masses.

✅ In short: The Home Rule Leagues were transitional bridges — between the early 1900s Extremist-Moderate phase and Gandhi’s 1920s mass satyagrahas. They gave Swaraj a practical organisational shape and a powerful emotional slogan.