Home Rule Movement
The Home Rule Movement was the Indian response to the First World War in a less charged but more effective way than the response of Indians living abroad which took the form of the romantic Ghadr adventure.
- Two Indian Home Rule Leagues were organised on the lines of the Irish Home Rule Leagues and they represented the emergence of a new trend of aggressive politics. Annie Besant and Tilak were the pioneers of this new trend.
- The League campaign aimed to convey to the common man the message of home rule as self-government.
- It carried a much wider appeal than the earlier mobilisations had and also attracted the hitherto ‘politically backward’ regions of Gujarat and Sindh.
- The aim was to be achieved by promoting political education and discussion through public meetings, organizing libraries and reading rooms containing books on national politics, holding conferences, organising classes for students on politics, carrying out propaganda through newspapers, pamphlets, posters, illustrated post-cards, plays, religious songs, etc., collecting funds, organising social work, and participating in local government activities.
- The Russian Revolution of 1917 proved to be an added advantage for the Home Rule campaign.
- The Home Rule agitation was later joined by Motilal Nehru, Jawaharlal Nehru, Bhulabhai Desai, Chittaranjan Das, Madan Mohan Malaviya, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Tej BahadurSapru and Lala Lajpat Rai. Some of these leaders became heads of local branches.
Government Attitude
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The government came down with severe repression, especially in Madras where the students were prohibited from attending political meetings.
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A case was instituted against Tilak which was, however, rescinded by the high court. Tilak was barred from entering the Punjab and Delhi.
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In June 1917, Annie Besant and her associates, B.P. Wadia and George Arundale, were arrested.
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This invited nationwide protest. In a dramatic gesture, Sir S. Subramaniya Aiyar renounced his knighthood while Tilak advocated a program of passive resistance.