Nationalism in India: A Historical Overview

Nationalism in India

• Modern nationalism in Europe is associated with the formation of nation-states.
• The growth of modern nationalism in India is intimately connected to the anti-colonial movement.
• The sense of being oppressed under colonialism provided a shared bond.
• Each class and group felt the effects of colonialism differently.
• The Congress under Mahatma Gandhi tried to forge groups together within one movement.
• The Rowlatt Act in 1919 led to widespread satyagraha which was mostly limited to cities and towns.
• Gandhiji felt a need to launch a broader movement, bringing Hindus and Muslims together.
• The Khilafat issue, which was the defeat of Ottoman Turkey in World War I, provided an opportunity to bring Muslims under a unified national movement.
• The government responded with brutal repression to the Rowlatt Satyagraha, using tactics like forcing individuals to rub their noses on the ground, crawl on the streets, and salute British officers.
• The government also responded with brutal repression to the Khilafat movement, attacking peaceful Satyagrahis and arresting over 100,000 people.
• Gandhiji called off the movement and entered into a pact with Irwin in 1931 (Gandhi-Irwin Pact) agreeing to participate in the Round Table Conference, which led to the release of political prisoners.
• The negotiations at the Round Table Conference in London broke down, leading to a new cycle of government repression against India's independence movement.
• Mahatma Gandhi relaunched the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1932.
• Many nationalists believed that the struggle against the British could not be won through non-violence, leading to the formation of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army (HSRA) in 1928 by leaders like Bhagat Singh, Jatin Das, and Ajoy Ghosh.
• The Swadeshi movement in Bengal saw the creation of a tricolour flag (red, green and yellow) with eight lotuses representing the provinces of British India and a crescent moon representing Hindus and Muslims.
• Gandhiji designed the Swaraj flag in 1921, a tricolour (red, green and white) with a spinning wheel in the center, representing self-help.
• By the late 19th century, Indians started reinterpreting history to instill a sense of national pride.
• The British saw Indians as incapable of governing themselves, leading Indians to discover their past achievements.
• The Congress continuously attempted to resolve differences between groups and ensure that the demands of one group did not alienate others.
• The unity within the movement often broke down due to diverse grievances and understandings of freedom.
• The Quit India Movement was launched by Gandhiji in 1942 in response to the failure of the Cripps Mission and the effects of World War II.
• The Congress Working Committee passed the Quit India resolution demanding the immediate transfer of power to Indians and the withdrawal of British rule.
• The Quit India movement brought the state machinery to a standstill in large parts of the country.
• The movement saw the participation of students, workers, and peasants.
• Leaders like Jayprakash Narayan, Aruna Asaf Ali, and Ram Manohar Lohia, along with women like Matangini Hazra, Kanaklata Barua, and Rama Devi played significant roles.
• The British responded with force, taking over a year to suppress the movement.

The Significance of Symbolism

• Carrying flags and national symbols became a symbol of defiance.
• Icons and symbols played an integral role in unifying people and inspiring a sense of nationalism.
• Nationalists reinterpreted history to instill a sense of pride in the nation.
• Bharat Mata, a figure representing Mother India, became a powerful symbol of the freedom struggle.
• The "Do or Die" speech by Gandhiji on August 8, 1942, inspired a wave of mass resistance.
• The Quit India movement was a testament to the growing sentiment for freedom and self-rule in India.