The closing decade of the
19th century and early years of the 20th century witnessed the emergence of a
new and younger group within the Indian National Congress which were sharply
critical of the ideology and methods of the older leadership. These angry young
men advocated the adoption of Swaraj as the goal of the
Congress to be achieved by more self-reliant and independent method. The new
group came to be called as extremist group.
Causes
for the rise of Extremism or Militant Nationalism:
1. Understanding
of the True Nature of British Rule : By
is their studies and writings, the early nationalist leaders have exposed the
true nature of British rule in India. They repeatedly prove by study Calcutta
that British rule and its policies were responsible for decrease in economic
growth of India and poverty. All this led to great anger among the youths.
2. Discontent
over the Council Act of 1892 : The political events from
years 1892 to 1905 also disappointed nationalist and forced them to think of
more radical politics. The Indian Council Act of 1892 was a completed
disappointment. In 1898 law was passed making it offance to excite
"feeling of this affection" towards the foreign government. In 1899,
the number of Indian members in the Calcutta Corporation was reduced from 75 to
50. The 25 members who were eliminated over those persons who were the
representatives of the people of Calcutta. Even socially and culturally, the British rule was no longer progressive.
Primary and technical education was not making any progress. The Indian
Universities act of 1904 was seen by the nationalist as an attempt to bring the
Indian universities under tighter official control and to check the growth of
higher education.
3. Increasing
westernisation : The intellectual and emotional inspiration of
the new leadership was Indian. The drain special from Indian spiritual
heritage, they appealed to heroes of the Indian history and hope to revive the
glories of ancient India. The writing of Bankim Chandera, Vivekananda and Swami
Dayanand appealed to their imagination.
4. Dissatisfaction
with the performance of the Congress : The
younger elements within the Congress were dissatisfied with the achievements of
the Congress during the first 15 to 20 years and were disgusted with called and
reactionary attitude of the government. They have lost all faith in the British
sense of justice and fair play.
5. International
influences : Events outside Indian exercised a powerful
influence on the growth of militant nationalism in India. The humiliating
treatment to Indians in British colonies, especially in South Africa created
and they British fillings. Further national movements in the Egypt, Persia,
Turkey and Russia gave Indians new hopes and new inspirations. The rise of
modern Japan after 1868 showed that a backward Asian country could develop
itself without Western control.
6. Militant
Nationalism and revival of Hinduism :
From almost the beginning, of the national movement School of militant
nationalism represented by Rajnarain Bose and Ashwini Kumar Dutt in Bengal and
Vishnu Shastri Chiplunkar in Maharashtra had existed in the country. The most
outstanding representative of the school was Bal Gangadhar Tilak, later
popularly known as "Lokmanya Tilak".
7. Growth
of Education : The growth of a patient in Indian increased
the influence of Western ideas of democracy, nationalism and that radicalism.
He educated Indians became the strongest advocates of military nationalism. The
treatment given to them by the foreigners added to the bitterness. They were
low paid. Many of them were unemployed. They felt very strongly the foreigners
domination. There was a feeling in the country that self-government was
necessity for the economic, political and cultural advancement of the country.
8. Growth
of self-respect : Leaders like Tilak and B.C pal preached the
message of self-respect and asked the nationalist to rely on the connector and
capacities of the Indian people. They called upon the people to build their own
future by their owner efforts.
9. Famine : The
big famine occurred in India in 1896-97. It affected about 20 million people
spread over in different parts of India. The British government's apathy
towards people's sufferings created severe discontent among people of India.
The failure to check plagues infuriated people to such an extent that Damodar
Hari Chapekar shot dead Rand, the Commissioner of Poona.