Revolutionary Nationalism 2.0

Revolutionary Nationalism 2.0

Revolutionary Nationalism 2.0 in India marks a pivotal shift towards radical methods of freedom struggle , optimized by icons like Ashfaqulla Khan, Roshan Singh Ramprasad Bismil, & Bhagat Singh. This era, infused with the spirit of sacrifice and direct action, drew form global revolutionary ideologies to challenge British Colonialism.

The non-cooperation movement failed to achieve its objective that irked the young nationalists. Dissatisfaction with Gandhiji’s direction and his method of non-violent struggle after the suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement gave fillip to the revolutionary terrorist movements.

Revolutionary Nationalism 2.0 in India marks a pivotal shift towards radical methods of freedom struggle, epitomized by icons like Bhagat Singh. This era, infused with the spirit of sacrifice and direct action, drew from global revolutionary ideologies to challenge British colonialism. Emphasizing armed resistance, assassinations, and acts of defiance, it showcased a daring commitment to achieving independence and reshaping Indian society.

Factors that led to the emergence of Revolutionary nationalism:

Frustration among the young nationalists caused by the failure of the political struggle during the early years of the 20th century resulted in revolutionary terrorism. The revolutionary terrorists believed that through passive resistance, nationalist aims could not be achieved, so they took the cult of a bomb.

As a result, two broad groups of revolutionary terrorism developed after the 1920s; one was in Punjab, Bihar, and the northern and central provinces, and the other was in Bengal.

Internal Factors:

Various internal factors led to the emergence of military nationalism as follows:

• The emergence of new social and ideological forces:

The growth of socialist ideas and groups influenced people from all over India. People’s confidence was boosted by the rise of a militant trade union movement.

• Exploitation: Government repression left no peaceful avenues open for the protest to the common masses.
• Absence of a political movement or leadership:
• The sudden suspension of the non-cooperation movement in early 1922 after the Chauri-Chaura incident led to disappointment and discontent among the young participants.
• Contemporary Leaders failed to tap the revolutionary energies of the youth.
• Many were disenchanted with Gandhi’s leadership and began questioning the basic strategy of non-violent struggle.
• During WWI, most extremist leaders like B.G.Tilak were jailed, but later, in desire of a harmonious atmosphere for Montagu-Chelmsford(1919) Reforms government released most of them under a general amnesty.

External Factors:

• Russia’s defeat at the hands of Japan inspired the Indians. This gave young Indians confidence in their fight against the British.
• The Russian nihilists also motivated the Indian revolutionaries.
• The Irish Republican Army’s violent uprising against England also stimulated the situation.

Revolutionary activities in North Indian

1. Hindustan Republican Association (HRA)

• Sachin Sanyal, Jogesh Chatterjee and Ramprasad Bismil founded HRA at Kanpur in October 1924.
• HRA aimed to organize an armed revolution and establish a “federal republic of the United States of India” with a government elected based on adult Franchise.
• The most crucial action of HRA was the Kakori Robbery in 1925. They did it to sustain their resources.
• The government’s reaction to it was very harsh. Ashfaqulla Khan, Roshan Singh Ramprasad Bismil and Rajendra Lahiri were hanged,and four others were sent to the cellular jail (Andaman) for life imprisonment.

2. Hindustan Socialist Republican Association(HSRA)

• The Hindustan Republican Association, formerly known as the Hindustan Republican Army and the Hindustan Republican Association, aimed to overthrow British Rule by insurrection and armed revolution.
• The Naujawan Sabha was deliberated as a stepping stone for those young people who later wanted to join the Hindustan Republican Association.

Activities of HSRA

• Lahore conspiracy case, December 1928
  • It is known as the Saunders murder However, Saunders was amiss as the genuine objective was James Scott, who was answerable for the lathi charge that killed Lala Lajpat Rai during the anti-Simon Commission demonstration at Lahore on October 30 1928.
  • The main culprits in this case were Bhagat Singh, Raj Guru, and Sukh Dev.
  • Bhagat Singh immediately fled from Lahore. Later, he was trailed in this Lahore Conspiracy Case when he was arrested after throwing a bomb in the Delhi Assembly.
  • Jatin Das was also imprisoned for a supplementary case in the Lahore Conspiracy Case.
• Bomb in the Central Legislative Assembly Delhi, April 1929
• Bhagat Singh and K. Dutt decided to protest against the Trade Disputes Bill and passage of the Public Safety Bill, so they threw bombs in the Assembly on April 8 1929.
• The bombs were relatively harmless as their aim was not to kill anyone. They just wanted “to make the deaf hear”.
• Bhagat Singh and Dutt did not attempt to escape as they intended to use the trial court as a platform to spread HSRA’s idea among the masses.
• When Bhagat Singh and B.K. Dutt was tried in the Assembly Bomb Case. The police merged the case with the Saunders assassination, and the trial of the Lahore Conspiracy case was also started parallel.
• Their flagrant and courageous conduct in the court won them the people’s admiration. Even the believers in ahimsa started admiring their nationalism.
• Shouting the slogan of “Inquilab Zindabad”, “Down, Down with Imperialism”, they used to enter the courtroom daily. Soon, he became a national hero.