NATIONAL MOVEMENT DURING WORLD WAR I Lucknow pact

NATIONAL MOVEMENT DURING WORLD WAR I Lucknow pact – significance / main clauses / impact Home Rule Movement – Factors leading to it/ programs and activities/ impact August Declaration [ 1917] – Reasons for it/ its highlights/ responses to the declaration/ drawbacks of the declaration

• MAIN CLAUSES – LUCKNOW PACT • #DEMAND FOR SELF-GOVERNMENT BY CONGRESS AND MUSLIM LEAGUE • # ACCEPTANCE OF SEPARATE ELECTORATE DEMAND OF MUSLIM LEAGUE • # REFORMS IN IMPERIAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO INCREASE ELECTED MEMBERS • # REFORMS IN PROVINCIAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS TO INCREASE ELECTED MEMBERS • # DIRECT ELECTION EVERY FIVE YEARS FOR LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL • # NO BILL RELATED TO A COMMUNITY TO BE PASSED IF OPPOSED BY 3/4 MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. • # ABOLITION OF INDIAN COUNCIL • # SEPARATION OF EXECUTIVE & JUDICIARY

SIGNIFICANCE OF LUCKNOW PACT • UNITED THE HINDUS AND THE MUSLIMS • UNITED THE CONGRESS AND THE MUSLIM LEAGUE • BRITISH DECIDED TO APPEASE NATIONALISTS BY DECLARING INTENTION OF GIVING INDIANS RIGHT TO SELF-GOVERN [ AUGUST DECLARATION OF 1917] • MODERATES AND RADICALS UNITED – THREAT TO BRITISH • DEVELOPMENT OF SELF-GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS IN INDIA

IMPACT / DRAWBACKS OF LUCKNOW PACT • ACCEPTANCE OF SEPARATE ELECTORATE BY CONGRESS GAVE BIRTH TO TWO-NATION THEORY • THE PACT IMPLIED THAT THE CONGRESS AND THE MUSLIM LEAGUE CAME TOGETHER AS TWO DIFFERENT POLITICAL ENTITIES. • MUSLIM REPRESENTATION IN THE COUNCILS IN EXCESS • LEADERS OF CONGRESS AND THE LEAGUE DID NOT MAKE MUCH EFFORTS TO BRING THE MASSES IN THE TWO COMMUNITIES TOGETHER. • COMMUNAL VET / POWER TO OPPOSE ANY BILL IN THE LEGISLATURE COULD CREATE DIFFICULTIES

HOME RULE MOVEMENT • STARTED IN 1916 BY TILAK AND ANNIE BESANT • OBJECTIVE = TO DEMAND SELF-GOVERNMENT FOR INDIA FROM BRITISH & OBTAIN STATUS OF A DOMINION WITHIN BRITISH EMPIRE LIKE AUSTRALIA, CANADA, SOUTH AFRICA, etc.

FACTORS LEADING TO HOME RULE MOVEMENT • Tilak’s release after 6 years sentence – re-entry into Congress – his realisation that violence retarded political progress. • Annie Besant’s role – Congress member – brought moderates and radicals together – was for her efforts that Tilak joined back Congress – she wanted to start Home Rule Movement in India inspired by Irish Home Rule Movement – she was Irish / attacked the British rule through her newspapers New India and Commonweal / demanded India should be given self- government as other British colonies after the war. • The Congress split after Surat session and had become inactive • India forced to participate in world war I – wartime miseries like heavy taxation, high prices of commodities – people ready for aggressive movement against government. • No assurance from government to Indian leaders on giving autonomy.

HOME RULE LEAGUES • TILAK LAUNCHED HIS LEAGUE IN MAHARASHTRA, CENTRAL PROVINCE AND BERAR • ANNIE BESANT LAUNCHED IN REST OF INDIA. • BOTH THE LEADERS TRAVELLED ACROSS THE COUNTRY CRITICISING BRITISH GOVERNMENT’S POLICIES / CALLED FOR IMPARTING EDUCATION IN VERNACULAR LANGUAGES / SPREAD THEIR IDEAS THROUGH PUBLIC MEETINGS, NEWSPAPERS, PAMPHLETS/ TILAK ADVOCATED FORATION OF LINGUISTIC STATES

IMPORTANCE OF HOME RULE MOVEMENT • NEW LEADERS CAME TO THE FOREFRONT AND PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN INDIAN POLITICS • IT BROUGHT A LINK BETWEEN THE CITIES AND VILLAGES • SUCCESSFUL IN BRINGING THE MASSES INTO ACTION [ PREPARATION FOR MOVEMENTS UNDER GANDHI’S LEADERSHIP] – TILAK CALLED AS FORE RUNNER OF GANDHI • WOMEN ALSO PARTICIPATED IN LARGE NUMBERS – NEW WAVE OF STRUGGLE • LEAGUES CREATED FOR INDIA ABROAD • AUGUST DECLARATION – MONTAGUE CHELMSFORD REFORMS • GOVERNMENT OF INDIA ACT OF 1919 – GAVE SOME POWERS TO PROVINCIAL LEVELS.

AUGUST DECLARATION • MONTAGUE, THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIAN AFFAIRS DECLARED BEFORE THE HOUSE OF COMMONS THE INTENTION OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ON POLITICAL REFORM IN INDIA. • THIS DECLARAION CAME TO BE CALLED AS THE AUGUST DECLARATION.

REASONS FOR THE BRITISH MAKING THE AUGUST DECLARATION • BRITISH NEEDED INDIAN SUPPORT IN WORLD WAR I • COMING TOGETHER OF THE CONGRESS AND THE MUSLIM LEAGUE MADE BRITSH FEEL THREATENED • THE SUCCESS OF THE HOME – RULE MOVEMENT FORCED THE BRITISH TO OFFER SOME KIND OF POLITICAL REFORMS.

HIGHLIGHTS OF AUGUST DECLARATION INDIANS TO HAVE A CHANCE TO GET EMPLOYED IN HIGHER SERVICES USUALLY RESERVED FOR THE BRITISH. INTENTION TO GRADUALLY DEVELOP SELF- GOVERNING INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS MUNICIPALITIES AND DISTRICT BOARDS. SHOWED PROSPECTS OF WORKING FOR PROGRESSIVE REALISATION OF RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT IN INDIA. MADE IT CLEAR THAT INDIA WAS TO REMAIN AN INTEGRAL PART OF BRITISH EMPIRE

RESPONSES TO AUGUST DECLARATION • MODERATES CALLED IT THE MAGNA CARTA [ STEP TAKEN BY ENGLISH IN 1215 TOWARDS ENDING MONARCHY AND MOVING TO DEMOCRACY] • RADICALS NOT HOPEFUL – DEMANDED IMMEDIATE INTRODUCTION OF BILL FOR SELF-GOVERNMENT – NOT LATER THAN 1928 • DEPRESSED CLASSES WANTED FAIR REPRESENTATION IN LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLIES – FEAR OF POWER CONCENTRATION IN THE HANDS OF DOMINANT CLASS. • SIKHS WANTED RESERVATION OF 1/3 SEATS IN PUNJAB LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA ACT 1919 • THE AUGUST DECLARATION RESULTED IN THE PASSING OF THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA ACT IN 1919. • THE ACT WAS CALLED AS THE MONTAGUECHELMSFORD REFORMS. • IT AIMED TO GRADUALLY INTRODUCE PROGRESSIVE GOVERNMENT IN INDIA.

DRAWBACKS OF THE ACT • THE LEGISLATURE HAD ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL OVER THE GOVERNOR GENERAL AND HIS EXECUTIVE COUNCIL • THE DYARCHY AND DIVISION OF SUBJECTS AT THE PROVINCES WAS IMPRACTICAL – DYARCHY = RULE OF THE TWO – EXECUTIVE COUNCILLORS WITH THE GOVERNOR GENERAL AND • THE POPULAR MINISTERS. • POPULAR MINISTERS WERE MADE RESPONSIBLE FOR AGRICULTURE BUT THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL CONTROLLED THE IRRIGATION DEPARTMENT. • [ SUBJECTS WERE CLASSIFIED INTO RESERVED SUBJECTS FOR THE GOVERNOR & HIS EXE. COUNCIL [ LAND REVENUE/ FINANCE, etc. ]AND TRANSFERRED SUBJECTS FOR THE MINISTERS [ education/ public health, ETC. ]