The Indian national movement wasrevived and also radicalised during the
Home
Rule Movement (1916-1918), led byLokamanya Tilak and Annie Besant.
WorldWar I and Indian’s participation in it was thebackground for the
Home Rule League. WhenBritain declared war against Germany in 1914,the
moderate and liberal leadership extendedtheir support to the British
cause. It was hoped
that, in return, the British government wouldgive
self-government after the war. Indiantroops were sent to several
theatres of WorldWar. But the British administration
remainednon-committal to such goals. What was seen
as a British
betrayal to the Indian cause ofself-government led to a fresh call for a
massmovement to pressurise the British government.regiment and
twoSubedars and the Jamedar Sheik Kasim of the1st battalion of the 1st
regiment. Vellore Revolthad all the forebodings of the Great Rebellion
of1857. The only difference was that there was nocivil rebellion
following the mutiny. The 1806revolt was not confined to Vellore Fort.
It had its echoes in Bellary, Walajabad, Hyderabad,Bengaluru, Nandydurg,
and Sankaridurg.
On 13 April 1919 apublic meeting was arrangedat
Jallianwala Bagh inAmritsar. As it happenedto be Baisaki day
(springharvest festival of Sikhs) thevillagers had assembled there in
thousands.General Reginald Dyer, on hearing of the
assemblage,
surrounded the place with histroops and an armoured vehicle. The
onlyentrance to the park that was surrounded onall sides by high walls
was blocked, and firingtook place without any warning. The firinglasted
for ten minutes till the troops ran outof ammunition. According to
official report379 were killed and more than thousandinjured. Unofficial
estimates put the toll atmore than a thousand. After the
incidentmartial law was declared and many peoplein the Punjab especially
Amritsar wereflogged and forced to crawl on the streets.The brutality
enraged Indians. RabindranathTagore returned his knighthood.
Gandhisurrendered his Kaiser-i-Hind medal.
Santhals, scattered in
various parts ofeastern India, when forced to move out of theirhomeland
during the process of creation ofzamins under Permanent Settlement,
clearedthe forest area around the Rajmahal Hills.They were oppressed by
the local police andthe European officers engaged in the
railwayconstruction. Pushed out of their familiar habitat, the Santhals
were forced to rely on the moneylenders for their subsistence.Soon they
were trapped in a vicious circle
of debt and extortion. Besides this,
Santhalsalso felt neglected under the corrupt Britishadministration and
their inability to render justice to their legitimate grievances.One of
the prominent tribal rebellionsof this period occurred in Ranchi, known
asUlugulan rebellion (Great Tumult).The Mundapeople were familiar with
the co-operative orcollective farming known as Khuntkatti (jointholding)
land system. It was totally erodedby the introduction of private
ownershipof land and the intrusion of merchants andmoneylenders. The
Munda people were also
forcefully recruited as indentured labourers
towork on plantations. In the 1890s tribal chiefsoffered resistance
against the alienation oftribal people from their land and imposition
ofbethbegari or forced labour.
The Government of India Act 1919,however, caused disappointment, as it did not
transfer
real power to the Indians. Besides, thegovernment began to enforce the
permanentextension of war time restrictions. The RowlattAct was enacted
which provided for excessivepolice powers, arrest without warrant
anddetention without trial. Gandhi called it a‘Black Act’ and in protest
called for a nation-wide satyagraha on 6 April 1919. It was to bea
non-violent struggle with fasting and prayer,and it was the earliest
anti-colonial strugglespread across the country. The anti-Rowlattprotest
was intense in Punjab, especially inAmritsar and Lahore. Gandhi was
arrested andprevented from visiting Punjab. On 9 April twoprominent
local leaders Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlewand Dr. Satyapal were arrested in
Amritsar.
10th class| social|Half Yearly Question Model & Previous Paper 2023|English medium
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