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History & Civics

In the second phase of the national movement, there emerged a new younger group of leaders within the Congress who did not agree with the old leadership. In this context, answer the following questions:

(a) Explain how the repressive policies of Lord Curzon and influence of International events led to the Assertive nationalism.

(b) Name the Assertive Nationalist leader who was wounded when he was leading a protest against Simon Commission. How were his words, when he was wounded, prophetics?

(c) Differentiate between the Early Nationalists and the Assertive Nationalists in their objectives and achievements, stating one objective and two achievements of each wing of the Congress.

2ⁿᵈ Phase of INM

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Answer

(a) Lord Curzon refused to recognise India as a nation. He was not in favour of giving freedom to India because he believed that the English were destined to rule over India. Therefore, he took several repressive measures to crush Indian Nationalism. These measures included —

  1. The Act of 1898 which made it an offence to provoke people against the British
  2. The Calcutta Corporation Act (1899) which reduced the strength of elected members from India, thereby giving the British a majority
  3. The Official Secrets Act
  4. The Indian Universities Act of 1904 which imposed strict official control over the Indian universities because Curzon considered them as the centres of nationalism.

All these measures created resentment in India.

Assertive nationalism was inspired by the examples of international events.

  1. For the first time, Japan, an Asian country, defeated Russia.
  2. Italian forces were defeated by the Abyssinians in Ethiopia.
  3. In South Africa, the Boers fought for three years (1899-1902) against the British Empire.
  4. In Ireland people were waging a full-scale Home Rule agitation.

These events broke the myth of the invincibility of the Europeans. The Assertive Nationalists felt that the united masses could throw out the British yoke.

(b) The Assertive Nationalist leader who was wounded when he was leading a protest against Simon Commission was Lala Lajpat Rai.

On the day he was wounded, he said, 'Lathi blows inflicted on me would prove some day as nails in the coffin of the British empire.' His words, when he was wounded, turned out to be prophetic. This statement turned out to be significant, as it reflected the growing sentiment and determination of Indians to free themselves from British colonial rule. His words became symbolic of the resistance movement and inspired many to join the struggle for independence. His sacrifice galvanized the Indian nationalist movement and intensified the call for self-governance.

(c) The difference between the Early Nationalists and the Assertive Nationalists in their objectives is as follows-

Early NationalistsAssertive Nationalists
Their main objective was to attain a self-government like the British occupied colonies did. They did not want British to leave India.Their main objective was the immediate attainment of 'Swaraj' through more self-reliant methods. They wanted British to leave India.

The difference between the Early Nationalists and the Assertive Nationalists regarding their achievements is as follows-

Early NationalistsAssertive Nationalists
They trained Indians in the art of political work.They inculcated national pride among the Indians by extolling India's past.
They pressurized the British Government to introduce certain reforms like the appointment of Public Service Commission, 1886, holding ICS examination simultaneously in London and India and appointment of the Welby Commission on Indian Expenditure.They promoted self-reliance through Swadeshi and Boycott movements.

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