Rise of Indian Nationalism Contributions of Extremist and Moderates.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Introduction

5

2. Objectives & Research Methodology

6

3. Scope, Limitations & Organisation

7

4. The Rise Of Indian Nationalism History

8

5. What is Nationalism? 11

6. Rise of Indian Nationalism & the three phases

12

7. Moderate phase

13

8. Extremist phase

15

9. Gandhian phase

21

10. Mountbatten plan

22

11. Finally partition of India

23

12. Conclusion

24

Introduction

India had to pay a very heavy price for independence .Leadersof the Indian revolution failed to prevent the vivisection ofthe country .Before leaving India not only had the British

divided her between India and Pakistan but they had also leftbehind the legacy of some 600 and odd princely states .Therelationship between these states and the British Government

in India was governed by what had come to be known asparamountcy under which the state recognized the suzerainty ofthe British power over the whole India . The 600 odd princelystates were free join any of the two dominions or perhaps toeven declare the independence. The threatened balkanisation

was however prevented as result of the astute handlingsituation by Sardar Patel .With great superb statesmanship he

succeeded in integrating with the rest of India all theprincely states which were geographically contiguous with

India with the exception of Junagarh, Hyderabad and Jammu andKashmir .Instrument of accession was signed with them before

15August1947 .

The partition had taken place on communal lines . However, it was to their great credit that even after agreeing to the partition as the price for the freedom the, India leaders did not accept the theory the theory that the Hindus and Muslims were two different nations.

Indian nationalism refers to the many underlying forces that defined the principles of the Indian independence movement, and strongly continue to influence the politics of India, as well as being the heart of many contrasting ideologies that have caused ethnic and religious conflict in Indian society. Indian nationalism often imbibes the consciousness of Indians that prior to 1947, India embodied the broader Indian subcontinent and influenced a part of Asia, known as Greater India. The national struggle for freedom further strengthened the unifying forces created a strong all-India national consciousness.

Objectives

Rise Of Indian Nationalism History

What is Nationalism?

Indian Nationalism broadly divided into three phases

i) Moderate phase

ii) Radical phase

iii)Gandhian phase

Partition of Bengal

Muslim League

Separate Electorates

Finally Partition of India

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The objective of this project is to study the Rise of

Indian Nationalism Contributions of Extremist and

Moderates. This research is descriptive and analytical in

nature. Secondary and electronic resources have been used

extensively to gather data about the topic. Books and

other reference as guided by faculty of political science

have been primarily helpful in structuring the project.

Websites, dictionaries and articles have also been

referred to.Footnotes have been provided wherever needed

to acknowledge the sources.

SCOPE & LIMITATIONS

This research work deals with the rise of Indian nationalism and the

various contributions of extremist and moderates. This about the

rise of Indian nationalism and the three stages which lead to

independence of India .The contribution of different Indian Leaders

there roles which lead the independence of India .

ORGANISATION OF THE PROJECT

This research paper explains how there is rise of Indian nationalism

and then three stages which lead to the independence of the Nation.

We then see the contributions and the roles of different Indian

leaders . After this, the three stages of its origin, contributions,

demands etc. The third and final phase of the Nationalist

Movement or Gandhian Era where finally India succeeds. . Theresearch paper concludes marking the importance of three phases

which lead to independence of India .

The Rise Of Indian Nationalism History

The second half of the 19th century witnessed he full flowering of national political consciousness and the growth of an organised national movement in India. The year 1885 marks the beginning of a new epoch in Indian History.

Indian National Congress was founded in December 1885 by seventy-two political workers. It was the first organised

expression of Indian Nationalism on an all-India scale. The rise and growth of Indian nationalism has been traditionally

explained in terms of Indian response to the stimulus generated by the British Raj through creation of new

institutions, new opportunities, etc.

In other words Indian Nationalism grew partly as a result of

colonial policies and partly as a reaction to colonial policies in fact, it would be more correct to see Indian

nationalism as a product of a mix of various factors.

Social and Economic Bases of Nationalism:

1. Understanding of Contradiction in Indian and Colonial

Interests:

People came to realise that colonial rule was the major cause

of India’s economic backwardness and that the interests of theIndians involved the interests of all sections and classes.

The very condition of British rule helped the growth of national sentiment among the Indian people.

2. Political, Administrative and Economic Unification of the

Country:

Nationalist sentiments grew easily among the people because India was unified and welded into a nation during the 19th and

20th centuries. The introduction of a uniform and modern system of government by the British throughout the country

unified it administratively.

The destruction of the rural and local self-sufficient economy

and the introduction of modern trade and industries on an all-India scale had increasingly made India’s economic life a

single whole and interlinked the economic fate of people living in different parts of the country. Furthermore, the

introduction of the railways, telegraph and unified postal systems had brought the different parts of the country

together and promoted mutual contact among the people, especially among the leaders.

3. Western Thought and Education:

As a result of the spread of modern western education and

thought during the 19th century, a large number of Indians imbibed a modern rational, secular, democratic and nationalist

political outlook. The spread and popularity of the English language helped nationalist leaders of different linguistic

regions to communicate with each other.

Modern education also created a certain uniformity and

community of outlook and interests among the educated Indians.This English-educated intelligentsia formed the nucleus for

the newly-arising political unrest, and it was this section of

the society which provided leadership to the Indian political associations.

4. Rediscovery of India’s Past.

The historical researches by Europeans scholars, such as Max

Mueller, Monier Williams, Roth, Sassoon, and by Indian scholars such as R.G. Bhandarkar, R.L. Mitra and later Swami

Vivekananda created an entirely new picture of India’s past glory and greatness.

The theory put forward by European scholars that the Indo-Aryans belonged to the same ethnic group of mankind from which

stemmed all the nations of Europe gave a psychological boost to educated Indians. All these inspired the educated Indians

with a new spirit of patriotism and nationalism.

5. Role of Press and Literature.

With the emergence of the modern press, both English and Vernacular, the latter half of the 19th century saw an

unprecedented growth of Indian-owned English and Vernacular newspapers. The Indian Press played a notable role in

mobilising public opinion, organising political movements, fighting out public opinions and promoting nationalism.

6. Progressive Character of Socio-Religious Reform Movements.

These reform movements sought to remove social evils which

divided the Indian society; this had the effect of bringing different sections of the society together. Since many reform

movements drew their inspiration from India’s rich cultural

heritage, these promoted pan-Indian feelings and spirit of nationalism.

7. Reactionary Policies and Racial Arrongance of Rulers.

An important factor in the growth of national sentiments in

India was the tone of racial superiority adopted by many Englishmen in their dealings with Indians. The reactionary

policies of the British government were also responsible for the growth of political associations.

The British had realized that a united India was a strong India and thus they decided to separate Hindus and Muslims, the major population of India. As a result India would not be united and would remain weak. The British continued this strategy of divide and rule and finally India was divided. This policy left a deep impact on the Indians, the communal hatred between Hindus and Muslim is still prevalent and has taken a major form. This has resulted in many riots and causedmajor harm to life and property.

The opening years of the twentieth century were stormy. That was the time when the greatest catastrophe of history took place. The political scenario was undergoing a change. The British were beginning to feel a bit uneasy. Discontentment was brewing. Political discontent was growing due to the inability of the government to organize effective relief during the period of plague and famine. In order to stem the discontent, the British played the political trump card with great aplomb. For the first time, they used their divide-and-rule political game with great force. From 1870 onwards, the British started inciting the Hindus and the Muslims to form their own political parties to establish their distinct religious identities. That was perhaps, the beginning of the communalisation of politics. The British not only encouraged the two communities to form political parties along religious

lines, they took various constructive steps to create a situation whereby Hindus and Muslims would be forced to think in a way as if their religious identity is at peril. This effort culminated in the partition of Bengal in 1905. The partition was made along communal lines.

Revolt of 1857

The British East India Company came to India as traders but slowly took over the rule in India and in no time the whole ofIndia was under the British rule. India was the largest and the most important colony of Britain. They made immense profits in their rule, but they treated Indians as an inferiorrace. Indians were tortured and treated like slaves, they wereforced to grow Indigo and as a result the cottage industries suffered a heavy setback. Slowly over a period of time Indiansrealized about their rights and got to know about nationalism.They also fought for freedom in numerous revolts, but all of them were crushed as the Indians were not united. Some of the famous revolts were the Santhal Rebellion, Indigo revolts and many more. These small revolts took shape of a national movement and emerged in the form of the revolt of 1857

What is Nationalism?

Is a form of patriotism based upon the identification of a group of individuals with a nation.

Devotion to the interest or culture of one’s nation .

The belief that nations will benefit from acting independently rather than collectively emphasizing national rather than international goals.

Rise of Indian nationalism:

    Indians did not generally feel contentabout British rule in India. Indians lacked equal job opportunities.They were not allowed to advance to high positions in government service or to become officers in the army. In 1885, a number ofIndian lawyers and professionals formed the Indian National Congress. Members of the organization belonged to various religions and came from all parts of India. Congress members debated politicaland economic reforms, the future of India, and ways for Indians to achieve equal status with the British. 

    Some Muslims believed the Indian National Congress was a Hindu organization aiming for Hindu rule. In 1906, several Muslim leaders, encouraged by the British, formed the All-India Muslim League.Members of the organization sought to give the Muslims a voicein political affairs. However, most Muslims continued to support the Indian National Congress. 

    In 1905, the British divided the state of Bengal into separate Hindu and Muslim sections. Indians protested this action with a boycott of British goods and a series of bombings and shootings. In an effort to stop the violence, theBritish introduced the Morley-Minto Reforms of 1909. These reforms enlarged the viceroy's executive council to include anIndian. They also allowed Indians to elect representatives to the provincial legislative councils. In 1911, the British reunited Bengal. 

    When World War I broke out in 1914, Britain declared that India was also at war with Germany. Indian troops fought in many parts of the world. In return for support, the British promised more reformsand agreed to let Indians have a greater role in political affairs. Nevertheless, protests against the British continued. 

    In March 1919, the British passed the Rowlatt Acts to try to control protests in India. The acts attempted to restrict

the political liberties and rights of Indians, including the right to trial by jury. But demonstrations against the government increased in response to theacts. On April 13, 1919, thousands of Indians assembled in an enclosed area in Amritsar. Troops entered the meeting place and blocked theentrance. The British commander then ordered the soldiers to open fire on the unarmed crowd. The shots killed about 400 people and wounded about 1,200. This event, called the Amritsar Massacre, proved to be a turning point. From then on,Indians demandedcomplete independence from British rule. The British promised more reforms, but at the same time, they tried to crush the independence movement. 

    The Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms were passed in late 1919 and went into full effect in 1921. The reforms increased the powers of the provincial legislative councils, where Indians were most active. The central legislative council was replacedby a legislature with most of its members elected. However, the viceroy and the governors still hadthe right to veto any bill. The Indians did not believe the reforms gave them enough power. 

    By 1920, Mohandas K. Gandhi had become a leader in the Indian independence movement and in the Indian National Congress, which had become the most important Indian politicalorganization. Gandhipersuaded the Congress to adopt his program of nonviolent disobedience, also known as nonviolent nonco-operation. Gandhi's program asked Indians to boycott British goods, to refuse to pay taxes, and to stop using British schools, courts, and governmentservices. As a result, some Indians gave up well-paying jobs that required them to cooperate with the British. Gandhi changed the Indian National Congress from a small party of educated men to amass party with millions of followers.

Nationalism is a sentiment based on common cultural characteristics that binds a population and often produces a

policy of national independence or separatism. It involves thefeeling of oneness and brotherhood for your own countrymen.

The growth of Indian nationalism started in the nineteenth century. Political unification of India, fall of India's old social and economic system, the beginning of modern trade and industry and the rise of new social classes laid the basis of nationalism.

The social and religious reform movements and popular anti-British revolts contributed to the growth of nationalism. The farmers were suffering under the new land tenure systems introduced by the British government. The Indian industrialists were sad because of the economic policy of the British government. All import duties on cotton textiles were removed in 1882, which harmed the textile industry.

The people of India became aware of the fact that the development of their country was not possible unless British rule was ended. There was a series of famines, which took a toll of millions of human lives, due to the indifference of the autocratic British administration.

Indian Nationalism was broadly divided into three phases

Moderate phase(1885-1905) Radical phase Gandhian phase

The Early Nationalists, also known as the Moderates, were a group of political leaders in India active between 1885 and 1905. Their emergence marked the beginning of the organised national movement in India. With members of the group drawn from educated middle-class professionals including lawyers, teachers and government officials, many of them were educated in England. They have become known as "Early Nationalists"

because they believed in demanding reforms while adopting constitutional and peaceful means to achieve their aims They considered British just and kind. Some of the famousleaders were Dada Bhai Naoroji, Gopal Krishna Gokhale and Surendranath Bannerjee

Origin of the name “Moderates

The first session of the Early Nationalists of India in 1885.Focusing on demands for reform, the Early Nationalists adopted a constitutional and peaceful approach to achieve their objectives. They remained friendly towards the then British rulers but believed that Indians should have a proper and legitimate role in the government of the country. Althoughthey asked for constitutional and other reforms within the framework of British rule, they had full faith in that nation's sense of justice and fair play. They further believedthat continuation of the British connection with India was in the interests of both countries. At an early stage, the nationalists considered their association with England an advantage. British rule had done much good by removing variouscultural anomalies including the caste system and the abolition of the practice of sati or "widow sacrifice" that had previously pervaded Indian society. Influenced by western thought, culture, education, literature and history, the demands of the early nationalists were not considered extreme but of a relatively moderate nature.

DemandsThe Early Nationalists wanted certain political and economic reforms with a view to unifying the people of India on the basis of a common economic and political programme.Constitutional reformsBelieving that India should eventually move towards democratic self-government, the Early Nationalists wanted a larger share in the governing of India. They did not seek immediate attainment of their goal as they feared that the

government would suppress their activities. Instead they aimedat winning freedom through a gradual process.Their constitutional demands were:

1.Abolition of the India Council.2.Expansion of the legislative council and Legislative

Assemblies, both Central and Provincial.

3.Increase in the membership of Indians by including some members elected by local bodies like chambers of commerce, universities, etc. in these councils and by giving greater powers to them. They demanded Indian control over the public purse and raised the slogan "No taxation without representation".

4.By the beginning of the 20th century, they demanded for Swaraj (self-rule) within the British Empire similar to the self-governing colonies in Canada and Australia.

5.Adequate representation of Indians in the executive council of the Viceroy and those of the governors.

Economic reforms The economic issues raised by the Early Nationalists were:

1.Reduction in land revenue and protection of peasants against unjust demands of the zamindars (hereditary land owners).

2.Reduction in expenditure on the army, and the money thus saved to be spent on welfare activities such as health and education.

3.An enquiry into India's growing poverty and famines.

4.Availability of cheap credit to peasants through agricultural banks.

5.Development of banking, irrigation, medical and health facilities for the people.

6.Industrial growth through trade protection. That meant that a heavy tax should be imposed on imported goods and the government should give loans for the development of iron, coal, paper and sugar industries in India.

7.Total abolition of the salt tax and the duty on sugar.

Administrative demands The Moderates made the following demands in the administrative sphere:

1.Demand for simultaneous Indian Civil Service examinationsin England and India.

2.Complete separation of the executive and the judiciary. They made this demand to protect Indians from arbitrary acts by the police and the bureaucracy.

3.Increase in the powers of the municipal bodies and reduction of official control over them.

4.Repeal of the Arms Act and Licence Act.

5.Wider employment of Indians in the higher grades of administrative services.

6.Spread of primary education among the masses.

7.Improvement of the police system to make it honest, efficient and popular.

Defence of civil rightsThe Early Nationalists defended civil rights whenever the British government tried to curtail them. Their struggle for freedom became an integral part of the national movement from the very beginning. In 1897, Tilak and many other leaders werearrested and tried for making provocative speeches. The Early Nationalists demanded the Abolition of the Preventive Detention Act and restoration of individual liberties and right to assemble and to form associations. They also wanted

the Removal of the restrictions imposed by the British Government on the freedom of speech, and the freedom of the press.Some of the younger elements within the Indian National Congress were dissatisfied with the achievements of the Early Nationalists and vociferous critics of the methods of peacefulconstitutional agitation that they promulgated. Young members advocated the adoption of European revolutionary methods to counter British imperialism while mainstream Early Nationalists remained loyal to the crown, with their desire toregain self-government lacking conviction. The Early Nationalists failed to attain their objectives, giving rise toanother group of leaders known as Assertive or Extremist Nationalists. The most prominent leaders of the Assertive Nationalists were Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai and Bipin Chandra Pal, who are known collectively as the Lal-Bal-Pal 

Extremist Phase

The period from 1905 was known as the era of extremism in theIndian National Movement. The extremists or the aggressivenationalists believed that success could be achieved throughbold means. The important extremist leaders were Lala LajpatRai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal and AurobindoGhosh.

CAUSES FOR THE RISE OF EXTREMISM

1. The failure of the Moderates to win any notable success other than the expansion of the legislative councils by

the Indian Councils Act (1892).

2. The famine and plague of 1896-97 which affected the wholecountry and the suffering of the masses.

3. The economic conditions of the people became worse.

4. The ill-treatment of Indians in South Africa on the basisof colour of skin.

5. The Russo-Japanese war of 1904 – 05 in which Japan defeated the European power Russia. This encouraged

Indians to fight against the European nation, Britain.

6. The immediate cause for the rise of extremism was the reactionary rule of Lord Curzon:

He passed the Calcutta Corporation Act, (1899)

reducing the Indian control of this local body.

The Universities Act (1904) reduced the elected

members in the University bodies. It also reduced

the autonomy of the universities and made them

government departments.

The Sedition Act and the Official Secrets Act

reduced the freedoms of all people.

His worst measure was the Partition of Bengal

(1905).

MAIN OBJECTIVE OF EXTREMISTS

Their main objective was to attain Swaraj or complete

independence and not just self-government.

METHODS OF THE EXTREMISTS

The Extremists had no faith in the British sense of justice

and fair play. They pointed out the forceful means by which

the British had taken control of India. They believed that

political rights will have to be fought for. They had the

spirit of self-reliance and self determination.

The methods used by the extremists were:

Not cooperating with the British Government by boycotting

government courts, schools and colleges.

Promotion of Swadeshi and boycott of foreign goods.

Introduction and promotion of national education.

.PARTITION OF BENGAL AND THE RISE OF EXTREMISM

The partition of Bengal in 1905 provided a spark for the rise

of extremism in the Indian National Movement.

Curzon’s real motives were

To break the growing strength of Bengali nationalism

since Bengal was the base of Indian nationalism.

To divide the Hindus and Muslims in Bengal.

To show the enormous power of the British Government in

doing whatever it liked.

On the same day when the partition came into effect, 16

October 1905, the people of Bengal organised protest meetings

and observed a day of mourning. The whole political life of

Bengal underwent a change.

Gandhi wrote that the real awakening in India took place

only after the Partition of Bengal. The anti-partition

movement culminated into the Swadeshi Movement and spread to

other parts of India. The aggressive nationalists forced

Dadabhai Naoroji to speak of Swaraj (which was not a Moderate

demand) in the Calcutta Session of Congress in 1906.

They adopted the resolutions of Boycott and Swadeshi. The

Moderate Congressmen were unhappy. They wanted Swaraj to be

achieved through constitutional methods. The differences led

to a split in the Congress at the Surat session in 1907. This

is popularly known as the famous Surat Split.

The extremists came out of the Congress led by Tilak and

others.

SWADESHI MOVEMENT

The Swadeshi Movement involved programmes like the boycott of

government service, courts, schools and colleges and of

foreign goods, promotion of Swadeshi goods, Promotion of

National Education through the establishment of national

schools and colleges. It was both a political and economic

movement.

The Swadeshi Movement was a great success. In Bengal, even the

landlords joined the movement. The women and students took to

picketing. Students refused using books made of foreign paper.

The government adopted several tough measures. It passed

several Acts to crush the movement.

The Swadeshi volunteers were beaten badly. The cry of Vande

Mataram was forbidden. Schools and colleges were warned not to

allow their students to take part in the movement or else

their, aid would be stopped. Some Indian government employees

lost their jobs. Extremist leaders B

ala Gangadhar Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai, Bipin Chandra Pal and

Aurobindo Ghosh were imprisoned and deported.

ACHIEVEMENTS OF EXTREMISTS

The achievements of extremists can be summed up as follows:

They were the first to demand Swaraj as a matter of birth

right.

They involved the masses in the freedom struggle and

broadened the social base of the National Movement.

They were the first to organize an all-India political

movement, viz. the Swadeshi Movement.

FORMATION OF THE MUSLIM LEAGUE (1906)

In December 1906, Muslim delegates from all over India met at

Dacca for the Muslim Educational Conference. Taking advantage

of this occasion, Nawab Salimullah of Dacca proposed the

setting up of an organisation to look after the Muslim

interests. The proposal was accepted.

The All-India Muslim League was finally set up on December 30,

1906. Like the Indian National Congress, they conducted annual

sessions and put their demands to the British government.

Initially, they enjoyed the support of the British. Their

first achievement was the separate electorates for the Muslims

in the Minto-Morley reforms.

THE LUCKNOW PACT (1916)

During the 1916 Congress session at Lucknow two major events

occurred. The divided Congress became united. An understanding

for joint action against the British was reached between the

Congress and the Muslim League and it was called the Lucknow

Pact. The signing of the Lucknow Pact by the Congress and the

Muslim League in 1916 marked an important step in the Hindu-

Muslim unity.

THE HOME RULE MOVEMENT (1916)

Two Home Rule Leagues were established, one by B.G. Tilak at

Poona in April 1916 and the other by Mrs. Annie Besant at

Madras in September 1916. The aim of the Movement was to get

self government for India within the British Empire. It

believed freedom was the natural right of all nations.

Moreover, the leaders of the Home Movement thought that

India’s resources were not being used for her needs. The two

Leagues cooperated with each other as well with the Congress

and the Muslim League in putting their demand for home rule.

While Tilak’s Movement concentrated on Maharashtra, Annie

Besant’s Movement covered the rest of the country.

The Home Rule Movement had brought a new life in the national

movement. There was a revival of Swadeshi. Women joined in

larger numbers. On 20 August 1917, Montague, the Secretary of

State in England, made a declaration in the Parliament of

England on British Government’s policy towards future

political reforms in India. He promised the gradual

development of self-governing institutions in India. This

August Declaration led to the end of the Home Rule Movement.

REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENTS

In the first half of the 20th century, revolutionary groups

sprang up mainly in Bengal, Maharashtra, Punjab and Madras.

The revolutionaries were not satisfied with the methods of

both the moderates and extremists

Gandhian Phase (1917-1947)

The third and final phase of the Nationalist Movement [1917-

1947] is known as the Gandhian era. During this period Mahatma

Gandhi became the undisputed leader of the National Movement.

His principles of nonviolence and Satyagraha were employed

against the British Government.

Gandhi made the nationalist movement a mass movement. Mohandas

Karamchand Gandhi was born at Porbandar in Gujarat on 2

October 1869. He studied law in England. He returned to India

in 1891. In April 1893 he went to South Africa and involved

himself in the struggle against apartheid (Racial

discrimination against the Blacks) for twenty years.

Finally, he came to India in 1915. Thereafter, he fully

involved himself in the Indian National Movement. Mahatma

Gandhi began his experiments with Satyagraha against the

oppressive European indigo planters at Champaran in Bihar in

1917.

In the next year he launched another Satyagraha at Kheda in

Gujarat in support of the peasants who were not able to pay

the land tax due to failure of crops. During this struggle,

Sardar Vallabhai Patel emerged as one of the trusted followers

of Gandhi.

In 1918, Gandhi undertook a fast unto death for the cause of

Ahmedabad Mill Workers and finally the mill owners conceded

the just demands of the workers. On the whole, the local

movements at Champaran, Kheda and Ahmedabad brought Mahatma

Gandhi closer to the life of the people and their problems at

the grass roots level. Consequently, he became the leader of

the masses.

The Significant happenings of the Indian National Movement

The Rowlet Act, Jallianwala Bagh Massacre and Khilafat

Movement

The Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-1922)

Swaraj Party and Simon Commission (1927)

Nehru Report (1928) and Civil Disobedience Movement

(1930-1934)

The Dandi March and the Round Table Conference

The Poona Act, The Second World War and National Movement

The Individual Satyagraha and Cripps Mission

Quit India Movement (1942-1944) and the Indian National

Army

The Cabinet Mission (1946)

The Mountbatten Plan and   The Indian Independence Act

1947

Mountbatten Plan

The actual division of British India between the two new dominions was accomplished according to what has come to be known as the 3 June Plan or Mountbatten Plan. Lord Mountbattenworked out a detailed plan for the transfer of power to the Indian people. It was announced at a press conference by Mountbatten on 4 June 1947, when the date of independence was also announced – 15 August 1947. The plan's main points were:

Hindus and Muslims in Punjab and Bengal legislative assemblieswould meet and vote for partition. If a simple majority of either group wanted partition, then these provinces would be divided.

Sindh was to take its own decision.

The fate of North West Frontier Province and Sylhet district of Bengal was to be decided by a referendum.

India would be independent by 15 August 1947.

The separate independence of Bengal also ruled out.

A boundary commission to be set up in case of partition.

The Indian political leaders accepted the Plan on 2 June. It did not deal with the question of the princely states, but on 3 June Mountbatten advised them against remaining independent and urged them to join one of the two new dominions (India or Pakistan).

Rioting

The British conquest of India was accompanied by large-scale violence, sometimes directed toward the Indian civilian population. During the colonial wars of conquest, there were mass killings, but few are remembered. Violence between Hindusand Muslims is one of the most publicized features of colonialIndia’s history. Some, particularly Indian historian Gyan Pandey, hold that its characterization as violence between religious communities was “invented” by colonial administrators in the 19th century, and that it misrepresentedforms of violence which were in fact extremely complex. Otherssee in it a faithful reflection of the actual crystallization of communitarian identities based on religion, in response to certain colonial policies. Whichever is the case, Hindu-Muslimriots became a permanent feature of the Indian political scenein the first half of the twentieth century. The main reason for these riots were the divide and rule policy which had instigated everything. These riots were hindrance in India’s independence because they made India weak and this is what theBritish wanted. If India was weak then their rule would becomeeven stronger, as a result India was divided and Hindu Muslim riots are still prevalent.

Finally Partition of India

The British had laid their roots long ago, now the Hindu – Muslim rivalry had become severe and Partition of India now could not be stopped. The partition of India was the partitionof British India on the basis of religious demographics. This led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion ofPakistan (later the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the People's Republic of Bangladesh) and the Union of India (laterRepublic of India) which took place in 1947, on 14 and 15 August, respectively.

The partition of India was set forth in the Indian Independence Act 1947 and resulted in the dissolution of the Indian Empire and the end of the British Raj. With the decision in favour of partition made, the parties next faced this nearly impossible task of fixing a border between the newstates. The Muslims occupied two main regions in the north on opposite sides of the country, separated by a majority-Hindu section. In addition, throughout most of northern India members of the two religions were mixed together - not to mention populations of Sikhs, Christians and other minority faiths. The Sikhs campaigned for a nation of their own, but their appeal was denied. On August 14, 1947, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan was founded.

Conclusion

The second half of the 19th century witnessed he full flowering of national political consciousness and the growth of an organised national movement in India. The year 1885 marks the beginning of a new epoch in Indian History.Indian National Congress was founded in December 1885 by seventy-two political workers. It was the first organised expression of Indian Nationalism on an all-India scale. The rise and growth of Indian nationalism has been traditionally explained in terms of Indian response to the stimulus generated by the British Raj through creation of new institutions, new opportunities, etc. Indians did not generally feel contentabout British rule in India. Indians lacked equal job opportunities .They were not allowed to advance to high

positions in government service or to become officers in the army. They revolted against this boycott was going many were revolting .

The people of India became aware of the fact that the development of their country was not possible unless British rule was ended. There was a series of famines, which took a toll of millions of human lives, due to the indifference of the autocratic British administration. Moderate and Extremist phase where they demand for constitutional reforms and administrative demands in moderate phase as this was not so successful In the Extremist they demand for Swaraj or completeindependence this fails .During this era( 1917-1947) Gandhiji His principles of nonviolence and Satyagraha were employed against the British Government. Gandhi made the nationalist movement a mass movement. Many programmes were set up like Non-Violence , Dandhi March , Salt Satyagraha, The Rowlet Act,Jallianwala Bagh Massacre and Khilafat Movement The Non –Cooperation ,Poorna Swaraj act, Quit India movement all of voluntary took part in these movement .All these factors lead to Independence of India