Revolutionary Movement of the 1920s: The Resurgence of Radical Nationalism

The sudden cessation of the Non-Cooperation Movement left numerous individuals disheartened, prompting them to question the core strategy of the nationalist leadership. Since they did not find appeal in the Swarajist’s parliamentary endeavors or the No-changers patient, uneventful, constructive efforts, these younger nationalists gravitated towards the belief that violent methods alone could liberate India. Consequently, the resurgence of revolutionary terrorism ensued.

Why Attraction for Revolutionary Activity after Non-Cooperation Movement

Revolutionary factions embraced the tenets of the non-cooperation initiative: In the aftermath of the First World War, the dissenters found themselves ensnared in a web of severe suppression. However, a transformative tide swept over the land in the early 1920s when the government, to cultivate an atmosphere conducive to the Montford Reforms, extended a broad amnesty, liberating many. 

• Gandhi’s Leadership: It was amidst this newfound freedom that Gandhi, a beacon of resistance, ignited the Non-Cooperation Movement. 
• Revolutionary Factions: Guided by the persuasive eloquence of Gandhi and the sagacious counsel of C.R. Das, numerous revolutionary factions were swayed. 
  • They either willingly embraced the tenets of the non-cooperation initiative or chose to halt their militant endeavors, offering the non-violent Non-Cooperation Movement an opportunity to flourish.
• Abrupt cessation of the Non-Cooperation Movement: Amidst the abrupt cessation of the Non-Cooperation Movement, a wave of disillusionment swept through the ranks. 
  • Doubt crept in, questioning the fundamental approach of nationalist leadership, and placing non-violence under scrutiny. 
• Flames of revolutionary fervor rekindled: Restive minds sought alternatives, disenchanted with the parliamentary endeavors of the Swarajists and unimpressed by the patient, unassuming efforts of the No-changers. 
  • These fervent young nationalists, discontented and yearning for change, found solace in the notion that India’s liberation could be achieved through forceful means alone. 
    • Thus, the flames of revolutionary fervor were rekindled.

Almost all prominent figures advocating revolutionary doctrines had ardently engaged in the Non-Cooperation Movement. This distinguished roster featured names like Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee, Surya Sen, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Chandrasekhar Azad, Shiv Verma, Bhagwaticharan Vohra, Jaidev Kapur, and Jatin Das. 

Major Influences

Gradually two separate strands of revolutionary terrorism developed — one in Punjab, U.P. and Bihar and the other in Bengal. Both strands came under the influence of several new social forces.

• Surge in working-class trade unionism: Following the War, there was a notable surge in working-class trade unionism. 
  • The revolutionaries recognized the immense revolutionary potential within this emerging class and sought to harness it for the cause of nationalist revolution.
• Impact of Russian Revolution: The Russian Revolution of 1917 marked a pivotal moment in history. The resounding success of the young Soviet state in consolidating itself reverberated across the globe.
• Emerging communism: Emerging communist factions, newly sprouted, emphasized core tenets of Marxism, socialism, and the upliftment of the proletariat class.
• Impact of Journals and Novels: Journals emerged, publishing memoirs and articles extolling the profound self-sacrifice of revolutionaries, exemplified by publications like Atmasakti, Sarathi, and Bijoli.
  • Novels and works like “Bandi Jiwan” by Sachin Sanyal and “Pather Dabi” by Sharatchandra Chatterjee gained significant attention. Interestingly, a government ban only served to enhance their popularity.

In Punjab-United Provinces-Bihar

The revolutionary endeavors in this region were primarily led by the Hindustan Republican Association/Army (HRA), later rechristened as the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA).

In October 1924, the HRA was established in Kanpur by visionaries Ramprasad Bismil, Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee, and Sachin Sanyal. 

The HSRA had a three-fold objective

• To rouse the consciousness of the people of India to the futility of the Gandhian methods of non-violence, 
• To demonstrate the need and desirability of Direct Action and Revolution to achieve complete independence,
• Ideologically inspired by the Russian Revolution and Socialist thought, the Association hoped to substitute British imperialism in India with a federated Republic of the United States of India. 

The revolutionaries also introduced a newness in their methods to finance their activities. Henceforth they decided not to plunder private individuals but to make government treasuries alone as the target of their dacoities.

Kakori Robbery (August 1925)

• Strategic Preparation: Before engaging in armed struggle, a comprehensive propaganda effort had to be organized on a large scale. 
  • This required recruitment and training of individuals as well as procuring arms, all of which necessitated financial resources. 
• A defining moment of HSRA: The pivotal event for the HRA was the Kakori Robbery, which took place on August 9, 1925. 
  • Ten men intercepted the 8-Down train at Kakori, a remote village near Lucknow, and looted its official railway funds. 
• Government Crackdown: The government swiftly reacted with force, arresting a significant number of young men and putting them on trial in the Kakori Conspiracy Case. 
  • Ashfaqulla Khan, Ramprasad Bismil, Ràshan Singh, and Rajendra Lahiri were executed, four others were sent to the Andamans for life, and seventeen others received long prison sentences. 
    • Chandrashekhar Azad, however, managed to evade capture.

Conclusion

The sudden halt of the Non-Cooperation Movement left many young nationalists disillusioned, leading them to adopt revolutionary activities as the only viable path to Indian independence. Influenced by global events like the Russian Revolution and domestic socio-economic changes, these revolutionaries, undeterred by the government’s harsh reprisals, reignited the flames of revolutionary terrorism, laying the groundwork for future struggles that would eventually lead to India’s liberation.

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