CHAP 5 REVOLUTIONARIES IN BENGAL PART 2

REVOLUTIONARIES IN BENGAL
Attempt on life of Calcutta police
commissioner-1924 Surya Sen's Chittagong Revolt Group and Chittagong
robberies1930.

REASONS FOR GROWTH OF COMMUNALISM

1. Socio-economic backwardness concessions used as a tool to fuel
communalism by colonial rulers.

2. British policy of divide and rule.

3. Communalism in history writing.

4. Chauvinist elements of sobio-religious reform movements.

5. Side-effects of militant nationalism.

6. Communal reaction by majority community.



SIMON COMMISSION Came in 1928 to explore possibility of further
constitutional advance.
Boycotted by Indians because no Indian
represented in the commission.

NEHRU REPORT (1928) First Indian effort to draft constitutional scheme.

Recommended—
* dominion status

* not separate electorates, but joint electorates with reserved seats
for minorities.

* linguistic provinces.

* 19 fundamental rights.

* responsible government at centre and in provinces.


CALCUTTA CONGRESS SESSION (DECEMBER 1928) One year ultimatum to
Government to accept dominion status or else civil disobedience to be
launched for complete independence.


LAHORE CONGRESS SESSION (DECEMBER 1929) Congress adopted complete
independence as its goal. Congress decided to launch a civil
disobedience movement. January 26, 1930 celebrated as the first
Independence Day all over the country.


DANDI MARCH (MARCH 12-APRIL 6, 1930). Led by Gandhi;
resulted in spread
of salt satyagraha to Tamil Nadu, Malabar, Andhra, Assam, Bengal.
Spread of the movement

Khudai Khidmatgars active in NWFP.

Textile workers active in Sholapur.

Salt satyagraha in Dharsana.

 No-chowkidara tax campaign in Bihar.

 Antichowkidara
and anti-union-board tax in Bengal. No-tax movement inGujarat.

Civil disobedience of forest laws in Maharashtra, Karnataka and

Central Provinces. Agitation against "Cunningham Circular" in Assam.

No rent campaign in UP.

Mass participation of women, students, some sections of Muslims, merchants and petty traders, tribals, workers and peasants.

• FIRST RTC (NOVEMBER 1930-JANUARY 1931) Congress did not attend.

• GANDHI-IRWIN PACT (MARCH 1931) Congress agreed to attend Second RTC and to withdraw CDM.


KARACHI CONGRESS SESSION (MARCH 1931) Endorsed Delhi Pact between
Gandhi and Irwin. Passed resolutions on economic programme and
fundamental rights.

• SECOND RTC (DECEMBER 1931) Right wing in Britain against concessions
to Indians. Session got deadlocked on question of safeguards to
minorities. December 1931 - April 1934 Second phase of CDM.

• COMMUNAL AWARD (1932) Provided separate electorates to depressed
classes. Nationalists felt this to be a threat to national unity.

Gandhi's fast unto death (September 1932) led to Poona Pact which
abandoned separate electorates for depressed classes in favour of
increased reserved seats for them.

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA ACT, 1935 Proposed—an All India Federation;
bicameral legislature at the centre; provincial autonomy; three lists
for legislation—federal, provincial and concurrent.

At centre, subjects
to be administered divided into reserved and transferred categories.
Provincial legislators to be directly elected. Early 1937—elections to
provincial assemblies held.


Congress ministries formed in Bombay,
Madras, Central Provinces, United Provinces, Bihar, Orissa, Assam and
NWFP.