Eternal India Encyclopedia

FREEDOM MOVEMENT

Eternal India

encyclopedia

prolonged and assiduous devotion. Read his-

tory. Learn jrom it the estimable lesson of pa-

tience and fortitude and the self-sacrificing

devotion which a constitutional struggle for

constitutional liberty involves

.........

Chaitanya

and Nanak, Tukaram and Ramdas lift the

mind high up to the sublimer eminence of the

divine ideal. India of the past is rich in these

examples

.....

India is the cradle of true

religions. It is the holy land of the East. Here

knowledge first lit her torch. Here, in the

morning of the world the Vedic Rishis sang

those hymns which represent the first yearnings

of infant humanity towards the divine ideal.

Here was developed a literature and a lan-

guage which still excites the admiration of

mankind - a philosophy which pondered deep

over the problems of life and evolved solutions

which satisfied the highest yearnings of the

loftiest minds.... Japan is our spiritual pupil.

China and Siberia and the islands of the East-

ern Archipelago turn with reverend eyes to

the land where was born the prophet of their

faith. Our pupils have out-distanced us; and

where are we, hesitating, doubting, calculat-

ing...."

XXI

- session - 1905 - Benaras

President: Gopalakrishna Gokhale.

The Congress passed resolutions about

the partition of Bengal and other matters:

"That

this

Congress

records

its

emphatic protest against the partition of

Bengal, this Congress appeals to the Gov-

ernment of India and the Secretary of State

to reverse or modify the arrangements

made, in such a manner as to conciliate

public opinion and allay the excitement and

unrest present among all classes of the

people

....."

That this

"Congress deplores a fresh

outbreak of famine in several parts of the

country....; This Congress is of opinion that

the prosperity of an agricultural country like

India cannot be secured without a definite

limitation of the state demand on land."

Gopalakrishna

Gokhale's

Presidential

speech:

"Gentlemen, I will now say a few words

on the Swadeshi movement....the true

Swadeshi movement is both a patriotic and

an economic movement. The idea of

Swadeshi or "one's own country " is one of the

noblest conceptions that have ever stirred the

heart of humanity. As the poet asks-

Breathes there the man with soul so dead

Who never to himself hath said, -

This is my own. my native land.

The devotion to Motherland, which is en-

shrined in the highest Swadeshi, is an influ-

ence so profound and so passionate that its

very thought thrills and its actual touch lifts

one out of oneself.... It turns their thoughts

to their country, accustoms them to the idea

of voluntarily making some sacrifice for her

sake, enables them to take an intelligent

interest in her economic development and

teaches them the important lesson of co-

operating with one another for a national

end."

Our Aims and Aspirations:

"The goal of

the Congress is that India should be gov-

erned in the interests of the Indians them-

selves, and that in course of time a form of

government should be attained in this coun-

try similar to what exists in the self-gov-

erning Colonies of the British Empire. It is

liberty alone, says Mr. Gladstone in words

of profound wisdom, which fits men for

liberty. This proposition, like every other in

politics, has its bounds; but it is far safer

than the counter-doctrine: 'wait till they are

fit”

XXII

- session - 1906 - Calcutta

President: Dadabhai Naoroji.

During this session 4 resolutions on

'self-government, boycott, Swadeshi and

National Education'

were passed: '

Self-

government:' "Resolved that this Congress is

of opinion that the system of Government ob-

taining in the Self-governing British colonies

should be extended to India.

All examinations held in England only

should be simultaneously held in India and

in England, and that all higher appoint-

ments which are made in India should be by

competitive examinations only:

The adequate representation of Indians

in the Council of the Secretary of State.

The expansion of the supreme and pro-

vincial legislative councils,

The power of local and municipal bodies

should be extended."

Boycott movement:

"This Congress

is of opinion that the boycott movement

inaugurated in Bengal by way of protest against

the Partition of that province, was and is,

legitimate."

The First National Flag, 1906

V _____________________ _ ________ 5!

______________________/

Swadeshi:

"That

the Congress accords its

most cordial support to the Swadeshi

movement, and calls upon the people of the

country’ to promote the growth of indigenous

industries and to stimulate the production of

indigenous articles by giving them preference

over imported commodities even at some

sacrifice."

National Education:

"That in the opinion of

this Congress the time has arrived for the

people all over the country’ earnestly to take

up the question of National Education for both

boys and girls, and organize a system of

education -literary, scientific and technical-

suited to the requirements of the country on

National lines and under National control."

Presiding over the session Dadabhai spoke on

'the need for agitation'

and opined that the

partition of Bengal is a bad blunder for Eng-

land. He said

"In the Bengal partition, the

Bengalees have a just and great grievance. It

is a bad blunder, for England. But in connec-

tion with it we hear a great deal about agita-

tors and agitation. Agitation is the life and

soul of the whole political, social and indus-

trial history of England. It is by agitation the

English have accomplished their most glori-

ous achievements, their prosperity, their lib-

erties, and in short their first place among the

Nations of the World.

The whole life of England, every day is all

agitation.... from the Prime Minister to the

humblest politician his occupation is agita-

tion for everything he wants to accomplish.

The whole Parliament, Press and Platform is

simply all agitation. Agitation is the civilized

peaceful weapon of moral force, and infinitely

preferable to brute physical force when pos-

sible.... It is the conventional way of approach-

ing higher authorities.... to influence and put

pressure on Parliament by showing how the

public regard any particular matter. The fact

that we have more or less failed hitherto is not

because we have petitioned too much but that

we have petitioned too little.... Inform the

Indian people what their rights are and why

and how they should obtain them, and inform

the British people of the rights of the Indian

people and why they should grant them. If we

do not speak, they say we are satisfied. If we

speak, we become agitators. The Indian people

are properly asked to act constitutionally

while the government remains unconstitutional

and despotic."

Madame Cama's Flag

hoisted at International

Socialist Congress at

Stuttgart, 1907