Revolutionary Nationalism Phase 2 (1922-1940s) #
The sudden withdrawal of the Non-Cooperation Movement (1922) after the Chauri Chaura incident left many young nationalists disillusioned with the idea of non-violence. This led to the second phase of revolutionary activities, which was more organized and heavily influenced by Socialist and Communist ideologies.
I. Why the Movement Resurged #
| Cause | Impact |
|---|---|
| Withdrawal of NCM | Frustration among youth who expected Swaraj in one year. |
| Russian Revolution (1917) | Impact of Marxist ideas and the success of the working class. |
| Rise of Trade Unions | New avenues for mobilizing workers and peasants. |
| Literary Influence | Books like Bandi Jiwan (Sachin Sanyal) and Pather Dabi (Sarat Chandra Chatterjee) inspired youth. |
II. Revolutionary Activity in North India (HRA & HSRA) #
1. Hindustan Republican Association (HRA) #
- Founded: October 1924 in Kanpur.
- Founders: Ram Prasad Bismil, Sachin Sanyal, Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee and others.
- Aim: To organize an armed rebellion to overthrow colonial rule and establish the Federal Republic of United States of India.
- Manifesto: The Revolutionary, associated with Sachin Sanyal, explained the HRA’s political programme.
The Kakori Train Robbery (1925):
- Date: 9 August 1925.
- Event: HRA revolutionaries looted the 8-Down train carrying government cash near Kakori.
- Participants: Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqullah Khan, Roshan Singh, Rajendra Lahiri, Chandrashekhar Azad (who escaped).
- Outcome: Bismil, Ashfaqullah, Roshan Singh, and Lahiri were hanged in 1927.
2. Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) #
- Founded: September 1928 at Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi.
- Shift: Under the influence of Bhagat Singh, the HRA was renamed to include “Socialist”, shifting focus from individual heroics to mass mobilization.
- Aim: To establish a socialist republican India through revolutionary action and mass awakening.
- Leadership: Chandrashekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru.
III. Major Events & Conspiracy Cases (North India) #
| Year | Case / Event | Associated Persons | Facts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1928 | Saunders Murder | Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Azad | To avenge Lala Lajpat Rai’s death after the Simon Commission lathi charge; the real target was James A. Scott, but J.P. Saunders was killed by mistake. Known as Lahore Conspiracy Case II. |
| 1928 | Escape of Bhagat Singh | Bhagat Singh, Durga Devi Vohra, Rajguru | Durga Bhabhi helped Bhagat Singh escape from Lahore after the Saunders murder. |
| 1929 | Assembly Bomb Case | Bhagat Singh, Batukeshwar Dutt | Threw low-intensity bombs in the Central Legislative Assembly to “make the deaf hear”, protesting the Public Safety Bill and Trade Disputes Bill. |
| 1929 | Viceroy Train Bomb Attempt | HSRA revolutionaries | Attempted to bomb the train of Viceroy Lord Irwin near Delhi. |
| 1929 | Jatin Das’s Martyrdom | Jatin Das | Died after a 64-day hunger strike in Lahore jail demanding better conditions for political prisoners. |
| 1930 | Death of Bhagwati Charan Vohra | Bhagwati Charan Vohra | Died during a bomb test near the Ravi river. |
| 1931 | Alfred Park Encounter | Chandrashekhar Azad | Azad shot himself in Allahabad, fulfilling his vow to never be captured alive. |
| 1931 | Execution | Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru | Hanged on 23 March 1931 in Lahore. |
IV. Revolutionary Activity in Bengal #
The Bengal movement had several strands, but under Surya Sen it became especially known for disciplined, quasi-military action.
1. Chittagong Armoury Raid (1930) #
- Leader: Surya Sen (affectionately called Master Da).
- Date: 18 April 1930.
- Important associates: Ganesh Ghosh, Lokenath Bal, Ananta Singh, Ambika Chakrabarty, Pritilata Waddedar and Kalpana Datta.
- Action: His group, the Indian Republican Army (Chittagong Branch), seized two armouries, cut telephone/telegraph lines, and dislocated railway links.
- Proclamation: They hoisted the national flag and proclaimed a Provisional Revolutionary Government.
- Jalalabad Hill fight: Revolutionaries fought British forces after the raid.
- Outcome: Surya Sen was arrested in 1933 and hanged in 1934.
2. Writers’ Building Attack (1930) #
- Participants: Benoy Basu, Badal Gupta, and Dinesh Gupta.
- Action: They entered the Writers’ Building in Calcutta and assassinated N.S. Simpson, the Inspector General of Prisons.
- Outcome: The “B.B.D.” trio martyred themselves to avoid capture; Dalhousie Square was subsequently renamed B.B.D. Bagh in their honor.
3. Attempts on Charles Tegart #
- 1924 Attempt (Gopinath Saha): Gopinath Saha attempted to assassinate Tegart (Police Commissioner) but killed a British merchant, Ernest Day, by mistake. Gopinath Saha was hanged, and his bravery was famously praised by C.R. Das.
- 1930 Dalhousie Square Bomb Case: A bomb was thrown at Tegart’s car in Calcutta by revolutionaries including Anuja Sen and Dinesh Majumdar. Anuja Sen died in the blast, while Dinesh Majumdar was later captured and executed.
V. Women in the Revolutionary Movement #
This phase saw unprecedented participation of women in active combat and logistics.
| Name | Role / Action |
|---|---|
| Durga Devi Vohra / Durga Bhabhi | Helped Bhagat Singh escape from Lahore after the Saunders murder; associated with HSRA work. |
| Pritilata Waddedar | Led the attack on the Pahartali European Club; died consuming cyanide. |
| Kalpana Datta | Arrested and tried along with Surya Sen; associated with Chittagong raid. |
| Santi Ghosh & Suniti Chowdhury | Schoolgirls who shot dead the District Magistrate of Comilla (1931). |
| Bina Das | Fired at the Governor (Stanley Jackson) while receiving her degree at the Convocation (1932). |
VI. Important Ideological Shifts #
- Philosophy of the Bomb: A document written by Bhagwati Charan Vohra in response to Gandhi’s criticism of revolutionary methods.
- Why I am an Atheist: An essay written by Bhagat Singh in jail, explaining his movement towards atheism, rationalism, socialism, and Marxist influence.
- Mass Mobilization: Bhagat Singh helped found the Punjab Naujawan Bharat Sabha (1926) to spread revolutionary ideas among peasants and workers.
VII. Summary Timeline (Phase 2) #
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1922 | Chauri Chaura incident; withdrawal of Non-Cooperation Movement. |
| 1924 | HRA formed in Kanpur. |
| 1925 | Kakori Train Robbery on 9 August. |
| 1926 | Naujawan Bharat Sabha founded by Bhagat Singh. |
| 1928 | HRA reorganized as HSRA in Delhi; Saunders murdered in Lahore. |
| 1929 | Bomb thrown in Central Legislative Assembly; Viceroy train bomb attempt; death of Jatin Das. |
| 1930 | Chittagong Armoury Raid; Writers’ Building attack; Dalhousie Square Bomb Case; death of Bhagwati Charan Vohra. |
| 1931 | Death of Chandrashekhar Azad; Execution of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru. |
| 1932 | Bina Das’s attempt on the Governor of Bengal. |
| 1934 | Execution of Surya Sen. |
| 1940 | Udham Singh assassinated Michael O’Dwyer at Caxton Hall, London, on 13 March, avenging Jallianwala Bagh. |
Key Books & Journals #
| Work | Author |
|---|---|
| Bandi Jiwan | Sachin Sanyal (Called the “Bible of Revolutionaries”) |
| The Philosophy of the Bomb | Bhagwati Charan Vohra |
| Why I am an Atheist | Bhagat Singh |
| Pather Dabi | Sarat Chandra Chatterjee |
High-Yield Facts for Exams #
- First to be hanged among HRA: Rajendra Lahiri (two days before the scheduled date).
- Only Kakori leader who escaped: Chandrashekhar Azad.
- “Inquilab Zindabad”: Slogan popularized by Bhagat Singh (originally coined by Hasrat Mohani).
- The 1929 Assembly Bombing was timed when the assembly was discussing the Public Safety Bill and Trade Disputes Bill.
- Saunders murder: Scott was the intended target, but Saunders was killed by mistake.
- Chittagong Armoury Raid: Conducted on 18 April 1930 by the Indian Republican Army, Chittagong Branch.