Rufus Daniel Isaacs, 1st Marquess of Reading, was a British Liberal politician and judge who served as Lord Chief Justice of England, Viceroy of India, and Foreign Secretary, the last Liberal to do so. Lord Reading succeeded Lord Chelmsford as Governor-General and Viceroy of India in 1921. He was born into a poor Jewish family but rose through the ranks to become Chief Justice of England through talent and hard work. The British faced many challenges during his tenure. In this article, we will discuss the Viceroy of India Lord Reading (1921-1926) which will be helpful for UPSC exam preparation.

Lord Reading

Lord Reading - Background

• Lord Reading (1860-1935) served as Viceroy and Governor General of India from 1921 to 1926. Rufus Daniel Isaacs Reading, of Jewish ancestry, was born in London on October 10, 1860.
• He was educated at University College School in London and abroad, and he went on to study law at Middle Temple.
• As a Liberal Imperialist, he was elected to the House of Commons from Reading in 1904.
• In 1910, he was appointed Attorney General, and in 1913, he was appointed Lord Chief Justice of England. He held this position until 1921, when he was appointed Viceroy of India.
• Reading's tenure in India coincided with the khilafat and non-cooperation movements, as well as other local uprisings.
• As Viceroy, he reacted strongly to the growing political movements and, while he preferred conciliation, resorted to summary measures more frequently.
• He imprisoned the Ali brothers in 1921, Gandhi in 1924, and used force to put down Sikh rebels in Punjab and the Moplas during his presidency in Madras.

Significant Events under Lord Reading

Moplah Rebellion, 1921

• In Kerala, the Moplah defied government orders to make Congress and Khilafat meetings illegal.
• It quickly devolved into a communal uprising between Kudiyaan tenant Moplahs and Jenmis Hindu Landlords.
• The movement was successfully suppressed, but the government was forced to raise a special battalion known as the Malabar Special Police.

Chauri-Chaura Incident, 1922

• The Chauri Chaura incident occurred on 4 February 1922 in Chauri Chaura, Gorakhpur district of the United Provinces (modern-day Uttar Pradesh) in British India, when police opened fire on a large group of protesters participating in the non-cooperation movement.
• In retaliation, protesters attacked and burned down a police station, killing all of its occupants. Three civilians and 22 police officers were killed in the incident.
• As a direct result of this incident, Mahatma Gandhi, who was adamantly opposed to violence, put an end to the national non-cooperation movement on February 12, 1922.
• Despite Gandhi's decision, British colonial authorities sentenced 19 arrested demonstrators to death and 14 to life imprisonment.

Swaraj Party (1923)

• The Swaraj Party was founded by Congress leaders Moti Lal Nehru, CR Das, NC Kelkar, GS Gharpade, and S Srinivas, who had joined forces with Khilafat leaders such as Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy and some other leaders such as Subhash Chandra Bose and Vithalbhai Patel in response to Gandhi's decision to withdraw the NCM.
• They shifted their focus to "Swaraj" within the British Raj and decided to run for office, enter legislatures, and bring "change."
• These elections had to be held in accordance with the provisions of the Government of India Act of 1919. These leaders were referred to as Pro-changers.
• On the other hand, most Congress leaders abandoned agitation for a time and began uplifting the poor by teaching them how to use Charkha, denouncing untouchability, and popularizing nonviolence and Gandhian methods.
• These were known as No-changers. C Rajagopalachari was a well-known No-changer.

Rise of Communal Politics

• The abrupt withdrawal of NCM resulted in a split between Congress and Khilafat leaders.
• On both the Hindu and Muslim sides, fringe communal elements had grown. Hindu-Muslim riots have become more common than in the past.
• Muslims saw an increase in tabligh and Tanzims, while Arya Samajis established Shuddi Sangathans.
• Swami Shraddhanad's murder in Delhi in 1926 was one such incident that demonstrated that communalism is now a permanent feature of Indian politics.
• Maulana Mohammad Ali, the president of the Kakinada Session in 1923, resigned from Congress citing communal reasons.
• Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya resurrected the Hindu Mahasabha in 1923 to protect and promote Hindu civilization. Keshav Bahram Hedgewar founded the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in Nagpur in 1925.
• Dr. Hedgewar had been a member of the Anushilan Samiti and Yugantar and was a staunch nationalist. He joined the Indian National Congress at first, but soon left to found the RSS.
• The plan was to educate Hindu youths in order for them to unite the Hindu community and make India an independent, undivided country. He was greatly influenced by V D Savarkar and adopted many of his ideals.

Kakori Train Conspiracy, 1925

• Hindustan Republican Association (HRA) members created the Kakori Train Conspiracy.
• They intended to commit a political heist in order to obtain government funds. The looting was successful, but the plot was quickly discovered.
• Thirty people were arrested, and the trial resulted in the executions of Swaran Singh (Bhagat Singh's uncle), Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqullah Khan, Rajendra Lahiri, and Roshan Singh.
• The rest were all imprisoned for long periods of time, effectively putting an end to HRA.

Decision to hold Simultaneous exam for ICS

• With the establishment of the Federal Public Service Commission in 1922, the Indian Civil Service Examination began to be held in India as well, first in Allahabad and later in Delhi.
• The Civil Service Commission continued to conduct the Examination in London.
• Similarly, prior to independence, superior police officers were appointed by the Secretary of State through a competitive examination.
• In June 1893, England held the first open competition for the service, and ten top candidates were appointed as Probationary Assistant Superintendents of Police.
• Entry into the Imperial Police was only made available to Indians after 1920, and examinations for the service were held in both England and India the following year.

Conclusion

Reading's term in India ended in early 1926, and in May he was elevated to the rank of Marquees, the first commoner to do so since the Duke of Wellington. He was appointed foreign secretary in Macdonald's national government in 1931, but resigned shortly after the general election. During 1942-1944, his son wrote his biography, titled 'Rufus Isaacs, First Marquess of Reading,' in two volumes. He died in London on December 30, 1935.