Revolutionary activities continued unabated even abroad. Following the assassination of District Magistrate Rand, Shyamji Krishna Verma of Kathiawar traveled to London and established the Home Rule Society. V.D. Savarkar went to London in 1906 and joined the 'Indian Society.' It advocated for revolutionary terrorism. The role of the Gadar Party in revolutionary activities around the world cannot be overstated. Lala Hardayal, a revolutionary young man from Punjab, founded the Gadar Party and also published The Gadar, a weekly newspaper. Its goal was to spark a revolution in India that would liberate the country from British rule. In this article, we will discuss the Revolutionary Activities Abroad which will be helpful for UPSC exam preparation.

Revolutionary Activities Abroad - Background

• During World War I, Indian revolutionaries in exile sought assistance from the German government.
• They also sought assistance from Muslims in Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan to overthrow the British empire in India.
• Sardar Ajit Singh and Sufi Amba Prasad traveled to the Middle East to rally the defeated Indian soldiers.
• Raja Mahendra Pratap led an Indo-German mission to Afghanistan, where he established a free government.
• The Komagata Maru case fueled revolutionary terrorism. This Japanese ship, which had brought revolutionary Sikhs to Canada, was denied anchoring in a Canadian port and was forced to return to Calcutta.
  • The passengers protested by refusing to board a train bound for Punjab, which had been arranged by the British government.
  • Some of them died as a result of the government's harsh measures. All of these events fueled the terrorist movement in Punjab.
  • In Punjab, revolutionary terrorists committed political atrocities in Amritsar, Jullundur, and Ludhiana.
• These revolutionary activities continued until 1945 when Subhas Chandra Bose died mysteriously.
• Revolutionary activities, both domestic and international, were thwarted because they were limited to India's educated middle class. There were specific causes that contributed to the failure of revolutionary activities.

Revolutionary Activities Abroad - Features

• The need for shelter, the possibility of publishing revolutionary literature that would be exempt from the Press Acts, and the desire for arms drove Indian revolutionaries to travel abroad.
• Shyamji Krishna Varma founded the Indian Home Rule Society - 'India House' - in London in 1905 as a center for Indian students, a scholarship scheme to bring radical youth from India, and a journal called 'The Indian Sociologist.'
• Members of India House included revolutionaries such as Savarkar and Hardayal.
• In 1909, Madanlal Dhingra of this circle assassinated India Office bureaucrat Curzon-Wyllie. Soon, London became too dangerous for the revolutionaries, especially after Savarkar was extradited and imprisoned for life in the Nasik conspiracy case in 1910.
• New centers emerged on the continent - Paris, and Geneva from where Madam Bhikaji Cama, a Parsi revolutionary who had developed contacts with French socialists and who brought out Bande Mataram, and Ajit Singh operated.
• After 1909 when Anglo-German relations deteriorated, Virendra Chattopadhyaya chose Berlin as his base.

Indian Home Rule Society (1905)

• The Indian Home Rule Society was an informal Indian Nationalist movement that started in London.
• It was founded by Shyamji Krishna Varma.
• After the assassination of William Hutt Curzon Wyllie by an India House member named Madan Lal Dhingra, the India House ceased to be a powerful organization.
• This event marked the start of the London Police's crackdown on the house's activities, and a number of its activists and patrons, including Shyamji Krishna Varma and Bhikaji Cama, fled to Europe to continue their work in support of Indian nationalism.
• Har Dayal was one of the Indian students who moved to the United States.
• During World War I, the House's network was critical to the nationalist revolutionary conspiracy in India.

*For detailed notes of this topic, check this link Indian Home Rule Society(1905)

Ghadar Party (1913)

• The Ghadar Movement was a pivotal event in the history of the Indian freedom struggle. The Ghadar Party was a political revolutionary organization founded in the United States of America by migrated Indians.
• The formation of the Ghadar Party was primarily the work of Sikhs.
• Sohan Singh, Kartar Singh, Abdul Mohamed Barakatullah, and Rashbehari Bose were among the prominent leaders who laid the groundwork for the establishment of an Indian political organization in the United States and Canada.
• Due to India's poor economic situation in the nineteenth century, hundreds of Indians migrated to western countries.
• They moved to economically strong countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia in search of better economic opportunities.
• Thousands of Sikhs immigrated to the United States and Canada in the nineteenth century and settled there permanently. There were numerous reasons for Indians to migrate to western countries.
• One of the major reasons for emigration was the British Indian Government's exploitative policy, which worsened the economic conditions of the poor and middle classes.

*For detailed notes of this topic, check this link Ghadar Party(1913)

Komagata Maru Incident (1914)

• The Komagata Maru incident involved the Japanese steamship Komagata Maru, on which a group of British Raj citizens attempted to emigrate to Canada in 1914 but were denied entry.
• When they were forced to return to Calcutta (present-day Kolkata), India, they were fired upon by British police, resulting in the deaths of 20 Sikhs. Gurdit Singh, a wealthy Punjabi businessman, chartered the ship.
• In 1914, the Komagata Marus sailed from British Hong Kong to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, via Shanghai, China, and Yokohama, Japan, carrying 376 passengers from Punjab, British India.
• Only 24 of them were admitted to Canada, but the remaining 352 passengers were not allowed to disembark, and the ship was forced to return to India.
• The passengers included 340 Sikhs, 24 Muslims, and 12 Hindus, all of whom were British subjects.
• This was one of several instances in the early twentieth century when exclusion laws in Canada and the United States were used to keep Asian immigrants out.

*For detailed notes of this topic, check this link Komagata Maru Incident (1914)

Singapore Mutiny

• The 1915 Singapore Mutiny, also known as the 1915 Sepoy Mutiny or the Mutiny of the 5th Light Infantry, was a mutiny against the British in Singapore by up to half of a regiment of 850 Indian Muslims sepoys during World War I.
• Among the scattered mutinies during this period, the most notable was in Singapore on February 15, 1915, by Punjabi Muslim 5th Light Infantry and the 36th Sikh battalion under Jamadar Chisti Khan, Jamadar Abdul Gani, and Subedar Daud Khan.
• It was crushed after a fierce battle in which many were killed. Later, 37 persons were executed and 41 were transported for life.

*For detailed notes of this topic, check this link Singapore Mutiny

Conclusion

The revolutionary terrorist movement in India had a significant impact on Congress and the British government. Revolutionary terrorist organizations limited their strengths in order to remain more agile and effective. However, the movement had an impact on India: its people, the Congress, and the British rulers. The revolutionary activities spread throughout the country. Maharashtra, Bengal, Punjab, and Madras were transformed into revolutionary hotspots. Revolutionary activities continued unabated even abroad. Following the assassination of District Magistrate Rand, Shyamji Krishna Verma of Kathiawar traveled to London and established the Home Rule Society.

FAQs

MCQs

1. Which organization was primarily responsible for organizing revolutionary activities among Indians in North America?

A) Indian National Congress
B) Ghadar Party
C) All India Muslim League
D) Hindustan Socialist Republican Association

2. Who among the following was NOT associated with the revolutionary movement abroad?

A) Lala Hardayal
B) Bhagat Singh
C) Mahatma Gandhi
D) Sohan Singh Bhakna

3. The primary goal of the Ghadar Party was to:

A) Achieve independence through non-violent means
B) Incite a rebellion against British rule
C) Promote education among Indians
D) Form an alliance with British forces

4. Which event marked a significant uprising organized by Indian revolutionaries abroad in 1915?

A) Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
B) Ghadar Mutiny
C) Salt March
D) Non-Cooperation Movement

5. The revolutionary activities abroad primarily aimed to:

A) Promote economic independence
B) Achieve political independence through armed struggle
C) Establish a monarchy in India
D) Strengthen ties with British authorities

GS Mains Questions and Answers

Q1: Analyze the role of Indian revolutionaries abroad in the struggle for India's independence.

Answer: Indian revolutionaries abroad played a pivotal role in the independence struggle by fostering a sense of nationalism and mobilizing support against British colonial rule. Their efforts included forming organizations like the Ghadar Party, which aimed to incite armed rebellion among Indian soldiers in the British Indian Army. They disseminated revolutionary literature, organized protests, and sought alliances with foreign governments to support their cause. Their actions contributed to heightened awareness and sympathy for India's independence movement globally. Despite the eventual failure of their armed uprisings, the revolutionary activities abroad laid the groundwork for later movements by inspiring future leaders and activists to continue the struggle for freedom.

Q2: Discuss the significance of the Ghadar Party in the context of revolutionary activities.

Answer: The Ghadar Party, founded in 1913, was significant for its role in uniting Indian expatriates in North America to fight against British colonialism. It aimed to mobilize support for an armed revolt in India and published the 'Ghadar' newspaper to spread revolutionary ideas. The party's actions culminated in the Ghadar Mutiny of 1915, which, despite its failure, demonstrated the potential for collective action among Indians abroad. The Ghadar Party's legacy is evident in the continued spirit of resistance and the eventual rise of more organized movements for independence in India, influencing later revolutionaries and shaping the broader narrative of the freedom struggle.

Q3: Evaluate the impact of British repression on revolutionary activities among Indians abroad.

Answer: British repression had a profound impact on revolutionary activities among Indians abroad. The British government employed various measures, including surveillance, arrest, and deportation of suspected revolutionaries, to stifle dissent. Such repressive tactics not only hindered immediate revolutionary efforts but also drove many revolutionaries further underground, forcing them to adopt more clandestine operations. Despite these challenges, British repression often galvanized further resistance and unity among Indian communities abroad, leading to increased support for revolutionary activities. The harsh responses of the British authorities underscored the urgency of the independence movement and highlighted the determination of revolutionaries to fight for India's freedom.

Previous Year Questions on Revolutionary Activities Abroad

1. UPSC CSE Prelims 2020:

Question: The Ghadar Movement was primarily focused on which of the following?

A) Non-violent protests
B) Armed rebellion against British rule
C) Social reform
D) Political representation in British India

Answer: (B)

Explanation: The Ghadar Movement was primarily focused on organizing an armed rebellion against British rule in India, mobilizing support from Indian expatriates and soldiers in the British Indian Army.

2. UPSC CSE Mains 2019:

Question: Critically examine the contributions of Indian revolutionaries abroad towards the Indian freedom struggle.

Answer: Indian revolutionaries abroad made substantial contributions to the Indian freedom struggle by raising awareness and mobilizing support against British colonial rule. They formed organizations like the Ghadar Party, which sought to incite rebellion through armed struggle. Their publications and propaganda efforts played a crucial role in uniting Indians and inspiring future generations. Despite facing severe repression, their persistent efforts laid the groundwork for a more organized and widespread independence movement in India, influencing both revolutionary and reformist approaches to the struggle.