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Question

Who among the following leaders started the Indian Home Rule league?

This question was previously asked in
NDA I 2018 GAT Previous Year Paper (22-Apr-2018)
The correct answer is

Bal Gangadhar Tilak

Understanding the Indian Home Rule League Movement

The Indian Home Rule movement was a significant step towards achieving self-government for India within the British Empire during World War I. This movement saw the establishment of two prominent Home Rule Leagues.

Who Started the Indian Home Rule League?

While the movement was led by two main figures, the question asks about one of the leaders who started it. Historical records show that the Home Rule movement in India was spearheaded by:

  • Bal Gangadhar Tilak
  • Annie Besant

Bal Gangadhar Tilak launched his Indian Home Rule League in April 1916 at Belgaum. Annie Besant launched her league later, in September 1916, at Adyar, Madras.

Leader League Started Year Headquarters/Base
Bal Gangadhar Tilak Indian Home Rule League 1916 Belgaum, Poona
Annie Besant All India Home Rule League 1916 Adyar, Madras

Both leagues worked towards the common goal of obtaining Home Rule (self-government) for India but operated in different geographical areas. Tilak's League primarily covered Maharashtra (excluding Bombay city), Karnataka, Berar, and the Central Provinces. Besant's League had a wider area of operation covering the rest of India.

Analyzing the Given Options

Let's look at the provided options in the context of starting the Indian Home Rule League:

  • Gopal Krishna Gokhale: He was a prominent moderate leader and founded the Servants of India Society in 1905. He passed away in 1915, before the Home Rule movement gained momentum.
  • Mahatma Gandhi: Gandhi returned to India in 1915 but initially stayed away from the Home Rule movement, focusing on local issues like Champaran, Kheda, and Ahmedabad Mill Strike. He became a major leader in the Indian national movement later.
  • Bal Gangadhar Tilak: As discussed, Bal Gangadhar Tilak was one of the two main founders of the Home Rule movement, starting his league in April 1916.
  • J.B. Kripalani: Acharya J.B. Kripalani was a significant figure in the later stages of the Indian independence movement and served as the President of the Indian National Congress at the time of independence, but he was not a founder of the Home Rule League.

Based on historical facts, Bal Gangadhar Tilak is the correct leader among the given options who started the Indian Home Rule League.

Conclusion

The question asks which leader among the options started the Indian Home Rule League. Bal Gangadhar Tilak is historically recognized as one of the key figures, starting his league in April 1916. The other options are incorrect in this context.

Revision Table: Key Figures & Movements

Leader Key Movement/Organisation Period
Bal Gangadhar Tilak Indian Home Rule League, Swadeshi Movement Late 19th - early 20th century
Annie Besant All India Home Rule League, Theosophical Society Early 20th century
Gopal Krishna Gokhale Servants of India Society, Moderate Politics Early 20th century
Mahatma Gandhi Non-cooperation, Civil Disobedience, Quit India Movement 1915 onwards
J.B. Kripalani Indian National Congress President (1947) Mid 20th century

Additional Information: Importance of Home Rule Movement

The Home Rule movement was crucial for several reasons:

  • It provided a new direction and energy to the national movement after the decline following the 1907 Surat split and the repression of extremists.
  • It popularised the idea of Home Rule or self-government across India, even in areas previously untouched by nationalist politics.
  • It used methods like political meetings, discussions, libraries, and propaganda through press and pamphlets to spread the message.
  • It prepared the ground for the mass-based movements led by Mahatma Gandhi that followed.
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