Home Rule League

Introduction 

In 1916, Bal Gangadhar Tilak decided to build a separate organization with an objective to attain ‘Swaraj’. This organization was called ‘Home Rule League’. Travelling from village to village he explained the aim of his league to the people. At the same time Mrs. Annie Besant launched another movement with the same name at Madras. Soon through mutual agreement, both the leaders decided that Tilak’s league would concentrate its activities in Maharashtra (excluding Bombay), Karnataka, Central Provine and Berar, while Mrs. Besant’s league would cover the rest of India.

Objectives 

The objective of the Home Rule Movement was to attain self-government on the lines of the white colonies after the war. The League made its intention clear from the beginning that the country shall have a government by councils, elected by people, elected with power of the purse and the government will be responsible to the house.

Programmes and activities 

Both the Leagues concentrated on educating the masses about the message of the Home Rule – Right of Self-Governance. They opened a large number of branches in the country and followed constitutional means of protest and refrained from adopting aggressive methods.

Both the Leagues spread their ideas through public meetings, organizing reading rooms and libraries, holding conferences and creating propaganda through newspaper, pamphlets, posters and songs.

Leaders of the Movement 

Apart from Mrs. Besant and Tilak, the Home Rule Movement brought into the forefront several new leaders including Motilal Nehru, Jawaharlal Nehru, Jinnah, Balubhai Desai, Tej Bahadur Sapru and Chittaranjan Das.

Government’s Attitude 

The British government came down heavily on the movement. Mrs. Besant was arrested, Tilak was not allowed to travel to Punjab and Delhi. Students were banned from attending meetings called by the League movement. The arrest of Mrs. Besant created a nationwide protest.

Finally the government came up with the August Declaration and freed Mrs. Besant. The August Declaration was the first real political reform offered by the British to the Indians. It said the British Government was interested in increasing association of Indians in every branch of the administration and the gradual development of self-governing institutions with a view to the progressive realization of responsible government in India as an integral part of the British Empire. This Declaration was succeeded by the Government of India Act 1919, which gave some real powers to the Indians at the provincial level.