Swadeshi Movement

Swadeshi Movement was an anti-partition movement led by Extremist leaders against the partition of Bengal. The main motto of this Movement was to use Swadeshi goods and boycott the British goods. Hence, the Movement is generally called Swadeshi and Boycott Movement. The theme song of the Movement was Vande Mataram (song from the novel Anandamath, which was written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee). Hence, sometimes, it is also called Vande Mataram Movement.

Course of Swadeshi Movement

• During the partition of Bengal, the British followed the policy of divide and rule and created a scene that East Bengal was meant for the Muslims so that they can be empowered politically and termed the Congress as a Hindu Party.
  
  
• The partition of Bengal and the initial days of Swadeshi Movement went hand in hand. The Swadeshi Movement started in 1905 and ended in 1908.
  
  
• On August 7, 1905, in Calcutta, a Boycott Resolution was passed so as to boycott the British goods.
  
  
• On 16th October, 1905, Raksha Bandhan Day was observed as per the advice of Rabindranath Tagore. On this occasion, Rabindranath Tagore wrote about the greatness of Bengali through the song, "Amar Sonar Bangla ……". This is the National Anthem of Bangladesh now.
  
  
• Doctors and Lawyers refused to offer services.
  
  
• Swadeshi stores were started, wherein only purely indigenous products were sold. Bengal Swadeshi Chemical Store was started by P.C. Ray in Calcutta, with the financial assistance of Rabindranath Tagore.
  
  
• People of India boycotted educational institutions. National colleges and schools were started. In Calcutta, Bengal National College was started with Aurobindo Ghosh as the Principal, with Santiniketan as model.
  
  Satish Chandra Mukherjee started an organization called "Dawn society" which set up a network of schools and colleges.
  
  
• Yuvajana Samitis were formed through which the above activities were carried out. For example, Swadesh Bandhab Samiti was founded by Ashwini Kumar Dutta at Barisal with 500 branches throughout Bengal.
  
  
• Though the Movement was mainly concentrated in Bengal, it also spread across some other parts of the country. The Swadeshi Movement leaders in different parts of India were,
  
  
  • Swadeshi Movement in Bengal was led by leaders like Bipin Chandra Pal, Ashwini Kumar Dutta and Aurobindo Ghosh.
    
    
  • In Punjab, leaders were Lala Lajpat Rai and Sardar Ajit Singh.
    
    
  • In Bombay, leaders like Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
    
    
  • In Delhi and Jammu, Syed Haider Raza.
    
    
  • In Madras, V.O. Chidambaram Pillai, who started out Swadeshi Steam Navigation company at Tuticorin.

Impact of Swadeshi Movement

• The Swadeshi Movement is an important movement in India as it encouraged for the first time, mass participation by a large section of the society including women.
  
  
• The importance of Swadeshi Movement is such that it led to the revival of Indian cottage industry and also led to establish Swadeshi educational institutions, textile mills, banks, insurance companies, soap factories, etc.
  
  
• The Movement resulted in the change in character of the Congress party in which the influence of Moderates got declined and the Extremists got an upper hand and they demanded for "Swaraj" from the British Raj.
  
  
• The Swadeshi and Boycott Movement gave the ideas of passive resistance and non-cooperation, which were later applied successfuly by Mahatma Gandhi to achieve Independence for India.

Causes for Failure of Swadeshi Movement

• In 1908, Swadeshi Movement got declined and finally disappeared. The main reason was being Government Suppression
  
  
• Movement of leaders were restricted
  
  
• During the movement, there was split in Congress
  
  
• By 1908, the movement was leaderless. Leaders were put into bars, Aurobindo Ghosh turned into a Swamy, Bipin Chandra Pal retired from politics.
  
  
• Muslims opposed the Swadeshi Movement. Minto asked Muslims to form a separate political party. In Decmeber, 1906, All India Muslim League party was formed in Dhaka.
  
  A group of aristocrats formed the Muslim League party. They were Nawab Salimullah Khan (Nawab of Dhaka), Nawab Mohsin-ul-Mulk, Agha Khan (first President) and Nawab Waqar-ul-Mulk.