Indian nationalism movements and historical development

Indian Nationalism

The Age of Colonialism was drawing to a close, as the spirit of nationalism swept over the subcontinent. As similar political movements took place throughout Europe and other parts of Asia, India found itself in a unique position. India had been a diverse, heterogeneous region for centuries; even millennia. The nationalist movement highlighted the differences between the various ethnic groups in the subcontinent, revealing their core differences in political and social philosophy. Initial nationalist movements were led by the Indian National Congress Party, as well as the Muslim League. The Indian National Congress Party did not start out as being a Hindu organization, and never officially declared itself as such. Yet over time, the Congress Party became associated with Hindu goals. The Congress Party was founded as early as 1885, when it was a umbrella group for a diverse constituency. Their only shared goal seemed to be the ousting of the Raj.

Within the Congress Party, several leaders rose to prominence. Two of the most notable included Jawaharlal Nehru, and Mohandas Gandhi. Gandhi led a group dedicated to nonviolent tactics of civil disobedience in order to evoke change and generate momentum for the independence movement. Known as Satyagraha, Gandhi's movement was also dubbed the Non-Cooperation Movement because of its commitment to the use of civil disobedience instead of taking up of arms. Although it had broad appeal among various ethnic, cultural, religious, and social class groups in India, Satyagraha did end up isolating some minority sectors. Moreover, the substantial and influential Parsee community in Mumbai (then Bombay) had prospered under the raj and liked to point out the benefits of British rule such as the modernization of Indian transportation infrastructure and commerce.

Although most Muslims did support the Indian National Congress Party, a large number sought more robust representation in the nationalist movement and supported instead the All-India Muslim League. Conflicts between Hindu and Muslim Indians started brewing during the early 20th century. In 1905, the state of Bengal was divided -- partitioned along religious lines. Indians did not approve of the British interference with their nationalist movement, seeking instead of more holistic political rubric under which to form a new nation. The populist revolt forced the British to reunify Bengal. After British conscripted Indian soldiers to fight in World War One, the anger against the colonialist government grew. The British passed ever-stricter acts in an attempt to quell the civic unrest. Protests that began peacefully ended in violence on the part of the British government.