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Revolutionary Activities in the 1920s – UPSC Notes

During the 1920s, revolutionary activities in India increased because many young nationalists were disappointed after the sudden end of the Non-Cooper
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Revolutionary Activities in the 1920s

During the 1920s, revolutionary activities in India increased because many young nationalists were disappointed after the sudden end of the Non-Cooperation Movement (NCM) in 1922. They felt that non-violence alone was not enough to get freedom and decided to use armed revolution against British rule.

A. Why Did Revolutionary Activities Increase?

  1. Non-Cooperation Movement (NCM) Ended Suddenly

    • Many young nationalists lost faith in non-violence.
    • They looked for other ways to fight for independence.

  2. Rise of Trade Unions and Worker Movements

    • After World War I, workers started protesting against British policies.
    • This gave revolutionaries hope that they could mobilize the masses for armed struggle.

  3. Influence of the Russian Revolution (1917)

    • The Bolsheviks in Russia overthrew their government through armed revolution.
    • Indian revolutionaries were inspired by this and wanted to do the same in India.

  4. Inspiration from Books

    • "Bandi Jiwan" by Sachindra Nath Sanyal motivated many revolutionaries.
    • "Pather Dabi" by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay glorified armed struggle against oppression.

B. Revolutionary Activities in North India (Punjab, UP, Bihar)

Hindustan Republican Association (HRA) → Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA)

  • HRA was founded in 1924 in Kanpur by Ram Prasad Bismil, Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee, and Sachindra Nath Sanyal.
  • Their goal was to overthrow British rule through armed revolution and establish a republic based on adult franchise.
  • Later, in 1928, it was renamed HSRA under Chandrashekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh, and others.

Major Revolutionary Events

  1. Kakori Train Robbery (1925)

    • Revolutionaries looted British government money from a train near Kakori (Lucknow).
    • British arrested many revolutionaries. Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan, Lahiri, and Roshan Singh were hanged in 1927.
    • This was a big setback for HRA, but it inspired others.

  2. Saunders’ Assassination (1928)

    • Lala Lajpat Rai died after a police lathi charge during a protest against the Simon Commission.
    • Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Chandrashekhar Azad killed J.P. Saunders, the British officer responsible for the lathi charge.

  3. Bomb in Central Legislative Assembly (1929)

    • Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt threw non-lethal bombs inside the British Parliament in Delhi.
    • Purpose: To protest against the Public Safety Bill and Trade Disputes Bill.
    • They shouted slogans like "Inquilab Zindabad" and got arrested willingly.

  4. Lahore Conspiracy Case (1931) – Execution of Bhagat Singh

    • Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev were sentenced to death.
    • Jatin Das became the first martyr after fasting for 64 days in jail.
    • Chandrashekhar Azad died in a police encounter in 1931.
    • Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev were hanged on March 23, 1931.

C. Revolutionary Activities in Bengal

After the death of C.R. Das (1925), the Bengal Congress split into two factions:

  1. Led by J.M. Sengupta (supported by Anushilan Group).
  2. Led by Subhas Chandra Bose (supported by Yugantar Group).

Chittagong Armoury Raid (1930) – Led by Surya Sen

  • Surya Sen ("Master Da"), a school teacher and Congress leader, organized a daring raid in Chittagong.
  • Plan:
    • Capture two British armouries (weapon stores).
    • Cut telephone and railway connections to isolate British forces.
    • Hoist the national flag and declare a provisional revolutionary government.
  • Outcome:
    • The raid was successful initially, but the British army retaliated.
    • Surya Sen was arrested in 1933 and hanged in 1934.

D. Women in Revolutionary Activities

Many brave women actively participated in revolutionary movements:

  1. Pritilata Waddedar – Died in a British club attack.
  2. Kalpana Dutt – Sentenced to life imprisonment with Surya Sen.
  3. Shanti Ghosh and Suniti Choudhury – Killed a British District Magistrate.
  4. Bina Das – Fired at the Governor of Bengal during a college convocation.

E. Importance of Revolutionary Movements

✅ Inspired youth across India to join the freedom struggle.
✅ Increased nationalist sentiments and built pressure on the British government.
✅ Though they did not achieve freedom directly, they played a key role in India’s struggle for independence.

Prelims Pointers (Quick Revision)

🔹 Kakori Conspiracy (1925) – Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan, Rajendra Lahiri.
🔹 HRA became HSRA (1928) – Led by Chandrashekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh.
🔹 Lahore Conspiracy Case (1931) – Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev executed.
🔹 Chittagong Armoury Raid (1930) – Led by Surya Sen.
🔹 Women Revolutionaries – Pritilata Waddedar, Kalpana Dutt, Bina Das.


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