Rise of Extremism and Leaders of INC Extremist

Moderate Leaders of INC

Surendranath Banerjee was called the Indian Burke. He firmly opposed the Partition of Bengal.
He founded the Indian Association (1876) to agitate for political reforms.
He had convened the Indian National Conference (1883) which merged with the Indian National Congress in l886.
G. Subramanya Aiyar preached nationalism through the Madras Mahajana Sabha.
He also founded the The Hindu and Swadesamitran.
Dadabhai Naoroji was known as the Grand Old Man of India.
He is regarded as India’s unofficial Ambassador in England.
He was the first Indian to become a Member of the British House of Commons.
Gopal Krishna Gokhale was regarded as the political guru of Gandhi.
In 1905, he founded the Servants of India Society to train Indians to dedicate their lives to the cause of the country

The period from 1905 to 1916 was known as the era of extremism in the Indian National Movement.
The extremists or the aggressive nationalists believed that success could be achieved through bold means.
The important extremist leaders were Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal and Aurobindo Ghosh

The failure of the Moderates to win any notable success other than the expansion of the legislative councils by the Indian Councils Act (1892).
The famine and plague of 1896-97 which affected the whole country and the suffering of the masses.
The economic conditions of the people became worse.
Reactionary rule of Lord Curzon – Partition of Bengal in 1905

The Extremists had no faith in the British sense of justice and fair play.
They pointed out the forceful means by which the British had taken control of India.
They believed that political rights will have to be fought for. They had the spirit of self-reliance and self determination.
Not cooperating with the British Government by boycotting government courts, schools and colleges.
Promotion of Swadeshi and boycott of foreign goods.
Introduction and promotion of national education.

Bal Gangadhar Tilak is regarded as the real founder of the popular anti-British movement in India.
He was known as ‘Lokamanya’.
He attacked the British through his weeklies The Mahratta and the Kesari.
He was jailed twice by the British for his nationalist activities and in 1908 deported to Mandalay for six years.
He set up the Home Rule League in 1916 at Poona and declared “Swaraj is my birth-right and I will have it.”
Lala Lajpat Rai is popularly known as the ‘Lion of Punjab’.
He played an important role in the Swadeshi Movement.
He founded the Indian Home Rule League in the US in 1916.
He was deported to Mandalay on the ground of sedition.
He received fatal injuries while leading a procession against the Simon Commission and died on November 17, 1928
Bipan Chandra Pal began his career as a moderate and turned an extremist.
He played an important role in the Swadeshi Movement.
He preached nationalism through the nook and corner of Indian by his powerful speeches and writings.
Aurobinda Ghosh was another extremist leader and he actively participated in the Swadeshi Movement.
He was also imprisoned. After his release he settled in the French territory of Pondicherry and concentrated on spiritual activities.