Over the years, a form of militant nationalism (also known as 'extremism') had been gradually developing in the country. This found expression in the movement against the Partition of Bengal in 1903.
In its early phase, the Indian national movement had increasingly made people aware of the evils of foreign domination and the need to cultivate a spirit of patriotism. It had provided educated Indians with essential political training. Indeed, it had stirred the sentiments of the masses and infused a new life into the country.
At the same time, the British government's failure to concede the nationalists' demands bred discontent among the politically conscious populace regarding the principles and methods of the 'Moderate' leadership that held sway at the time. Instead of acceding to the demands of Moderate nationalists, British rulers would ridicule them and view them with disdain. Consequently, calls for more vigorous political actions and methods began to gain ground, moving beyond mere meetings, petitions, memoranda, and speeches in legislative bodies.
The politics of the Moderate nationalists was rooted in the belief that British rule could be reformed from within. However, as knowledge regarding political and economic issues spread, this belief gradually eroded—a process for which the Moderate movement itself was largely responsible. Nationalist writers and agitators convinced the public that British rule was to blame for their poverty and that India's wealth was being drained to enrich England. They argued that unless a government controlled and run by Indians replaced British rule, India was unlikely to make any significant economic progress. Nationalists also observed that Indian industries could not flourish without a government that provided protection and encouragement. The devastating famines that struck India between 1890 and 1900—claiming over a million lives—stood in the public eye as stark symbols of the economic consequences of foreign rule.
Political events occurring between 1892 and 1905 also... It disillusioned nationalists and compelled them to consider even more radical forms of politics. The Indian Councils Act of 1992—which we have already discussed—proved to be a source of deep disappointment. Meanwhile, the limited political rights the public did possess came under attack. A law enacted in 1898 criminalized the act of spreading "feelings of disaffection" towards foreign rule. In 1899, the number of Indian members in the Calcutta Municipal Corporation was reduced. The Indian Official Secrets Act of 1904 curtailed the freedom of the press. In 1897, the Natu brothers were deported without trial, and the public was kept in the dark regarding the charges against them. That same year, Lokmanya Tilak and other journalists were handed lengthy prison sentences for inciting the public against the foreign government. All this led the people to feel that, far from granting more political rights, the government was stripping them of the few rights they already held. Lord Curzon’s anti-Congress stance convinced an increasing number of people that hoping for political and economic progress under British rule was futile. Even the moderate leader Gokhale complained that the bureaucracy was becoming openly selfish and hostile to national aspirations.
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