Tag: national awakening and establishment of political organisations in india

Mother India is a book by American historian Katherine Mayo which attacks Indian society, religion and culture. Katherine Mayo was an American researcher and historian. Mayo entered public life as a political writer advocating White Anglo-Saxon Protestant Nativism. It was a widely criticised book in India as it showed the country in negative light.

Lord Curzon had a passion for preserving the ancient monuments of historical importance in India. No Viceroy in India before or after him took such a keen interest in archaeological objects. He passed a law called the Ancient Monuments Act, 1904 which made it obligatory on the part of the government and local authorities to preserve the monuments of archaeological importance and their destruction an offence.

The number of educated Indians increased considerably by the close of the 19th century. Large numbers of them were employed in the administration on low salaries. While many other faced unemployment. Their grievances made them look critically at the nature of British rule. These educated low paid and unemployed Indians became the followers of Assertive Nationalism.

Bipin Chandra Pal reminded the people, "self-help and self-sacrifice is the real force in the field of nationalism".

The nationalist writers and agitators blamed the British rule for the poverty of the people. They made all efforts to develop self-respect and self-confidence among the people.

The nationalist writers and agitators blamed the British rule for the poverty of the people. They made all efforts to develop self-respect and self-confidence among the people. Assertive Nationalist leaders like Aurobindo Ghose, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and Bipin Chandra Pal asked the nationalists to rely on the abilities.

Swami Vivekananda said "The only hope of India is from the masses. The upper classes are physically and morally dead". Thus, there was the realisation that only the masses could make the immense sacrifices needed to win freedom.

Indians helped the British to develop their colonies in other parts of the world. But everywhere, especially in South Africa, Indians were subjected to racial discrimination. They were  denied the right to vote and could not enter the hotels, clubs, buses or railway coaches reserved for he whites.

From 1905 to 1918, there emerged a new and a younger group of leaders within the Congress who did not agree with the methods and ideology of the Early Nationalist leaders. This group of leaders came  to be known as Assertive Nationalists. Three prominent leaders of this group were Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai and Bipin Chandra Pal.