Key Agitations Against British Policies & Acts : Pre-Congress Campaigns

Pre-Congress Campaigns

The pre-Congress campaigns in India were pivotal in shaping early nationalist movements. Key campaigns included advocating for import duties on cotton, increasing Indian representation in government services, and opposing restrictive laws such as the Arms Act and Vernacular Press Act. These movements laid the groundwork for the Indian National Congress and broader nationalist sentiments.

• Imposition of Import Duty on Cotton (1875): Campaign to impose import duty on cotton to protect domestic industries.
• Indianisation of Government Service (1878-79): Campaign advocating for increased Indian representation in government services.
• Against Lytton’s Afghan Adventure: Opposition to Lord Lytton's military campaign in Afghanistan.
• Against Arms Act (1878): Protest against the restrictive Arms Act that limited the possession of arms by Indians.
• Against Vernacular Press Act (1878): Campaign against the Vernacular Press Act which restricted freedom of the press in Indian languages.
• Right to Join Volunteer Corps: Advocacy for the right of Indians to join volunteer military corps.
• Against Plantation Labour and Inland Emigration Act: Campaign against exploitative practices in plantation labour and the Inland Emigration Act which restricted the movement of workers.
• Support for Ilbert Bill: Campaign in support of the Ilbert Bill which sought to remove racial discrimination in the judicial system.
• All India Fund for Political Agitation: Advocacy for creating a fund to support political agitation across India.
• Campaign in Britain to Vote for Pro-India Party: Efforts to influence British politics to support parties sympathetic to Indian interests.
• Against Reduction in Maximum Age for Indian Civil Service Examination: The Indian Association led a nationwide agitation against the reduction of the age limit for the Indian Civil Service examination.

Summary

• Factors in Growth of Modern Nationalism:
• Understanding of contradictions in Indian and colonial interests
• Political, administrative, and economic unification of the country
• Western thought and education
• Role of press and literature
• Rediscovery of India’s past—historical researches
• Rise of middle class intelligentsia
• Impact of contemporary movements worldwide
• Reactionary policies and racial arrogance of rulers