Home Rule League Movement – Free Modern History Notes for UPSC 2025

In the annals of India’s struggle for independence, the Home Rule League Movement stands as a significant chapter, marking a crucial turning point in the quest for self-governance. Emerging against the backdrop of British colonial rule, this movement galvanized the masses and ignited a fervent desire for autonomy and sovereignty. Initiated by prominent leaders like Annie Besant and Bal Gangadhar Tilak in the early 20th century, the Home Rule League Movement aimed to secure self-rule for India within the framework of the British Empire. It sought to mobilize public opinion, foster national unity, and demand constitutional reforms that would grant Indians a greater say in their own governance.

The Home Rule Movement in India was a significant step in the fight for freedom. It started during World War I, from 1916 to 1918, and gained support across the country. Important leaders like Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Annie Besant, G.S. Khaparde, Sir S. Subramania Iyer, Joseph Baptista, and Muhammad Ali Jinnah joined hands. They realized the importance of a united national alliance throughout the year. Their main goal was to demand self-government or home rule for all of India within the British Commonwealth system. This alliance was called the All India Home Rule League, inspired by the Irish Home Rule League.

Launch of the Home Rule Movement

The Home Rule Movement became a strong political force for several reasons:

1. The Government of India Act 1909 didn’t meet the desires of Indians.
2. The Congress Party split in 1907, and Bal Gangadhar Tilak’s imprisonment from 1908 to 1914 led to a period of calm in the national movement.
3. Some nationalists felt that public pressure was needed to get concessions from the government. Tilak’s release and Annie Besant’s arrival sparked a revival of the movement.
4. Some Indian leaders disagreed on supporting Britain in the war, but Besant famously said, “England’s need is India’s opportunity.” The hardships of war, like high taxes and prices, made people more willing to protest.
5. When Tilak returned from exile in Mandalay, he saw the need to revitalize the nationalist movement and recognized the growing importance of the Congress Party.
6. Tilak wanted to rejoin the Congress Party, which his extremist faction had left.
7. In the December 1915 Congress session, influenced by Besant, it was decided to readmit the extremists into the party and involve them in the national struggle.
8. However, Besant and Tilak couldn’t convince Congress to support their idea of Home Rule Leagues.
9. Besant got Congress to agree to educational campaigns and local committees. If these weren’t done by September 1916, she would establish a Home Rule League.

Two Home Rule Leagues

Tilak and Besant realized that getting support from both Moderates and Extremists was crucial for the Home Rule Movement:

1. Since there was no agreement between Moderates and Extremists at the 1914 Congress session, Tilak and Besant decided to restart their political activities on their own.
2. In early 1915, Annie Besant started a campaign for self-government after the war, similar to what white colonies had. She used newspapers, meetings, and conferences to spread her message.
3. Their efforts had some success at the 1915 Congress session. Extremists were allowed into Congress, but Besant’s idea of Home Rule Leagues wasn’t approved. Instead, Congress agreed to spread awareness and revive local committees.
4. Besant said she’d start her league if Congress didn’t keep its promises. When Congress didn’t, she made her league.
5. Tilak and Besant made separate leagues to avoid conflicts, knowing that some of their supporters didn’t agree with each other. Still, they worked together, focusing on their own areas and helping each other when they could.

Tilak’s Home Rule League

• In April 1916, Tilak started the Indian Home Rule League.
• The first meeting of the Home Rule League, organized by Tilak, happened in Belgaum.
• The league’s main office was in Poona, now called Pune.
• Tilak’s league focused mainly on certain areas: Maharashtra (except Bombay City), Karnataka, Central Provinces, and Berar.
• The league had six branches.
• Their demands included self-rule (Swarajya), making states based on languages, and teaching in local languages.

Besant’s Home Rule League

• In September 1916, Annie Besant started the All-India Home Rule League.
• This league began in Madras and covered all of India, including Bombay City.
• It had around 200 branches across the country.
• Unlike Tilak’s league, Besant’s league was less tightly organized.
• George Arundale managed the league’s organization.
• B.W. Wadia and C.P. Ramaswamy Aiyar were key contributors to the league’s efforts.

British Response Towards Home Rule Movement

The government reacted strongly to the Home Rule Movement:

• In Madras, students were not allowed to go to political meetings.
• A case was started against Tilak, but later the high court canceled it.
• Tilak couldn’t enter Punjab and Delhi.
• In June 1917, Annie Besant, along with B.P. Wadia and George Arundale, got arrested, leading to protests across the nation.
• Sir S. Subramania Aiyar gave up his knighthood in a dramatic protest.
• Tilak suggested passive resistance as a response to the repression.
• The government’s actions made the protesters more determined to resist.
• Montagu, the Secretary of State for India, talked about the government’s situation, using a metaphor involving Shiva and Mrs. Besant.
• Annie Besant was finally released in September 1917.

Importance of Home Rule Movement

• The Home Rule League worked all year, unlike Congress, which only had activities once a year.
• The movement got support from educated Indians, with about 40,000 members in both leagues by 1917.
• Many Congress and Muslim League members, like Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Joseph Baptista, G.S. Khaparde, and Sir S. Subramanya Iyer, joined the Home Rule League.
• For a brief time, the movement brought together moderates, extremists, and the Muslim League.
• It helped spread political awareness to more parts of the country.
• The most important achievement of the movement was the Montague Declaration of 1917:
• It acknowledged the need for more Indians in the government and for self-governing institutions, which would eventually lead to responsible governments in India.
• The declaration also changed things, so asking for home rule wasn’t seen as seditious anymore. This was a big deal for the movement.

Failure of the Home Rule Movement

Here are the reasons for the decline:

• The Home Rule movement lacked effective organization.
• Communal riots happened during 1917-18.
• The Moderates who joined Congress after Annie Besant’s arrest were satisfied with talks of reforms outlined in Montagu’s August 1917 statement, which aimed for self-government in India. Besant’s release also helped appease them.
• Extremists’ talk of passive resistance discouraged Moderates from participating in activities from September 1918.
• The Montagu-Chelmsford reforms, known in July 1918, further split the nationalist groups. Annie Besant had conflicting views on how to use the league after these reforms and on passive resistance methods.
• Tilak had to leave for England in September 1918 due to a libel case. Without clear leadership from Besant, and with Tilak away, the Home Rule Movement lacked direction.
• Gandhi’s new approach to the freedom struggle gained popularity, overshadowing the Home Rule Movement until it eventually faded away.

The Home Rule Movement was an important part of India’s fight for freedom from British rule. Led by well-known leaders like Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Annie Besant, the movement aimed to give Indians more control over their own government. It helped bring people together, made them more aware of their national identity, and set the stage for India to become independent.

Also Read: Revolutionary Activities Abroad.