Question

discuss any two kinds of political approches to the use of religion for nationlist mobilization during indian freedom struggle.

Answer 1

A major aspect is the values and modern ideals on which the movement itself was based and the broad socio-economic –and political vision of its leadership( this vision was that of a democratic ,civil libertarian and secular India ,based on a self –reliant, egalitarian social order and an independent foreign policy).The leadership popularizeddemocratic ideas and institutions in India. The nationalists fought for the introduction of a representative government on thebasis of popular eletios and demand that elections be based on a democratic basis and in the form of a parliament. It not only permitted but encouraged free expression of opinion within the party and the movement; some of the most important decisions in itshistory were taken after heated debates and on the basis of open voting. From the beginning, the nationalists fought against attacks by the state on the freedoms of the press, expression and association, and made the struggle for these freedoms an integral part of the national movement. The freedom struggle was also a struggle for economic development. In time an economicideology developed which was to dominate the views of independent India. The national movement accepted ,with near unanimity, the need to develop India on the basis of industrialization which in turn was to be independent of foreign capital and was to rely on the indigenous capital goods sector. From the initial stages, the movement adopted a pro-poor orientation which was strengthened with the advent of Gandhi and the rise of the leftists who struggled to make the movement adopt a socialist outlook. The movement also increasingly moved towards a programme of radical agrarian reform. The national movement was, from its early days, fully committed to secularism. Its leadership fought hard to inculcate secular values among the people and opposed the growth of communalism. The INC was never inward looking. Since the day of Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Indian leaders had developed a broad international outlook. Over the year they evolved a policy of opposition to imperialism on a world –wide scale and solidarity with anti-colonial movements in other parts of the world.