The Indian National Movement is divided into three phases. With reference to the Second Phase of the Indian National Movement, answer the following questions:
What was the objective of the Assertive Nationalists? Mention any two contributions of Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
Topic: Assertive Nationalists and Tilak
Answer
Objective: the Assertive Nationalists aimed at SWARAJ — complete self-government or independence — to be won not by petitions but by self-reliance, self-sacrifice and direct action, including Swadeshi, boycott, national education and passive resistance.
Two contributions of Bal Gangadhar Tilak: (1) He gave the movement its slogan — "Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it" — and awakened national feeling through his newspapers Kesari (in Marathi) and Maratha (in English), for which he was imprisoned. (2) He used the Ganapati and Shivaji festivals to spread the national message among ordinary people, founded the Home Rule League in 1916, and wrote the Gita Rahasya during his imprisonment at Mandalay.
Three marks: one for the objective and one for each contribution. The objective must be stated as SWARAJ and contrasted with the Moderates’ aim of reform within British rule — that contrast is what defines the Assertive phase. Tilak’s slogan is the single most quotable line in this chapter and should appear in your answer. His title, "Lokmanya" (revered by the people), is worth adding.