From among the following statements regarding the Swadeshi movement, which are correct? (A) The formal proclamation of Swadeshi movement was made on 7th August 1904 (B) During this movement a creative use of traditional popular festivals, such as Ganapati and Shivaji festivals, and traditional folk theatre forms such as Jatras, were extensively made (C) The Indian National Congress declined to accept Swadeshi call at its session at Benares in 1905 (D) The technique of 'boycott' included boycott of foreign goods, government schools, courts, titles, and government service Choose the correct answer from the options given below: Correct Answer (B) and (D) only Key Points Swadeshi movement: It was launched in 1905 as a protest against the partition of Bengal, had spread across the country. Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, Lala Lajpat Rai are the key people in the swadeshi movement. When Lord Curzon, then Viceroy of India, announced the partition of Bengal in July 1905, Indian National Congress, initiated the Swadeshi movement in Bengal. Swadeshi textile mills, soap, tobacco and match factories, tanneries, banks, etc were established to emphasize the positive aspect of the swadeshi movement. Therefore, it contributed to the revival of the indigenous artisan crafts and industries. During this movement, creative use of traditional popular festivals, such as Ganapati and Shivaji festivals (by Tilak), and traditional folk theatre forms such as Jatras, were extensively started. Hence, the 2nd statement is correct. National Council of Education was established in Bengal in 1906 to promote technical education in India as part of a swadeshi industrialisation movement. The formal proclamation of the movement was made with the passage of the Boycott resolution on 7 august 1905 in Calcutta town hall. Hence, the 1st statement is not correct. The technique of 'boycott' included the boycott of foreign goods, government schools, courts, titles, and government service. Hence, the 4th statement is correct. Following steps were taken under the movement: On 15 August 1906, The national council of education was set up to formulate a system of education. The emphasis was to impart education in a vernacular language be it literary, scientific, or technical. It encouraged the establishment of swadeshi textiles mills, soap and match factories, tanneries, banks, shops, etc. It gave emphasis to self-reliance or “Atma shakti”. Important Points Indian National Congress and Swadeshi movement The Indian National Congress, meeting in 1905 under the presidentship of Gokhale, resolved to condemn the partition of Bengal and the reactionary policies of Curzon and support the anti-partition and Swadeshi Movement of Bengal. Hence Statement 3 is not correct. The militant nationalists led by Tilak, Lajpat Rai, Bipin Chandra Pal, and Aurobindo Ghosh wanted the movement to be taken outside Bengal to other parts of the country and go beyond a boycott of foreign goods to become a full-fledged political mass struggle with the goal of attaining swaraj. But the Moderates, dominating the Congress at that time, were not willing to go that far. Bengal National College, inspired by Tagore’s Shanti Niketan, was set up with Aurobindo Ghosh as its principal. Soon national schools and colleges sprang up in various parts of the country. On August 15, 1906, the National Council of Education was set up to organize a system of education— literary, scientific and technical—on national lines and under national control. Education was to be imparted through the vernacular medium. Students came out in large numbers to propagate and practice swadeshi, and to take a lead in organizing picketing of shops selling foreign goods. Student participation was visible in Bengal, Maharashtra, especially in Poona, and in many parts of the South—Guntur, Madras, Salem. Women, who were traditionally home-centred, especially those of the urban middle classes, took an active part in processions and picketing. From the swadeshi movement onwards, women played a significant role in the national movement. Despite its gradual decline into inactivity, the movement was a turning point in modern Indian history. The richness of the movement was not confined to the political sphere but encompassed art, literature, science, and industry also. People were aroused from slumber and now they learned to take bold political positions and participate in new forms of political work. The swadeshi campaign undermined the hegemony of colonial ideas and institutions.