Two rival leagues, one Irish idea, and a shared goal: self-rule within the British Empire. The Home Rule Movement ran for barely two years, but it pulled Congress politics out of its slow, petition-based habits and toward mass appeal.
Annie Besant, co-founder of the All India Home Rule League, photographed c. 1910. Source: Falk Studio, Sydney, Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain.
✊ Must Know
Two Leagues, One Shared Goal
- Two leagues, 1916 Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Annie Besant each founded a Home Rule League in 1916. Both worked within the Indian National Congress, to push for self-rule.
- Split by region Tilak’s League covered Maharashtra, Karnataka, the Central Provinces, and Berar. Besant’s covered the rest of India, especially Madras Presidency, Sindh, and Gujarat.
- Renamed in 1920 The All India Home Rule League changed its name to Swarajya Sabha in 1920. This came after Gandhi took over its presidency.
📘 Good to Know
A Broader Style of Politics
- Modelled on Ireland The movement borrowed its name and idea from the Irish Home Rule movement. That movement sought self-government for Ireland within the United Kingdom.
- A wider reach than before Unlike earlier Congress agitation, the Leagues used pamphlets, public meetings, and local branches. This let them reach well beyond the English-educated elite.
- Besant’s internment The British government interned Annie Besant in 1917 for her Home Rule activities. Her release later that year made her the first woman president of the Indian National Congress.
Test Yourself
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🌟 Great to Know
A Short Campaign With a Lasting Shift
- A short but real campaign The movement ran for roughly two years, 1916 to 1918. It then lost momentum as Gandhi’s satyagraha-based methods began to dominate national politics.
- Within Congress, not against it Both Leagues worked inside the Congress fold rather than as breakaway parties. The Congress Socialist Party would later organise itself the same way.
- Merged within a year After the 1920 renaming to Swarajya Sabha, the organisation merged into the Indian National Congress within a year. Its separate identity was absorbed into the main movement.
📝 Previous Year Questions
Which Body Renamed Itself in 1920?
- Answer: (a) The All India Home Rule League changed its name to Swarajya Sabha in 1920.
- Not the other options The Hindu Mahasabha, South Indian Liberal Federation, and Servants of India Society were all separate organisations, and none of them made this particular name change.
- View this question on the full 2018 paper →
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