In 1920, which of the following changed its name to “Swarajya Sabha”?
- All India Home Rule League
- Hindu Mahasabha
- South Indian Liberal Federation
- The Servants of Indian Society
Explanation
Option (a) is correct
- In 1920, Gandhi joined the All India Home Rule League and became its President. He changed its name to “Swarajya Sabha“. The league later merged with the Congress Party.
Option (b) is incorrect
- Madan Mohan Malaviya founded the All India Hindu Mahasabha in 1915 as an umbrella organisation of regional Hindu Sabhas. It functioned mainly as a pressure group advocating the interests of orthodox Hindus before the British Raj and within the INC. Despite not favouring British rule, the Mahasabha did not actively support the nationalist movement. It didn’t join the Civil Disobedience movement in 1930 or the Quit India movement in 1942.
Option (c) is incorrect
- South Indian Liberal Federation (SILF), commonly known as the Justice Party, was formed in 1916. This was the first organised political effort to challenge the Brahmins’ monopoly over power in the Madras Presidency. The SILF was led by Dr C Natesa Mudaliar, T. M. Nair, P Theagaraya Chetty, and Alamelu Mangai Thayarammal.
- After the Justice Party captured power in 1920, it started implementing its significant reforms, including the historic Communal Government Order (GO) of 1921, which was finally passed in 1928, that ensured proportional representation for all communities in government employment and education.
- Another landmark legislation of the Justice Party was accepting the equality of women in deciding their political futures. In June 1921, the women of Madras were the first in India to win the right to vote.
Option (d) is incorrect
- G. K. Gokhale formed the Servants of India Society on June 12, 1905, after leaving the Deccan Education Society in Pune. The Society was founded on the belief that if the masses were to be liberated, there should be a band of selfless and intelligent workers who would dedicate their lives to serving the nation. Its volunteers were trained to be nationalist missionaries who took vows of renunciation, gave up all ideas of selfishness, pride, and fame, and dedicated themselves to their work and duty.
- In 1911, Hitavada, the organ of the Society, was started in English from Nagpur. The Society’s base shrank after Gokhale died in 1915. However, it continues to operate with a small membership and has its headquarters in Pune, Maharashtra. Despite his deep respect for Gokhale, Gandhi rejected Gokhale’s idea that Western institutions could be used to achieve political reform. As a result, Gandhi did not join Gokhale’s Servants of India Society.
