Page 89 - Swatantrata to Atmanirbharta : Lokmanya Tilak’s legacy

Lokmanya Tilak, who entered the social scene with the weapon
of national education and mass awakening.
Inadequacy of Either Military Revolution or Social Reform
Efforts

The kings and political chiefs in this country were disarmed and
disillusioned. Therefore, a military uprising could not take place
in the country again. The British rule could not be overthrown
by collecting few pistols and bombs. Not all the common people
could ever participate in an armed conflict. Therefore, the
only way for the people to fight against the British rule was to
influence the mentality of millions of Indians and create unrest
against the rulers. Lokmanya insisted on the four pathways–
national education, Swarajya, Swadeshi, and Boycott– to create
this mentality. Through the newspapers Kesari and Maratha,
the public aggression against the British was constantly
ignited and the public opinion was always directed towards a
nationalist way of thinking. Through Ganeshotsav and Shiv
Jayanti celebrations, this Janajagaran movement reached the
grassroots of the society. That is how Lokmanya Tilak became
the cause of national discontent against the British. Some of
the colleagues of Lokmanya argued that social reform was
more important than political movement. They started various
social movements for that cause. Lokmanya expressed his views
clearly in this regard.
“Social reform is a part of national upliftment. The main
purpose of any reform is to instill pride in a particular nation,”
he said. What do we do with that pride? Of course, yes to
Hindutva! We have some tradition of religion. The knowledge
that is in this tradition is superior to that of other religions, and if
we give up this tradition, we have no general obligation to claim
its superiority. In this way, social reform cannot be separated
from the national movement. Social reforms cannot succeed
without a religious foundation.”

87 Swatantrata to Atmanirbharata