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The English daily 'Bande Mataram', started in Calcutta in August 1906 and later edited by Aurobindo Ghosh, was founded by:
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Answer: Option C — Bipin Chandra Pal
Detailed Solution
The English daily "Bande Mataram" was founded by Bipin Chandra Pal in Calcutta on 6 August 1906, during the Swadeshi Movement; Aurobindo Ghosh soon joined it and became its main writer and editor.
About the newspaper:
- It became the main voice of the Extremist (radical nationalist) group in Bengal.
- It openly called for complete independence (swaraj) from British rule.
- It supported the boycott of British goods, swadeshi, national education, and passive resistance.
- Its articles were bold and powerful, and it became very popular among young nationalists.
- The British government considered it seditious.
The sedition case:
- In 1907, the government prosecuted the paper for sedition.
- Aurobindo Ghosh was charged as its editor, but was acquitted because there was not enough evidence that he was the editor.
- Bipin Chandra Pal refused to give evidence against Aurobindo, and was sentenced to six months' imprisonment for contempt of court.
- The paper closed in 1908, after Aurobindo's arrest in the Alipore Bomb Case.
About Bipin Chandra Pal:
- He was born on 7 November 1858 at Habiganj, in the Sylhet district (now in Bangladesh).
- He was a member of the Brahmo Samaj in his early life.
- He was one of the trio "Lal-Bal-Pal", along with Lala Lajpat Rai and Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
- He was known as the "Father of Revolutionary Thoughts" in India.
- He was a great orator, who travelled across India to spread the message of swadeshi and boycott.
- He also started or edited other journals, such as "New India" (an English weekly).
- In later years, he differed with Gandhi over non-cooperation, and withdrew from active politics.
- He died on 20 May 1932.
Other nationalist papers of the Swadeshi period:
- "Yugantar" (Bengali), associated with Barindra Kumar Ghosh.
- "Sandhya" (Bengali), edited by Brahmabandhab Upadhyay.
- "Kesari" (Marathi), edited by Tilak.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Tilak, Surendranath Banerjea and Lajpat Rai were nationalist leaders who ran other newspapers.
Quick tip
Remember: "Bande Mataram" (English daily, Calcutta, 6 August 1906) = founded by Bipin Chandra Pal, edited by Aurobindo Ghosh; voice of the Extremists.
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Swadeshi Movement & Early Nationalism — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Swadeshi Movement & Early Nationalism, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the growth of Indian nationalism from the early 1900s to the First World War: the partition of Bengal in 1905, the Swadeshi and Boycott movement, the rise of extremist leaders such as Lal, Bal and Pal, the Surat split of 1907, and the Home Rule Leagues of Tilak and Annie Besant. Typical questions cover the year the partition of Bengal was announced and annulled (1905 and 1911), the slogans and leaders of the Swadeshi movement, and the founders of the two Home Rule Leagues (1916). Be clear about the difference between the moderates, who used petitions, and the extremists, who called for swaraj and mass action. Practise the Swadeshi movement and early nationalism questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.