Home Rule Movement (1916)

The Indian Home Rule Movement was formed in 1916 by the princely states demanding autonomy from British rule. Tilak formed the Home Rule League at the Bombay Provincial Conference held in Belgaum in April 1916. Annie Besant started the Home Rule Movement in September 1916 with its headquarters in Adyar, Madras. Both the leagues had their own areas of activity. The objectives of Home Rule Movement were Self Government for India in British Empire and Work for national education, social and political reforms. Tilak and Annie Besant traveled all over India to spread the demand for Home Rule. Tilak had started an English publication called “Maratha” and a Marathi newspaper called “Kesari” to promote the Home Rule Movement. Annie Besant launched a campaign through her two papers - New India and Common Wheel. Tilak's Home Rule Movement was to work in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Central Provinces & Berar and Annie Besant's in the rest of India. With the publication of the Montagu-Chelmsford Plan of Administrative Reforms in July 1918, the Home Rule movement began to lose its relevance. Home Rule Movement declined after Besant accepted the proposed Montagu-Chelmsford Reform and Tilak went to Britain. In 1926, Mahatma Gandhi was elected as the All-India President of the Home Rule League. Within the next year, the Home Rule Movement officially merged with the Indian National Congress.