Marking the occasion of Gopal Krishna Gokhale’s Jayanti, the Prime Minister of India expressed his respect towards the renowned social reformer and educationist. Remembered for his impactful leadership during India’s struggle for independence, Gokhale was born on the 9th of May, 1866, in the Kotluk village in what is now modern-day Maharashtra, which was part of the Bombay Presidency back then.
Key Ideologies and Contributions of Gokhale
Gokhale was a firm believer in social empowerment and was a significant advocate for expanding educational access in India. Markedly, he committed three long decades of his life to the Indian freedom movement, completely dismissing any reactionary or revolutionary measures. His fight was one of resilience and peaceful resistance.
Gokhale’s Role in Colonial Legislatures
Between 1899 and 1902, Gokhale held a prominent place in the Bombay Legislative Council before eventually progressing to the Imperial Legislative Council where he served until his untimely death in 1915. During his tenure at the Imperial legislature, Gokhale played a pivotal role in the development of the historical Morley-Minto reforms of 1909.
Association with Indian National Congress (INC)
Gokhale was an active member of the Moderate Group within the Indian National Congress, having joined the political party in 1889. He ascended to the status of INC’s president in the 1905 Banaras session. However, this period marked intense disagreements between the Moderates, led by Gokhale, and the Extremists led by leaders like Lala Lajpat Rai and Bal Gangadhar Tilak, leading to a split in the Surat session of 1907.
Societies and Other Works
Gokhale was a proactive social contributor and set up the ‘Servants of India Society’ in 1905, focusing on enhancing Indian education. He was closely associated with the Sarvajanik Sabha journal initiated by Govind Ranade. Additionally, he established the Ranade Institute of Economics in 1908 and inaugurated the English weekly newspaper, ‘The Hitavada’.
As Mahatma Gandhi’s Political Guru
Gandhi, the leading figure of India’s freedom struggle, regarded Gokhale as his political mentor. To commemorate their bond, Gandhi dedicated a book written in Gujarati to Gokhale, titled ‘Dharmatma Gokhale’.
Morley-Minto Reforms 1909
The Morley-Minto reforms saw Indians gain admission to the Secretary of State’s council, the viceroy’s executive council, and similar councils in Bombay and Madras. It also introduced an elected element into legislative councils, including provision for separate electorates for Muslims. The reforms are often criticized by Indian nationalists as too careful, and the distinct electorates for Muslims remained a bone of contention for Hindus.
Structural Changes in Legislative Councils
The reforms led to a substantial increase in the size of the legislative councils at the Centre and the provinces. The Act also increased the maximum additional membership of the Imperial Legislative Council from 16 to 60.
This setup welcomed four categories of members – ex officio members (including the Governor-General and members of the executive council), nominated official members (government officials nominated by the Governor-General), nominated non-official members (nominated by the Governor-General but not government officials), and elected members (different categories of Indians).
The Act marked the first time that Indians were given membership in the Imperial Legislative Council and introduced separate electorates for Muslims, with some constituencies reserved exclusively for them. Also, Satyendra P Sinha was appointed the first Indian member of the Viceroy’s Executive Council.
