The role of Indian Christians in the Indian Independence Movement

Western education is closely related with the coming of the British to India. It led to  spread of western education in India.  Christians opened the first Anglo-Vernacular School for the youths of other faiths. English education helped the Indian elites to get the idea of western liberalism and got inspired through the readings of the histories of an American war of independence, French Revolution.  English language also served as a lingua franca for the educated Indians.  Christianity and western education  contributed in a way for the rise of nationalism. 

Indian Christians responded to the calls of national movement through their various Christian organizations.  The first Christian organization which played a role in the national movement was the Bengal Christian Association, founded in 1878 by a group of Christians in Calcutta. The President of this Association was Krishna Mohan Banerjee and an one of its active members was KC Banerji.  In 1887, K.C. Banerjee formed the ‘Calcutta Christo Samaj’ which was a Christian, parallel to the Brahmo Samaj.  In 1892, the Lucknow Christian Association was formed and also the Poona Christian Association.  These associations were primarily set up to deal with the social and economic problems of the Christian community.  But  they were critical of the British missionaries.  These associations played an importantrole to mobilize Christian opinion in support for the national movement. 

The Young men Christian Associations were formed across the country in late 19th century. It’s periodical, the ‘Young Men of India’ was used to express political ideas.

The All-India Conference of Indian Christian, in its 7th Session held at Calcutta in 1920, declared that "Indian Christian should take part in all Healthy political movements in the country and oppose all that is harmful to the country and the Government of the land.”

 In the early years of Indian National Congress, Indian Christians enthusiastically supported the National Congress and attended its annual meetings.  It was C.F. Andrews "who wrote it is my own conviction which grows stronger every day, that Indian Christians will lose a great and noble opportunity, if they hold aloof at the present time from the national movement of India.” 

From 1892 onwards, the participation of Christians in the INC sessions declined slowly. The reasons for the decline were many:.

 -The Evangelicals emphasized other-worldliness which encouraged Christiansto be aloof from mundane things such as politics.

-There were a large section of the Indian Christian community was closely associated and depended on the foreign missionaries and church as ‘motherchurches’. So they never wanted to work against the foreigners.

- Non-British missionaries could enter the country only after the pledge thatthey would not engage in any political activities. So it restricted the admissionof missionaries in politics.

- There were also a wide spread feeling among the ordinary Christians of the country that the future of Christians would be bleak under a government in which the Hindu would be in majority. So they looked up on British government as the protectors of their religious freedom.

 - Themissionaries and church hierarchy as a whole opposed to the freedommovement and most Christians kept aloof from it.

 In spite of all these, even in the first decade of this century there were several farsighted and courageous Christians who were in the tradition laid down by Kali Chandran Banerji and others who wanted the Christian community to be part of the national movements.

 Sunil Rudra, S. K. Dutta, C. F. Andrews, K. T. Paul and Bishop V. S. Azaria were some of such leaders. While the majority of the western missionaries and Indian Christian leaders saw the providence of God in the establishment of British in India, and in the opportunity this provided for the Christianmissionary activity C. F. Andrews saw the providence of God in Indian national awakening and activity supported the Indian national struggle. While Andrews acknowledged that Indian nationalism was the fruit of western political impacts made possible by the British rule he saw a continuity between British rule and the Indian nationalism and interpreted the whole of that history, including nationalism, within the framework of divine providence. By his writings and speeches he tried to awaken the Indian christens to their responsibility in the national movements. In a speech delivered at the World’s Christian Endeavour convention in Agra, he challenged the youth to work for the national cause thus: ‘Love your county with the love of Christ’.

Such a passionate involvement as that of Andrews, in the cause of Indian nationalism was not seen in any of the other western missionaries. As the secretary of the national missionary society, and later as the general secretary of YMCA, the Indian Christian named K. T. Paul, prevented the Christian community from becoming a communal group. He saw a ‘designed place of necessity’ for nationalism in the purpose of God for mankind. He knew that the Indian Christians could not always rely on British protection. He kept reminding the Christian community again and again of the danger of policy of isolationism from the national movements. K.T. Paul saw very clearly that the interests of the Christian community were closely bound up with those of other communities.

 During the first non-cooperation movements of Gandhiji (1920-23), there was hardly any Christian participation. Lots of people come forth to join the non-cooperation movement. In this period between 1900 and 1930, K. T. Paul, S. K. Dattaand V. S. Azariah formed a trio. As it were, who are to be credited with instilling nationalism in the Christian community, in the face of series opposition from western missionaries as well as Indian Christians. Their missions become success later. Lots of Christian organization such as Christian Patriot Group of Madras, Indian Christian Association etc, organized to express Christian views on political matters. Realizing the need of communal harmony, Indian Christian leaders made several attempts to bring about reconciliation between the Muslim League and National Congress.In Kerala, the Youth Christian Council of action sympathized with the freedom movement. K. C. Kumarappa, a Christian and a follower of Gandhiji actively worked for the Indian Freedom. J. C. Kumarappa, George Joseph, S.K.George etc were the followers of Gandhiji’s civil disobedience movements. S. D.Datta and K. T. Paul represented Christian community in the round table conference at London, during 1930-32. In the joint political congress that was formed around1932, Syrian Christians were among the leaders.

In 1945, a suggestion was made in certain quarters to create a league of minorities to safeguard the political interest of minority communities. It was the far-sightedness of Christian leaders that made them to resist such temptation. The political maturity of the leaders was seen at that time of drawing up of constitution for independent India when they rejected the suggestions of a separate electorate for the Christians. It was the result of a general realization among Christians that they do not have a separate destiny different from that of other Indians and of a conviction that the task of the church is not to fight for its own advantage, but to dedicate itself from the common good.

In the 1940s, the National Christian Council of India (NCCI)  leadership passed over to native Christians.  In 1942, during Quit India Movement, Gandhiji and other leaders were arrested. The Christian bodies, especially of Madras, Bangalore, Calcutta, passed strong resolutions condemning the arrest of the Congress leaders and demanded immediate independence.   In 1944 NCCI adopted  the following statement ;

“ To the Christians conscience , the present relation between the government and governed in India is by Christian standards fundamentally unsatisfactory , and it is  clear that the  time has come when these relations should radically be altered. Imperialism is condemned by Christian conscience, and it is agreed that in India it should be brought immediately to an end…”

Apart from Christian organizations, there were large number of  Christians who actively participated in the national movement such as Kali Charan Banerjee.  He became a prominent leader in the Indian National Congress in the early years of its formation. Upadhaya Brahmabandav, was amongst the first to suggest complete Independence of India.  He actively participated in the boycott and Swadeshi Movement following the partition of Bengal in 1905.  He was one of the architects of India's Independence and in many ways, a forerunner of Mahatma Gandhi.  K.T. Paul was one of the prominent Indian Christian leaders who did not agree with the policy of the aloofness of Christians from the Congress and nationalist movement.  He encouraged the Indian Christians to actively participate in the congress and national struggle. He attended the Second Round Table Conference in London in 1931.  Besides them, there were Christian leaders like V.S. Azariah , S.K. George, P. Chenchiah, V.Chakkarai, S.K. Mukherji, Accamma Cherian, Thevarthundiyil Titus (Titusji) etc .Not many know that VS. Azariah opposed the provision of separate electorates on the basis of religion as it militated against the unity of the country. Joachim Alva from Mangalore was another prominent christian figure involved in the Indian Independence Movement.Joachim and Violet Alva went to jail during the freedom struggle with a baby that was a few months old. The first Indian couple in Parliament at the same time . Their images are in Parliament's Central Hall

 It is wrong to treat the Church as representing the Indian Christians and their aspirations during national movement. The Church was aloof. But Christian organizations and Indian Christians participated in Indian Independence Movement and  made valuable contributions towards the national movement. 

Source: (a) VD Azariah, India and the Christian Movement (b)Mrs Atula Imsong , Lecturer History of Christianity,Bishop’s College , Kolkata (c)  Indian Christianity and National Movements- Greger R. Kollanoor

Pictures from top AO Hume, Upadhaya Brahmabandav,Accamma Cherian, Joachim Alva