Sponsored by a proponent of Indian freedom, Shyamji Krishna Varma, the Indian House was ostensibly fashioned as a hostel for Indian students studying in London. Under Savarkar, it transformed into a veritable hotbed of dangerous revolutionary activities against the British, spanning across Europe. [ref]
Indian Revolutionary Activities in Europe
The leaders of the Indian National Congress pinned their faith on the honesty and sense of justice of the people of Great Britain, and took various steps to carry on propoganda work among the English. Towards the close of the nineteenth century, the nationalists felt a similar need of propaganda work in other countries of Europe and America in order to establish useful international contacts, interpret India's aspirations and gain help and sympathy for India's cause. For this purpose, they visited different countries and tried through lectures and newspaper articles to convey accurate information about the nature of British Rule in India, in order to counteract British propaganda and explain the political objects of her people. [ref]
From the very beginning the Indian revolutionaries realized the importance of setting up centres in foreign countries. In addition to securing foreign help, it gave them the additional advantage of carrying on their activities without any fear from the British police.
India House under Shyamji Krishna Varma
One of the earliest instances is furnished by Shyamji Krishnavarma 9 who settled in London in 1897. He established six lectureships of Rs. 1,000 each for qualified Indians visiting foreign countries, and another Indian revolutionary in Paris, Sardar Singh Rana, also offered three travelling fellowships of Rs. 2,000 each. By these means Shyamji gathered round him a group of Indian revolutionaries, the most prominent among whom were Savarkar, Hardayal and Madan Lal Dhingra. The centre of their activities was the ‘India House’ of Shyamji in London.
Indian Home Rule Society
On 18 February, 1905, Shyamji founded the Indian Home Rule Society with the object of securing Home Rule for India by carrying on propaganda in the United Kingdom by all practical means. For this purpose he started a paper called the Indian Sociologist. It stressed the absolute freedom from British control as the political goal of India. As regards the method, it laid the greatest stress on Passive Resistance and Non-cooperation in an extreme form, 10 which meant a complete dissociation from Englishmen as the chief means to force the British to quit India. But he did not rule out violence nor underestimate its value as a method for securing the freedom of India.
The British newspapers and politicians were alarmed at the activities of this group of Indians and held a meeting under an ex Governor of Bombay to adopt means to ‘socialize” the revolutionary Indian element. The growing revolutionary attitude of Shyamji also drew T the attention of the British Government, and The Times and other newspapers in London attacked Shyamji and his associates. Shyamji thereupon left London and settled in Paris.
India House under Savarkar
After the departure of Shyamji, the political leadership of the India House fell upon Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. His colleague, Madan Lai Dhingra, shot dead Curzon Wyllie on 1 July, 1919), at a gathering at the Imperial Institute in London. Madan made a statement to the effect that “he shed English blood intentionally and of purpose as an humble protest against the inhuman transportation and hangings of Indian youths”. He was hanged.
Decline
Savarkar was arrested and sent to India to take his trial in the Nasik Conspiracy Case and other charges. His attempt to escape through the porthole of the ship at Marseilles failed 11 , and he was sentenced to transportation for life. The activities of India House, London, thus came to an end. [ref]
