Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Why was Bal Gangadhar Tilak prosecuted by the British government?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress leaders Mahatma Gandhi (left) and Sarojini Naidu (right) on the Salt March in western India, March 1930.
Bal Gangadhar Tilak was prosecuted by the British government due to his ardent nationalist activities and his role in awakening political consciousness among the Indian populace, which the British authorities viewed as a direct threat to their rule.1
His conflicts with the government occurred in two primary instances:
- 1897 Prosecution: Tilak was charged with sedition and sentenced to 18 months in jail. This followed his efforts to mobilize the public through his newspapers, Kesari and The Mahratta, and his use of religious and historical symbolism to broaden the nationalist movement.1
- 1908 Prosecution: Following a split within the Indian National Congress in 1907, the government again prosecuted Tilak on charges of sedition and inciting terrorism. He was subsequently deported to Mandalay, Burma, to serve a six-year prison sentence.1
Throughout his career, Tilak advocated for swarajya (independence) and utilized methods such as the boycott of British goods and passive resistance, which challenged the moderate approach of the Congress Party and the authority of the British colonial administration.1