Anglo French Conflict in India-Indian Independence Committee 1915-Shyamj-Rashbehari Bosei Krishnavarma

Anglo French Conflict in India

In eighteenth century India, English and French trading companies competed and fought with each other in India for the control over the trade and political power in India. It is generally called the Anglo French Conflict in India.


The conflict between English and French Trading companies went through four phases. In first three phases, the trading companies of France and England fought three wars on the land of India. Those three wars are recorded in Indian history as three Karnataka war or merely Karnataka wars. The first Karnataka War was fought between 1746 and 1748. It ended with Aix-la Chapella treaty which was signed between England and France in 1748 in Europe. The second Karnataka war was fought between 1749 and 1754. It ended in the Treaty of Pondicherry signed in 1754. The third Karnataka war was fought between 1758 and 1763. It ended with the Treaty of Peace of Paris.
In the fourth phase, which extended from 1778 to 1815, the French tried to eliminate the British by helping the native rulers like of Nizam of Hyderabad, Tipu of Mysore and the Maratha Chiefs by training their armies on the European model. The French officers also tried to train the army of Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Lahore.
The above contest or conflict must be understood in context of the European history. Britain and France did not have good relations between them on European continent. However, the European trading companies trading in India being ruled by Mughals, especially the French and British companies, maintained very cordial relations among themselves in India while trading. They readily cooperated and coordinated in their trading activities over the Indian land. However, during Karnataka war, the British and French trading compaies fought when France and Britain fought in Europe. Secondly, all through the period of Karnataka war, though they had actively interfere in Indian and Mughal court politics, they remained under the hollow of the might of the Mughals. It was only after Battle of Buxar, the English Company became confident of itself. By then, it had already beaten the French company in India.

The Karnataka wars established that among the European trading countries in India, England Trading company was supreme.

Indian Independence Committee 1915

The Indian Independence Committee was formed by Indian revolutionaries who were working for the independence of India from the foreign countries. It was formed in 1915 in Berlin when the World War First was going on. It was formed to make arrangements to help the revolutionaries within India to fight the British administration. It is believed that it was being supported by German foreign office under the ‘Zimmerman Plan’. The leading members of the committee was Viendranath Chattopadhyay (Chatto), Bhupen Dutta, Lala Har Dayal Verma and others. It is more popular as Berlin Committee of Indian Independence in history text books in India.

  The historians evaluate the forming of the Indian Independence Committee as one of the two main responses of the Indians patriots. In this case, it was the response of the revolutionaries for whom the starting of World War had given an opportunity to push out Britain out India. The second response was represented by Home Rule Movement, which ultimately favoured helping the British efforts in the world war and then latter use it for negotiation for getting political rights for Indians within India. In case of the activities of the revolutionaries with operational centre in foreign countries, they are generally shown as conspiracies. However, the Indian historians have not gone beyond that. After suggesting that they were part of some conspiracy, they have not taken conspiracy theories thesis to their logical conclusions. No doubt, they can not escape the responsibility of suggesting that though there had been conspiracies yet such acts had also contributed to the Indian freedom struggle. As a result apart from Indian Independence Committee fact, the Ghadrites, the Hindu Conspiracy Case 1918, Provincial Government of Free India at Kabul etc are all treated in that manner.

Indian Sociologist

Indian Sociologist was a journal started by Shyamji Krishanvarma.

Shyamji Krishnavarma

Shyamji Krishnavarma undertook his freedom struggle against the colonial rule of Britain over India while staying in London. He basically advocated a theory of passive resistance. However, he was surrounded by or got associated with such young people from India who preferred radical means of removing Britain from India.

  Shimaji Krishnavarma started a journal called Indian Sociologist. He also established a centre for Indian students which was called India House. He also started the Indian Home Rule Society. V. D. Savarkar and Madanlal Dhingra were also assocaited with India House along with other leading revolutionary Indians. However, in later studies, the act of Madanlal Dhingra of klleing Curzon Wyllie an officer who had worked in Amritsar, had been shown to have taken place under influence of drugs and thereby project the activities promoted under Shyamji Krishnavarma in dark colours.

Sachindranath Sanyal (Sachindra Nath Sanyal)

Sachindranath Sanyal was an Indian revolutionary who fought against the colonial rule of Britain over India. He organized secret revolutionary associations over North India with centres in Punjab, Delhi and United Province. He was able to establish contacts with foreign countries for his activities. He worked with Rashbehari Bose. He was believed to be associated with the bombing of the convy of Viceroy Hardinge when he was entering the new Capital at Delhi on December 23, 1912.

Rashbehari Bose

Rashbehari Bose was the Indian revolutionary who fought against the colonial rule of Britain in India. He organized secret revolutionary societies which had even international contacts. His activities were spread over Northern India covering Punjab, Delhi and United Province. He was associated with Sachindranath Sanyal in such activities. He was believed to be associated with the bombing of the convy of Viceroy Hardinge when he was entering the new Capital at Delhi on December 23, 1912.

Ali Brothers

Ali Brothers in Indian history for the Freedom Struggle period refers to Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali. They were from United Province. They promoted radical views in Muslim League. They were identified with the Young Party of Muslim League which dominated the Muslim League from 1912. They promoted militant methodology to remove the Imperial rule of Britain over India. They favoured a workable accommodation with nationalist Hindus. They worked for pan-Islamic Movement. They started Khilafat Movement

Shimla Depatation 1906

On October 1, 1906, a group of Muslim representatives of Muslim elite of United Province and specifically from Aligarh, met the Viceroy Minto at Shimla. They sought separate electorates and representation in excess of numerical strength in view of their loyalty towards the defence of the Crown Empire in India.Soon afterwards, in the month of December 1906, Muslim League was founded by Salimulla and the members of the deputation was found dominating the working of the Muslim League.Special Note: Some of the books in India identify Shimla Deputation with Muslim League deputation. It is not correct to present it in that manner. It is important to note that when the deputation met, there was no Muslim League party in existence as such. The deputation met in June 1906. The party was formed in December 1906.