द इण्डियन स्ट्रगल / भारतीय स्वाधीनता संग्राम (नेताजी सुभाष चन्द्र बोस - ऐतिहासिक विश्लेषण)

INTRODUCTION 27
India to come under British rule—the consolidation of
British power naturally began first in Bengal. The over-
throw of the old regime was naturally followed by a period
of disorder and it took the British several years to put things
in order. By the end of the eighteenth century, order had
been established and the government then had to face the
question of building up their administration on a sound and
permanent basis. In order to administer a big country the
Government had naturally to educate on their own lines a
new class of people who would be able to work as their agents.
The British commercial houses also wanted Indians educated
and trained on British lines. In the meantime British mis-
sionaries had been active in trying to impart their culture and
their religion to the Indian people. Out of these different
sources there arose a consciousness on the part of the Britisher
of a cultural or civilising mission in India. It was this which
produced the first revolt among the Indians. As long as the
Britishers were merely trading, no one thought of them
since they were petty traders. As long as they were merely
ruling, people did not care, for Indians had in the past
gone through many political vicissitudes and a change in
government had never meant a change in their daily life—
because no government in the past had interfered with local
self-government. Out of the consciousness of a civilising
mission there came the attempt on the part of Britain to
‘anglicise’ every sphere of the life of the Indian people.
The missionaries became very active in propagating their
religion and educational institutions on the British model
were founded by them, as well as by the state, in different
parts of Bengal. The entire educational system was built up
on the British model and English was made the medium of
instruction, not only in the university but also in the secondary
schools. In art and architecture also, British models were
imposed on the country. In fact in inaugurating the new
educational system, the Government deliberately stated that
their object was to train up a nation who would be English
in everything, except in race. In the new schools, students
began to think, to talk, to dress and to eat as Englishmen
would. The new generation turned out by these schools was