On 16 June 1914, Bal Gangadhar Tilak was released after
serving a prison sentence of six years.
After releasing from jail, Tilak concentrated all his
attention on seeking readmission for himself and other extremists, into the
Indian National congress.
Annie Besant had come to India in 1893 to work for the
Theosophical society.
Since 1907, she had been spreading the message of
Theosophy from her headquarters in Adyar, a suburb of Madras.
In 1914, Annie Besant decided to enlarge the sphere of
her activities to include the building of a movement for Home Rule on the lines
of the Irish Home rule league.
In early 1915, Annie Besant launched a campaign through
her two papers, New India and Common Weal, and organized Public meetings and
conferences to demand that India be granted self government on the lines of the
white colonies after the war.
At the annual session of the congress in 1915 it was
decided that the extremists be allowed to rejoin the congress.
Tilak formed the home rule league at the Bombay
provincial conference held at Belgaum in April 1916.
Jamnadas Dwarakadas, Shankerlal Banker and Indulal
Yagnik set up a Bombay paper Young India and launched All India Propaganda fund
to Publish pamphlets in regional languages and in English.
In September 1916, Annie Besant announced the formation
of her Home rule league, with George Arundale, her theosophical follower, as
the Organizing secretary.
Tilak’s Home Rule league was to work in
Maharashtra(exclusing Bombay), Karnataka, central provinces and Berar whereas
Annie besant Home rule league was to work rest of India.
Jawaharlal Nehru in Allahabad joined the Home rule
league.
The Lucknow session of Indian National congress in 1916
was significant for the famous Congress League pact, popularly known as the
Lucknow Pact.
In June 1917 the Government of Madras decided to arrest
Annie Besant and Arundale, B.P.Wadia.
This led to a protest nation wide. In a dramatic gesture, Sir S.Subramania
Aiyer renounced his Knighthood.
At a meeting of the AICC on 28 July, 1917, Tilak
advocated to use passive resistance or civil disobedience if the Government
refused to release the internees.
On August 20, 1917, Secretary of state for India,
Montagu made a declaration after which the demand for home rule or self
government could no longer be treated as seditious.
Annie Besant was released in September 1917.
Annie Besant was elected President at the annual
session of the congress in December 1917.
In 1918 Tilak decided to go to England to pursue the
libel case that he had filed against Valentine Chirol, the author of Indian
unrest.