The Modern Period
Part V
The Svadesi mills-now Model Mills-was founded in 1870. Its first directors were members of the Congress, namely, Gangdharrav Citnavis, Gopalrav Bhide, Mukundrav Buty and Gopalrav Ghatate. Along with Svadesi and Boycott, the Paisa fund too received support form Nagpur.
To meet the local needs, the first Provincial Conference was held in 1905. Dadasaheb khaparde was its President and Gangadharrav Citnavis the Chairman of the Reception Committee. The demands of the Conference were-
After 1907, the Congress in Nagpur was sharply divided having overwhelming supporters of Tilak.
In 1915, Mrs. Besant explained in Nagpur the objectives of the Home Rule League. In 1918, Tilak toured the Nagpur area for the same purpose.
He had full faith in the constitutional struggle for the attainment of Svaraj. Like many others he was convinced of its practicability under the given situation. He, however, did not consider the activities of the terrorists or the revolutionaries as ineffectual or theoretically objectionable. He was not opposed to the overthrow of the British rule by an armed revolution if one could bring it about. In the Rand murder case the Caphekar brothers who were convicted stated in the enquiry that they were driven to desperateness by the writings of Tilak was sentenced to eighteen months rigorous imprisonment. For many revolutionaries he was the source of inspiration.
Hedgevar, the brain behind the revolutionary movement in Nagpur, had been to Poona to consult Tilak on the matter. Nothing is known about the nature of the advice he received. One Bhanji Kavare was the trusted associate of Hedgevar, both used to secure pistols and ammunition clandestinely from outside. One Dadasaheb Baksi repaired old pistols and made them serviceable. Hedgevar once unsuccessfully tried to secure arms and ammunitions form Goa. Funds were collected for this movement and secret meetings were held at the out-of-the way places like Baradvari, Tulsi Bag, Soneganv Mandir, Colonel Bag, Indora Mandir, and Mohite Vada. Like of Mazzini, stories of the Bengal Revolutionaries, the Alipur and Maniktola Bombing Cases and Indian War of Independence by Savarkar were widely circulated among the revolutionaries as food for thought. Hedgevar had sent his own trusted persons to Punjab with a view to keeping contact with the revolutionaries there. One Ganga Prasad was the principal figure in this secret deputation. He was accompanied by Appaji Joshi of Wardha and, Nanani Puranik and Baburav Harkare of Nagpur. These revolutionary activities were conducted for nearly three years from 1916 onwards. Towards the end of the World War I, Hedgevar found that the movement was losing its dynamism and the chances of its success were few. He therefore called back his compatriots and systematically disorganized the movement. He then joined the Congress.