Echoes of Rebellion: Unpacking the Christmas Day Plots

🇮🇳 Rise of Indian Nationalism

The 19th century witnessed the emergence of a distinct "Indian" identity among the growing middle class, fueled by competition among regional powers and the British East India Company's ascendancy. This burgeoning nationalism intensified in the latter half of the century, leading to the formation of the Indian National Congress in 1885, a platform for political liberalization and social reform. However, in regions like Bengal and Punjab, the movement evolved into a more radical and violent form.

🤝 Anushilan Samiti's Genesis

Organized political terrorism began in Bengal around the turn of the 20th century. By 1902, Calcutta hosted three societies under the umbrella of the Anushilan Samiti, founded by barrister Pramatha Mitra. Notable figures included Sarala Devi and Aurobindo Ghosh, a fervent proponent of militant nationalism. The controversial 1905 partition of Bengal further inflamed radical sentiments, allowing Anushilan to expand its support base among educated, politically conscious youth across Bengal and Assam.

💣 Early Revolutionary Tactics

Anushilan Samiti quickly established international connections, with Barin Ghosh sending Hem Chandra Kanungo to Paris in 1907 to learn bomb-making from a Russian revolutionary. This knowledge, along with manuals, was later mass-printed. Early actions included derailing the Bengal Lieutenant Governor's train in 1907 and engaging in political assassinations and dacoities (armed robberies) for funds. A significant event was the 1908 Muzaffarpur bombing, where Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki mistakenly killed two English women, leading to the famous Alipore Conspiracy trial and the incarceration or execution of several leaders.

🇩🇪 German Strategic Interest

With Britain's entry into World War I, Germany saw an opportunity to weaken its adversary by targeting the British colonial empire, particularly India. German officials had already established links with Indian nationalists before the war, viewing India as a potential vulnerability. In the war's initial weeks, German Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg authorized active support for Indian nationalists, leading to the establishment of the Intelligence Bureau for the East and the Berlin Committee, which aimed to incite nationalist unrest in India.

🤝 Ghadar Movement's Role

The Berlin Committee, including V. N. Chatterjee from London's India House, collaborated with the Ghadar Party in North America. Lala Har Dayal, after his arrest and relocation to Switzerland, pledged support to the Berlin Committee. German consulates facilitated contacts, offering financial aid, arms, and military advisors. The objective was to covertly transport weapons and personnel to India from the United States and the Orient, aiming to spark a pan-Indian uprising akin to the 1857 rebellion.

🔫 Rodda & Co. Arms Heist

At the war's outset, Jugantar, under Jatin Mukherjee's supreme command, intensified its efforts to acquire resources. The German consulate in Calcutta established direct contact with Jatin, who, with encouragement from Sir Ashutosh, met with D. Thibault of Calcutta University. This led to German recognition of the Bengal revolutionary cell's significance. A notable success was the August 26 robbery of Rodda & Co., a major arms supplier, from which revolutionaries absconded with ten cases of arms and ammunition, including 50 Mauser Pistols and 46,000 rounds.

🚨 Unraveling the Conspiracy

The elaborate Christmas Day Plot was ultimately exposed through a series of intelligence breaches. A defecting Baltic-German agent, "Oren," revealed details about the cargo aboard the Maverick and Jugantar's plans to the British Consul in Batavia. Simultaneously, German double agent Vincent Kraft, a plantation owner, divulged information about arms shipments from Shanghai after his capture, including maps of the Bengal coast indicating planned landing sites. These revelations led British authorities to intercept the Maverick and seal off all sea approaches on the eastern coast, from Noakhali-Chittagong to Orissa.

⚔️ Jatin Mukherjee's Last Stand

Following a raid on Harry & Sons, police discovered evidence leading them to Jatin Mukherjee's hideout in Kaptipada village. Despite being advised to flee, Jatin delayed his departure to ensure his companions, Niren and Jatish, could join him. A significant police and army contingent converged on their location. On September 9, 1915, Jatin and his four companions engaged in a seventy-five-minute gunfight against a superior force in an improvised trench at Chashakhand in Balasore. Chittapriya Ray Chaudhuri was killed, Jatin and Jatish were severely wounded, and Manoranjan Sengupta and Niren were captured. Jatin Mukherjee succumbed to his injuries in Balasore hospital on September 10, 1915.

🚫 Siam-Burma Plan Failure

The Siam-Burma plan also met its demise due to effective counter-intelligence. The largely British-controlled Thai Police high command uncovered the plans for the Burmese insurrection. An Indian secret agent, whose details were revealed by the Austrian chargé d'affaires, further infiltrated the plot. Thailand, despite its official neutrality, maintained close ties with Britain. In July, the British Minister Herbert Dering requested the arrest and extradition of identified Ghadarites, leading to their apprehension in August. Only a single, ill-fated raid into Burma was launched by six Ghadarites, who were subsequently captured and hanged.

📜 References