Tilak said 'Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it'. In this context, describe:

(a) State any three of his political beliefs.

(b) State the means he employed to arouse nationalistic passions.

(c) In what ways was he the forerunner of Gandhiji?

(a) Bal Gangadhar Tilak had the following political beliefs-

1. He was convinced that political rights could be achieved by aggressively demanding them.
2. His entry in the Indian political scene was marked by a shift from petitions to demand for political rights.
3. He was the first nationalist leader who sought close contact with the masses. With this objective and to inculcate courage, self-defence and patriotism, he organised many akharas and lathi clubs where physical training was imparted.

(b) Tilak employed the following means to arouse nationalistic passions-

1. In 1893, Tilak started using the traditional religious Ganapati festival to propagate nationalist ideas through songs and speeches.
2. In 1895, he glorified Shivaji and started the Shivaji festival to encourage young Maharashtrians.
3. He started two newspapers — Mahratta and Kesari, which soon became the mouthpieces of his ideas. Through these newspapers he preached nationalism and taught the people to be courageous and self-reliant.
4. He wrote two well-known books—the Gita Rahasya and The Arctic Home of the Vedas.

(c) Bal Gangadhar Tilak is known as the forerunner of Mahatma Gandhi in a number of ways.

1. Tilak's idea of Swaraj was akin to Mahatma Gandhi's idea of complete independence.
2. Tilak sought close contact with the masses as Mahatma Gandhi did.
3. Tilak preached the idea of Swadeshi, Boycott and Prohibition. These ideas were preached and followed by Mahatma Gandhi later on.
4. Tilak had to suffer several terms of imprisonment for the sake of the country, an example followed by Mahatma Gandhi and other nationalist leaders.