Causes for Liberation of French colonies in India
Encyclopedia
Many interrelated political, cultural, socio-economic and geographical factors contributed to the liberation of French Establishments in India.
made the French weak in keeping their hold these colonies.
was a global phenomenon which was predominant colonial world between 1940 and 1960s. Many colonies thought of having independence from colonial empires. Nationalism
and Socialism
had played very important role in achieving this in many colonies globally.
The above four factors are most important factors that existed in 1947 which ultimately led to merger of French colonies in India.
. All the communes in Karikal also followed suit. This decision was to be confirmed by the Representative Assembly and when the French India Socialist Party was preparing to move the merger resolution, the French Governor scuttled it by postponing the session. Provoked by this, the Socialists planned to capture the outlying communes one by one and move to Pondichéry. Accordingly, the leaders of the French India Socialist Party hoisted the Indian National Flag atop the Nettapakkam police station on the last day of March in 1954.
Result of Governor General's interference,
at Nettapacom. Since Yanam is small in area and population, he requested Monsieur Dadala for a plan for its liberation which resulted not only the Coup d'État de Yanaon
but also the ultimate liberation of French colonies in India.
Result of conclusion at Kandamangalam conference,
Geographical and cultural divergence
Geographical and cultural divergence in the French IndiaFrench India
French India is a general name for the former French possessions in India These included Pondichéry , Karikal and Yanaon on the Coromandel Coast, Mahé on the Malabar Coast, and Chandannagar in Bengal...
made the French weak in keeping their hold these colonies.
- Pondichéry:
- Location: Southern region of Madras PresidencyMadras PresidencyThe Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
. - Language: TamilTamil languageTamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
. - Culture: There the culture and way of life of people was typical TamilTamil peopleTamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
lifestyle. - External factors: Then was the time, when the Tamil people in Madras Presidency were very powerful at Centre and State governments in Indian Union. They used to have large impact on local pondicherians.
- Views: There was a mixed proportion of nationalistIndian nationalismIndian nationalism refers to the many underlying forces that molded the Indian independence movement, and strongly continue to influence the politics of India, as well as being the heart of many contrasting ideologies that have caused ethnic and religious conflict in Indian society...
and francophileFrancophileIs a person with a positive predisposition or interest toward the government, culture, history, or people of France. This could include France itself and its history, the French language, French cuisine, literature, etc...
sentiments prevailing in Pondichéry. - Sphere of Influence: Pondichéry and its neighbouring communes were completely under the sphere of influenceSphere of influenceIn the field of international relations, a sphere of influence is a spatial region or conceptual division over which a state or organization has significant cultural, economic, military or political influence....
of Pondichéry.
- Location: Southern region of Madras Presidency
- Chandernagore:
- Location: West BengalWest BengalWest Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
State. - Language: BengaliBengali languageBengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
. - Culture: There the culture and way of life of people was typical BengaliBengali peopleThe Bengali people are an ethnic community native to the historic region of Bengal in South Asia. They speak Bengali , which is an Indo-Aryan language of the eastern Indian subcontinent, evolved from the Magadhi Prakrit and Sanskrit languages. In their native language, they are referred to as বাঙালী...
lifestyle. - External factors: BengalBengalBengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
unit of Indian National CongressIndian National CongressThe Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
used to show large influence on Chandernagore. - Views: Since Bengal PresidencyBengal PresidencyThe Bengal Presidency originally comprising east and west Bengal, was a colonial region of the British Empire in South-Asia and beyond it. It comprised areas which are now within Bangladesh, and the present day Indian States of West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Meghalaya, Orissa and Tripura.Penang and...
was one of the birthplaces for Indian NationalismIndian nationalismIndian nationalism refers to the many underlying forces that molded the Indian independence movement, and strongly continue to influence the politics of India, as well as being the heart of many contrasting ideologies that have caused ethnic and religious conflict in Indian society...
, Chandernagore used to have strong feelings of Indian nationalismIndian nationalismIndian nationalism refers to the many underlying forces that molded the Indian independence movement, and strongly continue to influence the politics of India, as well as being the heart of many contrasting ideologies that have caused ethnic and religious conflict in Indian society...
and predominant anti-French sentiments. - Sphere of Influence: It was completely out of sphere of influenceSphere of influenceIn the field of international relations, a sphere of influence is a spatial region or conceptual division over which a state or organization has significant cultural, economic, military or political influence....
of Pondichéry.
- Location: West Bengal
- Karikal:
- Location: 132 km to the south of Pondichéry in Madras PresidencyMadras PresidencyThe Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
. - Language: TamilTamil languageTamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
. - Culture: There the culture and way of life of people was typical TamilTamil peopleTamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
lifestyle. It was the only colony in French India which does not have much of cultural and linguistic differences w.r.t Pondichéry. - External factors: The changes political movements in Pondichéry and Madras StateMadras StateMadras State was the name by which the Indian districts in Tamil Nadu, Andhra, Northern Kerala, Bellary and Dakshina Kannada were collectively known as from 1950 to 1953....
used to have very impact on Karikal. - Views: From a long time, Karikal used to have anti-French sentiments prevailed in them.
- Sphere of Influence: It was completely under sphere of influenceSphere of influenceIn the field of international relations, a sphere of influence is a spatial region or conceptual division over which a state or organization has significant cultural, economic, military or political influence....
of Pondichéry.
- Location: 132 km to the south of Pondichéry in Madras Presidency
- Mahé:
- Location: It was located along the Malabar coastMalabar CoastThe Malabar Coast is a long and narrow coastline on the south-western shore line of the mainland Indian subcontinent. Geographically, it comprises the wettest regions of southern India, as the Western Ghats intercept the moisture-laden monsoon rains, especially on their westward-facing mountain...
of Arabian seaArabian SeaThe Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui in northeastern Somalia and Kanyakumari in India...
in Madras PresidencyMadras PresidencyThe Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
. - Language: Malayalam.
- Culture: There the culture and way of life of people was typical Malayali lifestyle.
- External factors: Keralite Congress politicians in Madras Presidency used to influence Mahé.
- Views: Mahé used to have strong impact of nationalistIndian nationalismIndian nationalism refers to the many underlying forces that molded the Indian independence movement, and strongly continue to influence the politics of India, as well as being the heart of many contrasting ideologies that have caused ethnic and religious conflict in Indian society...
feelings. - Sphere of Influence: It was largely out of sphere of influenceSphere of influenceIn the field of international relations, a sphere of influence is a spatial region or conceptual division over which a state or organization has significant cultural, economic, military or political influence....
of Pondichéry.
- Location: It was located along the Malabar coast
- Yanaon:
- Location: Along the coast of GodavariGodavari RiverThe Godavari is a river that runs from western to southern India and is considered to be one of the big river basins in India. With a length of 1465 km, it is the second longest river in India , that runs within the country and also the longest river in South India...
in northern region of Madras PresidencyMadras PresidencyThe Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
. - Language: TeluguTelugu languageTelugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
. - Culture: There the culture and way of life of people was typical AndhraTelugu peopleThe Telugu people or Telugu Prajalu are an ethnic group of India. They are the native speakers of the Telugu language, the most commonly spoken language in India after Hindi and Bengali...
lifestyle. - External factors: Andhra StateAndhra StateAndhra State was a state in India created on October 1, 1953 from the Telugu-speaking northern districts of Madras Presidency. On November 1, 1956 it was merged with the Telangana region of Hyderabad State to form the united Telugu-speaking state of Andhra Pradesh.- Madras Manade movement :In 1953,...
politics had no impact on pro-French Yanam. - Views: Yanaon used to have extremely dominant pro-FrenchFrancophileIs a person with a positive predisposition or interest toward the government, culture, history, or people of France. This could include France itself and its history, the French language, French cuisine, literature, etc...
atmosphere. It was the only colonyColonyIn politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
which had very high francophileFrancophileIs a person with a positive predisposition or interest toward the government, culture, history, or people of France. This could include France itself and its history, the French language, French cuisine, literature, etc...
population in nativeIndigenous peoplesIndigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
people. - Sphere of Influence: It was largely out of sphere of influenceSphere of influenceIn the field of international relations, a sphere of influence is a spatial region or conceptual division over which a state or organization has significant cultural, economic, military or political influence....
of Pondichéry.
- Location: Along the coast of Godavari
Decolonization phenomenon
DecolonizationDecolonization
Decolonization refers to the undoing of colonialism, the unequal relation of polities whereby one people or nation establishes and maintains dependent Territory over another...
was a global phenomenon which was predominant colonial world between 1940 and 1960s. Many colonies thought of having independence from colonial empires. Nationalism
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
and Socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
had played very important role in achieving this in many colonies globally.
Pre-Independence factors
- Insignificance in population and areaDemographicsDemographics are the most recent statistical characteristics of a population. These types of data are used widely in sociology , public policy, and marketing. Commonly examined demographics include gender, race, age, disabilities, mobility, home ownership, employment status, and even location...
: This was one of very dominant causes for liberation of French colonies in India.- Insignificance in territorial size: The insignificance in area compared with the Indian Union. The total area of the settlements was well under 2000 square miles (5,180 km²), that of the Union (excluding KashmirKashmirKashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
) well over 1000000 square miles (2,589,988.1 km²). - Insignificant in population size: The insignificance in population compared with Indian Union. The total population of the settlements was less than 1,000,000 that of the Union over 360,000,000.
- Insignificance in territorial size: The insignificance in area compared with the Indian Union. The total area of the settlements was well under 2000 square miles (5,180 km²), that of the Union (excluding Kashmir
- Lack of clearcut frontiers with India: Very few of the settlements had clear-cut frontiers with India. There were many enclaves entirely surrounded by Indian territory, especially in Pondicherry region.
- Economic Factors: The very economic existence of the settlements depended on Indian goodwill.
- Lack of military resistance: If India wished to annex the settlements forcibly there was very little that France could do to stop her.
The above four factors are most important factors that existed in 1947 which ultimately led to merger of French colonies in India.
Post-Independence factors
After independence, the factors that lead to merger are,- Indian NationalismIndian nationalismIndian nationalism refers to the many underlying forces that molded the Indian independence movement, and strongly continue to influence the politics of India, as well as being the heart of many contrasting ideologies that have caused ethnic and religious conflict in Indian society...
: With the Independence of India in 1947, there was rise of Indian nationalismIndian nationalismIndian nationalism refers to the many underlying forces that molded the Indian independence movement, and strongly continue to influence the politics of India, as well as being the heart of many contrasting ideologies that have caused ethnic and religious conflict in Indian society...
in the people of the colonies in India. This was clearly seen by the rise of nationalist local parties in those regions. Their increasing dominance in the politics of French India created an anti-French feeling in people.
- Shift of Socialists: This was the most important Post-independent cause, probably the sole cause that led ultimately to the liberation of French colonies in IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The members of the French India Socialist PartyFrench India Socialist PartyThe French India Socialist Party was a political party in French India. The party was led by Edouard Goubert, Minister for General Administration for French India. The party played a dominant role in the political life in the colony, being backed by the French administration...
shifted they stance towards pro-Merger nationalist groups. This gave a catastrophic and devastating effect to the French rule in India. The switch of Edouard GoubertEdouard GoubertClemencedu Edouard Goubert was former mayor and first chief minister of Pondichéry between July 1, 1963 - September 11, 1964...
towards pro-Merger camp became the death knell to the French sovereignty in its colonies.
Governor's interference
A momentous event in the freedom movement of Pondichéry occurred on 18 March 1954, when most of the the members of the executive council and mayor of Pondichéry and seven adjoining communes proclaimed their decision to merge with Indian Union without a referendumReferendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
. All the communes in Karikal also followed suit. This decision was to be confirmed by the Representative Assembly and when the French India Socialist Party was preparing to move the merger resolution, the French Governor scuttled it by postponing the session. Provoked by this, the Socialists planned to capture the outlying communes one by one and move to Pondichéry. Accordingly, the leaders of the French India Socialist Party hoisted the Indian National Flag atop the Nettapakkam police station on the last day of March in 1954.
Result of Governor General's interference,
- Capture of Nettapacom commune.
- Capture of Mannadipet and Bahour communes.
- Formation of Provisional governmentProvisional governmentA provisional government is an emergency or interim government set up when a political void has been created by the collapse of a very large government. The early provisional governments were created to prepare for the return of royal rule...
at Nettapacom.
Kandamangalam Conference
The conclusion of Consul General, Sri Kewal Singh on the night of 11 April 1954 at the conference at Kandamangalam, that For real liberation of colonies one should attack any of the big four French settlements, Since the French authorities are making fun of petty provisional governmentProvisional government
A provisional government is an emergency or interim government set up when a political void has been created by the collapse of a very large government. The early provisional governments were created to prepare for the return of royal rule...
at Nettapacom. Since Yanam is small in area and population, he requested Monsieur Dadala for a plan for its liberation which resulted not only the Coup d'État de Yanaon
Coup d'état de Yanaon
The Coup d'état of Yanaon was an incident which brought interest for both India and France when both governments were in an ongoing negotiations in Delhi and Paris regarding the future of French settlements in India in 1954.Yanam was a predominantly pro-French colony, with staunch pro-French...
but also the ultimate liberation of French colonies in India.
Result of conclusion at Kandamangalam conference,
- Coup d'État de YanaonCoup d'état de YanaonThe Coup d'état of Yanaon was an incident which brought interest for both India and France when both governments were in an ongoing negotiations in Delhi and Paris regarding the future of French settlements in India in 1954.Yanam was a predominantly pro-French colony, with staunch pro-French...
under Dadala Raphael RamanayyaDadala Raphael RamanayyaDadala Raphael Ramanayya was an Indian nationalist leader, instrumental in the merger of French territory Yanam into the Indian Union.-Early life:...
on Sunday, 13 June 1954. Yanaon liberated by Indian Military. - Picketing by Mahajana Sabha under I. K. KumaranI. K. KumaranIrayi Kunnathidathil Kumaran Master , was a freedom fighter from Mahe or Mayyazhi, Union territory of India, who fought for liberation from France, in 1954. He was also unsuccessfully fought for the unification of Mayyazhi with Kerala.He is known as Mahe Gandhi. Kumaran was the first regional...
at Mahé, 16 June 1954. Mahé liberated, it was handed over by its Administrator to people.
Date of events
| Colony | Liberation | de-facto transfer | Treaty of Cession | de-jure transfer | Merger |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pondichéry | - | 1 November 1954 | 28 May 1956 | 16 August 1962 | 1 July 1963 |
| Chandernagore | - | 26 June 1949 | 28 February 1951 | 9 June 1952 | 1 October 1954 |
| Karikal | - | 1 November 1954 | 28 May 1956 | 16 August 1962 | 1 July 1963 |
| Mahé | 16 June 1954 | 1 November 1954 | 28 May 1956 | 16 August 1962 | 1 July 1963 |
| Yanaon | 13 June 1954 | 1 November 1954 | 28 May 1956 | 16 August 1962 | 1 July 1963 |
Active Members involved in Liberation
- V Subbaih
- Edouard GoubertEdouard GoubertClemencedu Edouard Goubert was former mayor and first chief minister of Pondichéry between July 1, 1963 - September 11, 1964...
- Sellane Naicker,
- Sri Kewal Singh, Consul General
- Venkatasubba Reddiar, Conseil municipal de Nettapacom
- I. K. KumaranI. K. KumaranIrayi Kunnathidathil Kumaran Master , was a freedom fighter from Mahe or Mayyazhi, Union territory of India, who fought for liberation from France, in 1954. He was also unsuccessfully fought for the unification of Mayyazhi with Kerala.He is known as Mahe Gandhi. Kumaran was the first regional...
- C. E. Bharathan
- Mangalat Raghavan
- Dadala Raphael RamanayyaDadala Raphael RamanayyaDadala Raphael Ramanayya was an Indian nationalist leader, instrumental in the merger of French territory Yanam into the Indian Union.-Early life:...
- Kamichetty Venugopala Rao Naidou, Membre du assemblée représentative de Yanaon
- Yerra Jagannatha Rao
- Yerra Satyanarayana (George Babu)
- Madimchetty Satianandam, Maire de Yanaon
See also
- Municipal Administration in French IndiaMunicipal Administration in French IndiaThough the French established colonies in India in the 17th century itself, it was not until the end of the 19th century they started civil administration in French India.-French Metropolitan Decree:...
- Dadala Raphael RamanayyaDadala Raphael RamanayyaDadala Raphael Ramanayya was an Indian nationalist leader, instrumental in the merger of French territory Yanam into the Indian Union.-Early life:...
- Coup d'État de YanaonCoup d'état de YanaonThe Coup d'état of Yanaon was an incident which brought interest for both India and France when both governments were in an ongoing negotiations in Delhi and Paris regarding the future of French settlements in India in 1954.Yanam was a predominantly pro-French colony, with staunch pro-French...
- Pondicherry
- Coup d'étatCoup d'étatA coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
- Karikal
- Mahé
- Yanam, French India