Highlight the importance of the new objectives that got added to the vision of Indian independence since the twenties of the last century. (UPSC 2017)

The vision of Indian independence widened greatly from the 1920s. It moved beyond the demand for political rule to include social justice, economic planning, civil liberties and a democratic order based on equality.

• From Swaraj to socio-economic freedom: Leaders such as Nehru and Bose argued that political liberty was incomplete without removal of poverty, unemployment and exploitation. The Karachi Resolution of 1931 placed economic justice at the heart of freedom.
• Basis of the planning state: The idea of planned development emerged through the National Planning Committee in 1938. This later influenced public sector-led development, land reforms and the Directive Principles of State Policy.
• Complete independence and popular sovereignty: The Lahore Session of 1929 replaced Dominion Status with Purna Swaraj. This gave the freedom struggle a clear goal of full national sovereignty, later reflected in a sovereign, democratic republic.
• Civil liberties and rights: The freedom movement began to stress free speech, press, assembly and religious neutrality. These ideas became the basis of Fundamental Rights in the Constitution.
• Social inclusion: Anti-caste and women’s movements in the 1920s pushed the nation to recognise equality, abolition of untouchability and equal civic status for women and marginalised groups.
• Peasant and worker concerns: Agrarian distress and labour exploitation brought demands for fair rent, wages, social security and decent working conditions into the national agenda.

Significance: These new objectives made the freedom struggle broad-based and people-centred. They ensured that independence would mean not only ending colonial rule, but also building a just, democratic and welfare-oriented nation.