Bradlaugh Hall and the Political Struggle in Colonial Lahore (1900-1945)

• Ahmad Husnain

  Author

This study examines the pivotal role of Bradlaugh Hall in Lahore as a key site of anti-colonial political activity from 1900 to 1945. I propose that Bradlaugh Hall was more than a mere architectural structure; it functioned as a dynamic and socially produced space that actively shaped political discourse, incubated diverse resistance strategies, and mobilized a broad spectrum of the populace against British colonial rule. It provided an essential platform for nationalist leaders spanning the ideological spectrum, from moderates like Gopal Krishna Gokhale to economic nationalists like Lala Lajpat Rai and revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh. The research analyses how this public space became instrumental in fostering political consciousness and uniting disparate social groups—including students, merchants, intellectuals, and workers—in the common struggle for independence. The study explores how the hall operated as a hub of defiance where revolutionary ideas were cultivated, mass movements like the Non-Cooperation and Civil Disobedience movements were coordinated, and radical actions were planned. Despite intense colonial surveillance and repression, Bradlaugh Hall remained a potent symbol and practical centre of nationalist expression, linking local struggles in Lahore with the broader pan-India independence movement. This essay contributes to a deeper understanding of the intersection of space, resistance, and nationalism in colonial South Asia.

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