Anushilan Samiti
By 1902, Calcutta had three secret societies working toward the violent overthrow of British rule in India. One was founded by Calcutta student Satish Chandra Basu with the patronage of Calcutta barrister Pramatha Mitra, another was led by Bengali woman Sarala Devi and the third was founded by Aurobindo Ghosh. Ghosh was one of the strongest proponents of militant Indian nationalism at the time. By 1905 the work of Aurobindo and his brother, Barin, enabled Anushilan Samity to spread throughout Bengal. Nationalist writings and publications by Aurobindo and Barin, including "Bande Mataram" and "Jugantar", had a widespread influence on Bengal youth. The 1905 partition of Bengal stimulated radical nationalist sentiments in Bengal's Bhadralok community, helping Anushilan acquire a support base of educated, politically-conscious and disaffected members of local youth societies. Its program emphasized physical training, training its recruits with daggers and "lathis" (bamboo staffs used as weapons). The Dhaka branch of Anushilan was led by Pulin Behari Das, and branches spread throughout East Bengal and Assam. More than 500 branches were opened in eastern Bengal and Assam, linked by "close and detailed organization" to Pulin's headquarters at Dhaka. It absorbed smaller groups in the province, soon overshadowing its parent organisation in Calcutta. Branches of Dhaka Anushilan emerged in Jessore, Khulna, Faridpur, Rajnagar, Rajendrapur, Mohanpur, Barvali and Bakarganj. Estimates of Dhaka Anushilan Samiti's reach indicate a membership of 15,000 to 20,000. Within two years, Dhaka Anushilan devolved its aims from the Swadeshi to that of political terrorism.
Sunder Singh Lyallpuri
In the wake of Hindu-Muslim riots of 1924, Mahatma Gandhi and other national leaders like Maulana Mohammad Ali and Dr M. A. Anusari called a national "Ekta Samelan" at Delhi in 1924 which continued for several days. It concentrated mainly on national unity, mutual trust, love and brotherhood. At the end a Central National Panchayat was constituted which was authorised to recruit further members and expand it to the grass roots. With Mahatma Gandhi as its chairman and Convener, the National Panchayat included, among others, Lala Lajpat Rai, G. K. Nariman, Master Sunder Singh Lyallpuri, Dr S. K. Datta and Hakim Ajmal Khan. In the following years, Master Lyallpuri organised or else participated in several seminars or "Ekta Samelans" for the promotion of mutual love, trust and brotherhood among the Hindus, Muslims, Christians, and the Sikhs. Lyallpuri also remained a member of All India Congress Committee.