Mahatma Gandhi and the National Movement

His Early Life:

• born in 1869 Porbandar in the kathiawad district of Gujarat. His father was the diwan of Rajkot state.

• He was hurt by the racial injustice and discrimination to which Indian had submit in South Africa.

• Gandhiji soon became the leader of the struggle for justice in South Africa.

• He formed the Natal Indian Congress and suffered imprisonment.

• He started the non- violent civil disobedience movement to protest against the discriminating treatment meted out to the Indians.

• It was during this struggle that Mahatma Gandhi evolved the technique of Satyagraha.

Satyagraha (Satya-Truth and Agraha - insistence to hold fast):

It was directed against the British system of exploitation. Passive resistance does not exclude the use of physical force for the purpose of gaining one’s end whereas Satyagraha excludes the use of violence.

Doctrine of Non-violence: (Non violence or ahimsa means non killing or avoiding injury)

Swadeshi: (Producing necessary items in one’s own country and using them for one’s use without being dependent on imported goods)

Mass Movement: (The South African experiment gave Gandhiji the experience of leading Indians belonging to different religions, regions and social classes)

Champaran Satyagraha (1917 in Bihar):-

• Gandhiji’s first great experiment.

• The Indigo cultivators of Champaran were greatly exploited by European planters. They were bound by law to grow Indigo on 3/20th (the tinkathia system) of their land and sell it to the British planters at prices fixed by them.

• Gandhiji offered Satyagraha, this helped in giving the Indigo cultivators some relief.

Ahmedabad Satyagraha (1918) :

• Gandhiji lead the mill workers of Ahmedabad in a strike against mill-owners.

• there was 35% increase in wages

Kheda Satyagraha (1918):

• Crops failed in Kheda and the peasants were not in a position to pay land revenue. The govt. refused to forgo the land revenue.

• Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel became Gandhiji’s follower during this struggle.

Non- Cooperation Movement (way of protesting in which one does not cooperate with the evil-doer)

Causes that led to the Non-cooperation Movement:

1. Rowlatt Act:

• introduced in the Central Legislature in February, 1919

• The Rowlatt Act implied:

  1) Arrest of a person without warrant.

  2) In camera trial (in closed room)

  3) Restrictions on the right of Habeas Corpus (Habeas Corpus- protects from unlawful detention)

• Gandhiji appealed to the Viceroy to withhold his consent to such measures. However, his appeal was ignored. He started ‘Satyagraha’ as a challenge to the govt. (No vakeel, No daleel, No appeal)

• This act emerged as the first all India struggle against the British govt.

• acted as a Hindu - Muslim unity.

2. Jallianwala Bagh Tragedy (April 13, 1919):

• General Dyer, the military commander of Amritsar surrounded the bagh with his soldiers.

• The bagh only had one exit, he ordered his troops to shoot at the crowd after closing the only exit.

• About one thousand innocent demonstrators were killed and the whole nation was shaken by the massacre of innocent people.

• Rabindranath Tagore expressed the pain and anger of the country by renouncing his Knighthood (honour given by the British Crown).

3. Khilafat Movement:

• In the first World War Turkey was defeated and the Ottoman Empire was divided. The Sultan of Turkey, who was the caliph was deprived of all authority.

• So, the Muslim population in India started a powerful agitation known as the Ali brothers- Mohammad Ali and Shaukat Ali, Maulana Azad, Hakim Ajmal Khan and Hasrat Mohani

• formed a three point programme-

  a) the ottoman caliph should retain his empire

  b) the caliph must be left with sufficient territory to enable him to defend the Islamic Faith

  c) The Arab lands must remain under the Muslim rule. (Khilafat day- October 17, 1919)

• Gandhiji saw in the Khilafat movement an opportunity for uniting Hindus and Muslims.

Boycott Programmes:

• Boycott of govt. schools, college and courts.

• Boycott of foreign goods.

• Resignation from nominated seats in local bodies.

• Boycott of elections.

• Surrender of titles and honorary offices.

• Refusal to attend govt. functions.

Swadeshi programmes:

• Popularisation of Swadeshi and Khadi.

• Establishment of national schools and colleges.

• Development of unity between Hindu and Muslims.

• Removal of untouchability.

• Emancipation and upliftment of woman.

Activities during Non-Cooperation Movement:

• Students left schools and colleges.

• Congress boycotted the elections.

• Charkhas were manufactured for the people to spin cloth.

• The Jamia Millia Islamia was established as a national university (other uni - The Bihar Vidyapeeth, Kashi Vidyapeeth and the Gujarat Vidyapeeth) .

• People contributed generously to finance the movement.

• Shops selling foreign goods and liquor were picketed.

• Peasants proclaimed ‘Swaraj’ and believed that ‘Gandhi Raj’ was about to be established.

• In Malabar, the Moplas rebelled against the authorities.

• The people boycotted the visit of Prince of Wales at Mumbai in 1921.

Suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement:

Chauri Chaura:

• occurred on February 5, 1992

• A procession of about 3000 peasants marched to the police station to protest against the police officer who has beaten some volunteers picketing a liquor shop.

• The police fired at the peasants.

• This infuriated the peasants and they set the nearby police station on fire, killing 22 policemen

• Gandhiji said, “If the thing had not be suspended we would have been leading not a violent struggle. The cause will prosper by this retreat”.

Impact of the Non-Cooperation Movement:

1. National Movement became a Mass Movement

2. Instilled Confidence among the people

3. The Congress became a revolutionary movement (Transformed the INC from a deliberative assembly into an organisation for action)

4. Fostered Hindi Muslim Unity

5. Promoted social reforms such as prohibition of Liquor, Removal of untouchability and upliftment of woman

6. Spread nationalism to every part of the country

7. Popularised the cult of Swaraj

Factors Leading Up to Civil Disobedience Movement:

1. Simon Commission:

• appointed to investigate the need for further constitutional reforms.

• The Commission composed of 7 British members of Parliament.

• It had no Indian members.

• This was seen as the violation of the principle of self determination and a deliberate insult to the self-respect of Indians.

Reaction of the People on Simon commission:

• On February 3, the day the Commission reached Bombay, an All India Hartal was organised.

• Wherever the commission went, it was greeted with hartals and black flag demonstrations under the slogan ‘Simon Go back’.

• Lala Lajpat Rai was grievously injured. He lost his life as a result of lathi blows from the police.

Nehru Report:

• Lord Birkenhead, the Secretary of State for India, justified the exclusion of Indians in the Simon Commission by stating that the Indians were not united and could not arrive at an ‘agreed scheme of reforms’.

• To refute this charge, an All Parties Conference was convened in 1928.

• Motilal Nehru was made chairman of the committee with Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru and N.C. Kelkar as his principal associates.

• The report submitted by All Parties Conference is known as the Nehru Report.

2. Declaration of Poorna Swaraj (complete independence):

The congress committee met in January 1930, and decided the following programme:

• Preparation of Civil Disobedience Movement.

• Complete Independence or Poorna Swaraj which was set forth as the goal of the national movement.

• Observance of 26th January as the ‘Poorna Swaraj’.

• Resignations by the members of the legislatures.

• Withdrawal from all possible association with the British govt.

Civil Disobedience Movement (1930-1934):

Dandi March:

• On 12th March, 1930 , Gandhiji began the march from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi.

• On the morning of 6th April, Gandhiji violated the salt law at Dandi by picking up some salt left by the sea waves.

• According to the Salt Law, the govt. had the monopoly to manufacture and sell salt.

• This event marked the beginning of the Civil Disobedience Movement.

The Programme of the Movement:

• Defiance of salt laws.

• Boycott of liquor.

• Boycott of foreign cloth and British goods of all kinds.

• Non-payment of taxes and revenues.

Under the leadership of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Popularly known as “The Frontier Gandhi”, the Pathans organised the society of Khudai Khidmatgars (Servants of god), popularly known as Red shirts. They were pledged to non-violence and the freedom struggle.

Repression by the govt. :

• Satyagrahis including Congress leaders and Gandhiji were imprisoned.[

• The Congress was declared illegal and severe restrictions were imposed on the nationalist press.

• There were demonstrations at Peshawar to protest against the arrest of Ghaffar Khan.

• The Commander of the platoon, Thakur Chandra Singh was severely punished.

• The textile and railway workers of Mumbai went on strike.

Round Table Conference:

First Round Table Conference (November 12, 1930 to January 19, 1931)

• held in London

• The British realised the futility of holding a conference on the question of constitutional reforms for India without the representatives of the Congress.

Gandhi-Irwin Pact:

• Tej Bahadur Sapru and Jayakar, started negotiations with Gandhiji in jail.

• This resulted in the signing of a pact by Gandhiji and Lord Irwin, the Viceroy, in March 1931. This is known as the Gandhi-Irwin pact.

• The govt. agreed to:

  1) Withdraw all ordinances and end prosecutions.

  2) Release all political prisoners (except the guilty ones)

  3) Permit peaceful picketing of liquor and foreign cloth shops.

  4)Restore the confiscated properties of the Satyagrahis.

  5) Permit the free collection or manufacture of salt.

• The Congress consented to the following:

  1) To suspend the Civil Disobedience Movement

  2) To participate in the 2nd session of the Round Table Conference.

  3) Not to press for investigation into police excesses.

Second Round Table Conference (September 7 to December 1, 1931):

• attended by Gandhiji as the sole representative of the Congress.

• The question of independence or setting up of a responsible govt. receded into the background.

• The British govt. refused to concede the immediate grant of dominion status.

• Gandhiji returned to India disappointed.

Third Round Table Conference (November 17, 1932 to December 24, 1932):

• The INA refused to attend the conference.

• Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar demanded separate for the depressed classes.

• Ramsay Macdonald announced an award known as communal award. This award provided separate representation to the Muslims, Buddhists, Sikhs, Indian Christians, Anglo Indians, Europeans and the depressed classes.

• Mahatma Gandhi Strongly opposed this award on the grounds that it would disintegrate Indian society and started a fast in protest against it.

• On 24 September, 1932, the agreement known as Poona Pact was signed between Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar and the congress.

• The agreement provided reservation of seats for depressed classes within the general electorate

Renewal of Civil Disobedience Movement:

• Gandhiji sought an interview with Viceroy Willington. The interview was refused.

• The Congress passed a resolution for the renewal of the Civil Disobedience Movement.

• On January 4, 1932, Gandhiji was arrested.

Impact of the Civil Disobedience Movement:

• caused a tide of patriotic fervour in the country.

• The govt. withdrew the ban on the Congress in June 1934.

• this movement widened the base of the freedom struggle.

• It made people understand the significance of the principles of non-violence.

• popularised new methods of Propaganda.

• The movement under the leadership of Birla and the ‘Harijan Sevak Singh’ changed the social conditions.

• It brought women out of their homes to participate in politics.

• The govt. of India Act, 1935, introduced the principle of a Federation and the principle of Provincial Autonomy.

• The movement revived the will to fight the elections.