Chapter 6

Mahatma Gandhi and the National Movement

➢ Ottoman Empire consists of – Albania, Algeria, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Cyprus. It was part of the
central powers during the First World War.

➢ Causes of the Non-Cooperation Movement –

1. The Rowlatt Act (1919) –

- It was passed in March 1919. It implied:
a) Arrest of a person without warrant,
b) In camera trial,
c) Restrictions on movement of individuals,
d) Suspension of the writ of Habeas Corpus.

2. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre –

To protest against the Rowlatt Act, a large crowd gathered at the Jallianwala Bagh
in Amritsar on April 13th, 1919, for a peaceful gathering.
- The Bagh had only one exit.
- General Dyre, the military commander of Amritsar, after closing the gate with his
troops, ordered them to shoot at the crowd.
- The troops kept firing till their emanation was exhausted.
- Approximately 1000 innocent demonstrators were killed and many more wounded.
The Nation was shaken at the massacre of innocent people.

3. The Khilafat movement –

- In First World War, the Turkey was defeated and the Ottoman Empire was divided.
- The Caliph, the Sultan of Turkey was deprived of all authority.
- A large section of Muslims considered the Caliph, to be their religious head.
- They thought that the weakening of the Caliph, and his power implied the
weakening of Muslims at large and that it would adversely affect their position.
- The Khilafat Movement, a powerful agitation was started by the Muslims in India. It
was under the leadership of the Ali Brothers; Mohammad Ali and Shaukat Ali.
- the Khilafat formed a 3 - point program:
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a. Ottoman Caliph should retain his empire.

b. The Caliph should be left with sufficient land or territory to enable him to
defend the Islamic Faith.
c. The Arab lands must remain under Muslim rule.
- Khilafat Day was observed on October 17th, 1919. Throughout India.
- Gandhi saw the Khilafat movement as an opportunity to unite the Assertive and the
Early Nationalist.
- Gandhiji was elected as the President of the All-India Khilafat Conference which
was formed with the aim of adopting policy of Non-Cooperation with the
government.
- In 1921 the Khilafat movement and the Indian National Congress merged, to form
the ‘Khilafat Non-Cooperation Movement’, a nationwide movement.

➢ Programs of the non-cooperation movement

1. Boycott
a) Boycott of the Government schools and colleges,
b) Boycott of foreign goods,
c) Boycott of elections,
d) Refusal to attend government functions.
e) Surrender of titles and honorary offices
f) Resignation from nominated seats in local bodies

2. Swadeshi
a) Popularization of Swadeshi and Khadi goods by reviving hand spinning and hand
weaving Mills,
b) Establishment of national schools and colleges
c) Development of Unity between the Hindus and the Muslims,
d) Removal of the untouchability and other measures for Harijan welfare
e) Emancipation & Upliftment of women.

➢ Suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement –

- The Non-Cooperation Movement came to a sudden halt in 1922 with the Chauri -
Chaura incident.
- The incident took place on February 5th, 1922.
A police officer had beaten some volunteers who were picketing a liquor shop. To
protest against this, a mob gathered and marched to the police station.
- The police fired rounds at the peasants, who retaliated by setting the police station
on fire. 22 police man were burnt alive.
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- Gandhi, a believer of Ahimsa, was greatly shocked by this violent incident and
ordered the withdrawal of the Non Cooperation Movement.

After Suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement:

Gandhiji asked Congressmen to pay attention to the constructive Programs such as:

a. Removal of Untouchability
b. Hindu-Muslim unity
c. Popularization of Swadeshi & Khadi

➢ Impact of the Non-Cooperation Movement –

- The national movement became a mass movement.
- It installed confidence among the people.
- The Indian National Congress became a Revolutionary movement, and organization
for action.
- It fostered Hindu - Muslim Unity.
- It spread nationalism to every part of the country.
- It popularized the cult of Swaraj.

- Promoted Social Reforms

➢ Causes of the Civil Disobedience Movement –

a. Reaction to the Simon Commission –
- The British government formed a Commission to investigate the need for further
constitutional reforms. It was known as Simon Commission, named after Sir John
Simon.
- The commission comprised of 7 members of the Parliament.
- It had no Indian members. This was seen as a deliberate insult to Indian’s self-
respect.
- The Indian National Congress decided to boycott the commission.
- The Hindu Mahasabha and the Muslim League backed the Indian National Congress
in this decision.
- ‘All India Hartal’ was organized.
- The commission was greeted with black flag demonstrations under the slogan;
“Simon Go back”.
- Lala Lajpat Rai was leading such a procession at the Lahore railway station. He was
beaten mercilessly and he lost his life.

b. Poorna Swaraj –
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- Kolkata session of the Indian National Congress gave an ultimatum to the British
government to either accept the Nehru report or face a mass movement.
- since there was no positive response from the British government, the Nehru
report was declared to have lapsed at the Lahore session of the Indian National
Congress, after a year in 1929.
- Jawaharlal Nehru was made the president of the Lahore session of the Indian
National Congress, which passed resolution declaring Poorna Swaraj (complete
Independence).
- 26th January was observed as the Poorna Swaraj day all over India by hoisting the
Indian flag.

➢ Civil Disobedience Movement (1930 - 1934) -

- Gandhi served and 11 ultimatums to the British government. However, the
Government that did not respond. In turn, Gandhi started the Civil Disobedience
Movement by his famous Dandi March from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi on the
Gujarat coast.
- On 6th April Gandhi violated the salt laws by picking some salt left by the sea water.
- He selected to attack the salt laws because the salt tax affected all sections of the
society, specially the poor.

• Programs of the Civil Disobedience Movement-

a) Defiance of salt laws,
b) Boycott of liquor,
c) Boycott of foreign cloth and British goods,
d) Nonpayment of taxes and revenue

➢ First Round Table Conference (Nov 1930 – Jan 1931) – - It took place in London.
- The Indian National Congress was unhappy with the report of the Simon Commission
and boycotted the conference.
- Despite of this, other political parties where will the represented.

➢ Gandhi Irwin Pact –

- Gandhi signed a pact alongside Lord Irwin, the then Viceroy, in March 1931.
- The government agreed to:
a) Withdrawal of all ordinances and prosecutions,
b) Release all political prisoners, except those charged with violence,
c) Permit peaceful picketing of liquor and foreign cloth shops,
d) Restore the confiscated property of the Satyagrahis,
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e) Permit the free collection or manufacture of salt by persons near the sea coast.

- The Congress agreed to:

a) Suspend the Civil Disobedience Movement,
b) To participate in the second session of the Round Table Conference.
c) Not to press for investigation into police excesses.

➢ Second Round Table Conference (1931) –

- According to the terms of the Gandhi Irwin Pact, Gandhi was the sole representative
of the Congress.
- In the conference, the Muslims and the other Depressed Classes demanded separate
electorates.
- The British Government refused to give in and grand immediate Dominion status.
- Gandhi came back disappointed.

➢ Renewal of the Civil Disobedience Movement –

- Gandhi returned to India after the failure of the Second Round Table Conference.
- The Great Depression of the 1930 which impacted the Indian Farmers compelled
Gandhi to request an interview with the Viceroy, which was denied.
- In 1932, the Congress passed a resolution that called for the renewal of the Civil
Disobedience Movement.
- Gandhi was arrested along with the handful Congress leaders. The Congress loss it's
face.
- The Indian National Congress called it off in 1934.

➢ Impact of the Civil Disobedience Movement –

- The movement caused a tide of Patriotic Fervor in the country.
- It widened the base of the freedom struggle.
- It caused in the general public realizing the importance of non-violence.
- It also popularized new methods of propaganda, i.e. Prabhat Pheris. Children were
organized into Vanara Sena and girls had their own separate Manjari Sena or the
Cat army.
- The movement under the leadership of Birla and the ‘Harijan Sevak Sangh’ changed
the social conditions.
- It brought women out of their homes to participate in politics and to make them
equal partners in the freedom struggle.
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- The Government of India Act, 1935, introduced the principle of Provincial

Autonomy.
- The Movement revived the will to fight the elections. In 1937 the Congress
achieved positive results in the elections to the Central Legislative Assembly and
Provincial Legislative Assemblies.