period from 1920 to 1947 is known as the
‘Gandhian era’. After the death of
Lokmanya Tilak in 1920, the reigns of
national movement went into the hands of
Mahatma Gandhi. He gave a new direction
to the freedom movement with the principles
of Truth, Non violence and Satyagraha.
Due to the influential leadership of
Mahatma Gandhi the national movement
became more comprehensive. This led to
the beginning of a new era in the freedom
movement of India.
Role of Gandhiji in South Africa :
Mahatma Gandhi went to South Africa
for some legal work
in 1893. South
Africa was a colony
of the British. Many
Indians had settled
there for business,
trade and such
other work. The
Indians in South
Africa were treated
as criminals and humiliated at all times.
In 1906, the Government declared that
the it was compulsory for the blacks to
carry an identity card and their freedom
was restricted as well. Gandhiji followed
the path of Satyagraha against the
injustice and gained justice for the people.
Ganhiji arrives in India : On 9th
January 1915, Gandhiji returned to India
from South Africa. As suggested by Gopal
Krishna Gokhale, he made a tour of the
entire nation. He became sad looking at
the misery and poverty of the people. He
took up the vow of service to the nation.
He stayed at the Sabarmati Ashram in
Ahmedabad. He followed a new technique of Satyagraha to gain justice for common
people.
Philosophy of Satyagraha : Gandhiji
brought in a novel technique of Satyagraha
in the popular movement. Satyagraha
means insistence of truth. The main
objective of Satyagraha is through patience
and Satyagraha an unjust person is made
aware of truth and justice and also bring
transformation in his views. A person
following satyagraha should never use
violence and untruth means, was the
teachings of Gandhiji.
Later, not only in India but in
many parts of world people adopted the
path of Satyagraha to fight against
injustice. Gandhiji’s path of Satyagraha
made on impact on Martin Luther King
who was struggling for the rights of the
Blacks in America, as well as on Nelson
Mandela in South Africa.
Champaran Satyagraha : In Bihar,
the farmers of Champaran region were
forced to cultivate indigo. The cultivators
suffered economically since they received
fixed amount from the planters. Gandhiji
went to Champaran in 1917. He organised
the farmers in Champaran and launched
agitation by following the way of
Satyagraha. Gandhiji’s first war of
independence in India became successful
and the farmers were given justice.
Kheda Satyagraha : Due to constant
famines in Kheda district, Gujrat, the crop
had failed. Still land tax was forcibly
collected by the Government. Gandhiji
suggested that the farmers should refuse
to pay the tax. The farmers began the
movement for scraping of tax at Kheda in
1918. Gandhiji accepted the leadership of
this movement. Within a short period of time, the Government suspended the tax.
Workers movement at Ahmedabad :
During the first world war there was great
inflation. Mill workers demanded for rise
in salary. But the mill owners rejected
this demand. As per Gandhiji’s advice,
the workers went on hunger strike. Finally,
the mill owners had to back off and the
salary of workers was increased.
Satyagraha against Rowlatt Act :
In the first world war, the Indians had
helped the British. The Indians felt that
after the world war is over there will be
a system of governance for taking decisions
for well being of the Indians. There was
growing unrest among the Indians regarding
the increasing prices, taxes etc.
To supress this discontent and to
suggest measures about it, a Committee
was appointed under Sir Sydney Rowlatt.
According to recommendations of this
committee a new law was passed without
considering the opposition of Indian
members in Central Legislative Assembly
on 17 March 1919. This law came to be
known as ‘Rowlatt Act’. This Act gave the
right to the government to arrest anybody
without any warrant or imprison without
any trial. Appeal was prohibited against
the punishment given through this act. The
Indians called this act as ‘Black Act’ and
a tide of anger arouse all over India against
this act. Gandhiji launched a Satyagraha
against it. On 6th April 1919, he appealed
to the Indians to follow Hartal all over
India against the Act. Indians responded to
this appeal on a large scale.
Jallianwala Baug Massacre : The
movement that aroused against the
Rowlatt Act took over a fierce form in
the province of Punjab. Amritsar became
the main centre of this movement. The
Government had started the spate of
supression. Gandhiji was prohibited from
entering the province of Punjab. General
Dyer issued orders of ban on public
meetings in Amritsar. Important leaders
like Dr.Satyapal and Dr.Kitchelu were
arrested for their involvement in Amritsar
Hartal case.
As a protest against this, on 13th
April 1919, on a Baisakhi day, the people
of Amritsar assembled at a place named
Jallianwala Baug. General Dyer arrived
with armed force. The place was enclosed
from all sides and had only one small
gate. General Dyer positioned his army
and closed down the only gate. Without
giving any prior notification to the
disarmed innocent people, he ordered his
soldiers to fire. 1660 rounds, had been
fired. The army continued firing until the
ammunition was over. In this massacre
about 400 people including men and
women were killed. Many people were
wounded. After firing curfew was
announced and hence immediate treatment
to the injured could not be made available.
In entire Punjab, military law was
enforced and many were sent to jail by
the government.
General Michael O’Dwyer, Governor
of Punjab, was responsible for this
massacre. All over India there was protest
against this act. As a
protest against this
massacre,
Rabindranath Tagore
gave away the title of
‘Sir’ bestowed on him
by the British
Government. Later
Indians demanded for
enquiry of this
massacre, hence the British government
appointed the Hunter Commission.
Khilafat Movement : Muslims all
over the world regarded the ruler of Turkeyas their religious leader. During the first
world war Turkey fought against the
British. To get the support of the Indian
Muslims in the war, the British had assured
that after the end of the war, Khalifa’s
empire will not be harmed. But after the
end of First World War England did not
stick to its assuarance. A tide of great
discontent aroused among the Muslims.
The movement started by Indian Muslims
to support the Khalifa was called ‘Khilafat
Movement’. Gandhiji thought that on this
problem if the Hindus and Muslims come
together and start a national movement
then the government can surely be brought
to its senses. Therefore Gandhiji supported
the Khilafat Movement. The Khilafat
Committee accepted Gandhiji’s proposal
of following non-co-operation to the
government. Hindu-Muslim unity was seen
especially during this period.
Non-co-operation Movement : The
concept behind the Non-co-operation
movement was that, the British government
in India is dependent only on the
co-operation of the Indians. If the Indians
adopted complete non-co-operation then
the British government will completely
collapse. With this intention he evoked
the people of India to take part in this
movement.
In 1920, the Indian National Congress
session was held at Nagpur. The resolution
of Non-co-operation movement put forth by
Chittaranjan Das was accepted. All reigns
of the movement were given in the hands of
Mahatma Gandhi. According to this
resolution, a programme was framed to
boycott Government offices, courts, foreign
goods, Government schools and colleges.
Progress of Non-co-operation
Movement : On the background of Nonco-operation movement, many eminent
lawyers like Motilal Nehru, Chittaranjan
Das etc. boycotted the court by giving up
their practice. During this period, with the
boycott of schools and colleges, the
scheme of national education was run.
Many National schools, colleges and
universities were established. There was
boycott of coming elections, boycott and
bonfire of foreign clothes. Due to this the
import of foreign clothes decreased.
In 1921, during the visit of Prince of
Wales, he was welcomed by organising
hartal. Lonely roads and closed shops
welcomed the Prince. The movement
spread from the planters in Assam to rail
workers in Bengal. To bring the movement
under control the British government
undertook supressive measures.
In February 1922, the Police opened
fire on a peaceful procession at Chauri
Chaura in Gorakhpur district of Uttar
Pradesh. The people were angry and set
fire to the police station in which along
with one officer, 22 policemen were killed.
Due to this incident, Gandhiji was hurt.
On 12 February 1922, Gandhiji suspended
the Non-co-operation Movement.
Mulshi Satyagraha : During the nonco-operation movement, the farmers of
Mulshi Taluka in Pune district launched
satyagraha against the government.
Senapati Pandurang Mahadev Bapat led
the Mulshi satyagraha, for which he was
punished with six years of imprisonment.
Do you know?
Gandhiji was arrested in March 1922
for writing three anti-national articles in
‘Young India’. Special court was set up
at Ahmedabad and Gandhiji was sentenced
six years of imprisonment.
Later, on grounds of ill health, Gandhiji
was released from the jail. Gandhiji, along
with non-co-operation movement, took up
constructive programmes which mainly
included spread of Swadeshi, HinduMuslim unity, prohibition of alchohol,
removal of untouchability, popularise use
of Khadi, national education etc. Due to
these constructive programmes, the national
movement became more comprehensive in
rural areas.
Swaraj Party : The members of
Indian National Congress such as
Chittaranjan Das, Motilal Nehru put up
the idea of contesting elections and
obstructing the work of the British
government. In 1922, the Swaraj Party
was established. In 1923, many members
of Swaraj Party were elected in the Central
Legislative Assembly and Provincial
Legislative Council, mainly including
Motilal Nehru, Madan Mohan Malviya,
Lala Lajpat Rai and N.C.Kelkar. When
the political movement in the country
calmed down, then the fight in the
Legislative Assembly was strengthened by
the Swaraj Party. They severely opposed
the unjust policies of British. They
demanded that Responsible Government
should be given to India in future. They
made a resolution to be passed in the
Legislative Assembly for the release of
political leaders from prison, to call for
the Round Table Conference. The
government rejected most of the resolutions.
Simon Commission : The reforms
introduced by the Montague Chelmsford
Act of 1919 were unsatisfactory. Hence
there was discontent among the Indian
people.On this background, the British
appointed a commission under the
chairmanship of Sir John Simon. In this
commission, none of the Indian member
was included. Hence the Congress decided
to boycott the commission.
In 1928, the commission arrived in
India. Wherever it travelled, the people
made demonstrations against them, by
Simon Go Back
shouting the slogans like ‘Simon Go
Back’.
There was lathi charge on the
demonstrators. At Lahore, Lala Lajpat Rai
was leading the demonstration against the
Simon Commission. The police lathi
charged the demonstrators. Saunders, a
police officer,
attacked Lalaji with
a lathi. After the
attack, in a protest
meeting, Lalaji said,
“Every blow on my
body will prove a
nail in the coffin of
the British Empire”.
Within few days of
the attack Lalaji died.
Nehru Report : Berkenhead, Secretary
of State of India, criticised that the Indian
leaders cannot draft a unanimously
accepted constitution. This challenge was
accepted and an all party Committee was
formed. Pandit Motilal Nehru was the
Chairman of this Committee.
To establish self government in the
colonies of India, implement Adult Franchise
system, linguistic division of provinces such
proposals were put up in this report. This
report was known as ‘Nehru Report’.
By the end of 1929, an indication was
given that if the Nehru report is not accepted by the government then the civil disobedience
movement will be started. On this
background, in December 1929, the Lahore
session presided by Pandit Jawaharlal
Nehru became memorable in history.
Demand for Poorna Swaraj : The
objective of Indian National Congress of
Dominion status was not acceptable to
many young members. Young leaders like
Pandit Nehru and Subhash Chandra Bose
were demanding complete independence.
i.e. poorna swaraj. Due to the influence of
this young group, in the Lahore session of
Indian National Congress, resolution of
attainment of complete independence was
passed. Through this resolution Indian
national Congress gave up the objective of
dominion status. From here onwards, the
objective of National movement was
complete independence of India.
On 31st December 1929, Pandit Nehru
unfurled the tri colour flag and a resolution
was passed in which 26 January was
declared to be
celebrated as
Independence Day. On
26 January 1930,
people all over the
country took pledge
for carrying out the
freedom movement
with non violent means
for attainment of
independence of India. Everywhere in the
country, the atmosphere was charged with
a new spirit.
0 Comments