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📑 In This Chapter Guide (Table of Contents)
1. The Idea of Satyagraha & Early Gandhian Movements
Mahatma Gandhi returned to India from South Africa in January 1915. He introduced the weapon of Satyagraha — a non-violent method of mass agitation based on the search for pure truth and moral appeal to the oppressor’s conscience.
Early Successful Satyagrahas in India:
- 1917 (Champaran, Bihar): Against oppressive European indigo plantation owners forcing the tinkathia system.
- 1917 (Kheda, Gujarat): Demanding revenue remission for peasants affected by crop failure and plague epidemic.
- 1918 (Ahmedabad, Gujarat): Cotton mill workers strike demanding a 35% wage hike.
2. The Rowlatt Act (1919) & Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
Passed hurriedly by the Imperial Legislative Council, the Rowlatt Act empowered colonial authorities to arrest political suspects without trial and imprison them for two years.
The Jallianwala Bagh Tragedy (13 April 1919):
On Baisakhi day, a peaceful crowd assembled at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar to attend the annual fair and protest the arrest of leaders Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew and Dr. Satyapal. General Dyer entered with British troops, blocked all narrow exit passages, and opened unprovoked fire on the unarmed gathering, killing hundreds. Dyer declared his objective was to "produce a moral effect and strike terror." In protest, Rabindranath Tagore renounced his British Knighthood.
3. Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–1922) vs Civil Disobedience (1930)
| Feature | Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–1922) | Civil Disobedience Movement (1930–1934) |
|---|---|---|
| Core Objective | Refuse cooperation with colonial governance; demand Swaraj and redress Khilafat/Punjab wrongs. | Refuse cooperation AND actively break oppressive colonial laws (salt law, forest laws). |
| Launch Trigger | Nagpur Congress Session (Dec 1920); surrender of titles, boycott of foreign cloth and schools. | Dandi Salt March: 240 miles from Sabarmati to Dandi (12 March – 6 April 1930). |
| Suspension Reason | Violent clash at Chauri Chaura (Feb 1922) where 22 policemen were burnt alive. | Gandhi-Irwin Pact (March 1931) and attendance at Second Round Table Conference. |
4. Poona Pact (September 1932) & Dalit Participation
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, leader of the Depressed Classes Association, demanded separate electorates for Dalits at the Second Round Table Conference. British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald accepted this via the Communal Award.
Mahatma Gandhi began a fast unto death in Yerwada Jail, arguing separate electorates would permanently alienate Dalits from Hindu society. This culminated in the historic Poona Pact (1932):
- Ambedkar accepted unified electorates in exchange for reserved seats in provincial and central legislative councils for depressed classes.
- Voting took place by general joint electorate rather than separate communal voting.
💡 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
❓ Why did rich peasants participate in the Civil Disobedience Movement, and why did they later refuse when it restarted?
Rich peasant communities (like Patidars of Gujarat and Jats of UP) were hard hit by the Great Depression and falling agricultural prices. They joined the movement in 1930 fighting for reduction in land revenue. When the movement was called off in 1931 without any revenue reduction, they felt betrayed and refused to rejoin when restarted in 1932.
❓ What was the significance of the Lahore Congress Session of 1929?
Presided over by Jawaharlal Nehru in December 1929, the Lahore Congress formalized the demand for "Purna Swaraj" (Complete Independence). It was decided that 26 January 1930 would be celebrated across India as Independence Day, pledging citizens to struggle for complete freedom.
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