NATIONALISM IN INDIA

FIRST THREE SATYAGRAHA MOVEMENTS ORGANISED BY GANDHIJI IN INDIA

Champaran Movement 1917:

• It was a movement of workers in the indigo plantations of the Champaran district of Bihar. It was against the oppressive plantation system.

Kheda Movement 1917:

• Crop failure and plague epidemic made the life of the farmers miserable in the Kheda district of Gujarat. So, they started a movement under Gandhi ji’s leadership with the demand for a reduction in land revenue.

Mill workers Movement 1918:

• Low wages and poor working conditions forced the mill workers of Ahmedabad to start a movement under Gandhi ji’s leadership in 1918.

Rowlatt Act 1919

• This Act gave the government the power to imprison any person without any trial for a period of two years.
• Aim of act was to destroy national movement by imprisoning the national workers.
• It was a black law because it was against basic human rights.

ROWLATT SATYAGRAHA

• Gandhi ji organised a non violent satyagraha against the Rowlatt Act.
• A hartal was organised on 6 April 1919. Rallies were conducted. Shops were closed down.
Workers conducted strike. Transport and communication systems came to a standstill.
• These protests led to the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre.

JALLIANWALA BAGH MASSACRE

• On 13 April 1919, a public meeting was organized at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar to protest against the arrests of national leaders.
• Many villagers who came to attend a fair were also present in the park.
• General Dyer reached the meeting place along with the British troops. He ordered the troops to fire.
• Many people were killed and many were wounded.

KHILAFAT MOVEMENT

• It was a movement organized by Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali (Ali brothers).
• The aim of this movement was to protest against the injustice done to Turkey by Britain after the First World War.
• The Turkish Sultan had the title of Caliph (Khalifa). The Muslims considered him as their spiritual leader. So, many Muslims joined this movement.

GANDHIJI DECIDED TO LAUNCH THE NON- COOPERATION

• First World War added to the misery of the Indian people. Heavy taxes, high prices, famines and epidemics made people’s life miserable.
• Rowlatt Act invited large scale protests throughout the country.
• Jallianwala Bagh Massacre and the injustice done to Punjab made Indians angry. • Muslims became unhappy due to the ill treatment of Turkey. They started Khilafat Movement.
• The congress session at (1920) adopted Gandhi ji’s idea of Non-co operation.

NON CO-OPERATION MOVEMENT

• Non co-operation was launched under Gandhi ji’s leadership in 1920.
• It aimed at protesting against the injustices done to Punjab & Turkey and to attain Swaraj.
• Educated midd clas the movement in towns and cities. Educational institutions, Law courts and foreign goods were boycotted.
• Peasants organized movements against Talukdars and Landlords in villages under the leadership of Baba Ramchandra.
• Tribal people started an armed struggle in the Gudem hills of Andhra Pradesh leadership of Alluri Sitaram Raju.
• Workers in the plantation of Assam started a struggle to get the right to free movement.
• Chauri Chaura incident forced Gandhiji to call off the Movement.

DIFFERING STRANDS WITHIN THE NON COOPERATION MOVEMENT

MOVEMENT IN TOWNS AND CITIES:

• Educated middle class led the movement in towns and cities. Educational institutions, law courts and the council elections were boycotted.
• Foreign clothes and other goods were burnt in bonfires. People began to use Khadi clothes.
• Government Servants resigned their jobs. Liquor shops were picketed.

NON CO-OPERATION MOVEMENT SLOWED DOWN IN TOWNS AND CITIES

• Khadi clothes were very costly. The poor were not able to buy them.
• Indians boycotted British Institutes like law courts and educational institutions. But alternative institutions did not come up. So people had to stop boycott.

MOVEMENT IN THE COUNTRYSIDE
(VILLAGES) PEASANTS’ MOVEMENT:

• In Awadh, a peasant’s movement was organized by Baba Ramchandra.
• It was against landlords and talukdars. Reduction of rent and the abolition of beggar were their main demands.
• They formed the Oudh Kisan Sabha.

BABA RAMCHADRA

• He led a peasant’s movement in Awadh against Talukdars and Landlords.
• He demanded reduction of rent, abolition of Begar and the boycott of landlords.
• In October 1920, he formed Oudh Kisan Sabha with the help of Nehru.

TRIBAL MOVEMENT

• In the Gudem Hills of Andhra Pradesh, tribals started a movement under the leadership of Alluri Sitaram Raju.
• Tribals wanted to get back their traditional rights over forests.
• The methods followed by the tribals and peasants were against the Gandhian method of non violence. They followed violent methods of struggle.

ALLURI SITARAM RAJU

• He led a movement of the tribal people in the Gudem hills of Andhra Pradesh.
• Many people considered him as an incarnation of God. They believed that he had many special powers.
• He supported Gandhiji and asked to wear khadi stop drinking. But, he organized an armed struggle against the British.

MOVEMENT IN THE PLANTATIONS

• Workers in the plantations of Assam demanded the right to move freely in and out of the estates.
• They opposed the Inland Emigration Act of took away the right to movement. When heard about the Non-cooperation movement, they moved to their villages.
• They thought that the Gandhi Raj was coming and everyone would be give to land in their villages. However, they were caught and brought back.

Towards Civil Disobedience

WITHDRAWAL OF THE NON COOPERATION MOVEMENT

Gandhiji withdrew the Non Co-operation Movement because:

• The movement became violent in some places. In February 1922,in Chauri Chaura (Uttar Pradesh) people turned violent and set fire to a police station.
Twenty two were killed in this incident. Gandhiji was against violence.
• The movement slowed down in urban areas. He thought that it was necessary to train the people in non violent satyagraha.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NON-COOPERATION MOVEMENT

• Non Co-operation movement was a large scale mass movement. It attracted common people from all social groups.
• Non Cooperation Movement and Khilafat Movement went together. So, they promoted Hindu-Muslim unity.
• Peasants’ and tribals’ movements became a part of the Indian National Movement.

• It was a non violent movement. So, it popularised the Gandhian idea of Non violent satyagraha.

SIMON COMMISSION (INDIAN STATUTORY COMMISSION)

• It was a statutory commission set up by the British under Sir John Simon.
• It was asked to study the constitutional system in India and suggest changes.
• All the members of the commission were English men. There was no Indian in it.
• It did not provide any hope of Swaraj to Indians.

LAHORE CONGRESS OF 1929

• The Congress session was held at Lahore in 1929 under the Presidentship of Jawaharlal Nehru. Following decision were taken:
• The Congress declared Poorna Swaraj as its aim.
• It was decided to celebrate 26 January every year as Independence Day.
• It was decided to start the Civil Disobedience Movement to win Poorna Swaraj.

DEVELOPMENTS THAT LED TO THE LAUNCHING OF THE CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE MOVEMENT

• Indians launched a powerful struggle against the Simon Commission. The government resorted to repression.
• Great Depression made the life of the people highly miserable.
• Lahore Conspiracy case and Meerut Conspiracy case created discontent among the Indians.
• Lahore Congress of 1929 declared Poorna Swaraj as its aim and decided to launch the Civil Disobedience Movement.
• Gandhi ji inaugurated the movement by breaking the Salt Law at Dandi.

SALT MARCH

• Gandhi ji decided to inaugurate the Civil Disobedience Movement by breaking the salt law.
• Gandhi ji and 78 of his followers started a march on foot from Dandi [Dandi March).
• On 6 April 1919, they reached Dandi. Gandhi ji prepared salt by using sea water, broke the salt and inaugurated the Movement.
• The government imposed heavy tax on salt. Moreover, the production of salt was the monopoly of the government. So the price of salt was very high. Therefore, Gandhi ji opposed the salt law.

THE MAIN FEATURES OF THE CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE MOVEMENT

• Gandhi ji broke the Salt Law at Dandi & inaugurated the Movement. People broke salt law in many places. Foreign goods were boycotted, Liquor shops were picketed. Government servants resigned their jobs, Forest laws were broken, People refused to pay taxes. Leaders were arrested, Workers attacked government offices.

• Gandhi ji called off the movement on 5 March 1931 under the Gandhi-Irwin Pact. He agreed to attend the Second Round Table Conference.
• It was restarted when Gandhi ji returned from London. It was finally called off in 1934.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN NON-COOPERATION MOVEMENT AND CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE

• People refused to co-operate with the government during the Non Co- operation
Movement. People broke the laws during the Civil Disobedience
• Muslims participated in large numbers in the Co operation Movement but their Participation was less in the Civil Disobedience Movement.
• No tax campaign was not there in Non Movement. People refused to pay taxes in Civil Disobedience Movement.

SOCIAL GROUPS WHICH PARTICIPATED IN CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE MOVEMENT

• Rich Peasants – Depression and fall in prices affected them badly. They demanded reduction in land revenue. Swaraj meant reduction of taxes for them.
• Poor Peasants – Depression affected them badly. They demanded reduction in rent. Swaraj meant reduction of rent for them.
• Business classes – They demanded protection against the import of foreign goods. They wanted a Rupee-Sterling exchange rate that would discourage import. They formed the Indian Industrial and Commercial Congress in 1920. They also formed the Federation of the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industries.
• They gave financial help to the movement and refused to sell the foreign goods.
• Industrial Workers – They were poorly paid. Conditions of work were miserable. Swaraj meant better wages and working conditions for them. Railway workers and dockyard workers conducted strike. Workers in mines wore Gandhi Caps and took part in rallies.

MAIN CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE MOVEMENT.

• Civil Disobedience Movement was the first struggle to win Poorna Swaraj or Complete Independence.
• It was based on non violent Satyagraha. Gandhian ideas widely followed.
• Women participated in large numbers in this movement.
• It was a real mass movement. Different social groups participated.
• It was an open challenge to the British rule. The people openly disobeyed laws.

MAIN LIMITATIONS OF THE CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE MOVEMENT

• Dalits did not participate in the Civil Disobedience Movement, because the Congress did not give importance to their demands.
• Many Muslims did not participate in it. They thought that the Congress was moving close to the Hindu Maha Sabha.
• Communal riots occurred in many places. Disunity between Hindus and Muslims started.
• Industrial workers participation was minimum.

EFFORTS MADE BY GANDHIJI FOR THE UPLIFTMENT OF DALITS

• Gandhi ji was against untouchability. He said that Swaraj would not come for 100 years, if untouchability was not abolished.
• He called the untouchables ‘Harijans’ or sons of Gods.
• He organized satyagraha to get temple entry and acces public wells, tanks, schools for dalits.
• He cleaned harijan colonies and in his ashram there was no caste feelings.
• He asked the upper caste Hindus to give up the inhuman practice of untouchability.

GANDHIJI VS AMBEDKAR

• Dr. Ambedkar demanded separate electorates for the dalits. He thought that a share in political power would help in their upliftment. Gandhi ji opposed separate electorates. He thought that it would create disunity. So, they clashed in the Second round table conference.
• Poona Pact: It was signed between Gandhi ji and Ambedkar in September 1932. Gandhi ji brought an end to his fast. He accepted the demand for reservation of seats for dalits in the legislatures. Ambedkar agreed to give up the demand for separate electorates.

CULTURAL FACTORS AND IDENTITIES WHICH CREATED A SENSE OF COLLECTIVE BELONGING AMONG THE PEOPLE OF INDIA.

IMAGE OF BHARAT MATA

• Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay created the image of Bharat Mata.
• Abanindranath Tagore painted her image.
• Bharat Mata looked like a Sanyasini. She is calm, divine and spiritual. Devotion towards her became a proof of Nationalism.

VANDE MATARAM

• It was a prayer to Bharat Mata written by Bankim Chadra Chattopadhyay.
•Vande Mataram became the war cry of the Indians.
• It was later included in his novel Anandamath.

NATIONAL FLAG

• During the Swadeshi Movement a tricolor flag (red, green and yellow) was developed. It had 8 lotuses representing the 8 provinces of the British India. It also had crescent moon which represented Hindus and Muslims.
• In 1921, Gandhi ji designed the Swaraj flag. It was also a tricolor flag (red, green and white) It had a spinning wheel which represent the Gandhian idea of Self Help.
• The flag became a symbol of the Nation. It created the feeling of oneness. The people carried flag in protest marches and rallies.

REDISCOVERY OF INDIA’S

• The British considered Indians backward and primitive. They said that the Indians were not capable of ruling themselves.
• In the 19th century, some educated Indians started the efforts of rediscovering India’s great achievements.They rediscovered the achievements made by the Indians in art, architecture, science, mathematics, culture, law, crafts and trade.
• Knowledge about the great achievement of Indians created national pride, self confidence and patriotism among the Indians.

REVIVAL OF FOLKLORE

• Nationalists toured the villages to collect the folk songs and legends.
• Rabindranath Tagore collected a number of folk songs.
• In Madras, Natesa Sastri published a four volume of Tamil folk tales (The folklore of
Southern India)
• The folk songs and legends gave a true picture of Indian culture. They showed there all thoughts and characteristics of Indians. They created National Pride among the people.