PART 3 CH13 Mahatma Gandhi And The Nationalist Movement (Summary)

THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART III

CH13 MAHATMA GANDHI AND THE NATIONALIST MOVEMENT

(CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE AND BEYOND)

SUMMARY

Beginning of Gandhian Era 

1) Some times in the history of nationalism an individual with his contribution is identified with the making of a nation. Mahatma Gandhi is regraded as the father of Indian nation.

2) Gandhi came back to India in January 1915 after leading successful struggle against discriminatory and oppressive policy of British in South Africa. For the first time, Gandhi started Satyagraha in South Africa (non - violent protest) and promoted harmony between different religious communities.

3) When Gandhi came back to India, he realised that India, he realised that India become politically more active. Congress had made its reach to major towns and cities and swadeshi Movement greatly broadened National Movements appeal among middle classes. 

4) Gandhi ji first major public appearance in India was at opening of Banaras Hind University (BHU) in 1916. During his speech, Gandhi ji charged the Indian elite with a lack of concern for the labouring poor sections of our Society.
5)Gandhi ji said "There can be no spirit of self government if  we take away or allow other to take away from the peasant almost the whole result of their labour."
6) Gandhi ji speech at one level was a statement of the fact that Indian nationalism was an elite phenomenon in which lawyers, doctors and landlords were involved. But he wanted that Indian National Movement should represent Indian people as a whole.

Gandhi as a People"s Leader

• Gandhi ji made the freedom struggle and National Movement representative of masses. Movement representative of masses. Movement transcended from elite to peasants, working class and encompassed every section of society. People started venerating Gandhiji refering to him as "Mahatma". People started appreciating the fact  that Gandhiji lived like them, dressed like them, spoke their language, stand with them, and identified with them.
• Gandhi ji went among the people in simple dhoti or loincloth. He spent some part of each day working on charkha and encouraged other nationalist to do likewise. The act of spinning helped in breaking traditional caste system and distinction between mental labour and manual labour.

Background of National Movements In India

• In 1917, Gandhi ji successfully led Champaran Movement. Through this movement he wanted to seek security of the peasants and their freedom to cultivate crop of their freedom to cultivate crop their choice. In 1918 , he led a strike demanding for better working conditions for the textile  mill worker in Ahmedabad and other peasant movement asking the state for the remission of taxes in Kheda.
• During the First World War (1914 - 18). the British government instituted censorship of the press and permitted detention without trial. At the recommendation of Rowlatt Committee, these policies were continued. So in response to it Gandhiji called for nationalwide campaign aginst Rowlatt Act and Bandh were observed.

Khilafat and Non Cooperation Movement

• To further strengthen the movement and unity among fellow  Indians he joined hand with Khilafat Movement. Khilafat Movement was led by Mohammad Ali and shaukat Ali and it demanded restoration of the respect of the Caliphate.
• According to Gandhiji by intermixing of Non - Cooperation and Khilafat Movement, the two major religious commuities i.e, Hindus and Muslims could collectively bring an end to colonial rule.
• Students refused to go to schools, colleges, lawyers stopped to going courts, working class went on strike, tribes in Andhra Pradesh violated forest laws and farmers in Awadh stopped paying taxes.
• American biographer of Mahatma Gandhiji, Louis Fisher wrote "Non - cooperation" became the name of an epoch in the life of India and Gandhiji. It was negative enough to be peaceful but positive enough to be effective. It entailed denial renunciation and self - discipline. It was training for self - rule. Due to this movement was shaken.

The Salt Satyagraha 

• In year 1928 , there was Anti - simon Commission Movement in which Lala Lajpat Rai was brutally lathicharged and later he succumbed to it, In year 1928, another famous Bordoli Satyagraha took place. So again by the year 1928, another famous Bordoli Satyagraha took place. So again by the year 1928 political activism started brewing in India.
• In 1929, Congress session was held at Lahore and Nehru was elected as its President. In this session "Purna Swaraj" was proclaimed as motto, and on 26th January, 1930 Republic day was observed.

Dandi (Salt) March

• After Republic day observance, Gandhi ji announced his plan of march to break salt law. This law. This law was widely disliked by Indians, as it gave state a monopoly in manufacture and sale of salt.
• On 12th March, 1930 Gandhiji began his march from ashram to ocean. He reached to shore and made a salt and thereby making himself criminal in sight of law. Many parallel salt marches were undertook during this time in other parts of the country.
• Movement was supported by peasants, working class, factory workers, lawyers and even Indian officials in British government supported it and left their jobs. Lawyers and even Indian officials in British government supported it and left their jobs. Lawyers boycotted the courts, peasants stopped paying taxes  and tribal broke forest laws. There were strikes in factories or mills.
• The government responded by detaining the dissenters or Satyagrahis. 60000 Indians were arrested and various high rank leaders of Congress including Gandhi ji were arrested.

Significance of Dandi March

(i) It brought Mahatma Gandhi and India to attention of the world.
(ii) It was the first National Movement in which women participation was really very notable. Kamladevi Chattopadhay, a socialist leader persuaded Gandhi not to restrict movement to men alone. Many women including Kamladevi broke salt and liqour laws and courted arrest.

(iii) Third and most significant was that this movement forced the British to realise that their raj would not last forever and they need to devolve some power to Indians.

Quit India Movement 

1. After the failure of Cripps Mission, Gandhiji started Quit Indian Movement in August, 1948 from Bombay. Immediately, Gandhi ji and other senior leaders were arrested, but younger activists organised strikes and acts of sabotage all over the country.
2. Quit India Movement being a Mass Movement brought into its ambit hundreds of thousands of ordinary citizens and youths left their colleges and went to jail. During this time as congress leaders were in jail, Jinnah and other Muslim league leaders worked patiently to extend its influence in Punjab and sind  where it had scarcely any presence.
3. In June. 1994 Gandhi Ji was released from prison, later he held series of meeting with Jinnah to sort out the differences.
4. In 1945, labour government came to power in England and committed itself to grant Independence to India. In India, Lord  Wavell organised meetings with Congress and league. In elections of 1946, polarisation was completely observed when Congress swept general category but seats reserved for Muslims. These seats were won by the Muslim League by overwhelming majority.
5. In 1946, Cabinet Mission came but it failed in getting Congress and the Muslim League agreed on federal system which would have kept India united and autonomy would have been granted to provinces to a certain extent.
6. After failing of talks Jinnah called for direct action day to press demand for Pakistan, On 16th August, 1946, riots broke out in Calcutta, later spread to other parts of Bengal, then to Bihar, United Provinces and Punjab. In riots both the communities suffered.
7. In February 1947, Viceroy Lord Mountbatten replaced Wavell. He called for one last round of talk and when talks were inconclusive he announced India would be freed and it will be divided. Finally on 15th August, 1947, power was transferred to India.

The Last Heroic Days of Mahatma Gandhi

• Gandhi Ji marked the day of Independence with a 24 hour fast. The freedom struggle ended  with division of country and Hindus and Muslims seeking each other life.
• In the months of September and October Gandhi Ji went around hospitals and refugees camps giving consolation to people. He appealed to Sikhs, the Hindus and Muslims to forget the past and to extend the hand of freindship, cooperation and peace.
• At the backing of Gandhi Ji and Nehru, Congress passed resolution on the right of minorities. It further  said party had never accepted partition but it has been forced on it.
• Congress said India will be a democratic secular country, every citizen will be equal. Congress tried to assure the minorities in India that their rights will be protected in India.
• On 26th January, 194, Gandhi Ji said, earlier Independence day was celebrated on this day, mow freedom has come but it has been deeply disillusioning. He believed that worst is over. He believed that worst is over. He allowed himself to hope that though geographically and politically India is divided into two, at heart we shall ever be friends and brothers helping and respecting one another and be one for the outside world.
• Earlier, on 20th January, there was an attempt on GandhiJi life but he left unhurt. Again there was attempt on his life unhurt. Again there was attempt on his life on 30th January and GandhiJi was shot dead by a Hindu extremist Nathuram Godse. Nathuram Godse was an editor of Hindu extremist, newspaper who had denounced Gandhi Ji as an appeaser of Muslims
• Gandhi Ji death led to extraordinary pouring of grief, tributes were paid across the political spectrum in India and appreciation coming from International figure such as George Orwell, Einstein, etc. Time magazine compared his death to Abharam Lincoln.