MAHATMA GANDHI, NATIONAL MOVEMENT
* In 1887, Gandhi went to England for higher education and returned to India in 1892 after becoming a Barrister.
* In 1893 he went to South Africa – for a year – spent twenty two years in that country.
* He returned to India on January 9 – NRI Day.
* Gandhi recorded his initial thoughts in 1909 in Hind Swaraj.
* Gandhi’s four preconditions – a) perfect chastity b) adopt poverty c) follow truth and d) cultivate fearless.
* Gandhi began his experiments with Satyagraha – Champaran in Bihar in 1917 – Indigo Planters.Committee of enquiry of which Mahatma Gandhi himself was made a member.
* The Committee of Enquiry recommended some measures to alleviate the miseries of the Indigo cultivators thereby bringing the Satyagraha to an end.
* The movement launched by the peasants at Kheda(1917) in Gujarat was another instance – Peasants not able to pay rent. Vallabhbhai Patel, who became one of the most active and dedicated followers of Mahatma Gandhi from Kheda.
* In 1918 the mill workers of Ahmedabad got into dispute – 35 Percent increases.
* Gopal Krishna Gokhale as his political Guru (mentor).
* On 30th March 1919 it was decided to launch first nationwide hartal against Rowlatt Act which was called Black Law and which empowered arrest without reasons.. But, as the decision could not reach everywhere in the country, the date was postponed to 6 April
* Satyagarha Sabha – organized at Bombay – Hindu Muslim unity was seen.
* In Delhi – hartal – organized on 30 March 1919. * On April 1919 Gandhi – arrested.
* Jallianwala Bagh - 13 April – day of Baisakhi – Punjab as a special day to celebrate the harvesting season – Government proclaimed a ban.* At 4.00 p.m on the same day a public meeting was called – Jallianwala Bagh was not a garden – rather it was an open space near the Golden Temple in Amristar.At one point of time it was a personal property of a person named Jalli.
* General Dyre – when speakers reciting the poem ‘Fariyad’ –ordered troops to shoot at the crowd from the exit point.
* As per Government Report – 179 people were killed in the accident - according to the Congress Committee the number of people who died could around one thousand.
* An enquiry committee under the Chairmanship of Hunter was setup on 19 October 1919. The committee submitted its report after about a year on 26 May 1920.Some
* Called him as the ‘the defender of the British Empire’ and honored him with sword and an amount of 2,00,000 pound – Gandhi after this event the British lost the moral authority to rule over India – Rabindranath Tagore renounced knight hood titles as a mark of protest.
* Khilafat – Sultan of Turkey was regarded as the Caliph or the religious head of the Muslims all over the worlds – a movement to express the Muslim support for the Caliph of Turkey against the allied powers, particularly Britain.
* Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Dr. M.A. Ansari, Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew, Maulvi Abdulbari (Lucknown), Hakin Ajmal Khan and the Ali brothers were the prominent leaders of this movement.
* On October 1919, he whole country had observed the Khilafat day – Committee had been formed in September 1919. – March 1920 committee under the leadership of Maulanan Shaukat Ali and Mohammad Ali was also sent to England.
* British Government – signed Treaty of Tibers on 10 August 1920 – Turkey was partitioned – Sultan was made a prisoner and sent to Constantinople.
* On 1, August 1920, in a communication to the governor General, Mahatma Gandhi announced his plan to begin non-cooperation with the Government as a sequel to the Rowlat Act, Jallianwala Bagh massacre and the Khilafat movement.
* Gandhi’s plan was approved by the Indian national congress in a special session at Calcutta in December 1920.C.R.Das opposed it.
* Mohammed Ali Jinnah, Annie Besant and Bipin Chandra Pal were not in agreement with the congress declaration of non-cooperation and, thus they left the Congress.
Features of Non Cooperation: Boycott of Law Courts, foreign clothes, establishment of panhayattis, promotion of Khadi.Prince of Walesboycotted in Nov 1921 during his visit.
* The Khilafat meeting in Malabar incited so much of communal feelings among the Muslims peasants (The Moplahs) that it took an anti-Hindu turn in July 1921 – Moplah rebellion.
* On 5 February an agitated crowd gheraoed the police station at Chauri chaura in the Gorakhpur district of Uttar Pradesh and set fire it. Twenty two policemen including the station officer died in the incident.
*Gandhi announced the suspension of the movement.
Revolutionary movements :
Kakori Robbery: * Pandit Ram Prasad Bismil occupies a special place. He published book with the title ‘How did America get Freedom’ and a pamphlet with the heading ‘A Message for the countrymen’ * On 9, August 1925 when the money sent by the government from Saharnpur to Lucknow by train was looted at the Kakori railway station. In December 1927, on the charges of conspiracy, Ram Prasad bismil, Rajendra Lahiri, Roshan singh and Ashfaquallah Kahn were hanged.
* Ashfaqualah Khan was the first Muslim revolutionary of India to be hanged for the sake of the country’s freedom.
Saunder’s Murder and Central hall Bomb throwing: * On 9, June 1931 Harishen was hanged on the grievous charges of murder. Sardar Bhagat Singh born in Banga in Layalpur district – found the Punjab Naujawan Bharat Sabha in 1926.
* Lala Lajpat Rai owing to a police lathi charged led by Saunders was taken as a national humiliation and the later was assassinated on 17 December 1928.
* Bhagat Singh in the mean time had left Lahore in disguise. He had also participated in the congress Session at Calcutta in 1928 – he chose the Central legislative Assembly at Delhi as his targets * The throwing of the bomb in the Assembly on 8 April 1929 by Bhagat Singhand Batukeshwar Dutt shook up the whole country into a new enthusiasm – Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev were hanged.
CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE MOVEMENT
Swaraj party- Pro and No Changers: * The leaders of the congress were spilt into two groups. The first group comprised of those who wanted a change in the programme of the Congress and in reality did not approve the Non-Cooperation Movement. Prominent among such leaders were Deshbandhu Chittranjan Das and Motilal Nehru, who were called ‘pro-changers’.
* The other groups consisted of those members who supported the non-cooperation movement and retained full faith in the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. This group came to be known as ‘no-changers’. Prominent among the no-changers were C.Rajagopalachari and Dr. M.A. Ansari.
* In March 1923, Chittaranjan Das along with Motilal Nehru formed the Swaraj Party at Allahabad to take parting November 1923 council elections.
* Elections – in November 1923 – Motilal Nehru became the leader of the party whereas in Bengal the party was headed by Chittranjan Das.
* Simon Commission – the act of 1919 included a provision for its review after a lapse of ten years. Thus, such a review was due in 1929.
* The Conservative Party appointed the review commission two years ahead of its schedule, in 1927.
* Simon commission after the name of its chairman, Sir John Simon – all its seven members were Englishmen, the Commission was also called the ‘White men Commission’.
* There were no Indian member in it, the Commission faced a lot of criticism – all the political parties including the Congress, the Hindu Mahasabha and the Muslim League decided to oppose the Commission tooth and nail – 3 February 1928 when the Commission reached Bombay.
* At Lahore the student took out a large anti-Simon commission - LalaLajpat Rai was seriously injured in the police lathi charge ordered by Saunders, assistant superintendent of Police of Lahore. As a result of which he passed away after one month – His last words, “Every blow on my body will prove a nail in the coffin of the British Empire.
* With the sole exception of a few members of the Muslim League, the rulers of the Princely States and zamindars, all political parties and the sections of the Indian people opposed the Simon Commission – report published in May 1930 – Dyarchy was unsuccessful – recommended special powers to Governor General at the centre and Governors at the Provinces.
* Indians rejected the Simon commission report out of Hand as it did not mention anything in regard to conferring the Dominion Status – Simon Commission’s report became the basis for enacting the Government of India Act 1935.]
* Secretary of State, Lord Birkenhead, while delivering a speech on the floor of the British Parliament challenged the Indians to produce a Constitution.
* The Report published by this Committee in July 1928 came to be known as the ‘Nehru Report’.
* Muslim League – Central Sikh League, Sardar Kharak Singh also rejected it – Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Dr. M.A. Ansari and Hakim Ajmal Kahn supported it. * Jinnah, thereafter convened an All Indian conference of the Muslims where he drew up a list of fourteen point demand.
* Nehru Report was approved by a majority vote in the annual session of the Congress held in Calcutta on 2 December 1928, an ultimatum was served on the British government to accept the Report by 31 December 1929.
* Poorna Swaraj-The annual session of the congress was held at Lahore in December 1929. The place where this session was held was named as the Lajpat Rai Nagar.
* Dandi March – Gandhi reached the coast of Dandi on 5 April 1930 after marching a distance of 200 miles with 78 handpicked followers and on 6 April formally launched the Civil Disobedience Movement by breaking the salt laws.
* On 9 April, Mahatma Gandhi laid out the programme of the movement which included making of salt in every village in violation of the existing salt laws; picketing by women before the shops selling liquor, opium and foreign clothes; organizing the bonfires of foreign clothes; spinning clothes by using charkha; fighting untouchability; boycotting of schools and colleges by students and resigning from government jobs by the people.
* Many Muslims kept themselves aloof from this movement – northwest Frontier Province an organization of Khudai Khidmatgar (Servants of God) was formed under the leadership of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan. Most of the volunteers donned red clothes, because of which they came to be known as the Red Shirts.
* The khudai Khidmatgars accepted the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi and participated in the movement in full measures.
* The government had to send a detachment of the 18th Royal Garhwal Rigles to suppress this movement. But as the Garhwali soldiers refused to open fire on the unarmed people, the government pressed the air force into action.
* Round table conference – first such conference held on 12 November 1930 at London, failed to resolve he communcal question as it was boycotted it by the Congress.First civil disobedience movement –Gandhi put 11 demands including cut in military expenses, total prohibition,release of political prisoners etc,.
* On 8 March 1931 the Gandhi-Irwin Pact was singed. As per this pact Gandhi agreed to suspend the Civil Disobedience Movement and participate in the Second Round Table conference but most of the leaders did not like this pact.
* On 7 September 1931, the Second round Table conference was held at London; Gandhi joined the Conference on 12 September but returned o India disappointed as no agreement could be reached on the demand of complete independence on the communal question.
* On 3 January 1932, the civil disobedience Movement was resumed. The government responded to it by arresting Gandhi and Sardar Patel and by reimposing the ban of the Congress Party.
(Dr Ambedkar: * In July 1924 Ambedkar had organized a Bahishkrit hitkar Sabha (the Depressed Classes Institute) with the objective of raising the moral and material status of the untouchables.)
* Fist Round Table Conference he had demanded separate electorates for depressed.
* On 16 August 1932, British Prime Minister Ramsay Macdonald made an announcement, which came to be as the ‘communcal Award’.
* According to this award the depressed classes were considered as a separate community and as such provisions were made for separate electorates for them.
* Gandhi protested against the Award and went on a fast unto death in the Yeravada jail on 20 September 1932.
* Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, Ghanshyam and Das Birla, C. Rajagopalachari and Dr. Ambedkar gathered at Pun and hammered out an agreement with the consent of Gandhi and Dr. Ambedkar. This agreement came to be called as the ‘Poona Pact’ British Government also approved of it.
* 148 seats in different Provincial legislatiures were reserved for the Depressed Classes in place of 71 as provided in the Communal Award. A Common electorate of all Hindu, including the Depressed Classes was agreed upon.
* Special provision for representation of the depressed people in local bodies and civil service were also made.
* The Third Round table conference was held from 17 November to 24 December 1932. The Congress once more did not take part in it.
* In March 1933, the British Government issued a White Paper, which became the basis for the enactment of the Government of India Act, 1935.
* In July 1933, the Congress decided to launch an Individual Civil Disobedience in place of Mass Civil Disobedience.
* Under the Morely-Minto Reforms of 1909 only one percent , and under the Montague Chelmsford Reforms of 1919 two and half percent of Indian got voting rights, under the Government of India Act of 1935 only 13 percent of India’s population became eligible voters.
* In accordance with the provinces of the government of Indian Act of 1935 elections to the Provincial Legislatures were held in February 1937.
* Congress – virtually swept the polls – Muslim League – faced miserable defeat – out of the 482 Muslim seat it could register victory only in 81 seats.
* On 7 July 1937, after the Viceroy Lord Linlithgow assured the Congress of his cooperation the party formed its Ministery in 7 Provinces.
THE SECOND WORLD WAR AND THE INDIAN NATIONAL MOVEMENT
* Congress Ministeries were formed in seven states of India. These states were the North West Frontier Province, the Central Provinces, Bombay, Bihar, Orissa, the United Provinces and Madras.In two provinces namely Sindh and Assam, ministries were formed with the Congress support whereas in Punjab the Unionist Party and the Muslim League formed the coalition ministry of Krishak Praja Party and the Muslim League came to power.
* Second World War broke out. The British Government without consulting the people of India involved the country in the war. The Congress vehemently opposed it – also resigned from Ministries in all Provinces.
* Muslim League raised the slogan ‘Islam is in danger’. At this juncture, Jinnah also presented the ‘two-nation theory’ – inflamed communal feelings by saying that now Hindi would become the national language of India and Bande Mataram would be its national song.
* Pirpur Report and the Sharif Report also inflamed the communal passions.
* Muslim League celebrated 12 December 1939, the day on which the Congress Ministries from office as the ‘Deliverance Day’ – accepting two-nation theory in its annual session at Lahore – Jimait-ul-Ulema-e-Hind opposing the demand for Pakistan – Khudai Khidmatgar and the Majlis-e-Ahrar-e-hind too opposed the idea.
* On 8, August 1940 which came to be known as the ‘August Offer’- It said Indians would set up to frame the new Constitution. Mahatma Gandhi decided to launch individual Staygraha – limited symbolic and non-violent in nature – On 17, October 1940, Vinoba Bhave was the first to offer Satyagraha and he was sentenced to three months imprisonment.
* Jawaharlal Nehru was the second Satyagrahaist ; the third Satyagrahi was Brahma Dutt - continued for nearly 15 months –
British sent Sir Stafford Cripps to India on 23 March 1942.
* Cripps proposals included Dominion Status to India, protection of minorities and setting up of Constituent Assembly. The major political parities of the country rejected the Cripps proposals.
* The Muslim League was also dissatisfied as its demand for Pakistan had not been conceded – 26 April 1942, he asked the British to quit India.
* In July, the Congress Executive Committee passed the Quit India Resolution at Wardha. The All India Congress Committee further considered it at Bombay in its meeting on 7-8 August 1942. * Mahatma Gandhi was kept in prison a Poona.
* Working Committee of the Congress Socialist Party was in session, where it was decided to carry forward the movement from under ground. Among its prominent leaders who took this decision were Ram Manohar Lohia, Achyuta Patwardhan, Ramananda Mishra and S.M. Joshi.
* Quit India Movement had passed through four stages. The first stage was from 9 to 11 August 1942 when strikes, demonstrations and public meeting wee organized in various towns and cities.
* In its second stage from 12 August to 22 September the movement reached the rural areas. During this stage the Government adopted a policy of repression. Government structures, municipality buildings, railways stations, police stations, post offices and trains came under public ire.
* In the third stage from 23 September 1942 to February 1943 there were armed attacks on government buildings in Madras and Bengal. Bombs were thrown at many places in Bombay and the United Provinces
* February 1943 to 9 May 1944 was the fourth stage of the movement when Gandhi was released from jail. During this period, many demonstrations were held, processions taken out, anniversaries of national leaders celebrated and national weeks observed. Students’ peasants and workers took active part in it. The Muslims by and large, remained indifferent.
* Participation – lower middle class, political parities, Communists, Muslim league, Liberals opposed the movement, Savakar criticized the Government and directed his followers not to take part in the movement, and Anglo-Indian Community under the leadership of Anthony opposed the movement.
* Hindu Mahasabha established in 1915 on the occasion of the Kumbh Mela at Haridwar by Madan Mohan Malaviya.
* Lord Linlithgow described it most dangerous since the 1857 revolt.
* The Communist Party of India had come into being by 1925. The British government which declared the organization illegal in 1934. This ban continued in 1942.British Removed the ban on the Communist Party of India in July 1942 in return for the latter’s promise to extend full cooperation to the British in its war efforts.
* Subash Chandra Bose was born on 23 January 1897 at Cuttack in Orissa. He passed the Civil Services Examination in 1920 but not joined to serve the nationalist cause instead of serving the British Empire.
* Chittaranjan Das was instrumental in inspiring him top join the national freedom struggle – unanimously elected President of the Congress at its Haripura session.
* In May 1939, Subash Chandra Bose formed a new group which came to be called the Forward Bloc. July 1940 subhas was arrested under the Defence of India Rules. In the guise of a Pathan left the country on 16 February 1941 and reached Kabul along with his friend Bhagat Ram.
* He went to Germany and met Hilter. He was first addressed as Netaji in Germany. Indian National Army goes to Captain Mohan Singh, who set up the first division of the INA on 1 September 1942.
* On 2 July 1943, Subhas Chandra Bose reached Singapore and gave the rousing war cry of ‘Dilli Chalo’.
* Formation of the Azad Hind Government and proclaimed ‘Give me blood and I will give you freedom’. He organized the Indian National Army and gave the country the slogan of ‘Jai Hind’.
* the name of the INA’s three Brigades were the Subhas Brigade, Gandhi Brigade, and Nehru Brigade – women’s detacgnebt after the name of Rani Laximibai – was recognized by Japan, Germany, Italy, China, Ireland, Burma (Brahma Desh) and Philippines.
* On 8 November 1943, Japan headed over Andaman and Nicobar Islands to Subhas Chandra. In turn, Nataji named these islands as ‘Shaheed Island’ and
‘Swaraj Island’ respectively. Germany accepted defeat on 7 May 1945. On 6 August 1945, atom bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
* After crossing the Formosa Island on his way to Tokyo died on 18 August 1945 as his plane suddenly caught fire. The trial of the soldiers of INA was held at Red Fort in Delhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Bhulabhai Desai and Tej Bahadur Sapru fought the case on behalf of the soliders.
* On 20 January 1946, some soliders of the Air force staged a hartal against the British Government in Karachi. The hartal soon spread to Bombay, Lahore and Delhi.
* About this time, on 19 February 1946, some Indians serving in the Royal Indian Navy also ined mutiny. They also demanded equal treatment. The civilian population of Bombay also joined hands with them by striking work – due to the efforts of Sardar Patel, this agitation came to end.
