Non-cooperation

Movement asahayog andolan

by Rana Gurtej Singh

uring the time of the First World War Mahatma Gandhi entered the

political arena of India as a supporter of the British Government. Before

proceeding to an analysis of Gandhi's role in the Non-Cooperation Movement, it

is pertinent to delineate the circumstances that shook Gandhi's confidence in the

fairness of the British Government and transformed him into a non-co-operator.

When Gandhi returned to India in the year 1915, he did not directly enter the

political scenario, following the advice of his political mentor Gopal Krishna

Gokhle. However, in the period between 1917 and 18, he rendered leadership to

some local disputes and thus rose to prominence. He supported the cause of the

oppressed cultivators of Champaran district of Bihar, associated himself with the

campaign of the peasants of the Kheda district in Gujarat and also backed the

textile workers of Ahmedabad, who were fighting for their wages.

During this phase, Gandhi was loyal to the colonial government and even

volunteered for the recruitment of soldiers to fight on behalf of the English, during

the First World War.

However, the Gandhi's role as a co-operator of the British government did not last

long. The Rowlatt Act, followed by the Jallianwallah Bagh massacre and the

D

  2  

Khilafat issue embittered Gandhi's feelings towards the British government.

Gandhi stance changed to that of a non-co-operator of the British government and

he soon after launched the Non-Cooperation Movement.

When Gandhi realized that there was no prospect of getting any fair treatment at

the hands of British, he planned to withdraw the nation's co-operation from the

government and thereby mar the administrative set up of the country. In this

initiative, he expected to garner the support of the Muslims, who were nurturing

anti British sentiments, on the Turkey-issue. Gandhi's main objective was to

procure justice for the Muslims, through his method of passive resistance;

satyagraha. In August, 1920, a hartal was organized in the entire country. The

formal launch of the Non-Cooperation Movement in the August of 1920 followed

the expiry of the notice that was sent to the Viceroy by Gandhi. He returned to the

Viceroy, all the medals he had received in recognition of his war services from the

British government.

During the First World War, the British Government had passed the India Defence

Act in order to crutch the revolutionary movement in India.

But as they failed to get any success through this Act, so the Rowlatt Act

Committee was formed in 1917 A. D. by the British Government, which submitted

its report in 1918 A. D. According to this report the Rowlatt Act was passed.

Under this Act anybody could be arrested on mere suspicion for an uncertain

period. The Act was severely opposed by the Indians. According to Pandit Motilal

Nehru, this Act ended the system of appeal, Vakil and Dalil. However, the

Government passed this Bill in 1919 A.D. Gandhi arranged an All India strike

against this Act and after training success he decided to launch a movement

against it.

  3  

The people of Punjab also opposed the Rowlatt Act vehemently. Consequently. Sir

Michael Odyer arrested Dr. Satva Pal and Saifuddin Kichlu, the two leaders of

Punjab without giving the reason of their arrest and sent them to some unknown

place.

Seeing the opposition of the people against this action of Odyer, the defence and

security of the town was handed over to General Dyer on 13th April. 1919 on the

occasion of Baisakhi festival, a function and general meeting was being organized

at Jalianwala Bagh but in order to show his authority General Dyer ordered the

soldiers to shoot at the people who were assembled there consequently, a large

number of people were killed.

The military rule was also imposed in Amritsar in order to stem the opposition of

the people. However, this massacre of Jalianwala Bagh was vehemently criticised

and condemned though out the country. Thomas and Garrett have written that the

incident of Amritsar was macabre event in the relations between the people of

India and England. It was similar to that of the revolt of 1857 A.D.

As a result of the report of Hunter Commission which declared General Dyer

innocent in spite of the unprovoked massacre he had ordered, the feelings of

Gandhi were extremely hurt and lie decided to withdraw his cooperation from the

British. Hence his outlook changed and he began to oppose them.

During the First World War Turkey supported Germany against the English, so the

Muslims of India were afraid of the English who might take a revengeful attitude

towards them.

Although the English Government had assured the Muslims of India that it was

not going to take one such step as could be harmful to the interests of the Muslims,

in the treaty of 1920 A.D. which was concluded between Turkey and England,

  4  

some restrictions were imposed Turkey.

Turkey being a Muslim country, these restrictions was opposed by the Indian

Muslims. Gandhi endeavored to establish Hindu-Muslim Unity in India on the

basis of the Khilafat problem. He started non-cooperation movement in order to

get the support of the Muslims

Gandhi, the earlier supporter of the English Government said, presenting the

proposal of Non-Cooperation in the Calcutta session, "The English Government is

Saitan. Cooperation is not possible with it.

He is not sad of his shortcomings, so we have to adopt a progressive nonviolent

non- cooperation policy for the fulfillment of our demands." This proposal was

passed by the majority and it was fully endorsed in the Nagpur session of the

congress Pattabhi Sitaramaya has remarked about the Nagpur session that a new

era was ushered in the History of India from Nagpur session of the Congress weak

and earnests prayers were replaced by responsible and self dependent spirit.

The attitude of the British Government remained quite negligent towards the

victims of famine and epidemics, as a result the people began to hate the British

Government and they decided to overthrow it.

The program and policies of the Non-Cooperation Movement that was adopted at

the special session of the Congress in Calcutta and restated at the Nagpur session

included; promotion of swadeshi and boycott of foreign made articles, surrender of

honorary posts and titles, rejection of official Durbars, progressive rejection by

lawyers of British courts, boycott of elections appointing new Councils, refusal by

clerks and soldiers to serve in Mesopotamia and boycott of Government run and

state assisted schools.

  5  

It aimed to resist British occupation of India through non-violent means. Protestors

would refuse to buy British goods, adopt the use of local handicrafts, picket sex

shops, and try to deterioate the values of Indian honor and knowledge of sex.

Veterans like Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, Mohammad Ali

Jinnah, Annie Besant, CR Das opposed the idea outright. The All India Muslim

League also criticized the idea.

They feared that large scale mass action against the British government would lead

to violence on a wide scale, as occurred during Rowlatt satyagraha. But the

younger generation of Indian nationalists were thrilled, and backed Gandhi. The

Congress Party adopted his plans, and he received extensive support from Muslim

leaders like Maulana Azad, Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari, Hakim Ajmal Khan,Abbas

Tyabji, Maulana Mohammad Ali and Maulana Shaukat Ali. Gandhi was elected

President of the Indian National Congress in 1919 and 1920.

This standard with the surrender of the title of Kaiser-I-Hind by Gandhi. The

advocates, Government officers, students and the general masses also followed

this policy of Gandhi.

The year 1912 A.D. proved to be headache for the government and beneficial for

the people persons like C. R. Das, Motilal.

Nehru, Jawaharlal Nehru, Lajpat Rai and Rajendra Prasad gave up their legal

practices and joined the movement. The Government resoled to repressive

measures for the suppression of this movement and a large number of its workers

and leaders were arrested but the movement could not be suppressed; rather it

received an impetus and spread all the more rapidly.

  6  

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru has mentioned in his autobiography that the youths of the

country used to sit down in the vans of the Government and refused to get down.

The Police authorities were very much confused and perturbed to see this

enthusiasm among the people of India.

The most spectacular achievement of the boycott programme was seen during the

visit of the Prince of Wales to India on 17 November, 1921. He was greeted by the

Indians with black flags. A countrywide Harte was observed and more than 60,000

people were arrested.

An encounter took place at Chauri Chaura in Bihar on 5th February, 1922 A.D.

before the beginning of the Civil Disobedience Movement, between the

Satyagrahis and the police.

When the police opened fire on the mob and killed some persons, the angry mob

set the police station on fire in which two constables were burnt to death. This

incident was against the nonviolent movement of Gandhi.

Hence, he declared the discontinuance of the Non-Cooperation Movement on

22nd February, 1922 A.D.

The people of India did not want that the movement should be suspended at this

critical stage, hence they opposed the suspension. Even Lala Lajpat Rai and Pandit

Motilal Nehru who were under confinement at that time declared this step of

Gandhi to be improper and Subhash Chandra Bose commented that at the time

when the enthusiasam and courage of the people of India was at its zenith, it was

an unfortunate step to command them to leave the ground.

After the suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement the confidence of the

people of India came to an end and various shortcomings began to be visible V.P.

Menon has also remarked in this connection (hat if the movement of Gandhi had

  7  

not been suspended at this critical moment when it was becoming a significant

subject of worry to the Government then it was certain, the Government must have

taken some steps to satisfy the people of India

Contemporary historians and critics suggest that the movement was successful

enough to break the back of British rule, and possibly even result in the

independence most Indians strove for until 1947

But many historians and Indian leaders of the time also defend Gandhi's judgment.

If he had not stopped the revolts, India could have descended into a chaotic

rebellion which would have alienated common Indians and impress only violent

revolutionaries.

Undoubtedly, the Non-Cooperation Movement of Mahatma Gandhi was a turning

point in the direction of getting freedom for the country, which was based on truth,

love and nonviolence. During this movement for the first time a sense of courage

and sacrifice was discernible in the people.