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

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.

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,

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.

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.

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

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.