Nationalism in India

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1. Mahatma Gandhi decided to withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1922.
2. C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru founded the Swaraj Party within the Congress to fight elections for the Councils and demand reform.
3. The Simon Commission 1928 (Greeted with slogan Go back Simon) led to protests throughout India.
4. At the Lahore Session of the Congress (Dec. 1929) the Congress adopted the resolution of Complete Swaraj as its goal. 26th January, 1930 to be celebrated as Independence Day.

What Swaraj meant to different social groups who joined the Civil Disobedience Movement:

1. To the countryside: Rich peasant communities expected the revenue tax to be reduced when the British refused to do so, they did not rejoin the movement in 1932.
2. The Poor were the peasants who rented the land from landlords. Depression made them unable to pay rent and wanted it to be reduced. Their relationship with the Congress became uncertain.
3. The Business Classes. After the war, their huge profits were reduced, wanted protection against the import of foreign goods. The failure of the Round Table Conference curbed their enthusiasm for the Civil Disobedience Movement.
4. The industrial working class did not participate in a large number. They joined because of low wages and poor working conditions. Congress was reluctant to include workers’ demands as it would alienate the industrialists.
5. Women and the Civil Disobedience Movement. 1930 was the year when women entered the struggle for Independence on a massive scale. During Gandhiji’s Dandi March, they joined protest marches, picketed foreign clothes and shops. But Congress did not encourage them or gave them important posts in the organization.

1. The Dalits or the Untouchables did not actively participate in the movement, they demanded reservation of seats, separate electorates. Dr B.R. Ambedkar, the leader of the Dalits, formed an association in 1930, called the Depressed Classes Association. He clashed with Gandhiji.
2. Gandhiji began a fast unto death against the separate electorate. Finally, Poona Pact between the two leaders (1932) gave reserved seats in Provincial and Central Councils but were voted by the general electorate.
3. Muslim political organizations also kept away from the Movement.
4. Congress seemed more visibly associated with Hindu religious nationalist groups like the Hindu Mahasabha. The leader of the Muslim League M.A. Jinnah wanted reserved seats for Muslims in Central Assembly. Civil Disobedience Movement started in an atmosphere of distrust and suspicion between the two communities.

1. Mahatma Gandhi found in salt a powerful symbol that could unite the nation.
2. Called the salt tax as most inhuman, he sent a letter to Viceroy Irwin stating eleven demands. His demands covered every class from industrialists to peasants.
3. The most stirring of all was the demand to abolish the Salt Tax. As salt was one of the most essential items of food.
4.  Irwin was unwilling to negotiate. So Mahatma Gandhi started his famous salt march accompanied by 78 of his trusted volunteers.
5. Famous Dandi March began on March 12, 1930. On 6th April 1930, Gandhiji reached Dandi, a village in Gujarat and broke the Salt Law by boiling water and manufacturing salt. Thus began the Civil Disobedience Movement.
6. The Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-22) attempted to bring the government to a standstill by non-cooperating with the administration.
7. The Civil Disobedience Movement aimed at paralyzing the government by performing illegal acts. Boycott of foreign goods, non-payment of taxes, breaking forest laws were its main features.
8. The British Government followed a policy of brutal repression. Arrested all the leaders including Gandhiji and Nehru. Nearly 100,000 people were arrested.
9. In such a situation, Mahatma Gandhi once again decided to call off the movement and entered into a pact with Irwin on 5 March 1931. i.e. Gandhi-Irwin Act 1931.
10. By this Gandhi Irwin Pact, Gandhiji agreed to attend the Second Round Table Conference and the British agreed to release all political prisoners.
11. Gandhiji returned from the Second Round Table Conference disappointed in December 1931. Civil Disobedience started again.
12. By 1934 the Movement lost its momentum.