The Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-22)

The Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-22)

Gandhiji by this time, was convinced that no useful purpose would be served bysupporting the government. He was also emboldened by his earlier success in BiharIn the light of the past events and the actions of British government, he decided tolaunch a nationwide satyagraha against the proposed Rowlatt Act in 1919. Hethreatened to start the non-cooperation movement in case the government failed toaccept his demands. 

Why do you think Gandhiji protested against the Act? 

It wasbecause the Act gave the government enormous powers to repress political activities and allowed detention of political prisoners without any trial for two years. Gandhijiwanted non violent civil disobedience against such unjust laws. The government paidno heed to it. Gandhiji, therefore, started his non-cooperation movement in August1920, in which he appealed to the people not to cooperate with the Britishgovernment. At this time, the Khilafat movement started by the Muslims and the Non-cooperation movement led by Gandhi merged into one common confrontation againstthe British Government.

For this Gandhi laid down an elaborate programme- 

(1) Surrender of titles andhonorary offices as well as resignation from nominated seats in local bodies

(2) refusal to attend official and non-official functions

(3) gradual withdrawal ofchildren from officially controlled schools and colleges 

(4) gradual boycott of Britishcourts by lawyers and litigants

(5) refusal on the part of the military, clerical andlabouring classes to offer themselves as recruits for service in Mesopotamia

(6) boycott of elections to the legislative council by candidates and voters

(7) boycottof foreign goods and National schools and colleges.

Later, it was supplemented with a constructive programme which had three principal features: 

(1) promotion of ‘Swadeshi’, particularly hand-spinning and weaving

(2) Removal of untouchability among Hindus

(3) promotion of Hindu-Muslim unity.Due to this appeal of Gandhiji, an unusual frenzy overtook the country. 

A large numberof people, dropping their differences, took part in this movement. Over two-thirdsof the voters abstained from taking part in the elections to the Council, held inNovember, 1920. Thousands of students and teachers left their schools and collegesand new Indian educational centers were started by them. Lawyers like Moti Lal Nehru, C. R. Das, C. Rajagopalachari and Asif Ali boycotted the courts. LegislativeAssemblies were also boycotted. Foreign goods were boycotted and the clotheswere put on bonfire.

But, during this movement some incidents took place that did not match with theviews of Gandhiji. The non-violent Non-Cooperation Movement, which startedauspiciously, was marked by violence in August, 1921. The government started takingserious action. Prominent leaders were arrested. In two months, nearly 30,000people were imprisoned. The outbreak of violence cautioned Gandhi. Mob violencetook place on February 9, 1922, at Chauri Chaura village, in Gorakhpur district of UP. This was followed by more violence at Bareilly. Gandhi suspended his non-cooperation on February 14, 1922. He was arrested at Ahmadabad on March 18,1922, and sentenced to six years simple imprisonment. The non-cooperationmovement failed to achieve success, yet it succeeded to prepare a platform for thefuture movements. After taking back the Non-Cooperation movement, Gandhiji andhis followers were busy in creative activities in village areas. By this he gave themessage to the people to remove the cast based animosity.

Gandhiji suspended his non-cooperation movement :

In 1922, Gandhiji suspended his non-cooperation movement after Chauri Chauraincident, even when the movement was on its peak. Many people criticized thedecision of Gandhi ji. Imagine that you were a journalist at that time and you gotan assignment to interview Mahatma Gandhi just after this movement. Write animaginary dialogue of your discussions with Mahatma Gandhi asking him to justifyhis decision.

C. R. Das, Motilal Nehru and other like minded persons hatched out a novel planof non-cooperation from within the reformed councils. They formed the SwarajParty on January 01, 1923. C. R. Das was the president of the party and MotilalNehru the Secretary. The party was described as ‘a party within the Congress’ andnot a rival organization. But, they could neither end nor amend the Act of 1919.

In 1927, British government appointed a commission under the chairmanship of SirJohn Simon. The Commission was appointed to study the reforms of 1919 andsuggest further measures for Constitutional reforms. The Commission had no Indianmember in it. The Indians boycotted this all-White commission. Therefore, when thisCommission arrived in India, it faced protests all over the country. Black flags wereshown, demonstrations and Hartals took place all over the country and the cry of‘Simon go back’ was heard. These demonstrators were lathi charged at a numberof places by the British Police. Lala Lajpat Rai was severely assaulted by the police .

and he succumbed to his injuries. This agitation against the Simon Commission gavea new strength to the National Movement of India.Meanwhile, Indian political leaders were busy in drafting a Constitution. This is knownas Nehru Report which formed the outline of the Constitution. Among its importantrecommendations were a declaration of rights, a parliamentary system of government,adult franchise and an independent judiciary with a supreme court at its head. 

Mostof its recommendations formed the basis of the Constitution of independent Indiawhich was adopted more than twenty years later. At the historic annual session of Congress in Lahore in 1929, the Congress committed itself to a demand for Purna-Swaraj or complete independence and issued a call to the country to celebrate 26thJanuary as Purna-Swaraj Day. On January 26, 1930, the Congress celebrated‘Independence Day’. On the same day in 1950 the Constitution of Independent Indiawas adopted, making India a sovereign, democratic socialist republic. Since thenJanuary 26th is celebrated as Republic Day.