FREEDOM STRUGGLE - CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE MOVEMENT (1930 - 1932)
CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE MOVEMENT (1930 - 1932) :-
On March 12, 1930, Gandhi started his Dandi March form the Sabarmati Ashram followed by 78 followers; distance 365 km was covered by gandhi in 25 days. Sarojini Naidu represented the woman wing. On April 6, 1930, Gandhi broke the salt law at Dandi. In the Madras Presidency, Rajaji organised the Salt Marches form Trichy to thindivaram. B Gopal Reddy organised the famour Mypadu Salt Satyagraha.
In Bombay Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan (Frontier Gandhi) organised the movement with his followers called 'Red Shirts'. Founded the society called Khudai Khidmatgars (Servants of God Society).
Gandhi was imprisoned in the Agha Khan Palace, Pune.
ROUND TABLE CONFERENCES -
All the 3 RTCs were held in the Bukingham Palace, London presided over by PM Ramsay Mac Donald. Alexander Muddyman was the General Secretary.
- Congress participated only in the 2nd RTC.
- Muslim League was represented by Maulana Md. Ali. Md. Shafi, and Jinnah (participated in all 3 RTC like Ambedkar). The League appointed Asaf Ali as its permanent member in London.
The Hindu Mahasabha Federation, the party of the princely states, was represented by Tej Bahadur Sapru. C.Y. Chinatamani and Mirza Ismail Khan.
- The Depressed Classes represented by Dr. Ambedkar and M.c. Raja.
In the absence of Congress Party, The 1st RTC failed to arrive at Consensus on constitutional reforms.
Tej Bahadur Sapru and M.R. Jayekar mediated better. Gandhi and Irwin. As a result on Mar 5. 1931. The Gandhi - Irwin Pact was signed. Irwin agreed to release all the political prisoners except those found guiltry of violence (Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev ) and to restore the property of the prisoners imprisoned. Salt Law was revoked. Gandhi, on his part, agreed to take part in the 2nd RTC and supend the movement. Gandhi left for London as the sole representative of the Congress in the ship called INS Rajput, assisted by Sarojini Naidu.
The 2nd RTC ended abruptly as Communal Parties eriticised Congress and no agreement could reach on the form of govt. to be formed and constitutional reforms. Dejected Gandhi blamed Ramsay Mac Donald for the failure, returned to India, threatened to revive the movement and was imprisoned.
The 1931 Karachi Session was presided over by sardar Vallabhai Patel (the only session, Patel acted as President). Socialism declared highest goal of congress.
In Aug, 1932, PM Ramsay Macdonald announced Communal Award providing seperate Communal eletorates to the depressed classes. Gandhi protested against the Award with his fast into death In Sep, 1932, Poona Pact was signed between caste Hindus and the depressed classes.
In 1933 Parliament published White Paper disclosing the discussions taken place and decisions arrived at in all 3 RTCs. It was the basis for the Govt. of India Act. 1935.
In the 1934 Bombay Session, The Congress Socialist Party Founded by Acharya Narendra Dev, Jai Prakash Narayan, Achuta Patwardhan, Aruna Asaf Ali and Minoo Masani. However, the CSP continued to remain within the congress Party. Its main purpose was to transform Congress gradually into socialism. The Govt. of India Act, 1935 came into effect from Apr 1, 1937. All the political parties including congress contested the 1937. All the political parties including congress contested the 1937 election. Congress formed govts. in 8 out of 11 provinces. The league formed govts. in Punjab, Sind and Bengal.
Differences started within Congress between Bose and Gandhi on the issues -
- Implementation of Land Reforms.
- Bose was the elected President in the 1938 Haripura session and decided to contest for the 2nd time in the 1939 Tripure Session Bose defeated Gandhi's candidate B.P. Sitaramaiah (the author of 'The History of Congress')
- Regarding the strategy of the Congress in the wake of World War II.
Bose's proposal for a mass movement was turned down by Gandhi on moral ground.
- In the constitution of CWC also, differences started. Bose resigned and founded the Forward Bloc Party in 1940.
COMMUNAL POLITICS :-
- Chaudhari Rehmat Ali, a Combridge University Law Graduate was the first to draw the map of Pakistan in 1933.
- The league's proposal for a coalition govt. in UP was turned down by Congress in the 1937 elections.
- the League appointed the Raja of Pirpur Committee to inquire into the atrocities perpetuated on minorities under Congress govt.
- In the 1939 Allahabad Session of the League, Md. lqbal, the author of Sare Jahan Se Achha proposed the idea of Pakistan.
In 1939, when congress govts. resigned as a protest against involving India win World War - II, in a provocative act, Muslim League gave a call for celebrating 'Day of Delicerance" of Thanks giving Day (Dec 22. 1939).
- In the Lahore Session of Muslim league, 1940, Jinnah came out with the Two - Nation Theory Providing ideological basis for the demand Pakistan.
The Resolution on Pakistan was passed on March 21, 1940
AUGUST OFFER (AUG 6, 1940) :-
Viceroy Lord Linlithgow on Aug 6, 1940 made the offer in order to in the support of Indians in the war effort In proposed for.
War Cabinet with all the partfolios under the Indians except defence.
Dominion status to Indian after the war.
A Constituent Assembly after the war.
Congress rejected the offer as the proposals were not time bound. Congress gave a call for Individual Satyagraha. Acharya Vinoba Bhave was the first to perform Individual Satyagraha on behalf of Congress. In 1942, PM Winston Churchill announced the Cripps Mission Plan. In March, 1942 , Cripps came to India and made the proposals just the same as August offer. Further, Cripps provided for Right of Self Determination'. Gandhi observed the proposal as "Post - dated leagues on a crumbling bank".