FREEDOM STRUGGLE - NON - COOPERATION MOVEMENT - 1921 - 1922
NON - COOPERATION MOVEMENT - (1921 - 1922)
Gandhi supported the British in World War - I and was given the title Kaiser - I - Hind. (Tiger of India) and nicknamed Recruiting Sergeant.
Reason-
- In 1917, a Sedition Committee was constituted under Justice Rowlatt called Rowlatt Committee to Suggest ways and means in handing. The problem of terrorism The Committee recommended for 4 Acts called "Black Acts" as they severely undermined the civil liberties. Justice Shankaran Nair, the Indian member of the Committee and the member of Viceroy's Executive Council resigned as a protest against the Acts. Gandhi gave a call for National Protest Day against the Acts on Apr 6, 1919.
- On Apr. 13, 1919 on the Baisakhi festival day, The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre took place in Amritsar. Gereral Dyre, ordered for indiscriminate finding that left more than 540 dead and many more injured - Rabindranadh Tagore surrendered his knighthood as a protest against the act.
The 1919 Govt. of India Act. also called Montague - Chelmsford Reforms announced in 1918. disappointed the Indian leadership as they did not provide for self governance. Instead. Dyarchy was provided against the spirit of August Declaration. 1919.
KHILAFAT ISSUE -
After World War - I in the Paris Peace Conference. England threatened to abolish the office of Calipha. In protest, the Ali Brothers (Maulana Md. Ali and Shaukat Ali) founded the All India Khilafat Committee. The Khilafat Committee held its first session in Lucknow in 1919 and made Seth Chotani of Bombay as its President The 1920 Delhi Session of Khilafat Committee was addressed by Shankaracharya of Puri extending the support of the Hindus. In the same session. Gandhi was made President of the Khilafat com.
The the Non - Cooperation Movement was organised for meaningful Constitutional reforms. to punish the guilty in Punjab excessed and for protecting the khilafat.
Gandhi's proposals for the movement were accepted by the Congress Working Committee met under Lala Lajpat Rai in Calcutta. The Nagpur Session in 1920. presided over by Veeraraghavachari. endorsed the resolution and made Gandhi the sole leader of the movement.
COURSES OF NON - CO - OPERATION MOVEMENT-
Gandhi drafted the programme of the movement with the slogans 'Swadeshi'. Satyagraha, Total boycott and No Tax Campaigns (passive resistance). Charkas became the symbol of the movement. No - Tax campaigns were organised in the Madras Presidency at Chirala - Perala by D. Gopalakrishniah and at Pedanandipadu by P. Veeraiah Chaudhari.Under the idea 'Swadeshi', Jamia Milia Islamia' was founded in Delhi by the Ali Brothers, To discourage the movement. the British announced the goodwill mission of Prince of Wales.
The anti - non - Cooperation Movement was also started by Thakur Singh with the support Moplah Uprising (1921) - When the NCM was going on: Moplah. Muslim agricultural labourers in the Malabar Coast of Kerala revolted against the exploitation of Brahmin Landlords called Nambudris (Zenmis). An agrarian crisis became a communal movement leading to riots.
Riots also started in Meerut, Lucknow, Kanpur between Hindus and Muslims. Difference also started between Gandhi and Ali Brothers. On intensifying the movement.
On Feb 5,1922. the Chauri - Chaura incident took place in Gorakhpur disstrict of UP. 22 Police constables were bumt alive. In Feb 11, Gandhi called off the movement.
RESULTS :-
The movement failed to achieve its objectives - The Hunter Committee appointed to inquire into the excesses of Dyer exonerated him.
- The Khilafat was obolished by the people of Turkey under Mustafa Kamal Pasha.
- No Constiutional feforms were introduced.
The nagative effects of the movement were -
- The failure created a permanent gulf between Hindus and Muslims. It was the last movement in the struggle with Hindu - Muslim joint resistance.
The Ali Brothers blamed Gandhi for the failure of the movement
- Within the Congress differences arose. Deshbandhu CR Das. the President of the Gaya Session, 1922 criticised Gandhian method of struggle and suggested for contesting the 1923 elections under Montague - chelmsford reforms. The followers of CR Das. Motilal Nehru. vittalbhai Patel were called the pro - changers. They advocated "Councils Entry". The no changers. supoorting Gandhi and opposing Councils Entry were Subhas Chandra Bose, Rajendra Prasad, Jawaharlal Nehru and Vallabhai Pater. The pro - changers founder The Congress - Khilafat Swaraj Party under CR DAS and contested the elections. The Swaraj Party emerged as the largest party in Central Legislative Assembly, Motilal Nehru become the first Indian opposition leader. Vitalbhai Patel became the first Indian clected speaker. CR Das became the first elected Chairman of Calcutta Municipal corporation. However, with the sudden death of CR Das in 1925. The Swaraj Party got completely merged with Congress.
- In 1924, Alexander Muddyman Committee was appointed to review the Dyarchy, introduced under the Reforms in 1919.
- In 1924, Gandhi presided over the Belgaum Session. The only session, Gandhi acted as President. At the instance of Gandhi. the membership fee of the Congress was fixed at 25p. or 4 annas; in the Belgaum Session.
- In 1925, All India Hindu Mahasabha declared officially its formation (actually founded in 1915 by M.M. Malviya and Manooji".
- In 1925. The CPI (Communist Party of India) declared its formation officially in its Kanpur Session. (actually founded in 1920 by M.N. Roy at Tashkent).
In 1927. Marcourt Butler committee was formed to study and promote the relationship betwe. British India and Princely States.
In 1927, PM ramsay Mac Donald constituted Simon Commission under the chairmanship of Sir John Simon with 7 members, all English, to study the implementation of 1919 reforms. All the political parties except Justice Party and the Depressed Class Federation of Dr. Ambedkar decided to boycott the commission. Madhav Malganko was the first to organise. 'Simon Glo Back' Movement in Bombay; in Madras, T.Prakasham called 'Andrha Kesari' led the anti - Simon Movement. in Lahore, Punjab Kesari, Lala Lajpat Rai organised a mammoth really against the commission, lathicharged by Sounders and died of injuries in Dec, 1928.