The Civil
Disobedience Movement led by M K Gandhi, in the year 1930 was an important
milestone in the history of Indian Nationalism. There are three distinct phases
that mark the development of Indian Nationalism. In the first phase, the
ideology of the moderates dominated the political scenario. This was followed
by the prominence of the extremist ideologies. In the third phase of Indian
Nationalism the most significant incident was the rise of MK Gandhi, popularly
known as Mahatma Gandhi, to power as the leader of Indian National Movements.
Under his spirited guidance, the National Movements of the country took shape.
The Indians
learnt how apparently philosophical tenets like non violence and passive
resistance, could be used to wage political battles. The programs and policies
adopted in the movements spearheaded by Gandhi reflected his political
ideologies of ahimsa and satyagraha. While the Non-Co-Operation Movement was
built on the lines of non violent non co operation, the essence of The Civil
Disobedience Movement was defying of the British laws. Through his leadership
to the National Movements, he not only buttressed his political stance but also
played a crucial role in unification of the country, awakening of the masses,
and bringing politics within the arena of the common man.
Factors Leading
to the Civil Disobedience Movement
The prevalent
political and social circumstances played a vital role in the launching of the
Civil Disobedience Movement. The Simon Commission was formed by the British
Government that included solely the members of the British Parliament, in
November 1927, to draft and formalize a constitution for India. The
chairmanship of the commission rested with Sir John Simon, who was a well known
lawyer and an English statesman. Accused of being an 'All-White Commission',
the Simon Commission was rejected by all political and social segments of the
country. In Bengal, the opposition to the
Simon Commission assumed a massive scale, with a hartal being observed in all
corners of the province on February 3rd, 1928. On the occasion of Simon's
arrival in the city, demonstrations were conducted in Calcutta. In the wake of the boycott of the
recommendations proposed by Simon Commission, an All-Party Conference was
organized in Bombay
in May of 1928. Dr MA Ansari was the president of the conference. Motilal Nehru
was given the responsibility to preside over the drafting committee, appointed
at the conference to prepare a constitution for India.
Barring the
Indian Muslims, The Nehru Report was endorsed by all segments of the Indian
society. The Indian National Congress pressurized the British government to
accept all the parts the Nehru Report, in December 1928. At the Calcutta
Session of the Indian National Congress held in December, 1928, the British
government was warned that if India
was not granted the status of a dominion, a Civil Disobedience Movement would
be initiated in the entire country. Lord Irwin, the Governor General, after a
few months, declared that the final objective of the constitutional reforms was
to grant the status of a dominion to India. Following this declaration,
Gandhi along with other national leaders requested the Governor General to
adopt a more liberal attitude in solving the constitutional crisis. A demand
was made for the release of the political prisoners and for holding the
suggested Round Table Conference for reflecting on the problems regarding the
constitution of the country.
None of the
efforts made by the Congress received any favorable response from the British
government. The patience of the Indian masses were wearing out. The political
intelligentsia of the country was sure that the technique of persuasion would
not be effective with the British government. The Congress had no other
recourse but to launch the Civil Disobedience Movement. In Bardoli, the
peasants had already taken to satyagraha under the guidance of Sardar Patel in
the year 1928. Their non tax agitations were partially successful. The Congress
took the decision to use the non violent weapon of satyagraha on a nation wide
scale against the government.
The Launch of
the Civil Disobedience Movement
MK Gandhi was
urged by the Congress to render his much needed leadership to the Civil
Disobedience Movement. On the historic day of 12th March 1930, Gandhi
inaugurated The Civil Disobedience Movement by conducting the historic Dandi
Salt March, where he broke the Salt Laws imposed by the British Government.
Followed by an entourage of seventy nine ashramites, Gandhi embarked on his
march from his Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi that is located on the shores of the Arabian Sea. On 6th April 1930, Gandhi with the
accompaniment of seventy nine satyagrahis, violated the Salt Law by picking up
a fistful of salt lying on the sea shore. They manually made salt on the shores
of Dandi.
Dandi Salt
March had an immense impact on the entire nation. Each and every corner of the
country was gripped in a unique fervor of nationalism. Soon this act of
violation of the Salt Laws assumed an all India character. The entire nation
amalgamated under the call of a single man, Mahatma Gandhi. There were reports
of satyagrahas and instances of law violation from Bombay,
Central and United Provinces, Bengal and Gujarat.
The program of the Civil Disobedience Movement incorporated besides the
breaking of the Salt Laws, picketing of shops selling foreign goods and liquor,
bonfire of cloth, refusal to pay taxes and avoidance of offices by the public
officers and schools by the students. Even the women joined forces against the
British. Those from orthodox families did not hesitate to respond to the call
of the Mahatma. They took active part in the picketing exercises. Perturbed by
the growing popularity of the movement, the British government imprisoned
Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, in a bid to thwart it. Thus, the second
struggle for attaining Swaraj launched by the Congress, under the able guidance
of Mahatma, served the critical function of mobilizing the masses on a large
scale against the British.
In the March
of 1930, Gandhi met with the Viceroy, Lord Irwin and signed an agreement known
as the Gandhi-Irwin Pact. The two main clauses of the pact entailed; Congress
participation in the Round Table Conference and cessation of The Civil
Disobedience Movement. The Government of India released all satyagrahis from
prison.
Renewal of
the Civil Disobedience Movement
Gandhi
attended The Second Round Table Conference in London accompanied by Smt. Sarojini Naidu. At
this Conference, it was claimed by Mahatma Gandhi that the Congress represented
more than eighty five percent of the Indian population. Gandhi's claim was not
endorsed by the British and also the Muslim representative. The Second Round
Table Conference proved to be futile for the Indians and Gandhi returned to the
country without any positive result. The political scene in India
thereafter assumed an acute dimension. The Viceroy, Lord Willingdon, in the
absence of Gandhi, adopted the policy of repression. The Gandhi-Irwin Pact was
violated and the Viceroy took to the suppression of the Congress. The
Conservative party, which was in power in England, complied with the decision
to assume a repressive stance against the Congress and the Indians. The
Congress was held responsible by the government to have instigated the 'Red
Shirts' to participate in The Civil Disobedience Movement, led by Khan Abdul
Ghaffar and provoking the cultivators of U.P to refuse to pay land revenue.
Adding to this was the serious economic crisis that took hold of the country.
Under such circumstances, the resumption of The Civil Disobedience Movement was
inevitable.
The Congress
Working Committee took the decision to restart The Civil Disobedience Movement,
as the British government was not prepared to relent. Gandhi resumed the
movement in January 1932 and appealed to the entire nation to join in. The Viceroy
was also informed of the stance assumed by the Congress. Four ordinances were
promulgated by the government to deal with the situation. The police was given
the power to arrest any person, even on the basis of mere suspicion. Sardar
Patel, the President of Congress and Gandhi were arrested, along with other
Congressmen. The second phase of The Civil Disobedience Movement lacked the
organization that marked its first phase. Nonetheless the entire nation put up
a tough fight and the movement continued for six months. Gandhi commenced his
twenty one days of fast on May 8th, 1933, to make amends for the sins committed
against the untouchables by the caste Hindus. The Civil Disobedience Movement
was suspended, when Mahatma Gandi withdrew mass satyagraha on July 14th 1933.
The movement ceased completely on April 7th 1934.
Although The
Civil Disobedience Movement failed to achieve any positive outcome, it was an
important juncture in the history of Indian independence. The leadership of
Mahatma Gandhi had a beneficial impact. The warring factions within the
Congress united under the aegis of The Civil Disobedience Movement, led by
Mahatma Gandhi. Satyagraha was put on a firm footing through its large scale
usage in the movement. Last but not the least India rediscovered its inherent
strength and confidence to crusade against the British for its freedom.
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