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You are here: Home / History / The Struggle of Sawaraj

The Struggle of Sawaraj

February 26, 2020 by BureaucratONE Leave a Comment Last Updated February 26, 2020

  1. 3rd and last phase 1919
    1. Popular mass movement initiated
      1. Greatest in world history
  2. Why
    1. New matured political situation
    2. After WW1 nationalists were expecting major political gains
    3. Economic situation
      1. Price rise
      2. Depression in economic activity
      3. During war
        1. Indian Industries prospered
        2. Coz foreign imports of manufactured goods were stopped
      4. After war
        1. Industries
          1. loss and failure due to cheap imports
          2. foreign capital invested in India to compete indian capital
        2. Industrialists
          1.  wanted protection by imposing high custom duty
          2. Realised only independent Indian government could provide that
        3. Artisans and workers
        4. Soldiers
          1. Triumphs from Africa Asia and Europe
          2. Imparted Confidence and knowledge of the world to Rural areas
        5. Peasants
          1. Poverty
          2. High taxation
        6. Urban educated Indians
          1. Unemployment
    4. International situation
      1. Allied nations war  time promise to the world
        1. Democracy and self-determination
        2. Britain France US Italy Japan
        3. Broke promise
        4. Paris peace conference
          1. Colonies of  defeated powers shared among Allied powers
          2. Germany and Turkey ( Africa , West Asia, East Asia)
        5. militant nationalism out of disillusionment was born in Asia and Africa
        6. India - half-hearted constitutional reform
      2. Erosion of white man's Prestige
        1. Eroded racial and cultural  superiority bcos during war both sides intense propaganda against each other
        2. Exposed opponents uncivilised colonial record
      3. Russian revolution
        1. Bloshevick (communist) party led by Lenin overthrew Czarist Regime
        2. First socialist state Soviet Union
        3. Renounced its imperialist rights in China and Asia
        4. Self-determination and equal status to Asian nationalities
        5. Motivated others bcos
          1. If unarmed peasants revolution succeeded
          2. Others also can fight
    5. Nationalist movement
      1. India
      2. Government reaction
        1. Carrot / concession
          1. Montague Chelmsford reforms
        2. Repression or stick
          1. Rowlatt act
      3. Other countries also - nationalism - Ireland Turkey Egypt Arab countries northern Africa west Asia  Iran Afghanistan Burma Malaya Indonesia Indo-china Philippines China Korea
  3. After war concessions
    1. Montague(sec) Chelmsford(vic) reforms
      1. Constitutional reforms which led to government of India act 1919
      2. Provincial legislative Council
        1. Enlarged
        2. Majority of them were elected
      3. Provincial government
        1. More power under Dyarchy
          1. Reserved subjects
            1. Finance law and order
            2. Direct control of Governor
          2. Transferred subjects
            1. Education public health local self-government
            2. Controlled by ministers responsible for legislatures
          3. Inference
            1. Governor
              • complete control of Finance
              • Governor could overrule ministers on any grounds
            2. Leg
              • More power now
      4. Centre
        1. 2 houses of legislatures
        2. Lower house
          1. 41 nominated members out of 144
        3. Upper house
          1. 26 nominated
          2. 34 elected
        4. Legislatures had no control over governor and his executive council
        5. Central government had unrestricted control over provincial government
      5. INC
        1. Condemned the proposal in Bombay session in 1918
        2. Surendranath Banerjee
          1. Favoured acceptance of government proposal
          2. Founded liberal Federation
          3. Came to be known as liberals
          4. Henceforth minor role in Indian politics
  4. After war repressions
    1. Rowlett act
      1. After work
        1. 1919 Rowlatt act
        2. Against rule of law
        3. Was passed even after every Indian member of Central legislative Council opposed it
        4. What
          1. Imprison any person without trial or conviction in a court of law
          2. Suspend habeas corpus which was foundation of civil liberties in Britain
      2. During war
        1. Revolutionaries hunted down
        2. Abdul Kalam Azaad prison
  5. Gandhi
    1. Situation after WW1
      1. Cruel Joke
        1. Rowlett act Further restriction of Civil Liberties instead of Extension of democracy after War
        2. So agitation
      2. Gandhi assumes leadership
        1. In S Af - had evolved
          1. New form - Non-cooperation
          2. New Technique - Satya(truth)graha(holding onto) - satyagrahi will be truthful and perfectly peaceful, but at the same time he would refuse to submit to what he considered wrong.
      3. His Super power
        1. Basic sympathy
        2. Understanding of problems & Psychology of Indian peasantry
        3. Hence
          1. Brought masses into mainstream of nationalist politics
          2. United all sections in militant mass national movement
    2. Gandhi and His ideas
      1. October 2 1869
      2. legal education in Britain
      3. South Africa to practice law
        1. Issues
          1. Right to vote
          2. Poll tax
          3. Indian forced to reside in prescribed location which is sanitary congested prescribed location
          4. No out of doors after 9 PM
          5. Footpath usage
        2. Satyagraha was evolved
          1. Truth and nonviolence
          2. Satyagrahi -
            1. truthful and peaceful
            2. Should refuse To  submit to what is considered wrong
            3. Accept suffering willingly while struggling against wrongdoers
            4. While resisting evil he would love evil doer
            5. Hatred would be alien to the nature
            6. Fearless
            7. Never bow down before evil whatever the consequences
            8. Nonviolence was not a weapon of the week and the cowardly only the strong and brave could practice it
            9. 1920 young India - Non violence is the law of our species as violence is the law of the brute but that when there is only a choice between cowardice and violence I would advise violence. I would rather have India resort to arms in order to defend our honour than she should become or remain a helpless witness to our own dishonour
            10. Thought and practice + Belief & action - t&nv daily living
            11. Faith in capacity of common people to fight
            12. Sabarmati Ashram 1916
      4. Gandhi
        1. Identified his life & his manner of living with the life of common people
        2. Symbol of poor India
        3. 3 imp causes of his
          1. Hindu Muslim unity
          2. Fight untouchability
          3. Raise soc status of women
        4. Rel
          1. Devout Hindu
          2. Cul & Rel outlook
            1. Universal
            2. Broad
            3. Indian culture
              1. Is neither Hindu or Islamic
              2. It's the fusion of all
              3. Indians should have deep roots in their culture
              4. And acquire the the best of other cultures
        5. Villages - Told nationalist workers to go to villages coz that's where India lives
        6. Turned nationalism towards common man
        7. Symbol - khadi - became uniform for nationalists
        8. India's salvation
  1. Champaran satyagraha 1917
    1. Problem
      1. Bihar
      2. First satyagraha
      3. Peasantry
      4. Indigo plantations
      5. European planters
      6. Indigo on 3/20th of land
      7. price fixed by planters
    2. Earlier
      1. Bengal same problem
      2. 1859-61 - apprising - problem solved
    3. Gandhi
      1. Gandhi's campaign in South Africa famous
      2. So peasants of Champaran invited him
      3. Accompanied by Rajendra Prasad, jb Kripalani Gandhi reached
      4. Officials ordered him to leave
      5. He defied the order
      6. Ready to face trial and imprisonment
      7. Government cancelled earlier order
      8. Appointed committee of enquiry
      9. Gandhi was a member
      10. First CDM was won
  1. Ahmedabad mill strike. 1918
    1. Bw workers & mill owners
    2. 35% increase in wages
    3. Fast unto death - G
  2. Kheda
    1. 1918
    2. Gujarat
    3. Crops failed
    4. Govt refused remittances of tax
    5. G advised withhold meant of revenue
    6. Govt - secret instruction - revenue collection only from those who can pay
    7. Patel became Gs follower
      1. When masses were awakened from sleep & became active in politics
  3. Satyagraha against Rowlett act
    1. Gandhi was aroused too
    2. Satyagraha Sabha was founded by G 1919 Feb
      1. Members disobey the act
      2. Court arrest & imprisonment (New method)
      3. This method raised the movement to a new level
      4. Nationalist could now act instead of just agitation
  1. Forms of pol struggle known to nationalists b4
    1. Agitation
    2. Meetings & demonstrations
    3. Refusal to cooperate
    4. Boycott of foreign cloth & schools
    5. Individual acts of terrorism
  2. March & April 1919 - political awakening in India
    1. Hindu Muslim unity
    2. Hartals strikes
  3. Jallian Wala Bagh massacre
    1. G call for mighty Hartal 6 April 1919
    2. People enthusiasm
    3. Punjab
      1. Worst pol crime of modern history
      2. 13 Apr 1919
      3. Amritsar
      4. People - to protest against arrest of popular leaders Dr Saifuddin Kitchlew & Dr Satyapal
      5. Gen Dyer
      6. Machine gun
    4. Tagore renounced Knighthood
  1. Khilafat & NCM fuck very big
    1. Lucknow Pact - Hindu Muslim unity
    2. Rowlett act - again united hindu muslim
    3. Hindu Muslim unity example
      1. Arya Samaj leader Swami Shradanand was asked by Muslim to preach from Jama Masjid of Delhi
      2. Dr kitclew was given keys to Golden Temple
    4. Ottoman Empire - Sultan of turkey is caliph or religious head of muslims
    5. Khilafat committee by Ali Bros, Moulana Azad, hakim Ajmal  Khan and Hasrat Mohani
    6. All India khilafat conference 1919 Delhi decided to withdrew all support to government
    7. Muslim league full support to National Congress
    8. Tilak and Gandhi opportunity Hindu Muslim unity
    9. The government meanwhile refused
      1. Refuse to Annul Rowlett act
      2. Refused to amend Punjab wrong
      3. Self government
    10. June 1920 all-party conference Allahabad boycott schools colleges law courts
    11. Khilafat Committee NCM August 1920
    12. September 1920 Calcutta
    13. December 1920 Nagpur
      1. Defy government and its laws
      2. Change in the Constitution of Congress
        1. Provincial Congress committee on basis of linguistic areas
        2. CWC - Led by working committee of 15 members
        3. To reach down to the masses reduced to 4 Anna's
    14. Congress changed its character as the leader of the masses
    15. Some
      1. Did not like the new character
      2. Believed in traditional method of agitation
      3. Confined within the four walls of law
      4. Opposed hartals strikes satyagraha breaking the laws "imprisonment militant struggle
      5. Jinnah Bipin, Chandra  pal, Annie Beasant left congress
  1. 1921-22 people's struggle
    1. Students left government schools
    2. Joined National schools
    3. New national school
      1. (National Muslim University) Jamia Millia Islamia later shifted to Delhi
      2. Bihar Vidyapith
      3. Kashi Vidyapith
      4. Gujarat Vidhyapith
      5. Acharia Narendra Dev, Zakir Usain, Lala Lajpat Rai were teachers here
    4. Lawyers give up their lucrative legal practice
      1. Chittaranjan Das deshBandhu
      2. Moti Lal Nehru
      3. Rajendra Prasad
      4. Saif Uddin kitchlew
      5. Rajagopal Acharia
      6. Sardar Patel
      7. T Prakasam
      8. Asaf Ali
    5. Tilak Swaraj fund founded
      1. To finance NCM
      2. Over six months crore rupee was subscribed
    6. Women
      1. Offered their jewellery
    7. All India khilafat committee
      1. Resolution that no Muslim should serve in British Indian Army
      2. Ali Bros arrested for sedition
    8. All India Congress committee  + Gandhi + Congress working committee
      1. Similar resolution -no Indian should serve Br govt which degraded India socially economically and politically
      2. CDM incl. withholding dues and NCM launched
      3. Government reaction
        1. Congress & Khilafat declared illegal
        2. All imp arrested except Gandhi (3000)
      4. People
        1. Prince of Whales - Nov 21 - Demonstrations
      5. Congress Meeting Allahabad
        1. Dec 1921
          1. Intensify non violent NCM
          2. Pledge Satyagrahis
            1. Non violent
            2. Unity among all religions
            3. Hindu fight against untouchability
            4. People to organize
            5. Individual & Mass CDM
      6. Famous struggles
        1. Punjab - Akali Movement against corrupt Mahants
        2. Assam - tea plantation workers strike
        3. Malabar - Moplahs, Muslim peasants - anti-zamindars
      7. Gandhi Feb 1922
        1. Mass CDM + Non Payment of tax if within 7 days
          1. Didn't release prisoners
          2. Press released from govt control
      8. The struggle which went too far (Overacting)
        1. UP - Gorakhpur - chauri Chaura incident - police fired on people and people burnt police station and 22 police died --- this lead to Gandhi withdraw NCM
      9. Why gandhi withdraw NCM
        1. People haven't understood non-violence and satyagraha
        2. Br could easily suppress movement stating violence
      10. CWC passed resolution(Bardoli resolution) to withdraw NCM and do constructive work
        1. Popular & Young leaders dissapointed
          1. SC Bose
          2. JL Nehru
        2. But both leaders & People had faith in Gandhi
      11. Gandhi was arrested and he pleaded guilty and sent to 6 year prison 1922
      12. Mustafa kamal Pasha made turkey secular and abolished caliph made Khilafat movement irrelevant
      13. NCM and CDM apparently failed but
        1. National movt reached remotest corner
        2. Urban muslims in nationalist movement
        3. United hindu muslim even though political struggle was communalised
        4. Women inclusive
        5. People
          1. Lost the sense of fear of the brute strength of the Br
          2. Self confidence & Self esteem
        6. G - The fight which was started in 1920 was the fight to the finish
      14. Br rule - Twin notions
        1. They ruled India for the good of Indians
          1. Challenged by economic critique by moderates
            1. Disseminated to the common man through speeches, NwP, Dramas, Songs, etc
        2. Invincible and Incapable of being overthrown
          1. Challenged by satayagraha and mass struggle
    9. Government reaction
      1. Congress & Khilafat declared illegal
  1. Swarajists
    1. Demoralisation in nationalist ranks after withdrawal of NCM
    2. 1922 28
    3. Differences among leaders
    4. CR Das & Motilal Nehru( Swarajists)
      1. Nationalists should
        1. End boycott of leg councils
        2. Enter them
        3. Obstruct their working
        4. Expose its weakness
        5. Transform into areas of political struggle
      2. Accepted programs of congress except it would take part in leg councils
      3. In dec,1922 - Das(prez) and M.nehru(sec) started Congress-khilafat Swarajya party within congress
  2. No changers
    1. Patel , Prasad, Dr.Ansari
    2. Opposed Council entry
    3. Politics would lead to
      1.  neglect of work among the masses
      2. Create rivalries
      3. Weaken nationalist fervour
    4. Constructive program
      1. To prepare people  for new round of mass struggle
  3. No changers vs swarajists
    1. Political controversy
    2. Gandhi also failed to unite
    3. Both were avoiding split as that of 1907 Surat
    4. Swarajists
      1. 1923 Nov elections -42 /101 seats
      2. Out voted govt in cent and provincial assembly
      3. Patel elected as speaker of cent assembly
      4. Powerful speeches on self govt civil liberties, industrial dev
      5. Exposed reform act of 1919
      6. CR Das death 1925
    5. No changers
      1. Ashrams all over country
      2. Promoted charkha & khadi
      3. National schools & colleges
  4. Adrenaline Withdrawal symptoms of NCM
    1. People frustrated
    2. Communalism
    3. Communal elements took advantage
    4. Communal riots
    5. Muslim league(1906) & Hindu Maha Sabha(december 1917) became active now
  5. Responsivists
    1. Madan Mohan Malaviya, Lala Lajpat Rai, khelkar
    2. Cooperation to government to safeguard Hindu interests
    3. Accused Moti Lal Nehru of being anti-Hindu, supporting cow slaughter and eating beef
  6. 21 day fast Gandhi
    1. Maulana mohamed Ali's house
    2. Penance for inhumanity in communal riots
    3. No one gave damn

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