CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE MOVEMENT

Swaraj party- Pro and No Changers: * The leaders of the congress were spilt into two groups. The first group comprised of those who wanted a change in the programme of the Congress and in reality did not approve the Non-Cooperation Movement. Prominent among such leaders were Deshbandhu Chittranjan Das and Motilal Nehru, who were called ‘pro-changers’.

* The other groups consisted of those members who supported the non-cooperation movement and retained full faith in the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. This group came to be known as ‘no-changers’. Prominent among the no-changers were C.Rajagopalachari and Dr. M.A. Ansari.

* In March 1923, Chittaranjan Das along with Motilal Nehru formed the Swaraj Party at Allahabad to take parting November 1923 council elections.

* Elections – in November 1923 – Motilal Nehru became the leader of the party whereas in Bengal the party was headed by Chittranjan Das.

* Simon Commission – the act of 1919 included a provision for its review after a lapse of ten years. Thus, such a review was due in 1929.

* The Conservative Party appointed the review commission two years ahead of its schedule, in 1927.

* Simon commission after the name of its chairman, Sir John Simon – all its seven members were Englishmen, the Commission was also called the ‘White men Commission’.

* There were no Indian member in it, the Commission faced a lot of criticism – all the political parties including the Congress, the Hindu Mahasabha and the Muslim League decided to oppose the Commission tooth and nail – 3 February 1928 when the Commission reached Bombay.

* At Lahore the student took out a large anti-Simon commission - LalaLajpat Rai was seriously injured in the police lathi charge ordered by Saunders, assistant superintendent of Police of Lahore. As a result of which he passed away after one month – His last words, “Every blow on my body will prove a nail in the coffin of the British Empire.

* With the sole exception of a few members of the Muslim League, the rulers of the Princely States and zamindars, all political parties and the sections of the Indian people opposed the Simon Commission – report published in May 1930 – Dyarchy was unsuccessful – recommended special powers to Governor General at the centre and Governors at the Provinces.

* Indians rejected the Simon commission report out of Hand as it did not mention anything in regard to conferring the Dominion Status – Simon Commission’s report became the basis for enacting the Government of India Act 1935.]

* Secretary of State, Lord Birkenhead, while delivering a speech on the floor of the British Parliament challenged the Indians to produce a Constitution.

* The Report published by this Committee in July 1928 came to be known as the ‘Nehru Report’.

* Muslim League – Central Sikh League, Sardar Kharak Singh also rejected it – Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Dr. M.A. Ansari and Hakim Ajmal Kahn supported it. * Jinnah, thereafter convened an All Indian conference of the Muslims where he drew up a list of fourteen point demand.

* Nehru Report was approved by a majority vote in the annual session of the Congress held in Calcutta on 2 December 1928, an ultimatum was served on the British government to accept the Report by 31 December 1929.

* Poorna Swaraj-The annual session of the congress was held at Lahore in December 1929. The place where this session was held was named as the Lajpat Rai Nagar.

* Dandi March – Gandhi reached the coast of Dandi on 5 April 1930 after marching a distance of 200 miles with 78 handpicked followers and on 6 April formally launched the Civil Disobedience Movement by breaking the salt laws.

* On 9 April, Mahatma Gandhi laid out the programme of the movement which included making of salt in every village in violation of the existing salt laws; picketing by women before the shops selling liquor, opium and foreign clothes; organizing the bonfires of foreign clothes; spinning clothes by using charkha; fighting untouchability; boycotting of schools and colleges by students and resigning from government jobs by the people.

* Many Muslims kept themselves aloof from this movement – northwest Frontier Province an organization of Khudai Khidmatgar (Servants of God) was formed under the leadership of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan. Most of the volunteers donned red clothes, because of which they came to be known as the Red Shirts.

* The khudai Khidmatgars accepted the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi and participated in the movement in full measures.

* The government had to send a detachment of the 18^th Royal Garhwal Rigles to suppress this movement. But as the Garhwali soldiers refused to open fire on the unarmed people, the government pressed the air force into action.

* Round table conference – first such conference held on 12 November 1930 at London, failed to resolve he communcal question as it was boycotted it by the Congress.First civil disobedience movement –Gandhi put 11 demands including cut in military expenses, total prohibition,release of political prisoners etc,.

* On 8 March 1931 the Gandhi-Irwin Pact was singed. As per this pact Gandhi agreed to suspend the Civil Disobedience Movement and participate in the Second Round Table conference but most of the leaders did not like this pact.

* On 7 September 1931, the Second round Table conference was held at London; Gandhi joined the Conference on 12 September but returned o India disappointed as no agreement could be reached on the demand of complete independence on the communal question.

* On 3 January 1932, the civil disobedience Movement was resumed. The government responded to it by arresting Gandhi and Sardar Patel and by reimposing the ban of the Congress Party.

(Dr Ambedkar: * In July 1924 Ambedkar had organized a Bahishkrit hitkar Sabha (the Depressed Classes Institute) with the objective of raising the moral and material status of the untouchables.)

* Fist Round Table Conference he had demanded separate electorates for depressed.

* On 16 August 1932, British Prime Minister Ramsay Macdonald made an announcement, which came to be as the ‘communcal Award’.

* According to this award the depressed classes were considered as a separate community and as such provisions were made for separate electorates for them.

* Gandhi protested against the Award and went on a fast unto death in the Yeravada jail on 20 September 1932.

* Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, Ghanshyam and Das Birla, C. Rajagopalachari and Dr. Ambedkar gathered at Pun and hammered out an agreement with the consent of Gandhi and Dr. Ambedkar. This agreement came to be called as the ‘Poona Pact’ British Government also approved of it.

* 148 seats in different Provincial legislatiures were reserved for the Depressed Classes in place of 71 as provided in the Communal Award. A Common electorate of all Hindu, including the Depressed Classes was agreed upon.

* Special provision for representation of the depressed people in local bodies and civil service were also made.

* The Third Round table conference was held from 17 November to 24 December 1932. The Congress once more did not take part in it.

* In March 1933, the British Government issued a White Paper, which became the basis for the enactment of the Government of India Act, 1935.

* In July 1933, the Congress decided to launch an Individual Civil Disobedience in place of Mass Civil Disobedience.

* Under the Morely-Minto Reforms of 1909 only one percent , and under the Montague Chelmsford Reforms of 1919 two and half percent of Indian got voting rights, under the Government of India Act of 1935 only 13 percent of India’s population became eligible voters.

* In accordance with the provinces of the government of Indian Act of 1935 elections to the Provincial Legislatures were held in February 1937.

* Congress – virtually swept the polls – Muslim League – faced miserable defeat – out of the 482 Muslim seat it could register victory only in 81 seats.

* On 7 July 1937, after the Viceroy Lord Linlithgow assured the Congress of his cooperation the party formed its Ministery in 7 Provinces.