Indian National Movement- 4 | History for UPSC 2024 (Pre & Mains) PDF Download

 Page 1


Indian National 
Movement
Part IV
Page 2


Indian National 
Movement
Part IV
Gandhi 
Before 
India
Born in Porbandhar, Kathiawar, Gujarat
Studied law in England
Went to South Africa in connection with a case involving his client, Dada Abdullah
Faced racism and humiliation
? While he was travelling by train to Pretoria, Gandhi, despite carrying first class ticket, 
was thrown out of the train by the authorities because a white man complained of an 
Indian sharing the space with him
Decided to stay in South Africa to organize the Indian workers to enable them to 
fight for their rights
Moderate Phase of Struggle (1894-1906) 
? During this phase, Gandhi relied on sending petitions and memorials to the authorities 
in South Africa and in Britain hoping that once the authorities were informed of the 
plight of Indians, they would take sincere steps to redress their grievances as the 
Indians were, after all, British subjects. 
? To unite different sections of Indians, he set up the Natal Indian Congress and started a 
paper Indian Opinion. 
? This organization led non-violent protests against the oppressive treatment of the 
white people towards the native Africans and Indians.
In 1896, he came to India for a short time and gathered 800 Indians to serve 
along with him in South Africa. They were welcomed by an irate mob and Gandhi 
was injured in the attack.
? Gandhiji exercised `self-restraint'. His philosophy of winning the detractors with the 
peaceful restraint had begun. It yielded fruit. Under pressure from the British 
government the attempt to disfranchise Indians in South Africa was abandoned.
Page 3


Indian National 
Movement
Part IV
Gandhi 
Before 
India
Born in Porbandhar, Kathiawar, Gujarat
Studied law in England
Went to South Africa in connection with a case involving his client, Dada Abdullah
Faced racism and humiliation
? While he was travelling by train to Pretoria, Gandhi, despite carrying first class ticket, 
was thrown out of the train by the authorities because a white man complained of an 
Indian sharing the space with him
Decided to stay in South Africa to organize the Indian workers to enable them to 
fight for their rights
Moderate Phase of Struggle (1894-1906) 
? During this phase, Gandhi relied on sending petitions and memorials to the authorities 
in South Africa and in Britain hoping that once the authorities were informed of the 
plight of Indians, they would take sincere steps to redress their grievances as the 
Indians were, after all, British subjects. 
? To unite different sections of Indians, he set up the Natal Indian Congress and started a 
paper Indian Opinion. 
? This organization led non-violent protests against the oppressive treatment of the 
white people towards the native Africans and Indians.
In 1896, he came to India for a short time and gathered 800 Indians to serve 
along with him in South Africa. They were welcomed by an irate mob and Gandhi 
was injured in the attack.
? Gandhiji exercised `self-restraint'. His philosophy of winning the detractors with the 
peaceful restraint had begun. It yielded fruit. Under pressure from the British 
government the attempt to disfranchise Indians in South Africa was abandoned.
Gandhi 
Before 
India
During the outbreak of the Boer War in 1899, Gandhi gathered around 1,100 
Indians and organized the Indian Ambulance Corps for the British but the ethnic 
discrimination and torture continued on Indians.
? Gandhiji was now the recognised leader of South Africa's Indian community.
By 1903, Gandhiji had begun to lead a life of considerable discipline and self-
restraint.
? Influenced by John Ruskin's preaching of rustic life, Gandhiji organized Phoenix Farm 
near Durban. Here he trained disciplined cadres on non-violent Satyagraha (peaceful 
self-restraint), involving peaceful violation of certain laws, mass courting of arrests, 
occasional hartal, (suspension of all economic activity for a particular time), 
spectacular marches and nurtured an indomitable spirit which would fight repression 
without fear.
Phase of Passive Resistance or Satyagraha (1906-1914) 
? The second phase, which began in 1906, was characterised by the use of the method of 
passive resistance or civil disobedience, which Gandhi named satyagraha. 
Satyagraha against Registration Certificates (1906) 
? A new legislation in South Africa always made it compulsory for Indians there to carry  
certificates of registration with their fingerprints. The Indians under Gandhi’s leadership 
decided not to submit to this discriminatory measure. Gandhi formed the Passive 
Resistance Association to conduct the campaign of defying the law and suffering all 
the penalties resulting from such a defiance. Thus was born satyagraha or devotion to 
truth, the technique of resisting adversaries without violence. 
? The government jailed Gandhi and others who refused to register themselves. 
? Later, the authorities used deceit to make these defiant Indians register themselves. 
The Indians under the leadership of Gandhi retaliated by publicly burning their 
registration certificates. In the end, there was a compromise settlement. 
Page 4


Indian National 
Movement
Part IV
Gandhi 
Before 
India
Born in Porbandhar, Kathiawar, Gujarat
Studied law in England
Went to South Africa in connection with a case involving his client, Dada Abdullah
Faced racism and humiliation
? While he was travelling by train to Pretoria, Gandhi, despite carrying first class ticket, 
was thrown out of the train by the authorities because a white man complained of an 
Indian sharing the space with him
Decided to stay in South Africa to organize the Indian workers to enable them to 
fight for their rights
Moderate Phase of Struggle (1894-1906) 
? During this phase, Gandhi relied on sending petitions and memorials to the authorities 
in South Africa and in Britain hoping that once the authorities were informed of the 
plight of Indians, they would take sincere steps to redress their grievances as the 
Indians were, after all, British subjects. 
? To unite different sections of Indians, he set up the Natal Indian Congress and started a 
paper Indian Opinion. 
? This organization led non-violent protests against the oppressive treatment of the 
white people towards the native Africans and Indians.
In 1896, he came to India for a short time and gathered 800 Indians to serve 
along with him in South Africa. They were welcomed by an irate mob and Gandhi 
was injured in the attack.
? Gandhiji exercised `self-restraint'. His philosophy of winning the detractors with the 
peaceful restraint had begun. It yielded fruit. Under pressure from the British 
government the attempt to disfranchise Indians in South Africa was abandoned.
Gandhi 
Before 
India
During the outbreak of the Boer War in 1899, Gandhi gathered around 1,100 
Indians and organized the Indian Ambulance Corps for the British but the ethnic 
discrimination and torture continued on Indians.
? Gandhiji was now the recognised leader of South Africa's Indian community.
By 1903, Gandhiji had begun to lead a life of considerable discipline and self-
restraint.
? Influenced by John Ruskin's preaching of rustic life, Gandhiji organized Phoenix Farm 
near Durban. Here he trained disciplined cadres on non-violent Satyagraha (peaceful 
self-restraint), involving peaceful violation of certain laws, mass courting of arrests, 
occasional hartal, (suspension of all economic activity for a particular time), 
spectacular marches and nurtured an indomitable spirit which would fight repression 
without fear.
Phase of Passive Resistance or Satyagraha (1906-1914) 
? The second phase, which began in 1906, was characterised by the use of the method of 
passive resistance or civil disobedience, which Gandhi named satyagraha. 
Satyagraha against Registration Certificates (1906) 
? A new legislation in South Africa always made it compulsory for Indians there to carry  
certificates of registration with their fingerprints. The Indians under Gandhi’s leadership 
decided not to submit to this discriminatory measure. Gandhi formed the Passive 
Resistance Association to conduct the campaign of defying the law and suffering all 
the penalties resulting from such a defiance. Thus was born satyagraha or devotion to 
truth, the technique of resisting adversaries without violence. 
? The government jailed Gandhi and others who refused to register themselves. 
? Later, the authorities used deceit to make these defiant Indians register themselves. 
The Indians under the leadership of Gandhi retaliated by publicly burning their 
registration certificates. In the end, there was a compromise settlement. 
Gandhi 
Before 
India
Campaign against Restrictions on Indian Migration 
? The earlier campaign was widened to include protest against a new legislation imposing 
restrictions on Indian migration. The Indians defied this law by crossing over from one 
province to another and by refusing to produce licences. Many of these Indians were jailed. 
Campaign against Poll Tax and Invalidation of Indian Marriages 
? A poll tax of three pounds was imposed on all ex-indentured Indians. The demand for the 
abolition of poll tax (which was too much for the poor ex-indentured Indians who earned less 
than ten shillings a month) widened the base of the campaign. 
? Then a Supreme Court order which invalidated all marriages not conducted according to 
Christian rites and registered by the registrar of marriages drew the anger of the Indians and 
others who were not Christians. 
? By implication, Hindu, Muslim and Parsi marriages were illegal and children born out of such 
marriages, illegitimate. The Indians treated this judgement as an insult to the honour of 
women and many women were drawn into the movement because of this indignity.
Protest against Transvaal Immigration Act 
? The Indians protested the Transvaal Immigration Act, by illegally migrating from Natal into 
Transvaal. The government held these Indians in jails. Miners and plantation workers went 
on a lightning strike.
Compromise Solution 
? Eventually, through a series of negotiations involving Gandhi, Lord Hardinge, C.F. Andrews 
and General Smuts, an agreement was reached by which the Government of South Africa 
conceded the major Indian demands relating to the poll tax, the registration certificates 
and marriages solemnised according to Indian rites, and promised to treat the issue of 
Indian immigration in a sympathetic manner
Gandhi returned to India in January 1915. 
Page 5


Indian National 
Movement
Part IV
Gandhi 
Before 
India
Born in Porbandhar, Kathiawar, Gujarat
Studied law in England
Went to South Africa in connection with a case involving his client, Dada Abdullah
Faced racism and humiliation
? While he was travelling by train to Pretoria, Gandhi, despite carrying first class ticket, 
was thrown out of the train by the authorities because a white man complained of an 
Indian sharing the space with him
Decided to stay in South Africa to organize the Indian workers to enable them to 
fight for their rights
Moderate Phase of Struggle (1894-1906) 
? During this phase, Gandhi relied on sending petitions and memorials to the authorities 
in South Africa and in Britain hoping that once the authorities were informed of the 
plight of Indians, they would take sincere steps to redress their grievances as the 
Indians were, after all, British subjects. 
? To unite different sections of Indians, he set up the Natal Indian Congress and started a 
paper Indian Opinion. 
? This organization led non-violent protests against the oppressive treatment of the 
white people towards the native Africans and Indians.
In 1896, he came to India for a short time and gathered 800 Indians to serve 
along with him in South Africa. They were welcomed by an irate mob and Gandhi 
was injured in the attack.
? Gandhiji exercised `self-restraint'. His philosophy of winning the detractors with the 
peaceful restraint had begun. It yielded fruit. Under pressure from the British 
government the attempt to disfranchise Indians in South Africa was abandoned.
Gandhi 
Before 
India
During the outbreak of the Boer War in 1899, Gandhi gathered around 1,100 
Indians and organized the Indian Ambulance Corps for the British but the ethnic 
discrimination and torture continued on Indians.
? Gandhiji was now the recognised leader of South Africa's Indian community.
By 1903, Gandhiji had begun to lead a life of considerable discipline and self-
restraint.
? Influenced by John Ruskin's preaching of rustic life, Gandhiji organized Phoenix Farm 
near Durban. Here he trained disciplined cadres on non-violent Satyagraha (peaceful 
self-restraint), involving peaceful violation of certain laws, mass courting of arrests, 
occasional hartal, (suspension of all economic activity for a particular time), 
spectacular marches and nurtured an indomitable spirit which would fight repression 
without fear.
Phase of Passive Resistance or Satyagraha (1906-1914) 
? The second phase, which began in 1906, was characterised by the use of the method of 
passive resistance or civil disobedience, which Gandhi named satyagraha. 
Satyagraha against Registration Certificates (1906) 
? A new legislation in South Africa always made it compulsory for Indians there to carry  
certificates of registration with their fingerprints. The Indians under Gandhi’s leadership 
decided not to submit to this discriminatory measure. Gandhi formed the Passive 
Resistance Association to conduct the campaign of defying the law and suffering all 
the penalties resulting from such a defiance. Thus was born satyagraha or devotion to 
truth, the technique of resisting adversaries without violence. 
? The government jailed Gandhi and others who refused to register themselves. 
? Later, the authorities used deceit to make these defiant Indians register themselves. 
The Indians under the leadership of Gandhi retaliated by publicly burning their 
registration certificates. In the end, there was a compromise settlement. 
Gandhi 
Before 
India
Campaign against Restrictions on Indian Migration 
? The earlier campaign was widened to include protest against a new legislation imposing 
restrictions on Indian migration. The Indians defied this law by crossing over from one 
province to another and by refusing to produce licences. Many of these Indians were jailed. 
Campaign against Poll Tax and Invalidation of Indian Marriages 
? A poll tax of three pounds was imposed on all ex-indentured Indians. The demand for the 
abolition of poll tax (which was too much for the poor ex-indentured Indians who earned less 
than ten shillings a month) widened the base of the campaign. 
? Then a Supreme Court order which invalidated all marriages not conducted according to 
Christian rites and registered by the registrar of marriages drew the anger of the Indians and 
others who were not Christians. 
? By implication, Hindu, Muslim and Parsi marriages were illegal and children born out of such 
marriages, illegitimate. The Indians treated this judgement as an insult to the honour of 
women and many women were drawn into the movement because of this indignity.
Protest against Transvaal Immigration Act 
? The Indians protested the Transvaal Immigration Act, by illegally migrating from Natal into 
Transvaal. The government held these Indians in jails. Miners and plantation workers went 
on a lightning strike.
Compromise Solution 
? Eventually, through a series of negotiations involving Gandhi, Lord Hardinge, C.F. Andrews 
and General Smuts, an agreement was reached by which the Government of South Africa 
conceded the major Indian demands relating to the poll tax, the registration certificates 
and marriages solemnised according to Indian rites, and promised to treat the issue of 
Indian immigration in a sympathetic manner
Gandhi returned to India in January 1915. 
Gandhiji 
Arrives in India
G K Gokhale advised Gandhiji to tour the country the next one year and see 
for himself the condition of the masses. Gandhiji also decided not to take any 
position on any political matter for at least one year. 
Gandhiji was convinced about the limitations of moderate politics and was 
also not in favour of Home Rule agitation which was becoming popular at 
that time. He thought that it was not the best time to agitate for Home Rule 
when Britain was in the middle of a war. He was convinced that the only 
technique capable of meeting the nationalist aims was a non-violent 
satyagraha. 
During 1917 and 1918, Gandhi was involved in three struggles—in 
Champaran, Ahmedabad and Kheda—before he launched the Rowlatt
Satyagraha.