Gandhiyan Era | KPSC KAS Preparation: All subjects - KPSC KAS (Karnataka) PDF Download

End of World War 1 - 1918

• The First World War ended in 1918.
• Indians who fought for the British were eagerly anticipating concessions from the British.

Montague-Chelmsford Reforms Act, 1919

• Montague and Chelmsford collaborated to enact the Montague-Chelmsford Reforms Act, 1919 in the British Parliament.
• This legislation, also known as the Government of India Act 1919, introduced significant changes in the governance structure of India post World War I.
• The Act granted separate electorates to three specific communities: Christians, Anglo-Indians, and Sikhs, allowing them to vote separately in elections.
• It expanded the legislative bodies both at the central and provincial levels, ensuring broader representation from various segments of society.
• A key feature introduced by the Act was Diarchy in the provinces, a system involving dual governance with both British Governor and Indian Ministers sharing power.
• More Indians gained entry into the Legislative bodies, enhancing indigenous participation in governance.
• The Act transformed the central legislature into a bicameral system comprising a Lower House and an Upper House, facilitating better lawmaking and representation.
• It established the Public Service Commission in India for the first time, aiming to ensure fair and merit-based selection of government officials.
• The Viceroy's Executive Council mandated that at least half of its members (3 out of 6) were to be Indian, marking a step towards greater Indian involvement in decision-making.
• Despite these reforms, the Indian National Congress rejected the Act, showcasing the divergence in perspectives regarding the extent of self-governance and representation desired by Indian leaders.

Gandhian Era 1919-1947

• Mahatma Gandhi played a pivotal role in India's freedom struggle from 1919 to 1947, which is commonly known as the Gandhian Era.
• Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, Gujarat, and after studying law in England, he returned to India in 1891.
• He spent twenty years in South Africa starting from April 1893, actively opposing apartheid and racial discrimination against the Black community.
• Gandhi's experimentation with Satyagraha began in 1917 at Champaran in Bihar, where he protested against the exploitation of indigo farmers by European planters.
• In 1918, he undertook a fast unto death in support of the Ahmedabad Mill Workers, leading to the fulfillment of their just demands by the mill owners.
• Another significant Satyagraha led by Gandhi was in Kheda, Gujarat in 1918, supporting peasants unable to pay land taxes due to crop failures.
• During these struggles, Sardar Vallabhai Patel emerged as a trusted follower of Gandhi, solidifying his position as a leader of the masses.
• The local movements in Champaran, Kheda, and Ahmedabad brought Gandhi closer to the grassroots issues of the people, enhancing his connection with the masses.

Key Information

• The Champaran Satyagraha of 1917 marked Gandhi's first significant Satyagraha movement in India and demonstrated his commitment to nonviolent resistance.
• Gandhi's leadership during the Gandhian Era was instrumental in shaping the course of India's independence movement and inspiring a nation.