Non Cooperation Movement | KPSC KAS Preparation: All subjects - KPSC KAS (Karnataka) PDF Download

Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-1922)

• On 1 August 1920, Mahatma Gandhi declared the initiation of Non-Cooperation with the government in response to the Rowlatt Act, Jallianwala Bagh massacre, and the Khilafat Movement.
• During the Nagpur session in December 1920, the Indian National Congress sanctioned this movement.
• The primary objective of this movement was to achieve Swaraj (self-rule) through non-violent and peaceful methods.
• The movement commenced with Mahatma Gandhi relinquishing the titles bestowed upon him by the British.

The Non-Cooperation Movement unfolded in three distinct stages:

• Stage 1: Indians who had received titles and honors from the British renounced them in protest.
• Stage 2: There were widespread demonstrations, including hartals. All government institutions, such as schools, colleges, offices, and legislatures, were boycotted. Around 30,000 patriots, including Motilal Nehru, Jawaharlal Nehru, C.R. Das, Rajaji, and E.V. Ramasami (Thanthai Periyar), were arrested and imprisoned.
• Stage 3: Nonpayment of taxes. The Congress session in Ahmedabad in 1921 urged the people to stop paying taxes to the Government until their demands were met.

The programmes of the Non-Cooperation Movement were:

• Surrender of titles and honorary positions.
• Resignation from membership in local bodies.
• Boycott of elections conducted under the 1919 Act.
• Boycott of government functions.
• Boycott of courts, government schools, and colleges.
• Boycott of foreign goods.
• Establishment of national schools, colleges, and private panchayat courts.
• Promotion of swadeshi goods and khadi.

Significance of the Non-Cooperation Movement

• It was a true mass movement, involving various sections of Indian society, including peasants, workers, students, teachers, and women.
• Nationalism spread to the farthest corners of India during this time.
• The movement reached the peak of Hindu-Muslim unity, partly due to the merger with the Khilafat movement.
• It showed the masses' willingness and capacity to endure hardships and make sacrifices.

Chauri Chaura Incident - 1922

• During the Non-Cooperation Movement in Chauri Chaura, Uttar Pradesh, peasants set fire to a police station in response to police firing.
• Approximately 22 policemen were killed in this incident, which became known as the Chauri Chaura incident.
• Gandhiji was deeply upset by the violence, as it went against his principle of non-violence.
• Gandhi realized that the people were not yet prepared for a non-violent Non-Cooperation Movement.
• As a result, he immediately suspended the Non-Cooperation Movement.
• The British Government then arrested Gandhiji.

Swaraj Party 1923 – 1925

• Following the suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement, a division emerged within the Congress during the Gaya session in December 1922.
• Prominent leaders like Motilal Nehru and Chittranjan Das established a distinct faction within the Congress called the Swaraj Party on January 1, 1923.
• The primary objective of the Swaraj Party was to participate in and triumph in elections. They advocated for engaging with the British Government through council entry and internal opposition.
• Elections for Legislative Councils took place in November 1923, where the Swaraj Party achieved notable victories.
• They pushed for the establishment of a responsible government in India, necessitating amendments to the Government of India Act of 1919.
• Additionally, they called for a Round Table Conference to address their demands and requirements.
• Following the demise of C.R. Das in June 1925, the Swaraj Party began to lose strength.

Gandhi-Nehru-Das Pact, 1924

• To resolve internal conflicts within the Congress, a pact was forged between Mahatma Gandhi, Motilal Nehru, and C.R. Das. The agreement acknowledged that the Swarajists represented the Congress in the Councils.