SWAMI VIVEKANAND SUBHARTI UNIVERSITY

U.P ,MEERUT

SUBJECT: INDIAN HISTORY II

TOPIC -NON-COOPERATION MOVEMENT

Submitted To:- Submitted By-

Dr.VIKAS TYAGI NADEEM KHAN

(Assistant Professor) B.A.LLB

4thSEMESTER

SARDAR PATEL SUBHARTI INSTITUTE OF LAW, SUBHARTI

UNIVERSITY

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 ACKNOWLEDGMENT

At the very outset, I would like to pay thanks to the almighty God. It gives me
immense pleasure to acknowledge and pay thanks, who helped me throughout the course of
my work. I am really thankful to our respected subject teacher, Dr.VIKAS TYAGI , Asst.
Professor, Sardar Patel Subharti Institute of Law, Swami Vivekananda Subharti University.
Under whose learned and scholarly guidance the present work has been completed. He helped
us in a passive way. He gave me moral support and guided me in different matters regarding
the topic. He has been very kind and patient while suggesting me the outlines of this project
and correcting my doubts.
I thank him for overall support. Constructive suggestions have always been soothing
and desired effect, hence it is my duty to express my gratitude for his constant support and
encouragement.
I want to pay my sincere thanks to Dean, Faculty of Law, all the teachers of Sardar
Patel Subharti Institute of Law, Swami Vivekananda Subharti University. Last but not the
least, my thanks to all who have helped directly or indirectly in the completion of my work.

NADEEM KHAN
B.A.LLB ( 4th SEMESTER)

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 TABLE OF CONTENT

 INTRODUCTION
 BACKGROUND OF THE MOVEMENT
 PROGRAMME AND COURSE OF THE NON-COOPERATION
MOVEMENT
 ESTIMATE

 FEATURES OF THE NON-COOPERATION MOVEMENT

 CAUSES OF NON-COOPERATION MOVEMENT

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 INTRODUCTION

In the history of the Freedom Struggle movement in British India

Mahatma Gandhi played a vital role with the support of mass that made Him

an undisputed leader of the National movement. Before the second decade of

the 20th century struggle for independence was carried by several leaders by

their different ideologies and methods of Programme. In the Gandhian Era

which was estimated after the First World War had seen the uniformity of the

all section of the society, communities and profession. The philosophy of

Mahatma Gandhi that was vested in the ideas of Non-violence and Satyagraha

was introduced before the Non-Cooperation movement in the Champaran,

Kheda and Ahmedabad. He also successfully used his ideologies and methods

in South Africa against the racial discrimination towards the Indians by the

British authorities. Before discussing the programme and course of the

movement it is right to see the circumstance and the background of the Indian

Politics which were prevailed in the British India.

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 BACKGROUND OF THE MOVEMENT

Second decade of the 20th century, Indian politics showed a great aggression
against the British colonial power especially after the First World War for
several reasons.

At the time of war the heavy burden was imposed on the Indian industries, the
rise of the price which was unbearable and the reduction of the wages of the
workers.

The most important reason was the assurance which was kept in war time for

development of the democracy and nationalist mode of government now was

not fulfilled. The MontaguChelmsford Reforms of 1919 had failed to satisfy the

Indian National congress and the discontented mood of the common people,

peasants and workers because of the War time sufferings (rise of the price of

the commodities even did not change the policy of wages rise). Both the

groups of the INC (Extremists and Moderate) had lost creditability as they

failed to achieve their stated goals. The Question of the Turkey before the

Indian Muslims as a Khilafat against the British Dominance was also a created

atmosphere for the National agitation among the Muslim community. The

Muslims started the Khilafat movement against the British Government for

preservation of the integrity of the Turkish Empire and better treatment of the

sultan of the Turkey. Muslim leaders Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Ali brothers

(Muhammad and Shaukat), Hasrat Mohani and Hakim Ajmal khan formed the

Khilafat committee to carry on a movement in the favour of Tukey at March

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1919. The overthrow of the Czarist power in the Russia and the success of the

Bolshevik Revolution were responsible for the mind change of people and

nationalist leaders in British India. The rowlatt Act of 1919 and the massacre at

the Jallianwalla Bagh on 13 April 1919 also created a lot tension among the

Indian people and Nationalist. According to the Official estimate 379 persons

were killed and more than 1,000 wounded as a result of firing by the General

Dyers orders. M.K.Gandhi in Political scene before 1920-21-: National

movement in the Indian land before the coming of the Mahatma Gandhi (was

born 2ndOctober 1869 at Porbandar in Gujarat) from the South Africa was

describe by Judith Brown as “Politics of the studied limitations.” The situation

which was generated in the contemporary time (mention above) was wholly

fruitful for the Gandhi who later gained popularity in the masses. There was

seen crop failure in the provinces of United-Province, Bihar, Punjab, Bombay,

Central-Province and Orissa during 1920-21. Shekar Bandyopadhyay (From

Plassey to Partition) argued with the issue of mass mobilization which was

concerned, the Home Rule leagues of Tilak and Annie Besant prepared the

ground for the success of the Mahatma Gandhi’s initial Satyagraha

Movements, it was estimated that sixty thousands souls all over India

participated with the Leagues during the movement. The experiments of his

philosophy as non-violence and Satyagraha in India were seen in the early

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Satyagraha Movements in Champaran, Kheda and Ahmedabad. In the

Champaran district of Bihar, the peasantry was forced to cultivate indigo in the

15% of their lands and supply them to the British officials at fixed rates.

Mahatma Gandhi led the movement and the result came with the Champaran

Agriculture Act 1919 which gave the relief to the peasantry of the Champaran

by abolishing the practice of forced indigo cultivation in their lands. In 1918,

Mahatma Gandhi organized a non-violent strike for the textile mill workers at

Ahmedabad for the retention of plague bonus which had been introduced

since August 1917. He worked as an Arbitrator between two groups Employers

and workers which lasted with the workers’ demand. In the Kheda district of

Bombay, Mahatma Gandhi led the movement for the peasants, demanding

remission of land revenue on the ground of failure of crops. As the 3 results of

these Satyagraha, Mahatma Gandhi emerged as a leader of the masses on the

Indian Political scene in 1919.

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 PROGRAMME AND COURSE OF THE NON-COOPERATION
MOVEMENT-:

The Allahabad conference of the central Khilafat Committee which was

conducted on June 1920 decided to launch the movement in four stages:
Boycott of titles, civil services, police and army and finally non-payment of
taxes. On 1st August,

1920, the day on which the dead body of Bal Gangadhar Tilak was carried for

his funeral, Mahatma Gandhi began his Non-Cooperation campaign. He

surrendered the Kaiser-i-Hind medal, which had been awarded to him by the

British for his services during the war. In an article in Young India he

announced that through this movement he would bring Swaraj within one

year. A special session of the Congress was held at Calcutta on 4-9 September,

1920. In that Mahatma Gandhi’s resolution on Non-Cooperation was approved

by which the programs were decided, surrender of Govt. titles, boycott of

schools, court and councils and foreign goods, encouragement of National

schools, arbitration courts and khadi. In December 1920, the annual session of

the Indian National Congress, held at Nagpur, confirmed the Non-Cooperation

Resolution already passed at Calcutta. But Bipin Chandra Pal, Annie Besant,

M.A.Jinnah and G.S.Khaparde didn’t approve the Non-Cooperation and left

Congress. This was also the period of labor unrest and trade unionism, marked

by a major strike in the Bombay textile industry in January 1919, appearance of

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the Madras labor union in 1918, some 125 new trade unions and finally the

formation of the All India Trade Union Congress in Bombay in November

1920.

About 14,582 delegates attended the Nagpur session and they supported

Mahatma Gandhi for the national movement. All section of the Indian society,

communities and professions joined the Non-Cooperation movement. A large

numbers of Indian youth lefts the schools and colleges and cooperated with

the movement. Many lawyers from the different part of the India such C.R.Das,

Motilal Nehru, Rajendra Prasad, Vallabhbhai Patel, Rajgopalchari and S.S.

Iyenger gave up their profession and joined the Movement. Many educated

youths resigned from services viz. Subhas Chandra Bose resigned from his

Indian Civil Service post. Nation schools and colleges sprang up throughout the

country. National Universities like Jamia Islamia of Aligarh, Gujarat Vidyapith,

Kashi Vidyapith and Bihar Vidyapith. Boycott of the courts replaced by the

introduction of the Panchayats for amicable settlement of disputes. Boycott of

the foreign goods showed a remarkable fall in the import of the foreign cloths.

Economic boycott was more intense and successful as the value of imports of

foreign cloths dropped from 10 billion rupees in 1920-21 to 570 million in

1921-22, about of half of fall down import of foreign goods. Foreign cloths

were burnt in a large number throughout the India. More than 10 million

rupees (Tilak Swaraj Fund) was raised and 5 million were enrolled the Congress

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during the period which was earlier decided in the meeting of the All India

Congress Committee in March 1921 at Bezwada. The 17th November 1921, the

Prince of Wales landed at Bombay for undertaking a countrywide tour but it

was boycotted by the Natives of the Bombay. On the day of his Arrival at

Bombay, Mahatma Gandhi addressed a large gathering and a big heap of

foreign cloth was burnt out as an aggression towards the British supremacy by

indigenous or natives of the “Land”. The industrial workers were not far behind

this boycott as it was recorded that in the cities of Bombay, Calcutta and

Madras organizes strikes were held which showed their solidarity with the

non-cooperator. The peasantry whom were leaded by Baba Ramchnadran in

Oudh extended their support to the movement. The Moplahs revolted against

their landlords, being guided and influenced by Khilafat activists. Mahatma

Gandhi also appealed to the millennial dreams of the Indian tribal population

who got involved increasingly in the wider politics of the nation. In the Gudem

Hills of Andhra, local leader Alluri Sita Ram Raju impressed by Gandhi and

preached among the hill men his message of temperance and Khadi. In

December 1921, Indian National Congress at Ahmedabad session Authorized

Gandhi to launch a mass civil disobedience movement which had motive

behind that “non-violent violation of unjust laws in obedience to the higher

laws of morality.” Mahatma Gandhi had been planning to start the Civil

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Disobedience Movement in Bardoli of Gujarat. But in the meantime the

incident of the chauri-chaura was happened. On the February 5th 1922, in the

village of chauri-chaura in Gorakhpur district of the United Provinces a violent

mob showed their reaction against Police firing and revolutionary killed 22 5

policemen. On this violent activity Mahatma Gandhi suspended his idea of

starting of the civil disobedience in 11th February 1922. It was estimated a big

mistake which was generated by the Gandhi and he lost his popularity as a

result of the suspension of the movement. It was a good opportunity before

British Government and they proved it by arresting Mahatma Gandhi on 10th

March 1923 and sentenced to six years’ imprisonment with the suspension of

the proposed Civil Disobedience Movement, the Non-cooperation movement

came to an end.

ESTIMATE

The objectives which were defined by Mahatma Gandhi as Swaraj

and preservation of Khilafat came to an end and Mahatma Gandhi who was

already arrested. In the year of 1922 a secular government was formed in

Turkey under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Pasha and the issue of Khilafat

was abolished in 1924. The Non-Cooperation movement strengthened the

cause of nationalism by making the Congress party a mass organization and

rousing an unprecedented awakening among the masses.

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 FEATURES OF THE NON-COOPERATION MOVEMENT

 The movement was essentially a peaceful and non-violent protest against

the British government in India.
 Indians were asked to relinquish their titles and resign from nominated
seats in the local bodies as a mark of protest.
 People were asked to resign from their government jobs.
 People were asked to withdraw their children from government-
controlled or aided schools and colleges.
 People were asked to boycott foreign goods and use only Indian-made
goods.
 People were asked to boycott the elections to the legislative councils.
 People were asked not to serve in the British army.
 It was also planned that if the above steps did not bring results, people
would refuse to pay their taxes.
 The INC also demanded Swarajya or self-government.
 Only completely non-violent means would be employed to get the
demands fulfilled.
 The non-cooperation movement was a decisive step in the independence
movement because, for the first time, the INC was ready to forego
constitutional means to achieve self-rule.
 Gandhiji had assured that Swaraj would be achieved in a year if this
movement was continued to completion.
Also, read, Non-Cooperation Movement was Launched – [1st August, 1920]

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 CAUSES OF NON-COOPERATION MOVEMENT

 Resentment at the British after the war: Indians thought that in return
for the extensive support of manpower and resources they had provided
to Britain during the First World War, they would be rewarded by
autonomy at the end of the war. But the Government of India Act
1919 was dissatisfactory. In addition, the British also passed repressive
acts like the Rowlatt Act which further angered many Indians who felt
betrayed by the rulers despite their wartime support.
 Home Rule Movement: The Home Rule Movement started by Annie
Besant and Bal Gangadhar Tilak set the stage for the non-cooperation
movement. The extremists and the moderates of the INC were united and
the Lucknow Pact also saw solidarity between the Muslim League and
the Congress Party. The return of the extremists gave the INC a militant
character.
 Economic hardships due to World War I: India’s participation in the
war caused a lot of economic hardships to the people. Prices of goods
began to soar which affected the common man. Peasants also suffered
because the prices of agricultural products did not increase. All this led to
resentment against the government.
 The Rowlatt Act and the Jallianwala Bagh massacre: The repressive
Rowlatt Act and the brutal massacre at Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar had a
profound effect on the Indian leaders and the people. Their faith in the
British system of justice was broken and the whole country rallied behind
its leaders who were pitching for a more aggressive and firm stance
against the government.
 The Khilafat Movement: During the First World War, Turkey, which
was one of the Central Powers, had fought against the British. After
Turkey’s defeat, the Ottoman caliphate was proposed to be dissolved.
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Muslims regarded Sultan of Turkey as their Caliph (religious head of the
Muslims). The Khilafat movement was launched under the leadership of
Ali Brothers (Maulana Mohammed Ali and Maulana Shaukat Ali),
Maulana Azad, Hakim Ajmal Khan, and Hasrat Mohani. It got the
support from Mahatma Gandhi to persuade the British government not to
abolish the caliphate. The leaders of this movement accepted the non-
cooperation movement of Gandhiji and led a joint protest against the
British.

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