Indian Nationalism and Freedom Movement

Nationalism in India was closely tied to the anti-colonial movement, with people discovering their unity through the struggle against colonialism.
The Congress, led by Mahatma Gandhi, aimed to unite different groups within the movement.

The movements began in the 1920s, with the aim of developing the national movement and incorporating new social groups.
The First World War led to a new economic and political situation, with increased defence expenditure, taxes, and prices, causing hardship for the common people.

Mahatma Gandhi introduced the concept of satyagraha, which emphasized the power of truth and non-violence.
Satyagraha involved appealing to the conscience of the oppressor, rather than using physical force.

The Rowlatt Act (1919) gave the government enormous powers to repress political activities, allowing detention of political prisoners without trial for two years.
Mahatma Gandhi launched a nationwide satyagraha against the Act, which led to widespread protests and government repression.

The Jallianwalla Bagh incident occurred on April 13, 1919, when General Dyer opened fire on a peaceful procession, killing hundreds.
The incident sparked widespread protests and government repression.

The Khilafat Movement was formed in 1919 to defend the Khalifa's temporal powers, following the defeat of Ottoman Turkey in the First World War.
Mahatma Gandhi saw the movement as an opportunity to unite Hindus and Muslims under the umbrella of a unified national movement.

Mahatma Gandhi proposed non-cooperation as a means of achieving swaraj, arguing that British rule in India would collapse if Indians refused to cooperate.
The non-cooperation movement unfolded in stages, beginning with the surrender of titles and a boycott of civil services, army, police, courts, and legislative councils.

The movement began in January 1921, with various social groups participating, each with their own specific aspirations.
Middle-class participation in the cities led to widespread protests, boycotts, and the burning of foreign cloth.

Different social groups participated in the movement, each with their own understanding of swaraj.
The movement in the towns was marked by middle-class participation, boycotts, and the burning of foreign cloth.
The movement faced challenges, including the high cost of khadi cloth and the difficulty of boycotting British institutions.### The Non-Cooperation Movement
Gandhiji called for students and teachers to boycott British educational institutions and lawyers to give up their practices in British courts
The movement spread from cities to the countryside, drawing in peasants and tribals who were fighting against talukdars and landlords
Peasants demanded reduction of revenue, abolition of begar, and social boycott of oppressive landlords
In Awadh, peasants were led by Baba Ramchandra, a sanyasi who had earlier been an indentured labourer in Fiji
Jawaharlal Nehru set up the Oudh Kisan Sabha, which had over 300 branches in villages around the region within a month

The movement in the countryside was not fully supported by the Congress leadership
Houses of talukdars and merchants were attacked, bazaars were looted, and grain hoards were taken over
Local leaders told peasants that Gandhiji had declared that no taxes were to be paid and land was to be redistributed among the poor

Tribal peasants interpreted the message of Mahatma Gandhi and the idea of swaraj in their own way
In the Gudem Hills of Andhra Pradesh, a militant guerrilla movement spread in the early 1920s
The movement was led by Alluri Sitaram Raju, who claimed to have special powers and was inspired by the Non-Cooperation Movement
Raju talked of the greatness of Mahatma Gandhi, but also asserted that India could be liberated only by the use of force, not non-violence

Plantation workers in Assam had their own understanding of Mahatma Gandhi and the notion of swaraj
For them, freedom meant the right to move freely in and out of the confined space of the plantations and to retain a link with their villages
Thousands of workers defied the authorities, left the plantations, and headed home, but were caught by the police and brutally beaten up

Mahatma Gandhi decided to withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement in February 1922 due to its turn towards violence
The movement was replaced by a focus on council politics, with some leaders like C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru arguing for participation in elections to provincial councils
Younger leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose pressed for more radical mass agitation and full independence

Mahatma Gandhi found in salt a powerful symbol that could unite the nation
He sent a letter to Viceroy Irwin stating eleven demands, including the abolition of the salt tax
When the demands were not fulfilled, Gandhi started his famous salt march, accompanied by 78 volunteers
The march was over 240 miles, from Gandhiji's ashram in Sabarmati to the Gujarati coastal town of Dandi
The movement spread, with thousands breaking the salt law, manufacturing salt, and demonstrating in front of government salt factories### The Civil Disobedience Movement
The movement started in 1930 when Mahatma Gandhi was arrested, leading to protests and demonstrations across the country.
The Gandhi-Irwin Pact was signed on March 5, 1931, which led to the release of political prisoners and Gandhi's participation in the Round Table Conference in London.
The negotiations broke down, and Gandhi returned to India disappointed, leading to a new cycle of repression by the government.

Rich peasants, such as the Patidars of Gujarat and the Jats of Uttar Pradesh, participated in the movement due to their economic interests.
They were impacted by the trade depression and falling prices, leading to resentment against the government's revenue policies.
Poorer peasants, including small tenants, were also interested in the movement, but their demands were different from those of the rich peasants.
They wanted the unpaid rent to landlords to be remitted and were influenced by socialist and communist ideologies.
Business classes, including industrialists and merchants, supported the movement, seeking protection against foreign imports and a favorable foreign exchange ratio.
Workers, including railway and dockworkers, participated in the movement, but their demands were not included in the Congress's programme.
Women, including those from high-caste families and rich peasant households, participated in the movement, but their roles were largely symbolic.

The 'untouchables' (dalits) were not enthusiastic about the movement, as they felt that the Congress had ignored their interests.
Dalit leaders, including Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, demanded reserved seats and a separate electorate, leading to a clash with Gandhi.
The Poona Pact of 1932 was signed, giving the Depressed Classes (later known as the Scheduled Castes) reserved seats, but they were to be voted in by the general electorate.
Muslims were also lukewarm in their response to the movement, as they felt alienated from the Congress due to the decline of the Non-Cooperation-Khilafat Movement.
Muslim leaders, including Muhammad Ali Jinnah, demanded separate electorates and representation in proportion to population in Muslim-dominated provinces.
The negotiations failed, leading to a lack of unity between Hindus and Muslims.