Question

Mahatma Gandhi suspended the Civil Disobedience Campaign and agreed to attend the Second Round Table Conference in London, from where he returned empty handed to India. In the context describe renewal of civil disobedence movement, 1932.

Answer 1

Gandhiji returned to India and reached Bombay on 28th December, 1931. The first step he took was to renew the Civil Disobedience Movement. This decision was taken in the Congress Working Committee meeting on 1st January, 1932. The British Government came into action immediately and declared the Congress as an illegal organisation. Prominent leaders like Gandhiji, Jawaharlal Nehru and Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan were jailed along with hundred of others.
But no repressive measure on the part of the British Government could create any fear in the hearts of the people. In fact, the more drastic action the Government took against the movement, the stronger it became. People organised salt satyagrahis and violated forest laws. They also refused to pay rents and revenue. The Congress still continued its activities and held meetings even though it had been declared as an illegal organisation. The Government even confiscated properties of many nationalists and used in human methods to suppress the movement. Since most of the nationalists leaders were in jail, the communal forces became active. This was a noteworthy curse that had fallen upon the country during the second phase of the Civil Disobedience Movement. The British Government took advantage of the situation, and to perpetuate the policy of ‘Divide and Rule’ declared the Communal Award early in 1932.
This award was provided for separate Hindu, Muslim and Harijan electorates for the new Federal Legislature. Gandhiji opposed this move and he was sent to yerwada jail near Poona (Pune).