Question

The Civil Disobedience Movement was significant in the history of the National Movement. With-reference to this movement, write short notes on the circumstances leading to Civil Disobedience Movement.

Answer 1

The following circumstances lead to Civil Disobedience Movement.

1. The Simon Commission appointed on 8 November, 1927 landed at Mumbai on 3rd February, 1928 and then it came again on October 11, 1928. On both occasions cries of ‘Simon Go Back’ rented the air because there was no Indian among the seven members of the Commission.
2. Nehru Report or the Constitution drawn by the Motilal Nehru Committee accepted the Dominion Status as the goal. The All Party Conference held at Calcutta failed to accept the suggestions. The report only fanned communal passions because it had not accepted the demand for communal electorate.
3. Lahore Session of the Congress in December 1929 gave the call for ‘Purna Swaraj’ and declared 26th January as the Independence Day. At the mid-night of December 31 the newly adopted Indian Tricolour was unfurled amidst jubilant scenes.
4. Earlier on May 29, 1928 the Labour Prime Minister M. Ramsay MacDonald had given an indication that Dominion Status for India would be considered but on 23 December, 1929 Lord Irwin the Viceroy was totally silent on the issue when the Indian leaders met him.
   These and other factors compelled Gandhiji to launch the Civil Disobedience Movement on March 12, 1930.