Question

Examine the role of Gandhiji in the Civil Disobedience Movement.

Answer 1

The Civil Disobedience Movement, launched in 1930, marked a significant new stage in India’s struggle for freedom.

• Gandhiji played a crucial role in converting the national movement into a mass movement based on the principle of non-violence.

Role of Gandhiji:

1. Symbolic Leadership through the Salt March:
   • Gandhiji initiated the movement with the Dandi (Salt) March on 12 March 1930, covering a distance of 240 miles to openly defy the British monopoly on salt.
   • This act was both symbolic and practical, as it challenged a law that directly affected every Indian household.
2. Global Attention and Media Influence:
   • The Salt March brought Gandhiji worldwide recognition, with extensive coverage in Western media, especially newspapers in America and Europe.
   • He was portrayed as both a “saint” and a “statesman” who used moral strength to oppose colonial rule.
3. Mobilisation of Diverse Groups:
   • Gandhiji encouraged large-scale participation of women, inspired by leaders such as Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay.
   • He also involved peasants, tribal communities, and urban workers, turning the movement into a truly nationwide struggle.
4. Engagement with the British:
   • Through the Gandhi–Irwin Pact (1931), Gandhiji agreed to temporarily suspend the movement in return for certain concessions, such as:
     • Right to make salt for personal use.
     • Release of political prisoners.
   • However, the pact did not secure a promise of political independence, which led to criticism from radical leaders.
5. Participation in the Round Table Conferences:
   • Gandhiji represented the Congress at the Second Round Table Conference in 1931.
   • He faced strong opposition from the Muslim League, the Princes, and B.R. Ambedkar, who questioned Congress’s claim to represent all Indians.
6. Return and Resumption of the Movement:
   • After the failure of the conference, Gandhiji resumed the Civil Disobedience Movement, showing his continued determination.
   • He was arrested once again, and British repression increased, but by then the movement had already awakened mass political awareness.
7. Long-Term Legacy:
   • Although the movement did not result in immediate independence, it:
     • Deepened the roots of nationalism.
     • Demonstrated the power of non-violent resistance.
     • Made British colonial rule appear increasingly unjust and illegitimate.
   • Gandhiji’s leadership transformed a symbolic act of protest into a powerful nationwide movement.
   • It demonstrated to the world that political change could be achieved through non-violence and significantly weakened the foundations of the British Raj.