Question

Examine the role of Gandhiji in the Non-Cooperation Movement.

Answer 1

The Non-Cooperation Movement, launched in 1920 under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, marked an important phase in India’s freedom struggle. It converted the nationalist movement into a mass movement by bringing together people from different regions, religions, and social groups through non-violent resistance and the boycott of British authority and institutions.

Role of Gandhiji in the Non-Cooperation Movement:

1. Initial Mass Appeal:
   • Gandhiji started the Non-Cooperation Movement in the aftermath of the Rowlatt Satyagraha and the Jallianwala Bagh tragedy.
   • It was the first movement launched by him on a national scale and signified his rise as a national leader.
2. Objectives of the Movement:
   • The main objective of the movement was to achieve swaraj through peaceful non-cooperation with the British government.
   • Gandhiji appealed to Indians to withdraw from schools and colleges, boycott law courts, give up British honours, and refuse to pay taxes.
3. Joining Forces with the Khilafat Movement:
   • Gandhiji tactically united the Non-Cooperation Movement with the Khilafat Movement to strengthen Hindu–Muslim unity against British rule.
4. Mass Participation:
   • For the first time, large sections of peasants, artisans, workers, and ordinary citizens actively took part in the freedom struggle.
   • Gandhiji’s simple clothing, lifestyle, and use of common language helped him connect with the masses, who respectfully called him “Mahatma.”
5. Forms of Protest:
   • Students withdrew from educational institutions.
   • Lawyers stopped attending courts.
   • Workers organised strikes; in 1921 alone, 396 strikes took place involving more than 6,00,000 workers.
   • Peasants in Awadh refused to pay taxes, while peasants in Kumaon declined to provide services to colonial officials.
6. Withdrawal After Chauri Chaura:
   • After the violent incident at Chauri Chaura in February 1922, in which policemen were killed, Gandhiji immediately called off the movement.
   • He strongly condemned the use of violence, reflecting his strict commitment to non-violence.
7. Arrest and Trial:
   • Gandhiji was arrested in March 1922 and sentenced to six years of imprisonment on charges of sedition.
   • Even the judge, Justice C.N. Broomfield, acknowledged Gandhiji’s moral authority and patriotism while pronouncing the sentence.
8. Legacy and Transformation:
   • Gandhiji transformed Indian nationalism into a mass-based movement by taking politics away from the elite and placing it in the hands of the common people.
   • His leadership promoted unity, discipline, and moral strength throughout the country.

Gandhiji’s leadership during the Non-Cooperation Movement reshaped Indian politics by emphasising non-violence, mass involvement, and ethical resistance. Although the movement was withdrawn, it awakened strong national consciousness and laid the foundation for future struggles against colonial rule in India.