Mahatma Gandhi :-
We know that Gandhi was born on 2 October 1869 in Porbandar, Gujarat .
His father's name was Karamchandra Gandhi and mother's name was Putli Bai.
He was shy in his childhood. His childhood name was Manu. He is married to Kasturba at a young age (13 years).
Gandhiji and South Africa (1893-1914) :-
Mahatma Gandhi went to South Africa in 1893 at the invitation of Seth Abdullah. Abdullah had called Gandhiji to fight a case. Gandhiji's journey to Africa started from here. But seeing the discrimination against Indians here, Gandhiji got distracted from inside. This is the reason why he resolved to end this discrimination.
Gandhiji faced apartheid in South Africa Gandhiji spent almost 20 years in South Africa and openly opposed apartheid and liberated the black people living in South Africa from this discrimination.
It was in South Africa that Mahatma Gandhi first used the specific technique of non-violent protest "Satyagraha". In which he tried to increase harmony between different religions and warned the upper caste Indians for discriminatory treatment towards lower castes and women.
Note: - That's why Chandran Devnessan has said, South Africa made Gandhiji a Mahatma.
Indigenous Movement (1905-07): -
The Swadeshi Movement in India lasted from 1905 to 1907.
Major leaders of this movement:
- Bal Gangadhar Tilak (Maharashtra).
- Bipin Chandra Pal (Bengal).
- Lala Lajpat Rai (Punjab).
They are also known as Lal, Bal, Pal.
These people recommended to adopt the path of violence towards the British rule.
Gandhi's arrival in India :-
On 9 January 1915, Mahatma Gandhi returned to India after successfully experimenting with Satyagraha in South Africa.
Note: - In this honor, January 9 is considered as the Aapravasi Day.
After returning to India, Gandhi met the leader of the National Congress and discussed with him.
He made Gopal Krishna Gokhale his political guru and traveled all over the country to study Indian politics.
Note :- Gopal Krishna Gokhale's spiritual and political guru was Mahadev Govind Ranade.
Gopal Krishna Gokhale advised Gandhi to travel to British India for a year. So that they can know this land and its people. (During 1915 to 1916) Mahatma Gandhi traveled in the third class and tried to know the sufferings of the society.
He was pained by the ignorance, illiteracy, poverty, unemployment, communalism and untouchability spread in the country. So he dedicated himself to the Father of the Nation.
Banaras Hindu University BHU :-
Gandhi's first important public appearance was in February 1916 at the opening ceremony of the Banaras Hindu University. Among those invited to this ceremony were the kings and human lovers whose donations contributed to the establishment of the Banaras Hindu University.
Important leaders like Annie Bisset were also present in the invitees for the ceremony. There when Gandhiji's turn came to speak, he took a stand against the Indian elite for not paying attention to the workers and the poor.
He said that self-government has no meaning for us as long as we continue to allow farmers to take almost the entire benefit of their labor to ourselves or to other people. Our emancipation can be done only through farmers, neither lawyers, nor doctors, nor landlords can keep it safe.
In December 1916, at the annual convention held in Lucknow, the farmers from Champaran in Bihar told them about the harsh treatment meted out to the farmers by the British indigo growers there.
Gandhi's early movement: Champaran, Ahmedabad, Kheda
Champaran Peasant Movement 1917 :-
Gandhiji, a successful Satyagrahi in South Africa, established the Satyagrahi Ashram on the banks of the Sabarmati Ashram in Kochrav (Ahmedabad) on 25 May 1915. That's why he is called the saint of Sabarmati.
In the meantime, on the request of Babu Rajendra Prasad, Ram Kumar Shukla / Prince Fee, Gandhi traveled towards Champaran (Bihar).
Mahatma Gandhi did the first major experiment of Satyagraha in 1917 in 9 Champaran district (Bihar).
In Champaran, farmers were forced to work for indigo fields. The farmers had to cultivate indigo on at least 3/20 of their land and sell them at the prices fixed by those owners.
Note:- This was called Teenkathia method.
In 1917 Mahatma Gandhi, Babu Rajendra Prasad, Mazharul-Haq, J. B. Kripalani and Mahadev Desai reached there and began to investigate the condition of the farmers in detail.
Mahatma Gandhi won the first battle of the Civil Disobedience Movement due to playing a leading role in the Champaran movement. Under the agreement with the farm owners, it was decided to return 25 percent of the money taken from the farmers through illegal means. Most of the time of Mahatma Gandhi in 1917 was spent for the farmers.
Note: - The titles given to Gandhiji due to his leading role in the Champaran movement.
(i) Mahatma = Rabindranath Tagore
(ii) Malang Baba = Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan gave Gandhi the title of Malang Baba which means naked fakir.
Kheda Satyagraha Movement 1918 :-
In 1918, Mahatma Gandhi supported the farmers of Kheda district of Gujarat against the government for not giving exemption in rent due to crop failure of the farmers of Kheda district of Gujarat.
On 22 March 1918, Gandhiji, taking part in this movement, forced the British government to waive the rent. (Due to crop failure and plague epidemic, the farmers of Kheda district were not in a position to pay the rent.)
Note: - Hardyman has called this movement the first successful Satyagrahi movement of Gandhiji.
Ahmedabad Mill Mazdoor Movement 1918 :-
In March 1918, a dispute arose between the mill workers and owners of Ahmedabad regarding plague bonus.
Intervented in a labor dispute in Ahmedabad and demanded better working conditions for the workers in the clothes mills.
The workers were demanding 50% bonus but the owners were ready to pay 20% .
Gandhiji led this movement and resorted to hunger strike and the result of this fast unto death was 35% bonus to the workers.
Note: - (i) The Ahmedabad Mill Movement is considered to be the symbol of Gandhi's first fast unto death.
(ii) It is worth mentioning that in this movement, the mill owner Ambalal Sarabhai and his sister Anusuiya supported Gandhiji.
Rowlatt Act (1919) :-
Due to poverty, disease, bureaucratic repression cycle, and the rigidity used by the government in collecting money and recruiting soldiers during the war, the growing discontent among the Indian people against the British rule intensified the militant revolutionary activities.
In order to quell the growing revolutionary activities, the government appointed a committee in 1917 under the chairmanship of Judge Cijni Rowlett, which was to formulate an effective plan to quell terrorism.
On the basis of the recommendations of the Rowlatt Committee, two bills were introduced in the Central Legislative Council on February 1919, in which one bill was passed even after the opposition of the Indian members of the Council.
The Bill passed by the Central Legislative Council on March 17, 1919 came to be known as Rowlatt Act or Rowlatt Act.
Through the Rowlatt Act, the British government could keep whomever it wanted in jail without trial, so this law was called the law without lawyer, without appeal, without argument.
Note: - In the words of Motilal Nehru, neither appeal, nor lawyer, nor plea, only arrest was the Rowlatt Act.
The Rowlatt Act was a direct assault on the ordinary liberty of the people and was a clear proof of the barbaric and autocratic policy of the British Government.
Satyagraha against Rowlatt Act (1919) :-
The Rowlatt Act was criticized by the Indian public as a black law. Criticizing the Rowlatt Act, Gandhi founded the Satyagraha Sabha to conduct satyagraha against it.
In the first phase of the anti-Rowlett Act Satyagraha, volunteers formally challenged the law and made arrests.
On April 6, 1919, strikes were organized across the country at Gandhi's request, Gandhi's entry into Punjab and Delhi was banned due to minor incidents of violence.
Gandhiji was arrested on 9 April in an attempt to enter Delhi, his arrest increased the outrage in the country, Gandhi was taken to Bombay and released.
Jamna Lal Das, Dwarkadas, Shankar Lal Banker, Umar Somani, B.G. Harniman etc.
Jallianwala Bagh Massacre 13 April 1919 :-
On 13 April 1919, many people gathered in Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar to protest against this Rowlatt Act.
This ground was closed from all sides. Being out of the city, the people gathered there did not know that martial law had been implemented in the area.
General Dyer reached there with armed soldiers and as soon as he left, he closed all the exits to the field. After this the soldiers fired indiscriminately at the crowd. As a result of which more than 1000 people died and in the official figures 379 were told.
Non-Cooperation Movement, 1920-22
This movement was the first mass movement of Gandhiji. At that time Gandhiji had become the leader of the people. And this movement had brought a new enthusiasm among the people.
The programs of this movement were as follows:
- The honorary or non-paid positions received from the government were discarded.
- Government schools and cooperative aided schools were boycotted.
- The elections to be held under the 1919 Reform Act were also canceled.
- All courts of the government were also boycotted.
- Foreign goods were also boycotted.
- All official and semi-official functions were also boycotted.
- Clearly refused to work in Sainik College, Mazdoor, etc.
- Honey betel was also prohibited.
- Also stopped paying taxes to the government.
- Military employees refused to take up jobs abroad.
The movement also noticed some constructive side such as:
- Establishment of colleges and schools.
- Establishment of Panchayats.
- Accepting and promoting Swadeshi.
- To encourage handloom and weaving industry.
- Abolition of untouchability.
- To establish Hindu Muslim unity.
- etc. is included
Awareness and enthusiasm among the people was aroused by Gandhiji to take the program forward. He was always asked to stick to the path of non-violence. His advice was that the movement should not turn violent at any cost. The movement was going on very fast. Thousands of students boycotted the school and college. Lawyers boycotted the courts on a large scale. Famous lawyers of the country like CR Das, Motilal Nehru etc. stopped practicing. Holi of foreign clothes was burnt. Charkha and Khadi were widely promoted. Khadi became a national symbol. Picketing was held at liquor shops. The election was also boycotted. No Congressman stood in the election. The non-cooperation movement was the first major mass movement of the country in which people of all provinces, classes and castes participated.
Chora Chora and non-cooperation movement postponed :-
On 5 February 1922, a Congress procession was taken out in Chori-Chora village of Gorakhpur district of eastern Uttar Pradesh. The police stopped the procession. But the agitated mob pushed him inside the police station. In this there were 1 SHO, 21 policemen.
The procession set the police station on fire. Due to which all the people died by burning. Some such incidents happened in Mumbai and Madras. In which Gandhiji was deeply hurt. And he was convinced that the people were not yet ready for the non-violent movement. Therefore, Gandhiji wanted to suspend the movement. Finally, on 12 February 1922, the Congress Working Committee suspended the movement.
Salt Satyagraha:
In the year 1928, Anti-Simon Commission Movement took place in which Lala Lajpat Rai was brutally lathi-charged and later died due to this.
In the year 1928, another famous Bordoloi Satyagraha took place. Therefore, by the year 1928, again political activism started increasing in India.
In 1929, the Congress session was held in Lahore and Nehru was elected as its President. In this session "Purna Swaraj" was declared as the motto, and Republic Day was celebrated on 26 January 1930.
Salt Satyagraha (Dandi) :-
After the observance of Republic Day, Gandhiji announced his plan of march to break the salt law. This law was widely disliked by Indians, as it gave the state a monopoly in the manufacture and sale of salt.
On 12 March 1930, Gandhiji started the march from the ashram to Sagar. He reached the shore and made salt and thus made himself a criminal in the eyes of the law. Several parallel salt marches were conducted during this period in other parts of the country.
The movement was supported by farmers, working class, factory workers, lawyers and even Indian officials in the British government and quit their jobs.
Lawyers boycotted the courts, farmers stopped paying taxes and tribals broke forest laws. There were attacks in factories or mills.
The government responded by shutting down the dissidents or sattvgrahis. 60000 Indians were arrested and various high leaders of Congress including Gandhiji were arrested.
An American magazine, Time, was initially suspicious of Gandhi's strength and wrote that the Salt March would not be successful. But it was later written that this march made the British rulers 'desperately worried'.
Lahore session of Congress and proposal for complete independence :-
When the Nehru Report was rejected, its very purpose was lost. Therefore, in the Calcutta session, the Congress made Purna Swaraj its goal in place of colonial Swaraj.
On December 31, 1929, a resolution of 'Purna Swaraj' was passed on the banks of the Ravi river in Lahore and Pt. According to Jawaharlal Nehru, “We want complete independence for India. The Congress has never accepted, nor will ever accept that the British Parliament orders us in any way. We will not appeal to him. But we appeal to the soul of Parliament and the world and declare to them that India does not accept any foreign control. Thousands of people participated in this unforgettable conference and took the pledge of complete independence. 26 January 1930 AD. It should be celebrated as a symbol of Independence Day all over India. There was also talk of starting a non-violent movement.
Round Table Conference :-
Seeing the intensity of the Civil Disobedience Movement, the British Government announced that a round table conference of representatives of various political parties of India and British politicians would be convened. In this, the political problem of India will be discussed on the basis of the Simon Commission report.
First Round Table Conference (12 November 1930-19 January 1931): -
The First Round Table Conference was held in London from 12 November 1930 to 19 January 1931 under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Ramsay Macdonald. A total of 89 delegates participated in it. The purpose of this round table conference was to solve the Indian constitutional problem. Since the Congress did not participate in this conference, no decision could be taken in this conference. The conference was postponed indefinitely. Dr. Ambedkar and Jinnah participated in this conference.
Gandhi Irwin Pact :-
The British Government understood from the First Round Table Conference that no decision is possible without the cooperation of the Congress. The Gandhi-Irwin Pact was concluded between the Viceroy Lord Irwin and Mahatma Gandhi on March 5, 1931. In this agreement, Lord Irwin accepted that :-
- All political prisoners except those accused of violence will be released.
- Indians were given the right to make salt on the sea shore.
- Indians can picket in front of liquor and foreign clothes shops.
- Those who resigned during the movement would be reinstated in their posts. The property seized during the agitation will be returned.
Gandhiji accepted the following conditions on behalf of the Congress :-
- The civil disobedience movement will be suspended.
- Congress will participate in the Second Round Table Conference.
- Congress will not boycott British goods.
- Gandhiji would drop the demand for an inquiry into police excesses.
- This agreement was important because for the first time the British government had made an agreement with Indians on the level of equality.
Second Round Table Conference (7 September 1931 to 1 December 1931) :-
The Second Round Table Conference began in London on 7 September 1931. In this, Gandhiji, Ambedkar, Sarojini Naidu and Madan Mohan Malviya etc. reached. On November 30, Gandhiji said that Congress is the only party which is not communal and represents all Indian castes. Gandhiji also demanded complete independence. The British government did not accept this demand of Gandhiji. Other communal parties of India demanded separate representation for their respective castes. On one hand Gandhiji wanted communalism to end from India, while other parties were trying to increase communalism. Thus Gandhiji returned disappointed. Gandhiji returned to India and started the Civil Disobedience Movement again on 3 January 1932, which lasted till 1 May 1933. Gandhiji and Sardar Patel were arrested. Congress was declared an illegal institution.
Poona Pact (Agreement) or Communal Award :-
When the Second Round Table Conference on 7 sep 1931, the British government announced that Indians had failed to solve the communal problem, so the government would solve this problem. In this declaration, separate representation was given to Muslims, Sikhs, Indian Christians etc.
Since it was announced by Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald on 16 August 1932, therefore it is called Communal Award or Communal Award. Harijans were separated from Hindu society. Basically, this announcement was supposed to work on divide and rule policy.
Gandhiji said that if the government announces this communal decision, he will go on a fast unto death. The government did not pay any attention to it. Eventually Gandhiji warned him to start a fast unto death.
In the end, the government had to bow down and with the help of Gandhiji, Madan Mohan Malaviya, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Rajagopal Chari, M. C. Razza, an agreement was reached. The agreement was signed on 26 sep 1932. Since this agreement was concluded in Pune, India, it was named as Poona Pact.
Quit India Movement :-
After the failure of the Cripps Mission, Gandhi started the Quit India Movement in August 1948 from Bombay. Immediately, Gandhiji and other senior leaders were arrested, but youth activists all over the country attacked and ransacked.
Quit India movement is being brought as a mass movement, in which hundreds of thousands of common citizens and youths left their colleges and went to jail. During this time while Congress leaders were in jail, Jinnah and other Muslim League leaders worked patiently to expand their influence in Punjab and Sindh, where they had little presence.
Gandhi was released from prison in June 1944, later he held a meeting with Jinnah to resolve differences.
In 1945, the Labor government in England came to power and committed itself to giving independence to India. In India Lord Wavell held meetings with the Congress and the League. In the 1946 elections, polarization was seen in full swing when the Congress was swept away in the general category but seats were reserved for Muslims. These seats were won by the Muslim League with an overwhelming majority.
In 1946, the Cabinet Mission came but it failed to get the Congress and the Muslim League agreed to a federal system that kept India united and gave some degree of autonomy to the provinces.
Following the failure of the talks, Jinnah called for a day of direct action to suppress the demand for Pakistan. On 16 August 1946, riots broke out in Calcutta, later spreading to other parts of Bengal, then to Bihar, United Provinces and Punjab. Both the communities suffered in the riots.
In February 1947, the Viceroy Lord Mountbatten succeeded Wavell. He called a final round of talks and when the talks were inconclusive, he announced that India would be liberated and divided. Finally, on August 15, 1947, power was transferred to India.
Mahatma Gandhi's last heroic day :-
Gandhiji marked the day of independence with a 24-hour fast. The freedom struggle ended with the partition of the country and Hindus and Muslims were fighting for each other's lives.
In the months of September and October, Gandhi visited hospitals and refugee camps and consoled people. He appealed to the Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims to forget the past and extend the hand of friendship, cooperation and peace.
In support of Gandhiji and Nehru, the Congress passed a resolution on the rights of minorities. It further said that the party never accepted Partition, but it was forced upon it.
Congress said that India will be a democratic secular country, every citizen will be equal. The Congress tried to assure the minorities in India that their rights would be protected in India.
On January 26, 1948, Gandhi said, "Earlier Independence Day was celebrated this way, now independence has come but it is deeply disillusioned." He believed that was the worst. He allowed himself to hope that although India was divided in two geographically and politically, we would ever be friends and brothers who would help and respect each other and be one to the outside world.
Gandhiji was shot dead by Hindu extremist Nathuram Godse. Nathuram Godse, a Hindu extremist, was an editor of the newspaper who portrayed Gandhi as an appellant of the Muslims.
Gandhi's death sparked extraordinary expressions of grief, tributes poured in across the political spectrum in India, and George Orwell, Einstein, etc. Time magazine compared his death to Abraham Lincoln.
Knowing Mahatma Gandhi :-
There are different sources from which the history of the national movement and the political career of Gandhi can be reconstructed.
The writings and speeches of Mahatma Gandhi and his contemporaries were important sources for knowing the events. There is a difference though, speeches were meant to be public, while private letters were meant to express feelings and thoughts, which could not be expressed publicly.
Many letters to individuals were personal but they were also to the public. The language of the letter was shaped by the awareness that it could be published, so it often prevented people from expressing their opinions freely.
Biographies give us an account of the past, but care needs to be taken while reading and interpreting it. They are written on the basis of the memory of the author. Government records, official letters were also important sources to know history. But it also has limitations as these were mostly biased so it needs to be interpreted carefully.
The newspaper's languages in English and other vernaculars tracked Gandhi's movement, the national movement and the freedom movement, and Indians' sentiment about Gandhi. Newspapers should not be seen as unworthy as they were published by people who had their own political opinions and views.
History – Themes
in Indian History |
||
|
Pol
Science – Contemporary World Politics |
||
|
– Politics
in India since Independence |
||
|
Geography – Indian
People and Economy |
||
|
|
|
|
|
– Fundamental of Human Geography |
||
|
Chapter 1: - Population: Distribution, Density, Growth
and Composition |
||
|
Chapter 12: - Geographical Perspective on Selected
Issues and Problems |
||
