Gandhian Era and Independence

Introduction

The period from 1919 to 1947 is known as the Gandhian Era in India's freedom struggle. Under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, the Indian national movement became a mass movement involving millions of Indians. This chapter traces the major movements led by Gandhi — Non-Cooperation, Civil Disobedience, Quit India — and the events leading to independence and partition in 1947.

Section 1: Mahatma Gandhi — Background

Gandhi's philosophy was based on Ahimsa (non-violence), Satyagraha (truth-force), and Sarvodaya (welfare of all).

Section 2: The Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–1922)

Causes

The Movement

Gandhi launched the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920. It involved:

• Surrender of titles and honours — many lawyers, officials resigned
• Boycott of British institutions — schools, colleges, courts, legislatures
• Boycott of foreign goods — especially cloth
• Promotion of Swadeshi — Indian goods, hand-spun khadi
• Establishment of national schools and colleges

Chauri Chaura Incident (1922): A police station was set on fire by protesters, killing 22 policemen. Gandhi called off the movement, shocked by the violence.

Consequences:

• Mass political awakening across India
• Demonstrated Gandhi's mass appeal
• Congress membership rose to millions
• Hindu-Muslim unity during Khilafat (though temporary)

Section 3: The Civil Disobedience Movement (1930–1934)

Background

• The Simon Commission (1928) — all-white commission; greeted with 'Simon Go Back' protests
• Nehru Report (1928) — Congress demand for Dominion Status
• Purna Swaraj Declaration (1929) — Congress demanded complete independence (Poorna Swaraj)
• January 26, 1930 — first Independence Day celebrated across India

The Dandi March (March 12 – April 6, 1930)

Key Aspects of the Movement

• Salt was chosen because it was a commodity used by all Indians, rich and poor
• Making salt without paying British tax was a symbolic act of defiance
• The movement spread rapidly — boycott of foreign cloth, no-tax campaigns in some areas
• Nehru and other leaders were arrested in thousands
• Women's participation — large numbers of women joined picketing of liquor and foreign cloth shops

The Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931)

• Gandhi agreed to suspend the movement
• Irwin agreed to release political prisoners and allow salt-making for personal use
• Gandhi attended the Second Round Table Conference in London (1931) — no breakthrough

Outcome:

• The movement failed to achieve its immediate goal (Poorna Swaraj)
• But it established the Congress as the leading political force
• The Government of India Act 1935 was passed — some reforms but no independence

Section 4: The Quit India Movement (1942)

Background

• World War II broke out in 1939 — Britain declared India at war without consulting Indians
• Congress ministries resigned in protest
• Cripps Mission (1942) — offered limited self-government after the war — rejected by Congress

The Movement

• On August 8, 1942, the Congress passed the Quit India Resolution at its Bombay session
• Gandhi gave the call: 'Do or Die'
• Immediate arrest of Congress leaders (Gandhi, Nehru, Patel) — the movement became leaderless

Mass Uprising

• Strikes, demonstrations, and hartals across India
• Attacks on government buildings, railway stations, and police posts
• Underground activity: Leaders like Ram Manohar Lohia, Aruna Asaf Ali, and others ran parallel governments
• Parallel governments in some areas (Ballia, Satara, Tamluk)
• Violent suppression — thousands were killed, tens of thousands arrested
• The movement was crushed by the British by 1944

Section 5: Subhas Chandra Bose and the INA

Impact of INA:

• The INA trials (Red Fort, 1945–46) sparked massive public sympathy
• The British realised Indian soldiers could not be relied upon
• The Royal Indian Navy mutiny (February 1946) showed the armed forces were affected by nationalist sentiment

Section 6: Towards Independence — The Final Phase

The Cabinet Mission (1946)

The Mountbatten Plan (June 3, 1947)

• Lord Mountbatten was the last Viceroy (appointed 1947)
• He proposed the partition of India into two dominions — India and Pakistan
• Congress reluctantly accepted partition to avoid civil war

Key decisions:

• Partition of India and Pakistan — based on Muslim-majority regions
• Division of Bengal and Punjab between the two countries
• Boundary Commission under Sir Cyril Radcliffe to draw borders
• Princely states to choose which dominion to join

Independence and Partition (August 1947)

The Tragedy of Partition:

• Mass migration — ~15 million people crossed borders
• Communal violence — hundreds of thousands killed in riots
• Gandhi worked tirelessly for peace; was assassinated on January 30, 1948

Comparison: Gandhi's Three Major Movements

ICSE Exam Focus

Common Mistakes in ICSE Exams

Self-Test Questions

Q1: What were the main features of the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–22)? A1: The movement involved surrender of titles, boycott of British schools, colleges, courts, and legislatures, boycott of foreign goods, promotion of Swadeshi, and establishment of national institutions. It was called off after the Chauri Chaura incident.

Q2: Why did Gandhi choose salt as a symbol for the Civil Disobedience Movement? A2: Salt was a commodity used by every Indian, rich and poor. The salt tax was a universal symbol of British oppression. By breaking the salt law at Dandi, Gandhi made a simple, powerful statement that anyone could understand and participate in.

Q3: What was the significance of the Quit India Movement? A3: The Quit India Movement (1942) was the most militant phase of India's freedom struggle. With the call 'Do or Die,' the movement demonstrated that Indians would no longer tolerate British rule. Though crushed, it convinced Britain that it could no longer govern India.

Q4: What was the role of Subhas Chandra Bose and the INA in India's independence? A4: Subhas Chandra Bose formed the Indian National Army to fight the British militarily. Though the INA was defeated, the trials of INA soldiers sparked massive public sympathy, and the British realised Indian troops could not be relied upon to suppress Indian nationalism.

Q5: How did India achieve independence, and what were the circumstances of Partition? A5: The Cabinet Mission (1946) failed to reach agreement. The Mountbatten Plan (June 1947) proposed partition. India and Pakistan became independent on August 14–15, 1947. Partition involved massive population transfers (~15 million) and horrific communal violence that cost hundreds of thousands of lives.

Key Dates to Remember

Final Summary

The Gandhian Era (1919–1947) transformed India's freedom struggle from elite constitutional politics into a mass movement. Gandhi's three major movements — Non-Cooperation, Civil Disobedience, and Quit India — mobilised millions of Indians. The INA under Subhas Chandra Bose added military pressure. World War II exhausted Britain economically, making independence inevitable. The Mountbatten Plan led to independence but also Partition — a tragic division accompanied by violence and mass migration. On August 15, 1947, India achieved freedom — the culmination of over a century of struggle. For ICSE students, this is the story of how a nation was born.