SST- Nationalism in India
How did different social groups conceive the India on non-cooperation? (GENERAL QUESTION)
(Explain the following) Awadh peasant movement. The leader of this movement was Baba Ramchandra. They were against Talukdars & landlords as they were demanding high rents from the peasants and they had to do begar & also didn't have security of tenure.The peasants demanded reduction of revenue, abolition of beggar & boycott of oppressive landlords. Tribal peasant movement The tribal peasants of Andra Pradesh was a militant guerrilla movement and Congress didn't approve of it. The colonial govt had closed large forest areas & prevented people from entering the forest to graze cattle,collect fuel wood and fruits. They were forced to do beggar for road building This angered the hill people .Alluri Sitaram Raju was their leader. Plantation workers. The plantation workers in Assam understood the idea of swaraj in their own way. For them, freedom meant the right to move freely in and out of the confined space in the plantation, it meant retaining a link with the village from which they came. The Inland Emigration Act of 1859 had prevented the plantation workers from leaving tea gardens without permission and they were rarely given such permission.
Describe the rebellion in the country side. OR Give an account of the non-cooperation movement which had spread to the country side. (GENERAL QUESTION)
(Explain the following) Peasant movement in Awadh/ rural peasant movement Tribal peasant movement (Gudem hills of Andhra Pradesh) Swaraj in plantations
Critically evaluate the non-cooperation movement organised by the middle class in towns and cities. (GENERAL QUESTION)
(Explain the following) Role of middle class Economic effects Reasons for slowing down
What were the reasons for the launching of non-cooperation movement?
(Explain the following) Rowlatt Act Jallianwala Bagh Massacre Khilafat Movement
Examine the Satyagraha movements organised by Gandhi between 1916 and 1918.
1916 - Champaran movement in Bihar to inspire the peasants to struggle against the oppressive plantation system 1917 - Kheda Satyagraha in Gujarat to support the peasants of Kheda who were demanding reduction of revenue due to crop failure and plague epidemic 1918 - Satyagraha in Ahmedabad to support the cause of cotton mill workers
What was the reaction of the Indians towards Jallianwallah Bagh massacre? How did the British react to it?
As the news of Jallianwallah Bagh spread, crowds took to the streets in many north Indian towns. There were strikes, clashes with the police and attacks on buildings. The govt responded with brutal repression, seeking to humiliate and terrorize people. Satyagrahis were forced to rub their noses on the ground, crawl on the streets, flogged and asked to salute all Sahibs and villages were bombed. Seeing violence spread, Gandhiji called off the movement.
How could non-cooperation become a movement? OR How was non-cooperation a movement to be unfolded?
Gandhi proposed that the movement should unfold in stages beginning with a surrender of titles that the government had awarded. The second stage should be boycott of civil services, army, courts and legislative councils, schools and foreign goods. In case the government used repression, a full civil disobedience campaign would be launched.
Why did Gandhi suspend/ withdraw non-cooperation movement?
In 1922, a peaceful demonstration in a bazaar at Chauri Chaura in Gorakhpur had turned into a violent clash with the police. The protestors set fire to a police station there which led to the death of 22 policemen. Hearing this incident of violence, Mahatma Gandhi immediately called off the non-cooperation movement.
Give an account of the peasant movement in Awadh.
In Awadh the peasant movement led by Baba Ramachandra, demanded a reduction of revenue, abolition of begar and social boycott of oppressive landlords. In many places Nai-Dhobi Bandhs were organised by panchayats to deprive landlords of the services of barbers and washer-men. In June 1920, Jawaharlal Nehru went around the villages in Awadh, visiting the villagers to understand the grievances. He set up Oudh Kisan Sabha, with Baba Ramachandra and few others. When non-cooperation movement began the congress took efforts to integrate the Awadh peasant movement into it. However as the peasant movement spread, the peasants attacked the house of talukdars and merchants, looted bazaars and took over hoarded grains. The local leaders told the peasants that Gandhi had declared that they need not have to pay taxes and land was going to be redistributed to them. The name of Mahatma was being invoked to sanction all action and aspiration.
What were the grievances and demands of the peasants in Awadh? OR Why were the peasants of Awadh agitating against their landlords?
In Awadh the peasants who organised the movement under the leadership of Baba Ramchandra, were agitating against the talukdars and landlords who demanded extremely high rents and other cesses from the peasants. Peasants had to do begar and also various works at landlords' farms without any payment. They didn't have security of tenure and were regularly evicted to prevent them from acquiring any right over the leased land. The peasant movement demanded a reduction of revenue, abolition of begar and social boycott of oppressive landlords.
The First World War created a new economic and political situation in India. Discuss. OR What was the impact/were the implications of First World War on India?
It led to huge increase in defense expenditure due to which the British increased customs duties and introduced income tax. Prices increased and doubled during the war years which led to extreme hardship for the common people. Forced recruitment of soldiers caused widespread anger in the rural areas. Acute shortage of food during the war years due to crop failure added to the miseries of the people. Millions perished during this time due to famines and epidemics.
Why did the non-cooperation movement in the cities gradually slow down?
Khadi cloth was often more expensive than mass produced mill cloth and so poor people couldn't afford to buy it. Boycott of British institutions also created a problem. For the movement to be successful, alternative Indian institutions had to be set up, but these came up slowly and were limited in number. Due to this students and teachers began trickling back to government schools and lawyers joined back to work in government courts.
Who wrote the book 'Hindi Swaraj'? What did the author emphasis in it?
Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi emphasised that British rule was established in India with the cooperation of Indians and had survived only because of this cooperation. He said that if Indians refused to cooperate with the British, the British rule in India would collapse within a year and Swaraj would come.
What was the reaction of other congress leaders towards Gandhi's proposal for non-cooperation movement? OR Why were other congress leaders reluctant to agree to Gandhi's proposal of non-cooperation movement? How was it finally agreed upon?
Many congress leaders were concerned about the proposal for non-cooperation as they has a fear that the movement might lead to popular violence. They were also reluctant to boycott the council elections scheduled for November. The congress leaders were divided in their opinion about non-cooperation and in the months between September and December there was an intense tussle within the congress between the supporters and opponents of the movement. Finally, at the congress session at Nagpur in December 1920, a compromise was worked out and the non-cooperation programme was adopted
Describe the Jallianwallah Bagh incident/massacre.
On 13 April, a large crowd had gathered in the enclosed ground of Jallianwallah Bagh in Amritsar. Some of them were protesting against govt's repressive policies while others were attending the annual Baisakhi fair. Most of the villagers from outside the city were not aware of the martial law which had been imposed. General Dyer entered the area, blocked the exit points and opened fire on the ground, killing hundreds. He declared later that his aim was to 'produce a moral effect, to create a feeling of terror and awe in the minds of Satyagrahis.
Why is the growth of nationalism in the colonies linked to an anti-colonial movement?
People began discovering their unity in the process of the struggle against colonialism. The sense of being oppressed under colonialism provided a shared bond that tied different groups together. The effects of colonialism on each class and group were different and their experiences varied and their notions of freedom different.
What was the reaction of the Indians and the British towards the hartal of 6 April 1919 (Protest against Rowlatt Act)? OR What were the events that led to Jallianwallah Bagh massacre?
Rallies were organised in various cities, workers went on strike and shops were closed down. Popular protests were growing. British administration decided to suppress the nationalists as it feared disruption of means of transport and communication such as railways and telegraph. Local leaders were picked up from Amritsar and Gandhi was barred from entering Delhi. Police fired on a peaceful procession in Amritsar on 10 April provoking the people and they attacked banks, post offices and railways stations. Martial law was imposed, General Dyer took command and the developments finally led to the infamous Jallianwallah Bagh massacre on 13 April 1919.
Explain the idea of Satyagraha.
Satyagraha is pure soul force, not physical force. It emphasises the power of truth and the need to search for truth. A Satyagrahi can win the battle through non-violence. For a true Satyagrahi, physical force is not necessary to fight against the oppressor. Truth will ultimately triumph through the dharma of non-violence and it would unite all Indians.
Why did Gandhi organise a hartal (a strike) on 6 April 1919? OR What was Rowlatt Act?
The Rowlatt Act was passed in 1919 in spite of the united opposition of Indian members in the Imperial Legislative Council. The Act gave the British government enormous powers to suppress political activities. It also gave the British the power to detain political prisoners without trial for 2 years. Gandhi organised a Satyagraha against this highly unjust law on 6 April 1919.
What were the economic effects of non-cooperation movement?
The effects of non-cooperation on the economic front were dramatic: Foreign goods were boycotted, liquor shops were picketed and foreign clothes were burnt in huge bonfires. The import of foreign cloths halved between 1921 and 1922, and its value dropped drastically. In many places merchants and traders refused to trade in foreign goods or finance foreign trade. People began discarding imported clothes and started wearing only Indian ones, production of Indian textile mills and handlooms went up.
Describe the tribal peasant movement in the Gudem hills of Andhra Pradesh. OR Tribal peasants interpreted the message of Mahatma Gandhi and the idea of Swaraj in their own way. Explain.
The peasant movement by the tribal peasants of Gudem Hills of Andhra Pradesh was a militant guerrilla movement spread in early 1920s - not a form of struggle that the Congress could approve. Here, the colonial government had closed large forest areas and prevented people from entering the forest to graze their cattle, collect fuel wood and fruits. This enraged the hill people. Not only that their traditional rights were denied. The British govt forced them to contribute begar for road building, the hill people revolted against this also. Alluri Sitaram Raju, who led them in their revolt, was an interesting figure who claimed to have enjoyed supernatural powers and the rebels proclaimed him as an incarnation of god. Though Raju was inspired by Gandhiji's ideas on non-cooperation movement and persuaded people to wear khadi and give up drinking, he asserted that India could be liberated only by the use of force, not non-violence. The Gudem rebels attacked police stations, tried to kill British officials and carried on guerrilla warfare to achieve swaraj. Finally, Raju was captured and executed in 1924 and he became a folk hero.
Describe how the call for Swaraj was understood and expressed by the plantation workers in Assam.
The plantation workers in Assam understood the notion of swaraj in their own way. For them, freedom meant the right to move freely in and out of the confined space in the plantation, it meant retaining a link with the village from which they came The Inland Emigration Act of 1859 had prevented the plantation workers from leaving tea gardens without permission and they were rarely given such permission. When they heard of non-cooperation movement, thousands of worker defied the authorities, left the plantations and headed home. They believed that Gandhi Raj was coming and everyone would be given land in their own villages.
Why did Gandhi support Khilafat movement? OR Why was Khilafat movement launched?
Though Rowlatt Satyagraha was a widespread movement, it was limited to towns and cities. Gandhiji now felt the need to launch a more broad-based movement in India. He knew that such a movement would be possible only by bringing Hindus and Muslims together. Taking up Khilafat issue was the best thing to do to achieve this. With the end of WWI and defeat of Ottoman Turkey, a harsh peace treaty was going to be imposed on the Ottoman emperor (the Khalifa) - the spiritual head of the Islamic world. The Khilafat issue was taken up by the Muslims in India under the leadership of Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali and they discussed with Mahatma Gandhi the possibility of united mass action on this issue. A Khilafat committee was also formed in Bombay in 1919. Gandhiji felt that supporting the Muslims in their Khilafat issue would bring about Hindu-Muslim unity and thus Muslims would come under the umbrella of a unified national movement. In the Calcutta session of Congress in Sept 1920, Gandhiji convinced other leaders of the need to start a Non-Cooperation movement in support of Khilafat and Swaraj.
Describe the role of middle class during non-cooperation movement
Thousands of students left government controlled schools and colleges. Headmasters and teachers resigned and lawyers gave up their legal practises. The council elections were boycotted in most provinces except Madras, where the Justice party, the party of non-Brahmins decided to take part in the council election with the hope of getting an entry into the councils.
