GANDHIAN ERA-NON-COOPERATION MOVEMENT

INTRODUCTION

The Non-Cooperation movement was one of the highlighted movements in Indian History.  Mahatma Gandhi had started and was guided by a movement that established the ideology of non-violence. His principles are followed till now, and he is the Father of the Nation. He led several Satyagraha against the British Government to make India an independent nation. 

The non-cooperation movement was started in 1920 against British rule and acknowledged India as (swaraj) independent nation. The factors behind the movement were the Jallianwala bagh massacre, Rowlatt Act, Khilafat Agitation and Dissatisfaction with Montagu- Chelmsford Reforms.

MOTIVE OF MOVEMENT

– The non-cooperation movement’s motive was to show disrespect towards dreadful actions by the British Government. The level of exploitation by colonial rulers and the right time for action was there to fight for independence.

 – The movement challenged the British system, hierarchy, administration, law and order by violating them. The aim was to make the British helpless and break them by refusing to use their facilities.

– Following the movement under the guidance of Gandhi , Ahimsa was a sole principle to win over colonial rulers. Wide abolition of British goods, schools, industries led to the promotion of Indian goods. Liquor shops are one commodity that is destroying the culture of the country. 

– Khadi was introduced, purely made in India and benefited citizens in several ways like employment opportunities, cheaper rates, etc. Meetings were held regularly, followed by Hartals and disturbing the administration of the British, which led to the arrest of leaders like Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Jawaharlal Nehru.

– Gandhi  supported the Khilafat Movement to build unity between religions and revolutionise together. The unity between Mahatma Gandhi  and the Islamic community spread the message of unity around the nation. It resulted in youth support for the movement. The young generation became the backbone of Non- cooperation movement protest. 

– The British arrested the writers, poets, leaders, journalists and theatre artists. They wrote that the Non-cooperation movement was the foundation of the Indian Independence journey in the History of India.

FACTORS BEHIND NON-COOPERATION MOVEMENT

-The factors that led to the non-cooperation movement were suppressing policies and discourteous actions by the British Government. One after another, widespread exploitation of hundreds of Indians was a call to take action towards them. Rowlatt Act and Jallianwala Bagh were proved to knock on the political door, as the British Government became a menace for Indians.

• Rowlatt Act: The act was passed in March 1919 passed by the Imperial Legislative Council of the British legislature. It was introduced to strengthen the political power of the British over the Indians. It permitted the Government to arrest any citizen and detain them for straight two years as they took the write to plea and no trials for victims.

• The Jallianwala Bagh massacre was also known as the Amritsar incident in April 1919. On the festival of Baisakhi, protesters of the movement had gathered for a peaceful meeting in Jallianwala Bagh. General Dyer has ordered open fire and murdered 1000 men, women and children, and thousands of people were badly injured.  

By following Gandhian ideology, the movement was non-violent. 

Other factors of the movement were, losing belief in constitutional judgements, draining the economy of human resources and excessive usage of resources by the British.

IMPACTS OF NON-COOPERATION MOVEMENT

– The non-cooperation movement attached directly to the pride of the British Government shook their plans & destroyed their intentions. The Indian goods sales growth was rising day by day, the schools and college and Khadi got huge exposure pan India. The government job was left by citizens resulting in breakage in working schedule and pending activities in British Government.

– Citizens returned the honours awarded by the British to lawyers, teachers and officers. The unity of Indians has spread the threat among the British, that they have to return and the movement will succeed. Mahatma Gandhi  kept motivating the nation’s citizens towards the correct path to winning independence.

ENDING OF NON-COOPERATION MOVEMENT

The Non-cooperation movement was going peacefully, and then Chauri Chaura happened in the Gorakhpur district of present-day Uttar Pradesh. It took place in February 1922 when the number of protesters of the Non-cooperation movement was attacked by police and in return they set a police station on fire. 

The strict ideology of non-violence of the movement was tarnished after the incident. However, Mahatma Gandhi decided to withdraw the movement as per the pattern of STS(Struggle-Truce-Struggle). 

Struggle truce struggle was a pattern, where Gandhi called off the movement after two years to regain the energy and force to launch another movement against the British. He also got arrested for six years of imprisonment for issuing provoking material against the Government. 

CONCLUSION

In Indian History, the Gandhian era was revolutionary and led several Satyagraha to grant the nation free from the British Government. The prime aim of the movement was to regain independence over the beloved nation.

 The Indian National Congress became the political face of movements for Swaraj. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre, the Chauri Chaura incident, and the Rowlatt Act were eye-opening for citizens. The united country supported and backed the non-cooperation movement and boycotted government jobs, educational institutions and industries.

After the Chauri Chaura incident, Gandhi Ji called off the non-cooperation movement and got arrested for publishing provoking statements. Gandhi Ji didn’t stop fighting, along with freedom fighters for independence.