Nationalism In India

Q- what were the effects of the First World War?

A- The First World War led to many economic and political situations like,

1. Increased defence expenditure- The war was mainly fought on war loans and by
increasing taxes like custom duties. A new tax, called Income Tax was also
introduced.
2. Increased prices- During war years, the prices doubled between 1913-1918, leading
to extreme hardship for the common people.
3. Crop failure and Influenza- in 1918-19 and 1920-21, crops failed leading to an acute
food shortage along with the spread of the influenza epidemic. According to census
1921, 12-13 million people died as a result of famines and epidemics.
4. Forced recruitment- During the war, villages were called upon to supply soldiers.
Forced recruitment in rural areas led to widespread anger.

These factors created a sense of unity in Indians against a common enemy, The British Rule.

Q- what was the Idea of Satyagraha?

A- Mahatma Gandhi, upon returning to Indian in January, 1915 after having fought the
racist regime in south Africa, brought with him the idea of Satyagraha. It was a
philosophy which emphasised the power of truth and the need to search for the
truth. It suggested that if the cause was true, if the struggle was against injustice,
then physical force was not necessary to fight the oppressor. Without seeking
vengeance or being aggressive, a satyagrahi could win a battle through non-violence.
In satyagraha, the oppressor had to be persuaded to see the truth instead of being
forced to accept the truth through the use of violence. It was a non-violent method
of mass agitation.

Various Satyagraha’s launched by Gandhi Ji,

 Champaran in Bihar (1917)- Gandhi ji inspired the peasants to struggle against the
oppressive plantation system
 Kheda district of Gujarat (1917)- Gandhi ji launched a Satyagraha in Kheda for the
peasants affected by crop failure and the epidemic who were unable to pay the
revenue.
 Ahmedabad (1918)- Organised a Satyagraha among cotton mill workers
Q- what was the Rowlatt Act? What did Gandhi Ji do in protest of this?

A- The Rowlatt Act was a black law that gave the government the power to imprison political
prisoners without a trial for 2 years. In protest of this act, on 6 Aprill 1919, Gandhi Ji called
for a nationwide hartal.

1. The British administration, scared that lines of communications would be

disrupted, picked up local leaders from Amritsar and barred Gandhi Ji from
entering Delhi.
2. On 10th April, martial law was imposed and General Dyer was given command
after a peaceful procession was attacked, which led to widespread attacks on
government buildings.
3. On 13th April, the infamous Jallianwala Bagh incident occurred due to the
gruesome acts of Dyer, who ordered the troops to open fire on the crowd.

This caused widespread violence and brutal British repression due to which Gandhi Ji called
off the movement.

Q- Explain participation of different groups in the non-cooperation movement.

 In the towns, thousands of students left government schools and colleges and the
teachers resigned. Lawyers also gave up legal practice and council elections were
boycotted except in madras by the justice party. Foreign clothes and imports were
boycotted and were burnt in huge fires. Liquor shops were also picketed
 In the countryside,
1) Peasants, led by baba Ramchandra in Awadh, were against the landlords or
talukdars and demanded reduction of revenue, abolition of begar and social boycott
of oppressive landlords (Nai- Dhobi Bandhs). They attacked their houses and looted
grain hoards.
2) Tribal people, led by Allauri Sitaram Raju (claimed he had special powers), spread
a militant guerilla movement in the Gudem hills of Andhra Pradesh because of the
strict forest laws. When forced to contribute begar, they revolted. Raju was executed
in 1924.
 Plantation workers in assam, because of the immigration act of 1859, wanted
freedom to leave the plantations and go to their homes. When the NCM started,
thousands of workers defied the authorities and left. However, they never reached
their homes as they were caught and beaten up by the police after getting stuck in a
railway and steamer strike.
Q- Explain the Non-Cooperation movement.

Aim: Gandhi ji started the non-cooperation movement to protest against the Jallianwala
f bagh incident, Rowlatt act, support khilafat movement and attain swaraj.
f It was started in December 1920, at the Nagpur session of the congress.

Effects: Different groups with different notions of swaraj used different methods

1. Council elections boycotted (except the justice party)

2. Liquor shops picketed
3. Thousands of students left government schools and colleges
4. Teachers resigned and lawyers gave up legal practice
5. Tribal people used guerilla movement
6. Boycott foreign clothes and imports
7. Peasants demanded abolitions of begar and reduction of revenue
8. Plantation workers left the plantations and defied the authorities
9. Social boycott of oppressive landlords

Conclusion: Gandhi Ji called of the non cooperation movement after the chauri-chaura
incident.

Limitations: The limitations of this movement are as follows-

1. Khadi clothes were more expensive than mass produced cotton mill clothes
2. Alternative Indian institutions were very slow to come up forcing teachers, students
to join back the institutions. Lawyers too soon joined back government courts.
3. They misinterpreted the movement which led to widespread violence

Q- Indian national movement is characterised with a truce period between the NCM and
CDM. Explain the events taking place in this period.

A- After the NCM, some congress leaders were tired of mass struggles and wanted to
participate in the council elections. Therefore, the Swaraj Party was formed by C.R. Das and
Motilal Nehru within the congress. On the other hand, young leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru
and Subhash Chandra Bose wanted a radical mass agitation and complete independence.
Amidst this, 2 factors shaped Indian politics.

 Economic Depression- In 1926, agricultural prices began to fall. By 1930, the prices
collapsed. The demand for agricultural products reduced making it difficult for
peasants to sell their crops and pay revenue.
 Simon Commission- The new tory government in Britain constituted a statutory
commission under Sir John Simon to look into the functioning of the constitutional
system in India and suggest changes. But when it arrived in India, it was greeted with
the slogan ‘Go Back, Simon’ in 1928.
In response to this, in October 1929 lord Irwin offered India ‘dominion status’ in a
unspecified future and a round table conference in London. However radicals within
congress led by Nehru and Bose became more assertive and formalised the demand for
Purna Swaraj in the Lahore session of December 1929.

Q- Explain the salt march of Mahatma Gandhi/

A- On 31st January 1930, Gandhi Ji wrote a letter to viceroy Irwin stating 11 demands. One of
these demands was to abolish the salt tax. Salt was something which was consumed by both
the rich and the poor. It created a sense of unity among people. It was an ultimatum that if
the demands were not fulfilled by 11th march, the congress would launch a civil
disobedience movement. Irwin was not willing to negotiate and therefore, Gandhi Ji started
his famous salt march from his ashram in Sabarmati to the coastal village of Dandi where he
ceremonially broke the salt law. He walked over 24 days, walking over 240 miles with 78 of
his trusted volunteers. This marked the beginning of the civil disobedience movement.

Q- Explain the Civil Disobedience movement

Aim: Gandhi ji started the Civil Disobedience Movement after his Salt March because of the
failure of the Simon commission, Lahore congress resolution and the rejection of the 11
demands

Methods:

1. Thousands of people broke the salt law in different parts of the country
2. People manufactured salt and demonstrated infront of government salt factories
3. Foreign cloth was boycotted and liquor shops picketed
4. Peasants refused to pay revenue and chaukidari taxes and village officials resigned
5. People broke the forest laws by collecting wood and grazing cattle in reserved areas.

Government response:

1. Congress leaders began getting arrested

2. Mahatma Gandhi arrested, which led to industrialists attacking all structures that
symbolized British power
3. Abdul Ghaffar khan arrested, which led protests in streets of Peshawar.
4. Peaceful satyagrahis attacked, women and children beaten up and 100,000 arrested.

Conclusion: Gandhi Ji calls of the Civil Disobedience movement after entering into a pact
with viceroy Irwin.
Limitations:

1. Untouchables, who called themselves Dalits did not participate. They were ignored
by the congress fearing that the Hindu Sanatanis might get offended.
2. Exclusion of Muslims after the khilafat movement’s end

Q- Explain the limitations of the Civil Disobedience Movement.

A- Limitations:

1. Untouchables, who called themselves Dalits did not participate. They were ignored by the
congress fearing that the Hindu Sanatanis might get offended. DR. B.R. Ambedkar clashed
with Mahatma Gandhi at the second-round table conference when he demanded separate
electorates for Dalits. When British supported Ambedkar, Gandhi Ji started his fast unto
death. At the end, they both signed the Poona pact in September 1932 which gave
depressed classes reserved seats in provincial and central legislature councils but they had
to be voted in through general electorate.

2. Muslim-Hindus clashed when the Muslims felt alienated from the congress as it became
openly closer to Hindu nationalist groups like Hindu Mahasabha. Muhammad Ali Jinnah was
willing to give up the demand for separate electorates if Muslims were assured seats in
Bengal and Punjab. However, all hope at an alliance blew up as M.R. Jayakar strongly
opposed efforts at a compromise at the all-parties conference in 1928.

Q- Explain the participation of different groups in starting the civil disobedience movement.

1. Rich peasants were very hard hit by the economic depression and were unable to pay
government’s revenue demand. Refusal of the government in reducing the demand
led to widespread resentment. They supported the CDM as for them swaraj was a
struggle against high revenues.
2. Poor peasants because of the depression found it difficult to pay rent. They wanted a
reduction in revenue and that their unpaid rent be remitted. Congress did not
support this no rent campaign afraid that it would upset the rich peasants. They also
took part in a variety of movements led by socialists or communists.
3. Indian industrialist made huge profit during WW1 and wanted to keep expanding
their business, to which British laws acted as barriers. They wanted protection
against imports of foreign goods and gave financial assistance to the CDM. They
formed the Indian Industrial and Commercial Congress in 1920 and The Federation of
the Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industries in 1927.
4. Workers did not participate in large numbers except Nagpur region because as the
congress grew closer to the industrialists, workers stayed aloof (distant). In 1930,
thousands of workers at the Chotanagpur tin mines wore Gandhi caps and protested.

5. Women were very active in the CDM, during the salt marches thousands of women
came out of their house and listened to Gandhi Ji. They participated in the salt
 march, picketed foreign cloth and liquor shops and saw the service to nation as their
sacred duty.

Q- How did people belonging to different communities develop a sense of collective

belonging?

A- People belonging to different communities developed a sense of collective belongingness

through united struggles and a variety of cultural processes like history, fiction, folklore etc

1. Personification of Bharat Mata: the image of Bharat Mata was first created by Bankim
Chandra Chattopadhyay who also wrote Vande Matram. The image for first painted
by Abanindranath Tagore and was portrayed as an aesthetic figure who is calm,
divine, and spiritual.
2. Indian folklore: Rabindranath Tagore himself collected ballads, nursery rhymes and
myths and led the movement for folk revival. In madras, Natesa Sastri published a
massive 4 volume collection of Tamil folk tales, The Folklore of Southern India.
3. Use of icons and symbols: Tricolour flags (red, green and yellow) with 8 lotuses
representing 8 provinces in British India and a crescent moon representing Hindus
and Muslims designed during the swadeshi movement in Bengal and the swaraj flag
(red, green and white) with a spinning wheel in the centre representing self-help.
4. Reinterpretation of history- Indians looked into the past and wrote about the glorious
ancient times when law, philosophy, mathematics, science, art, craft flourished
followed by a decline when India was colonised.