Road to Indian Independence

 

Context: Road to Indian Independence

1. Seven Steps Towards Independence: The lecture frames the independence movement in phases or steps.

2. Steps 1 & 2 (Gandhi Absent):

   • Swadeshi Movement: Already discussed (presumably in a previous lecture). Gandhi was not a central figure.

   • Home Rule League (HRL): Already discussed. Gandhi was not a central figure.

3. Step 3 (Gandhi's Entry): Non-Cooperation Movement (NCM)

   • This is the focus, marking Gandhi's major entry into leading national movements under the Indian National Congress (INC).

Gandhi's Arrival & Early Observations

1. Arrival: Mahatma Gandhi returned to India from South Africa on January 9, 1915. He was 46 years old, described as a "young and dynamic mass leader."

2. Gokhale's Advice: Advised by Gopal Krishna Gokhale to tour India for a year to understand the situation before engaging actively.

3. Key Observation: Gandhi noted that the earlier movements (Swadeshi, HRL) lacked participation from the masses, specifically villagers, peasants (రైతులు), and laborers (కార్మికులు). He recognized the need to involve these groups.

4. Sabarmati Ashram: Established by Gandhi in Ahmedabad in 1916.

Gandhi's First Successes in India

1. First Success (Overall): Abolition of the Oppanda Kooli Vyavastha (ఒప్పంద కూలీ వ్యవస్థ - Indentured Labour System).

   • Important Note: The speaker emphasizes this as Gandhi's first victory in India, even before Champaran, citing NCERT 8th Class History.

2. First Satyagraha Successes (Local): Gandhi undertook three significant local Satyagrahas, often remembered by the acronym CAKE:

   • C - Champaran Satyagraha (1917)

   • A - Ahmedabad Mill Strike (1918)

   • K - Kheda Satyagraha (1918)

Details of Early Satyagrahas

1. Champaran Satyagraha (1917 - Bihar)

   • Issue: The Tinkathia (తీన్ కతియా) system, forcing farmers to cultivate Indigo (నీలి మందు) on 3/20th of their land. Indigo prices fell due to German artificial dyes, but European planters still forced cultivation/high rents.

   • Invitation: Local farmer/leader Rajkumar Shukla invited Gandhi.

   • Method: Gandhi conducted an inquiry and employed Satyagraha and Civil Disobedience (శాసనోల్లంఘన - first time in India).

   • Outcome: The government formed the Praks Roy Committee (Gandhi was a member), which recommended abolishing the Tinkathia system. It was subsequently abolished.

   • Significance:

     • Gandhi's first major Satyagraha victory in India.

     • Rabindranath Tagore gave Gandhi the title "Mahatma" during this time.

     • Leaders like Babu Rajendra Prasad (later India's first President) and Mahadev Desai (later Gandhi's personal secretary) became his followers.

2. Ahmedabad Mill Strike (1918 - Gujarat)

   • Issue: Mill workers demanded a 50% wage hike due to high inflation after World War I and the withdrawal of a 'Plague Bonus'. Mill owners offered only 20%.

   • Invitation: Anasuya Sarabhai (sister of mill owner president Ambalal Sarabhai), known affectionately as "Metaben" (మెతాబెన్ - Elder Sister in Gujarati). She founded the first women's labour union here.

   • Method: Gandhi undertook his first Hunger Strike (నిరాహార దీక్ష / ఉపవాసం) in India.

   • Outcome: A compromise was reached for a 35% wage hike.

3. Kheda Satyagraha (1918 - Gujarat)

   • Issue: Severe crop failure (less than 1/4th normal yield). According to the Revenue Code, taxes should be remitted in such cases, but the British government insisted on full collection.

   • Invitation: Mohanlal Pandya.

   • Method: Satyagraha (No-Tax campaign). Gandhi established the Gujarat Sabha.

   • Outcome: The government agreed to collect taxes only from those farmers who could afford to pay.

   • Significance: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (later India's first Home Minister) became a close associate/follower of Gandhi.

Important Distinctions

• Rowlatt Satyagraha (1919): Considered the first truly All-India mass movement involving all sections (సబ్బండ వర్గాలు - all communities/classes). It was not INC-led initially but driven by Gandhi.

• Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-22): The first All-India mass movement led by the INC under Gandhi's direction.

Lead-up to NCM
The NCM arose from several factors including:

• Rowlatt Act (రౌలత్ చట్టం)

• Khilafat Movement (ఖిలాఫత్ ఉద్యమం)

• Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (జలియన్‌వాలా బాగ్ ఉదంతం)

• Dissatisfaction with the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms / Government of India Act 1919 (1919 చట్టం).