The Civil Disobedience Movement, spanning from 1930 to 1934, stands as a landmark chapter in India’s struggle for independence against British colonial rule. Under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, this movement represented a significant shift in tactics, advocating nonviolent resistance as a potent force for political change. It emerged as a response to the oppressive British policies, particularly the salt tax and other discriminatory laws, that inflicted hardship upon the Indian populace. Through acts of defiance, mass protests, and noncooperation with British authorities, the Civil Disobedience Movement galvanized millions across the nation, igniting a spirit of unity and defiance against colonial oppression. This period of resistance not only challenged the legitimacy of British rule but also paved the way for future struggles for freedom and self-determination.
- It was launched by Mahatma Gandhi with the historic Dandi March, marking a significant milestone in the Indian independence movement. By violating the salt law and picking up salt, Gandhi challenged the British monopoly on salt production and sparked a wave of civil disobedience throughout the country.
- The Dandi March, which began on March 12, 1930, involved a 240-mile journey from Sabarmati Ashram to the coastal village of Dandi in Gujarat. Along the way, Gandhi and his followers collected more and more supporters, and their nonviolent protest gained attention and admiration from people across India and the world.
- When Gandhi reached Dandi on April 6, he symbolically violated the salt law by producing salt from seawater. This act inspired millions of Indians to join the movement and break the salt laws imposed by the British. People began making salt in their homes, villages, and cities, leading to mass arrests and demonstrations.
- The Civil Disobedience Movement gained momentum as people actively participated in nonviolent protests, boycotts of British goods, and acts of civil disobedience. Indians united in their determination to defy unjust British laws and assert their rights and freedom.
- The salt satyagraha became a powerful symbol of resistance and a rallying point for the masses. It demonstrated that even the most basic commodity, such as salt, could become a powerful tool for challenging colonial rule. The movement sparked a sense of unity and collective action among the Indian population and contributed significantly to the growing momentum for independence.
- Although the Civil Disobedience Movement faced severe repression from the British authorities, it brought the cause of Indian independence to the forefront and paved the way for future struggles and campaigns that ultimately led to the achievement of independence in 1947.
Background of the Civil Disobedience Movement
- The background of the Civil Disobedience Movement provides an important context for understanding its significance and how it unfolded. Here are some key points:
- Congress Demands: The Lahore Congress session in December 1929 adopted a resolution demanding complete independence (Purna Swaraj) and set January 26, 1930, as the date for its celebration. Congress also authorized Mahatma Gandhi to launch a civil disobedience movement if their demands were not met by the British government.
- Gandhi’s Ultimatum: On January 31, 1930, Mahatma Gandhi presented the British government with a set of 11 demands, including the abolition of the salt tax, reduction of land revenue, and granting of civil liberties. He gave the government a deadline to accept or reject these demands.
- No Positive Response: The British government did not respond positively to Gandhi’s demands, which led to frustration among Indians. The Congress Working Committee granted Gandhi full authority to launch the Civil Disobedience Movement at a time and place of his choosing.
- Salt as Central Symbol: In February, Gandhi decided to make salt the central focus of the movement. He saw the salt tax as a symbol of British economic exploitation and decided to challenge the government’s monopoly on salt production.
- Dandi March: On March 12, 1930, Gandhi and a group of 78 Ashram members started the famous Dandi March from the Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi, a coastal village in Gujarat. The march aimed to symbolically break the salt law by producing salt from seawater.
- Salt Law Defiance: Gandhi and his followers arrived in Dandi on April 6, 1930. Gandhi defiantly broke the salt law by picking up a handful of salt that had formed through natural evaporation. This act of civil disobedience captured the imagination of the nation and inspired others to join the movement.
- The Civil Disobedience Movement, with its emphasis on nonviolent resistance, mass participation, and defiance of unjust laws, became a turning point in India’s struggle for independence. It ignited a wave of protests, boycotts, and acts of civil disobedience across the country, challenging British authority and advancing the cause of Indian self-rule.
- Timing and Gandhi’s Assessment: Initially, Gandhi did not consider it the appropriate time to launch a mass movement against the Simon Commission. He believed that people were not yet ready for such action. However, as time progressed, the circumstances changed, and he recognized the growing desire among the people to take action.
- Consolidation of Nationalist Ranks: Gandhi actively participated in politics and attended the Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress in December 1928. During this period, he worked towards consolidating nationalist ranks and bringing together different factions, including the militant left wing under leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose.
- Economic Impact: The world was facing an economic downturn during this time, known as the Great Depression. India was also affected by the economic crisis, leading to a decline in prices and impacting peasants and the propertied peasant class. These economic hardships added to the grievances and discontent among the people.
- Request to the Viceroy: Mahatma Gandhi, in an effort to mitigate the situation and address the issues faced by the people, wrote to the Viceroy, expressing his concerns and seeking a resolution. However, his efforts were met with discouragement and did not yield the desired response from the British authorities.
- These factors, including the changing political climate, economic challenges, and the growing discontent among the people, set the stage for the launch of the Civil Disobedience Movement under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi during the Lahore Session of the Indian National Congress.
Characteristics of the Civil Disobedience Movement:
- It marked the first nationwide movement, in contrast to previous movements that were limited to urban areas.
- People from rural regions were also allowed to participate by registering.
- The movement witnessed a significant involvement of women.
- Eminent female leaders such as Kasturba Gandhi, Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay, Avantikabai Gokhale, Lilavati Munshi, and Hansaben Mehta played prominent roles in the satyagraha movement.
- Nonviolence served as the guiding principle for the movement.
- Despite continuous repression by the British, the movement endured.
Causes of the Civil Disobedience Movement:
- The prevailing social and political unrest created the conditions for the emergence of the civil disobedience movement.
- The Simon Commission, established by the British government in 1927 to formulate India’s constitution, consisted entirely of British members. It was rejected by the Indian National Congress and other political and social organizations due to its all-white composition.
- In 1928, a committee led by Motilal Nehru drafted a new constitution in Calcutta. The Indian National Congress demanded that the British government accept Nehru’s Report from 1928.
- The central theme of the report was to grant India Dominion Status. It warned and pressured the British government that failure to accept the report would result in a threat and the launch of a civil disobedience movement.
- Lord Irwin, the Governor General of India, stated that the main objective of the constitutional reform was to grant India dominion status.
- Gandhi and other leaders proposed a round table conference to resolve the constitutional crisis after the declaration. However, when the British government failed to respond positively to their demands, the civil disobedience movement was initiated.
Spread of the Civil Disobedience Movement:
- Gandhi’s symbolic act at Dandi inspired people across the country to defy the salt laws.
- Nehru’s arrest in April 1930 for violating the salt law triggered massive protests in Madras, Calcutta, and Karachi.
- On May 4, 1930, Gandhi was arrested after announcing his intention to lead a raid on the Dharasana Salt Works on the west coast of India.
- Following Gandhi’s arrest, major protests erupted in Bombay, Delhi, Calcutta, and Sholapur, with the most intense response occurring in Sholapur.
- The Civil Disobedience Movement received widespread participation from students, women, tribals, merchants, petty traders, workers, and peasants from various backgrounds.
- In different provinces, salt laws were defied with varying degrees of success.
- Prominent leaders led specific salt satyagrahas, such as C. Rajagopalachari in Tamil Nadu, K. Kelappan in Malabar, and Sarojini Naidu and Manilal Gandhi in Dharasana Salt Works (Gujarat).
- The defiance of salt laws at the Dharasana salt works was notable for its scale, with approximately 2,000 volunteers engaging in nonviolent resistance against a large police force armed with steel-tipped lathis. The police attacked the non-resisting Satyagrahis until they fell.
- The Civil Disobedience Movement came to an end with the signing of the Gandhi-Irwin agreement on March 5, 1931. The agreement was reached between Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Irwin, the Viceroy of India at the time, effectively concluding the movement.
Methods adopted during the Civil Disobedience Movement:
Salt Satyagraha:
- Gandhi led the Salt Satyagraha with the historic march to Dandi.
- C. Rajagopalachari led the movement in the Madras province.
- In Dharasana, the planned action by Gandhi was carried out by Sarojini Naidu, Imam Sahib (Gandhi’s associate), and Manilal Gandhi (Gandhi’s son) with 2000 volunteers. Despite being subjected to police lathi charges, they responded nonviolently. Injured participants were carried on stretchers while others made way for them. The event was widely reported by US reporter Webb Miller.
- Similar actions took place in the Wadala suburb, Balasore, Puri District (Odisha), and Midnapore (coastal Bengal). The Salt Satyagraha served as a catalyst and marked the beginning of various forms of defiance.
Boycott of foreign cloth and liquor:
- There was a vigorous boycott of foreign cloth and liquor shops, with women playing a leading role as instructed by Gandhi.
- Students and youth also actively participated in the boycott of foreign cloth.
- Traders’ associations, commercial bodies, and mill owners supported the boycott by refusing to use foreign yarn and refraining from manufacturing coarse cloth that competed with khadi.
- The boycott of liquor resulted in a significant drop in government revenues from excise duties.
Chawkidari Tax:
- In eastern India, there was a refusal to pay the Chowkidari tax, which was levied on villages to pay guards (chowkidars) who acted as spies for the government and as retainers for local landlords.
- The movement started in Bihar and spread to other regions.
- The onset of the monsoon in Bengal shifted the focus to the anti-Chawkidari tax movement.
No Land Tax:
- In Kheda district, Bardoli taluka in Surat district, and Jambusar in Broach, a determined no-tax movement was launched, specifically refusing to pay land revenue.
- Villagers, along with their families, cattle, and belongings, crossed the border into neighboring princely states like Baroda and camped in open fields for months. Their houses were destroyed and their lands confiscated.
No Revenue – No Rent:
- In Uttar Pradesh (UP), the no-revenue part involved zamindars refusing to pay revenue to the government, while the no-rent part called on tenants not to pay rent to the zamindars. This became a no-rent struggle as most zamindars were loyal to the government.
Prabhat Pheris:
- Bands of men, women, and children went around at dawn singing nationalist songs, which became a common practice in villages and towns.
Patrikas:
- Illegal news sheets, handwritten or printed, were circulated to defy the Press Act and disseminate information.
Vanar and Manjari Sena:
- Children were organized into Vanar Senas (monkey armies), and in some cases, girls formed their separate Manjari Senas (cat armies).
Impact of the Civil Disobedience Movement:
- The movement generated widespread distrust towards the British government and laid the foundation for the freedom struggle in India.
- New methods of propaganda, such as Prabhat pheris (morning processions) and pamphlets, gained popularity during the movement.
- Through defiance of forest laws and the refusal to pay the rural “Chaukidari tax,” oppressive measures like the salt tax were abolished.
- Imports of clothing and cigarettes were significantly reduced, and government revenue from land revenue and liquor excise also saw a decline.
- The participation of women and students in large numbers was a significant development, empowering Indian women and marking their entry into public spaces.
Drawbacks of the Civil Disobedience Movement:
- Muslims were less likely to participate due to advice from communal leaders and the government’s efforts to promote communalism as a response to nationalism.
- Industrial workers, except in Nagpur, did not participate extensively in the movement.
Government Response to the Civil Disobedience Movement:
- Initially, the government’s attitude was ambivalent, facing a dilemma between using force and risking accusations of repression or taking little action and being accused of conceding to Congress.
- However, as repression intensified, the government issued ordinances curbing civil liberties and implemented press censorship.
- Provincial governments were given the power to ban civil disobedience organizations, and the Congress Working Committee was eventually declared illegal.
- Lathi’s charges and firing on unarmed crowds resulted in numerous deaths, injuries, and the imprisonment of satyagrahis, including Gandhi and other Congress leaders.
- Viceroy Lord Irwin proposed a round table conference and reiterated the goal of dominion status.
- Efforts were made to explore peace possibilities between Congress and the government, including meetings between Tej Bahadur Sapru, M.R. Jayakar, Motilal Nehru, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Gandhi.
- The demands put forward by Nehru and Gandhi included the right to secede from Britain, complete national government control over defense and finance, and an independent tribunal to settle Britain’s financial claims.
FAQs
Q: What was the Civil Disobedience Movement of 1930-34?
A: The Civil Disobedience Movement was a significant campaign led by Mahatma Gandhi against British colonial rule in India from 1930 to 1934. It aimed to challenge unjust British laws and policies through nonviolent resistance and disobedience.
Q: What were the main objectives of the Civil Disobedience Movement?
A: The main objectives of the Civil Disobedience Movement were to demand complete independence (Purna Swaraj) for India, to protest against the oppressive British salt tax and other discriminatory laws, and to mobilize the Indian masses in nonviolent resistance against British rule.
Q: What were the key features of the Civil Disobedience Movement?
A: Key features of the movement included mass protests, boycotts of British goods, noncooperation with British authorities, civil disobedience such as the famous Salt March led by Gandhi, and the promotion of indigenous industries and self-reliance.
Q: What were the outcomes and impacts of the Civil Disobedience Movement?
A: Although the movement did not immediately achieve its goals, it significantly raised awareness about the Indian independence struggle both domestically and internationally. It increased unity among different sections of Indian society, strengthened the Indian National Congress, and led to important concessions from the British, such as the Government of India Act of 1935.
Q: How did the Civil Disobedience Movement influence India’s path to independence?
A: The Civil Disobedience Movement marked a crucial phase in India’s struggle for independence. It showcased the power of nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience as effective tools against colonial oppression. Although it was temporarily suspended in 1934, the movement laid the groundwork for future protests and ultimately contributed to India gaining independence in 1947.
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