The Non-Cooperation Movement was the first strong moment of Gandhi against the British. It was part of Gandhi’s concept of non-violence. In the beginning he cooperated with the British. He believed in their sense of righteousness. He showed his loyalty to the British in the First. World War by asking the Indians to join the British army. But some developments in 1919 made Gandhi change his attitude. The Rowlett Acts, Jalian Wala Bagh tragedy, the Khilafat Movement etc. were some of them.
The Non-Cooperation Movement had three aims:
- Find a solution to the Punjab problem.
- Solve the Khilafat issue.
- Gain swaraj.
Non-Cooperation Movement was a political process based on non-violence. It had both constructive and destructive procedures.
These were the constructive things:
1. Swadeshi propaganda
2. Abolition of untouchability
3. Promotion of Hindu-Muslim unity
4. Prohibition (of alcohol)
5. Nationalization of education
6. Encouraging the use of the spinning wheel (charkha) and khadi
The negative things were rather extreme in nature. The main thing was boycott.
1. Boycott government educational institutions, courts, assemblies, etc.
2. Boycott official functions
3. Boycott foreign clothes and goods
4. Give up government jobs, titles, positions and rewards
5. Refuse to give taxes
The exhortations of Gandhiji had great effect. Students boycotted government institutions. Thousands of workers in cities and towns went on strike. Official records show that in 1921 there were 396 strikes involving 6 lakh workers. 7 lakh working days were lost. In the Non-Cooperation Movement, women and farmers took active part. Many women came out of their purdah to take part in the protests.
The Movement spread even to villages. The forest dwellers in Andhra Pradesh broke the forest laws. Farmers of Awadh and Bihar took part in the struggle by refusing to pay taxes. The farmers of Kumaon (Uttarakhand) refused to carry the goods of the Colonial officers. Often these protests were done against the instructions of regional leaders. Instead of taking orders from higher authorities, they refused to cooperate with the Colonial administration.
The greatest success was in the boycott of foreign clothes. People went from house to house, collecting foreign clothes and burnt them in public. People encouraged the use of local goods (swadeshi). The most dramatic events of the Non-Cooperation Movement were the boycotts during the visit of the Prince of Wales to India. When he landed in India in November 1921, what he met with were hartals and protest marches. People boycotted him wherever he went. The government tried all means to suppress the Movement. All leaders except Gandhiji were arrested. Thousands were jailed. Police often red at the protesters. But all these repressive measures only increased the strength of the Movement.
The Chauri-Chaura incident was big jolt to the Movement. Gandhi was forced to stop the Movement. Violence in Chauri-Chaura occurred when police red at a procession of farmers. The enraged farmers attacked the Chauri-Chaura police station and burnt it. 22 policemen were killed. This shocked Gandhiji. He realized that people were not yet ready to fight using non-violence. On 22 February 1922, he decided to withdraw the Non Cooperation Movement. He said that no provocation would justify the killing of the 22 policemen.
1. The Non-Cooperation Movement was a significant milestone. In the biography of Mahatma Gandhi, Louis Fischer (American) says that the Non Cooperation Movement was big turning point in the history of India and also the life of Gandhi. It combined denial, sacrifice, and self control. Fischer says it was some kind of training for autonomy.
2. After the 1857 Revolt, this was the first incident that shook the foundation of the British Raj.
3. During this Movement, thousands of Indians were imprisoned. People gained the strength to withstand persecutions and tortures.
4. In fact, it was India’s first most popular Movement. It was through this, the national struggle gained momentum and became such a huge movement. All kinds of people took part in it. Congress became a popular organization.
5. It created awareness among people against evils like untouchability and alcoholism. It encouraged national education and use of local goods.
6. It paved the way for the formation of the Swarajist Party.
