Ans) Non-Cooperation Movement – The Non-Cooperation Movement began in January 1921. Various social groups participated in this movement, the main ones being-

1. The middle class living in cities, such as students, teachers, lawyers, etc.,
2. Rural People
3. Tribals Living in Forests
4. Plantation Workers
5. Political Parties

Here, we shall discuss the following three groups-

Middle class in cities – The movement began with the participation of the middle class in cities. Large numbers of students left schools and colleges. Principals and teachers resigned. Lawyers gave up their practice. Councils were boycotted in most provinces except Madras. The non-cooperation movement had a more dramatic impact on the economic front. Foreign goods were boycotted, liquor shops were picketed, and foreign cloth was burnt in huge fire pits.

Rural masses – The movement absorbed the struggles of peasants and tribals developing in different parts of India. The peasants demanded a ,reduction in taxes, abolition of forced labour and social boycott of oppressive landlords. The Congress tried to incorporate the peasant struggle of Awadh into the movement, but the peasant movement developed in forms that the Congress leadership was unhappy with. As the movement spread in 1921, the houses of talukdars and merchants were attacked, bazaars were looted and granaries of grain were seized. In many places, local leaders told the peasants that Gandhiji had announced that no taxes would be paid and land would be distributed among the poor. The name of the Mahatma was being invoked to sanction all actions and aspirations.

Plantation workers – The workers had their own understanding of Mahatma Gandhi’s ideas and the concept of Swaraj. For the plantation workers of Assam, freedom meant the right to move freely within the confined space in which they were confined. For them, freedom meant maintaining ties with the village they came from. According to the Inland Emigration Act of 1859, plantation workers were not allowed to leave the tea gardens without permission. Which was rarely given to them. Thousands of workers defied the authorities on hearing about the non-cooperation movement. They left the plantations and went home. They assumed that Gandhi Raj was coming and everyone would be given land in their own villages. In this way, the plantation workers also cooperated with Mahatma Gandhi.

Ans) Salt March- Mahatma Gandhi found in salt a powerful symbol that could unite the nation. So he made the following efforts-

1. On 31 January 1930, Gandhiji wrote a letter to Viceroy Irwin. In this letter, he mentioned 11 demands.
2. The most important demand among them was to abolish the salt tax.
3. Salt was used by both the rich and the poor. It was an integral part of the diet.
4. Thus, Mahatma Gandhi highlighted the salt tax and the government monopoly on its production as the most oppressive aspect of British rule.
5. Mahatma Gandhi’s letter was like an ultimatum. He wrote that if the demands were not met by 11 March, the Congress would launch a civil disobedience campaign. Irwin was not ready to negotiate, so Mahatma Gandhi started the Salt March with his 78 trusted volunteers.
6. This march was more than 240 miles long, from Gandhiji’s ashram in Sabarmati to Dandi, a coastal town in Gujarat. The crowd accompanied Gandhi for 24 days, walking about 10 miles a day.
7. Wherever Gandhi stopped, thousands of people came to hear him. At these meetings, Gandhi explained the meaning of Swaraj and urged people to peacefully disobey the British, i.e,. not follow their orders. On 6 April, he reached Dandi and began making salt by boiling seawater. This was a violation of the law.

Thus, it is clear that salt was an effective symbol of protest against colonialism.

Ans) I participated extensively in the Civil Disobedience Movement along with other women.

During Gandhiji’s Salt Satyagraha, thousands of women came out of their homes to listen to him. We took part in rallies, made salt, picketed liquor and foreign cloth shops. I participated actively, which even landed me in jail.

In cities, mostly upper-class women were active, while in rural areas, women from rich peasant families took part in the movement.

During this movement, I experienced that following Gandhiji’s call, we started considering national service as our sacred duty.

Ans) The sharp differences among political leaders on the question of separate electorate are due to the following reasons –

1. For a long time, the Congress neglected the Dalits because it had the support of the orthodox upper caste Hindu Sanatanis.
2. In 1930, Dr. Ambedkar organised the Dalits into the Dalit Varg Sangh. He clashed with Gandhiji at the Second Round Table Conference over the demand for a separate electorate for Dalits.
3. When the British government accepted Ambedkar’s demand, Gandhiji began a fast unto death. He believed that a separate electorate for Dalits would slow down the process of their integration into society.
4. From the mid-1920s, the Congress became more clearly associated with overtly Hindu religious nationalist groups such as the Hindu Mahasabha. As relations between Hindus and Muslims deteriorated, each community took out religious processions with fierce zeal, leading to Hindu-Muslim communal clashes and riots in various cities. Each riot further deepened the gulf between the two communities.
5. In 1930, Sir Muhammad Iqbal, as President of the Muslim League, reiterated the importance of a separate electorate for the Muslims as it was an important safeguard for protecting their minority political interests.
6. Muhammad Ali Jinnah, one of the leaders of the Muslim League, was willing to give up the demand for separate electorate, provided the Muslims were ensured reserved seats in the Central Assembly and representation in proportion to their population in the Muslim majority provinces.

Ans) In 1930, the goal of complete independence was declared in the Lahore session, and it was decided to start the Civil Disobedience Movement under the leadership of Gandhiji. In this movement, Gandhiji proposed the following programs –

1. Break the salt law and make salt at various places.
2. Government employees should leave their government services, and students should boycott government schools and colleges.
3. Foreign clothes should be burnt in huge fire pits.
4. Women should sit on dharna at the shops selling liquor, indigo, and foreign clothes.
5. People should not pay revenue to the government.

Gandhiji started the Civil Disobedience Movement by violating the salt tax. On March 12, 1930, Gandhiji left for Dandi and reached there on April 5. This event became famous as the ‘Dandi March’. On the way, people gave a wonderful welcome to the Satyagrahis. They broke the salt law at Dandi. This marked the beginning of the Civil Disobedience Movement. People in all parts of India started violating the laws. Women also participated in this movement. Farmers also refused to pay taxes to the government. Foreign clothes were boycotted. On March 5, 1931, an agreement was reached between Gandhiji and Viceroy Irwin, and Gandhiji suspended the movement. In November 1931, Gandhiji participated in the second round table conference in London on behalf of the Congress. More than one lakh people were arrested. In 1934, Gandhiji ended this movement.

Ans) It is true that, like the Non-cooperation Movement, the Civil Disobedience Movement was also suspended in its mid-term, through which people became disappointed, but this movement also increased the morale of Congress. People under the leadership of Gandhiji tolerated immense pain, and people blindly followed his orders. At this time, the British government was also influenced by Gandhiji’s personality and it got that he had strong mass power behind him. This movement made Gandhiji a world-famous politician.

Ans) Following cultural processes played an important role in India in the 19th century –

1. The identity of the nation is often expressed through an image in symbolic form. This helps people to create an image with which the nation can be identified. In the 20th century, with the growth of nationalism, the identity of India became visually linked with the image of Bharat Mata.
2. Ideas of nationalism were inspired by the movement to revive Indian folklore. In the late 19th century, nationalists in India began transcribing folk tales sung by bards.
3. As the national movement progressed, nationalist leaders became more aware of the importance of symbols and icons in unifying the people and instilling in them a sense of nationalism.
4. In 1921, Gandhiji designed the Swaraj flag. It was also tricolour (white, green and red). It had a spinning wheel in the middle symbolising self-help. Walking with the flag high during the march became a symbol of defiance.

Ans) Revolutionaries in the Indian freedom struggle used militant strategies against British rule, including assassinations, bombings, and dacoities (armed robbery) to achieve their goals of ending colonial rule and establishing an independent India. Their aim was to instill fear in British authorities, awaken the masses, and raise funds for their activities.

Measures adopted by the revolutionaries against the British Rule are –

1. Secret committees and organisations – Revolutionaries formed secret groups such as Anushilan Samiti and Yugantar in Bengal and the Hindustan Republican Association (later Hindustan Socialist Republican Association) in North India. These committees trained their members in the use of arms and explosives.
2. Assassinations – A major method was to target unpopular British officials and sometimes informers or traitors to their own party.
3. Daaki (armed robbery) – To raise funds for their activities, including acquiring arms and ammunition, revolutionaries sometimes resorted to robberies. The Kakori train robbery in 1925 is a notable example.
4. Bombings – Revolutionaries used bombs to disrupt and damage British institutions and to demonstrate their resistance. The bombing of the Central Legislative Assembly by Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt in 1929 was not a protest to cause harm but to “make the deaf hear”.
5. Revolutionary Conspiracy – During the First World War, some revolutionaries attempted to form alliances with Britain’s enemies, especially Germany, to gain external support for their cause. The Ghadar Party, formed in the United States and Canada, aimed to foment rebellion in India.
6. Raids on Armouries – In some cases, they targeted British armouries to seize arms, as can be seen in the Chittagong Armoury raid led by Surya Sen in 1930.
7. Propaganda and Literature – The revolutionaries used publications such as Atmashakti, Sarathi, and Bijoli to spread their ideals of self-sacrifice and inspire the youth to fight for freedom.

Ans) In the year 1942, a historic movement started on the political scene of India, which is known as the ‘Quit India Movement’. In fact, it was a mass struggle. It was an inspired and collective will movement that arose from self-motivation for the independence of the country. The All India Congress Committee passed the famous ‘Quit India’ resolution on August 8, 1942. On the occasion of the launch of the ‘Quit India Movement’, Gandhiji gave the historic message of ‘Do or Die’ in his enthusiastic and passionate speech to the Indian people. This message meant that Indians should adopt every possible non-violent means to achieve independence.

Start of the Movement – The next day after the Quit India Resolution was passed, Gandhiji was arrested by the British government. As a result, the spark of the ‘Quit India’ movement flared up all over the country. Due to the arrest of prominent nationalist leaders, the movement took a violent turn. Violent demonstrations took place at various places. Large rallies were held in cities and villages. Railway stations, post offices, telegraph offices, and police stations were burnt down at various places.

Importance of Quit India Movement – The Quit India Movement has an important place in the history of the Indian National Movement. It is true that the goal for which this movement was started could not be achieved immediately, but its impact was widespread. Due to this movement, the public discontent prevailing in India was exposed to great nations like America, China, etc., due to which they put pressure on Britain to free India. At the same time, Britain also realized that it could not keep India under its control for a long time. In other words, this movement prepared the background for Indian independence.

Ans) The failure of the Cripps Mission and the way Cripps held the Congress responsible for it led to discontent and disappointment among the Indian people. The Cripps Mission also made it clear that the British government would not liberate India because of communalism. In other words, the aim of the Cripps Mission was not to liberate India, so it was necessary to launch the ‘Quit India Movement’ for Indian independence.

Following were the reasons for failure of the movement-

1. Lack of organization and definite plan- Before the start of the Quit India Movement, Mahatma Gandhi did not make any clear plan about how the movement would be carried out. In other words, it was not made clear to any agitator what he had to do.
2. Powerful British rule – Another major reason for the failure of this movement was that the British rule was much more powerful than the agitators. The agitators lacked money and ammunition. So they had to face the police and army without ammunition.
3. Imprisonment of nationalist leaders – At the beginning of the Quit India Movement, the prominent nationalist leaders were suddenly arrested by the British government. Due to this, the public could not get adequate guidance, and the movement was badly affected.
4. Politics of the Muslim League – The Muslim League suggested that Muslims separate from the movement, due to which Muslims did not participate in the movement. This also affected the movement.
5. Boycott of communist groups- The communist group completely distanced itself from this movement because in the Second World War, both England and Russia fought together against the fascist powers of Germany and Japan. In such a situation, Indian communists did not want to protest against Russia’s friend England. Therefore, they kept themselves away from the Quit India Movement.
6. Loyalty of government employees and upper class towards British rule – During the Quit India Movement, government employees and officers supported the British rule with full loyalty to suppress the movement. Indian kings, princes and landlord groups were also against this movement.

Ans) Mahatma Gandhi holds a prominent place in the history of the Indian freedom struggle. Mahatma Gandhi played a key role in India’s national movement for independence from British rule. His leadership and philosophy of nonviolent resistance (satyagraha) played a key role in organizing the masses and achieving India’s independence.

The following is a summary of Gandhi’s contributions –

Leading the Way in Nonviolent Resistance (Satyagraha) – Gandhi developed and popularized the philosophy of Satyagraha, meaning “holding onto truth,” which was a powerful strategy of nonviolent civil disobedience against British rule. This involved peaceful protests, boycotts, strikes, and refusal to cooperate with British authorities and institutions.

Specific Movements and Campaigns – Gandhi led several important movements, including the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-1922), the Civil Disobedience Movement (1930-1934), and the Quit India Movement (1942). These movements, although sometimes faced with British repression, significantly weakened British power and increased the pressure for independence. They also played an important role in addressing social issues such as untouchability and promoting Hindu-Muslim unity.

Symbol of Indian Nationalism – Gandhi became the face of the Indian independence movement nationally and internationally. His simple lifestyle, wearing of traditional Indian clothing, and his emphasis on the common man struck a chord with the Indian people. He was seen as a moral force, a beacon of hope, and a symbol of India’s struggle for self-determination.

National unity and mass mobilization – Gandhi’s charismatic leadership and ability to connect with people from all walks of life inspired the Indian masses. He travelled widely, organised mass movements and inspired millions to join the freedom struggle. His call for swadeshi (self-reliance) and boycott of British goods fostered a sense of national unity and pride.

Ans) The growth of nationalism in the colonies is linked to the anti-colonial movement for the following reasons –

1. During the struggle against colonialism, people began to identify their unity.
2. The feeling of being oppressed under colonialism provided a common bond that tied together many different groups.
3. The colonial powers began to forcefully impose their culture on the colonised people, which also aroused the feeling of nationalism.
4. The anti-colonial movement was a joint struggle against the foreign rulers. This joint struggle was responsible for the growth of the feeling of nationalism in the colonies.

Ans) In 1914, when the First World War broke out, the British government involved India in the war. American President Wilson and British Prime Minister Lloyd George declared that the war was being fought to protect democracy and the rights of national self-determination, so Indians should give their full cooperation in the war. On Lloyd George’s declaration, Mahatma Gandhi assured the British government of full cooperation in conducting the war. Many Indians joined the British army and participated courageously in the war. The war awakened the feelings of nationalism. Indian leaders demanded that if Britain was fighting the war to protect democracy, then its moral duty was to establish self-rule in India after the war.

Ans) In the history of the national movement, this act was called the ‘Terrorist Criminal Act’. The following points were included in the Rowlatt Act to suppress the national movement –

1. According to the Rowlatt Act, the British government was given complete freedom to suppress the national movement or any activity against the government.
2. The government was allowed to detain any person without a trial.
3. Any person suspected of being a revolutionary could be detained by a magistrate.

Opposition to Rowlatt Act – There was a nationwide protest against the Rowlatt Act (1919). Mahatma Gandhi also actively participated in this protest and led the Satyagraha movement with full vigor. A nationwide strike was decided on 6 April. Rallies were taken out in different parts of the country, and slogans were raised against the Rowlatt Act. This was a movement in which rich-poor, high-low, and Hindu-Muslim all came together.

Ans) Withdrawal of Non-Cooperation Movement – When the movement was at its peak, an incident occurred that forced Gandhiji to call off the movement. On February 5, 1922, an agitated mob fired at the police station at Chauri Chaura in Gorakhpur district. Gandhiji believed in non-violence. Therefore, this violent incident hurt his principles. So he withdrew the movement on February 11, 1922, in spite of the dissuasion of nationalist leaders. This was the first nationwide movement. Two days later, Mahatma Gandhi was sentenced to 6 years’ imprisonment by the British government.

Ans) The ideology of Satyagraha stressed the power of truth and the need to search for truth. What I meant was that if your aim is truth, if your struggle is against injustice, you do not need any physical force to fight the oppressor. Without any retaliation or aggression, a Satyagrahi can win the battle through non-violence. This could be done by awakening the conscience of the oppressor. Instead of forcing them to accept the truth through violence, it was necessary to persuade not only the oppressor but also other people to see the truth. Truth had to triumph ultimately from this struggle.

Four views of Gandhiji on Satyagraha are –

1. Nonviolence (Ahimsa) – Satyagraha is essentially based on the principle of non-violence, which Gandhi extended beyond mere physical non-harm to include mental and emotional states as well.
2. Truth (Satya) – Gandhi believed that truth was the ultimate goal, and satyagraha was a way of seeking and living by truth. It extended beyond honesty to a commitment to live by one’s deepest beliefs and principles.
3. Self-suffering and Sacrifice – A key aspect of satyagraha was the readiness to endure pain and hardship for the sake of justice. This self-suffering was not as a form of retribution, but as a means of awakening the conscience of the opponent and demonstrating the moral justness of the satyagrahi’s cause.
4. Appeal to Conscience – The primary goal of satyagraha was to awaken the conscience of opponents, to instill in them a sense of justice and morality. Gandhi believed that by demonstrating the rightness of their cause through non-violent means, satyagrahis could eventually persuade their opponents to change their behavior.

1. The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
2. The Simon Commission

a). The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre – The Rowlatt Act was implemented in March 1919. The whole country opposed it. There was opposition to the Rowlatt Act in Punjab as well. The British government lathi-charged at many places in Punjab. On April 10, two influential Congress leaders, Dr. Satyapal and Dr. Saifuddin Kichloo, were arrested and sent to jail. In protest against these arrests, a protest meeting was organized at Jallianwala Bagh on Baisakhi day on April 13. As soon as the meeting started, an army officer, General Dyer, ordered his soldiers to fire on the crowd without any warning. The soldiers fired on the crowd, in which more than 800 people were killed and about 2000 people were injured. The Jallianwala Bagh incident created widespread discontent among the people against British rule. After this, the non-cooperation movement started.

b). The Simon Commission – In 1927, the British government appointed a seven-member commission headed by Sir John Simon to prepare a report on constitutional reforms in India. The commission was boycotted because all its members were British and not a single representative was Indian. Wherever the commission went in India, there were strikes, black flags and slogans of ‘Simon go back’. Lala Lajpat Rai died in a police lathicharge during a demonstration against the Simon Commission.