Question

Discuss the role of Gandhi in the national movement.

Answer 1

Mahatma Gandhi arrived in India from South Africa in 1915 after leading leading a movement there against apartheid. In India, he took over the leadership of the Congress. At first, he intervened in the local movements at Champaran, Kheda and Ahmedabad Mills strike. In 1919, he launched a major agitation against the Rowlatt Act through his method of Satyagraha. There was a country wide response to his call of non-violent opposition. The British crackdown resulted in the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. In 1920, he supported the Khilafat movement by Muslims and later launched the Non-cooperation movement that lasted till 1922 and received a huge response. The movement was called off due to a violent incident at Chauri Chaura. In 1930, he led the Dandi march against the unfair salt tax. It culminated into the Civil Disobedience movement. In 1942, he gave a call for Quit India which again evoked a huge response from the people. Throughout these movements, people participated in Satyagraha, boycotted foreign goods and clothes, courted arrest and went to jail.