Discuss various stages of the Non Cooperation Movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi.
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Phases of the Non-Cooperation Movement
The non-cooperation movement can be divided into four distinct phases from its beginning in January 1920 till its abrupt end in February 1922.
In the first phase (January–March 1920), Gandhi conducted a nationwide tour along with the Ali brothers to propagate his ideals and resolutions behind the movement. Thousands of students left government schools and colleges. Around 800 national schools and colleges were opened to accommodate the students. The academic boycott was most successful in Bengal. In Punjab, it was headed by Lala Lajpat Rai. Many renowned and established lawyers like Motilal Nehru, C.R. Das, Jawaharlal Nehru, C. Raja Gopalachari, Vallabhbhai Patel, Saifuddin Kitchlew, Asaf Ali, Rajendra Prasad and T. Prakasam gave up their practice. Students, intellectuals and other influential heads of the society were urged to take up the Charka (Spinning Wheel) program, to promote nationalist products.
During the second phase (April–July 1921), subscriptions were collected for the “Tilak Swaraj Fund” in order to finance the movement with a target of one Crore rupees. The common public was encouraged to become members of the Congress. The Fund was oversubscribed and one crore rupees collected, but the target of membership reached only 50 lakhs. The Charka (Spinning Wheel) was distributed among public. The Swadeshi concept became a household word. Khadi and Charka became a symbol of freedom.
In the third phase (July–November 1921), the movement became more radical. Foreign clothes were burnt publicly reducing their imports by half. People resorted to picketing shops selling foreign liquors and toddy shops. The All–India Khilafat conference was held at Karachi on 8 July 1921, where leaders called upon Muslim soldiers in the British Indian army to quit their jobs. Further, Gandhi and other Congress leaders also emphasized that it is the duty of every Indian citizen and soldier to break with the oppressive power. Gandhi called for volunteers to fill the jail. The Khilafat Conference in Malabar incited so much communal feelings among the Muslim peasants (The Moplahs) that it took an anti–Hindu turn in July 1921. This uprising of the Muslims peasants against the Hindu Landlords came to be known as the Moplah Rebellion. The tour of the Duke of Connaught to India was boycotted. In a similar way, in November 1921, mass demonstrations were held against the Prince of Wales during his tour of India. The British government resorted to strong measures of repression. Many leaders were arrested. The Congress and the Khilafat Committees were proclaimed illegal.
The fourth phase and final phase (November 1921–February 1922) of the movement saw citizens choosing not to pay taxes in several regions. In December 1921, the Congress in its annual session at Ahmedabad affirmed its resolve to intensify the movement. On 1 February 1922, in a letter to the Governor General, Gandhi spoke of non–payment of taxes. Gandhi threatened to launch civil disobedience from Bardoli, Gujarat, if the Government doesn’t release political prisoners and lift the press control imposed by the Rowlatt Act.
Barely a few days after this correspondence, the Chauri Chaura incident took place on 5 February 1922. An agitated mob of peasants attacked the police station of Chaura, near Gorakhpur in UP and burnt the establishment killing nearly 22 policemen. This violent event disturbed Gandhi and he ordered for the immediate suspension of the movement. Leaders were unhappy about Gandhi’s sudden decision to adjourn the movement, but accepted it out of respect.
Gandhi ji proposed that the movement should unfold in stages:
1st Stage: Surrender of titles that the government awarded.
2nd Stage: Boycott of civil services, army, police, courts and legislative councils, schools, and foreign goods.
3rd Stage: Then, in case the government used repression, a full civil disobedience campaign would be launched.