Class 12 History Notes Chapter 11 Mahatma Gandhi and the Nationalist Movement introduces the life of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, one of India’s greatest leaders and the father of the nation. The chapter outlines the events that led to the formation and dissolution of the non-cooperation movement against the British Raj.
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Civil Disobedience and Beyond
This chapter examines Mahatma Gandhi’s political career in India from 1915-1948, focusing on his interactions with various sections of society and the popular struggles he inspired and led. It highlights the importance of understanding the sources used by historians to reconstruct a leader’s career and the social movements he was associated with. Gandhiji’s influence and reverence as the ‘Father’ of the Indian nation are not misplaced, as his political career was influenced and constrained by the society in which he lived.
A Leader Announces Himself
In 1915, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi returned to India after two decades abroad, spending most of his time in South Africa as a lawyer and eventually becoming a leader of the Indian community. In South Africa, Gandhi forged the techniques of non-violent protest known as satyagraha, promoted harmony between religions, and alerted upper-caste Indians to discriminatory treatment of low castes and women.
India was more active in political sense than in 1893, with the Indian National Congress having branches in major cities and towns. Gandhiji spent a year traveling around British India, learning about the land and its peoples. His first major public appearance was at the opening of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in February 1916. He charged the Indian elite with a lack of concern for the laboring poor and emphasized the need for self-government through the farmer. Gandhiji’s speech at Banaras was a statement of fact and a statement of intent, aiming to make Indian nationalism more representative of the Indian people as a whole.
The Making and Unmaking of Non-cooperation
In 1917, Mahatma Gandhi spent time in Champaran, focusing on obtaining peasants’ security of tenure and freedom to cultivate their crops. In 1918, he intervened in a labor dispute in Ahmedabad and joined peasants in Keda in demanding better working conditions. These initiatives marked Gandhiji as a nationalist with sympathy for the poor. In 1919, the colonial rulers introduced the “Rowlatt Act” to counter British censorship and detention without trial. This led to a nationwide campaign against the Act, leading to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar. This event made Gandhiji a national leader, leading him to call for a campaign of “non-cooperation” with British rule, urging Indians to stop attending schools, colleges, and law courts and not pay taxes.
Knitting a Popular Movement
Gandhiji aimed to end colonial rule in India by combining non-cooperation with Khilafat, a movement involving Hindus and Muslims. This led to unprecedented popular action, including students boycotting government schools, lawyers refusing to attend court, and the working class striking in various towns and cities. The movement was often carried out in defiance of local nationalist leadership. The Non-Cooperation Movement was a significant epoch in India’s history, involving denial, renunciation, and self-discipline. The movement shaken the British Raj for the first time since the Revolt of 1857. In February 1922, a group of peasants attacked a police station in Chauri Chaura, resulting in the death of several constables. Gandhiji was arrested and charged with sedition, but he was sentenced to six years in prison.
A People’s Leader
By 1922, Mahatma Gandhi transformed Indian nationalism, transforming it from a movement of professionals and intellectuals to a movement of thousands of peasants, workers, and artisans. Many of these people venerated Gandhiji as their “Mahatma,” recognizing his simple lifestyle and love of working with his hands. He was known for his ascetic lifestyle and use of symbols like the dhoti and charkha, which allowed him to empathize more fully with the laboring poor and for them to empathize with him.
Gandhiji’s success in broadening the basis of nationalism was based on careful organization, with new branches of the Congress set up in various parts of India and a series of “Praja Mandals” established to promote the nationalist creed in princely states. He encouraged the communication of the nationalist message in the mother tongue, rather than in the English language of the rulers, thus embracing nationalism in the farthest corners of the country.
A group of highly-talented Indians attached themselves to Gandhiji between 1917 and 1922, including Mahadev Desai, Vallabh Bhai Patel, J.B. Kripalani, Subhas Chandra Bose, Abul Kalam Azad, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sarojini Naidu, Govind Ballabh Pant, and C. Rajagopalachari. These close associates came from different regions and religious traditions, inspiring countless other Indians to join the Congress and work for it.
After being released from prison in February 1924, Gandhiji focused on the promotion of home-spun cloth (khadi) and the abolition of untouchability. He believed that Indians had to get rid of social evils such as child marriage and untouchability, cultivate genuine tolerance for Indians of another faith, and learn to become self-reliant, emphasizing the importance of wearing khadi over mill-made cloth imported from overseas.
The Salt Satyagraha – A Case Study
Mahatma Gandhi focused on social reform after the Non-cooperation Movement ended. In 1928, he re-entered politics, leading to an all-India campaign against the all-White Simon Commission. Gandhi did not participate in this movement but gave blessings to a peasant satyagraha in Bardoli. In December 1929, the Congress held its annual session in Lahore, electing Jawaharlal Nehru as President and committing to “Purna Swaraj” or complete independence. On January 26, 1930, “Independence Day” was observed, with the national flag hoisted and patriotic songs sung. Gandhi instructed that the day should be celebrated by all villages and cities, with participants taking a pledge affirming their inalienable right to freedom and enjoy the fruits of their labor.
Dandi
Mahatma Gandhi announced his “Salt March” to break British India’s salt monopoly, aiming to mobilize discontent against British rule.
- Despite announcing the march to Viceroy Lord Irwin, the British Raj failed to understand its significance.
- Gandhiji began walking towards the ocean on 12 March 1930, making himself a criminal in the eyes of the law.
- Parallel salt marches were conducted across India, leading to protests against colonial forest laws, factory worker strikes, boycotts of British courts, and refusal of government-run educational institutions.
- The rulers responded by detaining dissenters, leading to nearly 60,000 arrests, including Gandhiji.
- Gandhiji’s speeches at the villages urged local officials to renounce government employment and join the freedom struggle.
- The progress of the march was attributed to well-attended meetings, thousands of volunteers, and many officials who had resigned from their posts with the colonial government.
- American newsmagazine, Time, initially skewed its report, but later changed its view due to the march’s massive popular following and the British rulers’ anxiety.
Dialogues
The Salt March was a significant event that brought Mahatma Gandhi to world attention, brought women to the forefront of nationalist activity, and forced the British to recognize that their Raj would not last forever. The British government convened Round Table Conferences in London to devolve power to the Indians, leading to the Gandhi-Irwin Pact. However, the conference was inconclusive, and Gandhiji returned to India and resumed civil disobedience.
In 1935, a new Government of India Act was proposed, and the Congress won a comprehensive victory in an election. In September 1939, Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru promised Congress support for the war effort if the British promised India independence. However, the offer was refused, and the Congress ministries resigned in protest.
The political landscape became complicated, with the Congress, Muslim League, and British all-party government. Winston Churchill, a diehard imperialist, sent Sir Stafford Cripps to India to try and forge a compromise with Gandhiji and the Congress. However, talks broke down when the Congress insisted that the Viceroy had to appoint an Indian as the Defence Member of his Executive Council to help the British defend India from the Axis powers.
Quit India
Mahatma Gandhi launched the “Quit India” campaign in 1942, a mass movement against British rule. Young activists, including socialist members of the Congress, organized strikes and sabotage across India. The movement was fueled by the young, who left their colleges to go to jail. Jinnah and his Muslim League expanded their influence, making a mark in Punjab and Sind. In 1944, Gandhi was released from prison and held meetings with Jinnah to bridge the gap between the Congress and the League. In 1945, a Labour government came to power in Britain, granting India independence. In 1946, the Congress won the “General” category, but the League won seats reserved for Muslims. Political polarization continued, leading to bloody riots in Calcutta and across India. In 1947, Lord Mountbatten announced that British India would be freed but also divided, with the formal transfer of power scheduled for 15 August.
The Last Heroic Days
Mahatma Gandhi was absent from the festivities in the capital on 15 August 1947, marking the day with a 24-hour fast. The nation was divided, and Hindus and Muslims were at each other’s throats. Gandhiji went around hospitals and refugee camps, offering consolation to the distressed people and encouraging them to live in peace. The Congress passed a resolution on the rights of minorities, stating that India would be a democratic secular State where all citizens enjoy full rights and are equally entitled to the protection of the State, regardless of their religion.
After bringing peace to Bengal, Gandhiji shifted to Delhi, where he hoped to move on to the riottorn districts of Punjab. Despite the disruptions, Gandhiji remained unafraid of the Muslims in Delhi. On 20 January 1948, an attempt on his life was made, but he carried on undaunted. On 26 January, he spoke at his prayer meeting, urging Indians to work collectively for the equality of all classes and creeds.
On 30 January, Gandhiji was shot dead by Nathuram Godse at his daily prayer meeting. His death led to an extraordinary outpouring of grief, with tributes from across the political spectrum and appreciations from international figures.
Knowing Gandhi
The political career of Gandhiji and the history of the nationalist movement can be reconstructed from various sources.
Public Voice and Private Scripts
Mahatma Gandhi’s writings and speeches provide valuable insights into his thoughts and emotions. Speeches allow us to hear an individual’s public voice, while private letters offer a glimpse into their private thoughts. However, this distinction often breaks down, as many letters are personal and meant for the public, often influenced by the fear of being published. Mahatma Gandhi regularly published letters from others, while Nehru edited a collection of letters during the national movement.
Framing a Picture
Autobiographies provide rich, detailed accounts of the past, but they are often written from memory. They reveal the author’s recollections, important details, and desired views. Reading autobiographies requires understanding the reasons behind the author’s silence, which may be wilful or unwitting acts of forgetting.
Through Police Eyes
Government records, such as fortnightly reports prepared by the Home Department, were crucial for colonial rulers to monitor critics. These reports, secret but now accessible in archives, often expressed concerns about sedition and rebellion. The Home Department was unwilling to accept Mahatma Gandhi’s actions sparked enthusiasm from the masses, viewing the Salt March as a desperate attempt to mobilize those unhappy with the British.
From Newspapers
Contemporary newspapers, published in English and various Indian languages, tracked Mahatma Gandhi’s movements and reported on his activities. However, these accounts should not be seen as unprejudiced, as they were influenced by political opinions and world views.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Mahatma Gandhi made huge contributions to India’s freedom struggle. His concept of nonviolence and civil disobedience, his techniques of non-cooperation and civil disobedience, and his leadership brought the Indian masses together and forced the British to meet the Indians’ demands. Mahatma Gandhi’s leadership in India’s independence movement was distinguished by his constant support for peaceful resistance and civil disobedience. Gandhi inspired millions of Indians to fight British colonialism by following the principles of truth and nonviolence. His vision for an independent India was based on communal peace, social fairness, and self-reliance, inspiring future generations and leaving a lasting mark on the world’s largest democracy.
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Mahatma Gandhi and the Nationalist Movement- FAQs
What is the focus of Class 12 History Chapter 11?
Chapter 11 focuses on Mahatma Gandhi’s leadership and his contributions to the nationalist movement in India.
Who was Mahatma Gandhi?
Mahatma Gandhi was a prominent leader of the Indian independence movement, known for his principles of nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience.
What role did Mahatma Gandhi play in India’s nationalist movement?
Gandhi mobilized millions through nonviolent protests, civil disobedience campaigns, and grassroots organizing, becoming the face of India’s struggle for independence.
What were Gandhi’s key principles and strategies?
Gandhi advocated for nonviolence, truth, and self-reliance, employing tactics such as boycotts, strikes, and peaceful marches to challenge British rule.
How did Gandhi’s leadership impact Indian society?
Gandhi’s leadership inspired unity, self-sacrifice, and moral courage among Indians, transcending caste, religion, and class divisions.
What were some of Gandhi’s notable contributions to the nationalist movement?
Gandhi led movements such as the Salt Satyagraha, Quit India Movement, and the Non-Cooperation Movement, which played pivotal roles in India’s journey to independence.
What was Gandhi’s vision for independent India?
Gandhi envisioned an India free from colonial rule, based on principles of equality, communal harmony, and self-governance through decentralized village communities.
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