Khilafat and Non-Cooperation Movement

KHILAFAT & NON-COOPERATION MOVEMENT:

1919-22: KHILAFAT MOVEMENT

• The First World-War (WWI) ended with the "Treaty of Versailles".
• Victorious British dethroned the Sultan of Turkey who was regarded as the "Khalifa or Caliph".
• Indian Muslims organize the Khalifa Movement.

Aim of Khalifa Movement:

• The Khalifa's position should be restored.
• The Khalifa's control over the Muslim sacred places should be retained.
• In territorial adjustments after the war, Khalifa should be left with sufficient territories.

1919 (Bombay): KHILAFAT COMMITTEE

• Leaders: Ali Brothers, Maulana Azad, Hakim Ajmal Khan, Harsat Mohani, Dr. MA Ansari.

1919 Nov. (Delhi): ALL INDIA KHILAFAT CONFERENCE

• Dr. Harsat Mohani made a call for a boycott of British goods & non-cooperation with the British government.

1920: ALLIANCE WITH CONGRESS

• Gandhi appointed as the President of the All India Khilafat Committee.
• Till May 1920, Gandhi was still moderate but afterward hardened with the publication of the terms of the treaty with Turkey & the Hunter Committee Report on Punjab disturbances.

1920 June (Allahabad): CENTRAL KHILAFAT COMMITTEE MEET

• Attended by both Congress & Khilafat Leaders.
• Ultimatum gave to the government-unless the Khilafat & Punjab wrongs were undone, the movement shall be launched from 1st August 1920.
• Tikal proposed Hindu-Muslim alliances over a religious question.

1920, 1st Aug.: NON-COOPERATION MOVEMENT

• Non-Cooperation movement launched.
• Tilak passes away.

1920, 20th Dec. (Nagpur): NAGPUR CONGRESS SESSION

• President C.Vijayraghavachariar.
• CR Das turns from a critic to Gandhi's supporter & moves the main resolution on Non-Cooperation Resolution of Non-Violent Non-Cooperation endorsed with the triple purpose of Non-Cooperation as the follows:
• A satisfactory resolution to the Khilafat question.
• Redressal of the Punjab wrongs, and
• Attainment of Swaraj.

• A detailed program of Non-Cooperation was suggested, to be put into force at a time decided by the Congress.
• A new constitution of the Congress Party (handwork of Gandhi himself) was adopted.
• Gandhi gave the slogan, "Swaraj in one year".
• Mohammad Ali Jinnah, GS Khaparde, Bipin Chandra Pal & Annie Besant left the Congress, they still believed in the lawful methods of the agitation.

1921 Jan.-March: FIRST PHASE OF NON-COOPERATION MOVEMENT

• Emphasis was on the boycott of schools, colleges, law courts & promotion of Charkha.
• CR Das played a key role in encouraging a boycott. 
• Subhas Chandra Bose became the Principal of the National College in Calcutta.
• Many leading lawyers gave up their remunerative legal practices. Lawyers were Motilal Nehru, CR Das, MR Jayakar, Saifuddin Kitchlew, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, C.Rajagopalachari, T.Prakasam & Asif Ali.

1921 April-June: SECOND PHASE

• The main focus on raising One Crore Rupees for Tilak Swaraj Fund.

1921 Jul. onwards: THIRD PHASE

• The main emphasis was on the boycott of the visit of the Prince of Wals in November & boycott of foreign cloth.
• Congress Volunteer Corps acted as parallel police.

1921 May: GANDHI-READING TALKS

• Viceroy Reading tried to persuade Gandhi to ask the Ali brothers to withdraw their speeches suggesting violence but the talks failed.

1921 Dec.: GOVERNMENT REPRESSION

• Congress & Khilafat Volunteer Corps were declared unlawful.

21 Dec.: AHMEDABAD CONGRESS SESSION

• Presided over by CR Das while still in jail, Hakim Ajmal Khan was the acting President.

1922, 1st Feb.: GANDHI SENDS ULTIMATUM TO VICEROY

• Gandhi threatens with the mass civil-disobedience unless the government repression was abandoned & political prisoners were released.
• The Viceroy was unmoved.
• Gandhi decided to begin mass civil-disobedience & no-tax campaign from Bardoli taluka of Surat district.
• 5th February was fixed as the date of the launch.

1922, 5th Feb.: CHAURI-CHAURA VIOLENCE

• At Chauri-Chaura (Gorakhpur district, UP), a mob of angry peasants attacked a local police station & set it on fire, killing 22 policemen.
• Shocked by this incidence of violence, Gandhi withdrew the movement calling it a "Himalayan Blunder".
• Subhas Bose, in his autobiography "the Indian Struggle", called it a "National Calamity".

1922, 12th Feb.(Bardoli): CWC MEETING

• CWC endorses the withdrawal of the civil-disobedience movement, known as Bardoli Resolution.

1922, 10th March: GANDHI ARRESTED

• The trial was held before Mr. Broomfield.
• While passing the sentences the judge followed the precedent of the case of Bal Gangadhar Tilak, under the same section.
• Gandhi sentenced to 6 year's imprisonment & was lodged in Yerwada Jail, Poona.

1922, Nov.: END OF KHILAFAT ISSUE

• Mustafa Kamal Pasha declared Turkey as a secular state & later abolished the Caliphate itself (1924).
• Thus, ended the issue of the Khilafat the world over.

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Civil Disobedience Movement (1930-34)

CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE MOVEMENT (1930-34)

1929: LAHORE CONGRESS SESSION

• December 1929
• Congress authorized to start CDM.

1930: GANDHI'S ELEVEN POINTS

• Gandhi placed 'Eleven Points' of administrative reforms before Lord Irwin & tried to negotiate with the government once again before launching the CDM.

1930: CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE BEGINS

• Gandhi started his historic 'Dandi March' from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi (240 miles, 24 days), accompanied by 78 followers & thus began CDM.

1930: GANDHI BREAKS SALT LAW

• 6th April 1930
• Gandhi reached Dandi, picked up a handful of salt & broke the salt law as a symbol of defiance to British Laws.
• C Rajagopalachari led a slat march from Trichinopoly to Vedaranyam on the Tanjore coast.
• Forms of protest included salt manufacture & resignations on a wide scale, boycott of foreign cloth & liquor, non-payment of land revenue in Ryotwari areas, anti-Chowkidari tax movement in Zamindari areas (Bihar), & Forest Satyagraha, i.e. peaceful violation of forest laws.

1930: CHITTAGONG ARMOURY RAID

• 18th April 1930
• Carried out by the Bengal revolutionaries led by Surya Sen.

• ROLE OF KHAN ABDUL GAFFAR KHAN:
• Khan had been active in NWFP for several years & had set up a band of non-violent revolutionaries, the Khudai Khidmatgars (Servants of God) or the Red Shirts (because of the color of their shirts) who played an active role in the CDM.

• ANTI-CUNNINGHAM CIRCULAR AGITATION:
• In Assam, a powerful agitation by students the infamous 'Cunningham Circular' was launched which prohibited students from participating in political activities associated with the national movement.

• NON-REVENUE NO-RENT CAMPAIGN:
• Was started in UP, Agra & Rae-Bareilly emerged as important centers.
• The participation of women was the most remarkable feature of CDM.

1930-31: FIRST RTC (LONDON)

• Chaired by British PM Ramsay MacDonald of the labor party.
• First conference between the Indians & the British as equals.
• Boycotted by Congress as it had launched the CDM, its proceedings proved to be quite meaningless & the British government grew anxious to secure Congress participation.
• It recommended- 1.) Formation of an All India Federation of British Indian Provinces & the Indian States. 2.) A responsible government at the center with certain 'reservations & safeguards' for the transitional period.
• In all, three RTCs were held in London to discuss the Indian constitutional question.
• INC participated only in the 2nd RTC.
• Ambedkar attended all the three RTCs.

1931: GANDHI RELEASED

• 25th January 1931
• The truce period begins.

1931: GANDHI-IRWIN TALK INITIATED

• 14th February 1931
• By the efforts of Sir TB Sapru & Sir MR Jayakar.

1931: GANDHI-IRWIN PACT (DELHI PACT)

• End of First Phase of CDM
• The fortnight-long talks culminated in the Delhi Pact.
• In context to the pact, Sarojini Naidu termed as 'The Two Mahatmas'.
• The pact was signed by Gandi on behalf of the Congress & by Irwin on behalf of the government on an equal footing.
• As per the Pact, the Congress agreed to withdraw the CDM immediately & participate in the next RTC.

1931: SPECIAL CONGRESS SESSION AT KARACHI

• 29th March 1931
• It was called to ratify the Gandhi-Irwin Pact.
• It was presided by Sardar Patel.
• Adopted resolutions on Fundamental Rights (Jawaharlal Nehru with the help of M.N.Roy) & National Economic Programme.

1931: CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT

• April-August 1931
• Lord Irwin replaced by Lord Willingdon as Viceroy
• MacDonald's Labour Cabinet was replaced by a new coalition government dominated by the Conservatives.
• Sir Samuel Hoare:  he became Secretary of State for India.
• The changed government adopted a hardened stand, saw the Delhi pact as a mistake.

1931: SECOND RTC (LONDON)

• September-December 1931
• Congress participated & was represented by Gandhi.
• Gandhi gave a create Blanche to Jinnah, yet the communal problem could not be resolved.

1931: GOVERNMENT REPRESSION

• September 1931
• While India was away to London, Willingdon decided to launch a hard & immediate blow to the revival of the national movement.
• The policy of 'Civil martial law' was launched & involved the passing of sweeping ordinances banning all Congress organizations.
• Gandhi was arrested as soon as he returned from the RTC (4th January 1932).

1931: GANDHI RETURNED FROM LONDON

• 28th December 1931
• Gandhi returned to a changed political situation.

1931: SECOND CDM LAUNCHED

• 4th January 1932
• Gandhi was arrested & the movement was effectively crushed within a few months.
• Afterward, it just lingered on.

1932: COMMUNAL AWARD

• MacDonald announced the proposal on minority representation, known as the Communal Awards.
• It declared depressed classes as the minority & entitled them to separate electorate.
• Congress strongly disagreed with the communal award, yet it decided neither to accept nor reject it.
• 20th Septemeber 1932, Gandhi (in Yerwada jail) sat on a fast unto death to oppose the Communal Award.

1932: POONA PACT

• 24th September 1932
• It was concluded betweenh Gandi & Ambedkar with the efforts of Ambedkar, MC Rajah & Madan Mohan Malviya.

1932: THIRD RTC

• November-December 1932
• It was attended by only 46 delegates & boycotted by the INC as well as the Labour Party in Britain.
• In March 1933, a White Paper was published & contained four major proposals-Federation, Provincial Autonomy, dyarchy at the center & safeguards.
• White Paper later became the basis of the Govt. of India Act, 1935.

1934: CDM WITHDRAWN

• April 1934
• In May 1933, Gandhi temporarily suspended the movement & formally withdrew it in April 1934.

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POPULAR UPRISING & REVOLTS UP TO 1857 - HISTORY

POPULAR RISINGS & REVOLTS UP TO 1857

The establishment of British Rule was not a sudden event but a slow & gradual process comprising many wars & conquests, resulting in forceful subjugation of the Indian people. 

Naturally, it was a process resented & resisted at every stage. 

The British introduced rapid changes, which had an adverse impact on various aspects of Indian life. Consequently, people reacted to this new rule in two broadway.

These uprisings were directed against the common experience of oppression, brought about by the colonialists & their indigenous supporters.

Though these uprisings were localized in varying degrees, they emerged as the first expression of protest against the oppressive foreign rule & formed a significant prelude to the Revolt of 1857, also referred to as the- "First War of Independence".

Civil Rebellions: 

• Civil Rebellions generally led by the rulers or their descendants, officials & retainers of the conquered Indian States as well as by improvised landlords & poligars (landed military magnets South India).
• The mass base of these rebellions was provided by ruined peasants, artisans, & soldiers.

Peasants:

• Group of small farmers or a farm laborer.
• They were the sons of the soil, i.e. all those who were directly engaged in agricultural production.

Tribals/Adivasi:

• The earliest inhabitants of a region.
• They were lived in deep forests or hilly areas & shared a close bond with their land, forest & forest resources.
• The tribal peasants combined agriculture with hunting & food gathering and even manufacturing from forest-based products.
• Their relative isolation & closer ethnic bonds differentiated them from peasants.

Causes of the Pre-1857 Uprising:

The establishment of British rule had a far more devastating impact on the lives of various sections of Indian people, forcing them to rise in revolt against the colonial rule. Following are the reason for the uprising of Revolts:

The devastating impact on rulers & zamindars:

• Several Rajas & Nawabs lost their principalities owing to the Company's policy of expansion.
• Thousands of zamindars & poligars were uprooted; their rights were taken over by the colonial state.
• They were forced to sell their rights due to their inability to pay higher revenues.

The devastating impact on Peasants:

• The Company introduced rapid changes in administration & land revenue system, disrupting agrarian society.
• The new land settlements (Permanent, Ryotwari & Mahalwari) created new ownership.
• The colonial rulers insisted payment of revenue in cash, encouraging money lending practices which often resulted in heavy peasant indebtedness & landlessness.
• The new land settlements also did away with certain customary rights like forest & pasturage rights.
• Caste/Communal differences got strained.
• Peasants were forced to grow cash crops like indigo, cotton instead of food grains, even in years of food grain scarcity, resulting in increased peasant exploitation & even famines.
• The new judicial & administrative systems further encouraged the rich to oppress the poor. Cultivators were flogged, tortured & jailed for non-payment of rent, taxes & interests.
• Corruption in lower levels of judiciary & administration made the life of the common man miserable.

The devastating impact on Artisans:

• Colonialism also spelled doom for Indian artisans. As per the colonial policy, India was to be a market for British goods. These machine-made British goods were cheaper & finer than those made by Indian artisans. Without the demand for their handmade goods, the Indian artisans were thrown into unemployment.
• While India was flooded with British manufactures, discriminatory tariffs were levied against Indian goods in Britain, ruining the Indian handloom & handicraft industry both ways.
• Destruction of the indigenous industry led to large scale migrations from industry to agriculture (called peasantisation) with no simultaneous improvement in agriculture. This further increased pressure on land.

The devastating impact on Tribals:

• The colonial administration ended the relative isolation of tribals & brought them within the ambit of the colonial economy & exploitation.
• It intruded into the tribal polity, encroached upon tribal lands & transformed tribal relationships with land & forests.
• It recognized the tribals as zamindars & introduced new land revenue system, taxed tribal products.
• The colonial administration introduced a large number of outsiders among the tribals. These included middlemen such as the traders, revenue farmers & money landers who pulled the tribals into the very center of colonial exploitation.

Popular Uprisings up to 1857:

Bengal & Eastern India:

Revolts	Period
Sanyasi-Fakir Rebellion	1763 - 1800
Chuar Rebellion (Midnapur)	1766 – 1772 1795 - 1816
Peasant Uprising of Rangpur & Dinajpur	1820 - 37
Ho & Munda Rising	1820 - 37
Kol Uprising (Chota Nagpur Plateau)	1825
Pagal Panthis Revolt	1825
Ahoma’s Revolt (Assam)	1828
Khasi Revolt (Khasi Hill)	1829
Faraizi Disturbances	1838 - 51
Khond Uprising (Orissa)	1837 - 56
Savara Rebellion	1856 - 57
Santhal Rebellion (Rajmahal Hills)	1855 - 56

Western India:

Revolts	Period
Bhil Uprising (Khandesh, Western Ghats)	1818, 1825, 1831 & 1846
Waghera Rising (Okha Mandal)	1818 -19
The Kutch Rebellion (Kutch & Kathiawar)	1819 & 1831
Ramosi Rising (Western Ghats)	1822 & 1839
Koli Rising (Gujarat)	1824 -29, 1839 & 1844 -48
Surat Salt Agitation	1844 - 48
Kolhapur & Savanvadi Revolts	1844

Southern India:

Revolts	Period
The Revolt of the Raja of Vizianagaram	1794
The Revolt of Diwan Velu Thampi (Travancore)	1805
The Rebellion at Mysore	1830 - 1831
Mapilla Uprisings (Malabar)	1836 - 54

Northern India:

Revolts	Period
Kuka or Namdhari Movement (Western Punjab)	1840

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