Nationalism in India

The different social groups which joined the Non-Cooperation Movement of 1921 were:

1. Teachers
2. Students
3. Lawyers
4. Merchants and traders
5. Peasants
6. Tribals
7. Plantation workers

Plantation workers — For plantation workers in Assam, freedom meant the right to move freely in and out of the confined space in which they were enclosed, and it meant retaining a link with the village from which they had come. Under the Inland Emigration Act of 1859, plantation workers were not permitted to leave the tea gardens without permission, and in fact they were rarely given such permission. When they heard of the Non-Cooperation Movement, thousands of workers defied the authorities, left the plantations and headed home.

Peasants — The movement of peasants was against talukdars and landlords who demanded from peasants exorbitantly high rents and a variety of other cesses. Peasants had to do begar and work at landlords’ farms without any payment. As tenants they had no security of tenure, being regularly evicted so that they could acquire no right over the leased land. The peasant movement demanded reduction of revenue, abolition of begar, and social boycott of oppressive landlords. In many places nai – dhobi bandhs were organised by panchayats to deprive landlords of the services of even barbers and washermen.

Tribals — In the Gudem Hills of Andhra Pradesh, the colonial government had closed large forest areas, preventing people from entering the forests to graze their cattle, or to collect fuelwood and fruits. This enraged the hill people. Not only were their livelihoods affected but they felt that their traditional rights were being denied. When the government began forcing them to contribute begar for road building, the hill people revolted. Alluri Sitaram Raju, who was inspired by non-cooperation, became their leader.

Salt was something consumed by the rich and the poor alike, and it was one of the most essential items of food. The tax on salt and the government monopoly over its production was seen as the most oppressive face of British rule. Mahatma Gandhi started his salt march accompanied by 78 of his trusted volunteers. The march was over 240 miles, from Gandhiji's ashram in Sabarmati to the Gujarati coastal town of Dandi. The volunteers walked for 24 days, about 10 miles a day. Thousands came to hear Mahatma Gandhi wherever he stopped, and he told them what he meant by swaraj and urged them to peacefully defy the British. On 6 April 1930, he reached Dandi, and ceremonially violated the law, manufacturing salt by boiling sea water. Therefore, salt march was a clear indication that Indians were united against British rule. It also showed defiance of colonial power by Indians.

Participating in the Civil Disobedience Movement as a woman was a transformative and empowering experience, shaping various aspects of my life. For the first time, I was doing something different from my household chores. I was outside my home in the company of great people and for a great reason. I was there for my motherland. My participation in Civil Disobedience movement gave a meaning to my life and a direction to my thoughts. I had heard Gandhiji speaking and asking us to participate in this movement. I feel service to the nation is our sacred duty. Inspired by him, I also offered Satyagraha, picketed liquor shops and shops selling foreign cloth and also courted arrest. I felt empowered by these activities and felt that women also can help the men in the ultimate goal of achieving independence from the British. But sometimes I felt that women should make more efforts and make their place among the big political names.

The political leaders during that time were of different mentality. While some gave importance to nation others were worried about the fate of community they belonged to. Muslims leaders like Jinnah and Mohammad Iqbal feared that without Separate electorates the interest and desires of Muslims in India would be undermined. Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru were against the system of separate electorates and they believed that this will only add communalism in new India. They believed that Muslims are no different from Hindus in India and in the same way untouchables are no different from Hindus and separate electorates would further slow down the process of their integration into society. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar proposed a separate electorate for Dalits. An atmosphere of suspicion and distrust between communities prevailed which further led to division of India and reservations for minorities. Therefore, we can say that political leaders differ sharply over the question of separate electorates.

According to Mahatma Gandhi satyagraha is active resistance and not a weapon of the weak, but the power which can be used only by the strong. This power calls for intense activity. Satyagraha is pure soul-force. Truth is the very substance of the soul. Therefore, it cannot be termed as a passive resistance.

If I were a peasant in Uttar Pradesh in 1920, I would have responded to Gandhiji's call for Swaraj by supporting him. I would have convinced my village people to do the same. My reasons for supporting him would have been the following:

1. Economic exploitation — I have faced economic challenges due to exorbitantly high rents and a variety of other cesses. I have to do begar and work at landlords' farms without any payment. By supporting Swaraj, I could demand for reduction of revenue, abolition of begar, and social boycott of oppressive landlords.
2. Non-Violent Resistance — Gandhi's philosophy of non-violence appealed to me a lot. The idea of achieving freedom through non-violent means would have provided a moral high ground and a peaceful way to express dissent against oppressive colonial policies.
3. Desire for Political Representation — Supporting Swaraj would mean establishing a more inclusive and representative political system that would address the concerns of all sections of society, including peasants.

Participants in the National Movement who were captured and put to death or otherwise killed by the British are Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev, Lala Lajpat Rai, Khudiram Bose and Madan Lal Dhingra. Chandrashekhar Azad was though not captured but killed himself before being captured by British.

A similar example from the nationalist movement of Vietnam was Hyunh Phu So, the founder of the Hoa Hao movement against the French. They declared him mad and put him in a mental asylum. The French authorities exiled him to Laos and sent many of his followers to concentration camps.

No, I don't think these images will appeal to all castes and communities because in both the images Bharat Mata is depicted as Hindu Goddess. These images will only appeal to Hindus and other communities will not be able to relate with it.

Various classes and groups of Indians participated in the Civil Disobedience Movement for their own reasons.

• Rich peasant communities like the Patidars of Gujarat and the Jats of Uttar Pradesh were very hard hit by the trade depression and falling prices. The refusal of the government to reduce the revenue led to widespread resentment. This made rich peasants enthusiastic supporters of the Civil Disobedience Movement.
• Poorer peasants participated in the movement as they found it difficult to pay their rent to landlords. They wanted the unpaid rent to the landlord to be remitted.
• The business classes reacted against colonial policies that restricted business activities. They wanted protection against imports of foreign goods, and a rupee-sterling foreign exchange ratio that would discourage imports. The industrialists attacked colonial control over the Indian economy, and therefore, supported the Civil Disobedience Movement.
• Industrial workers supported the movement as a part of their own movements against low wages and poor working conditions.
• Women participated in the movement as they were moved by Gandhiji's call and they began to see service to the nation as a sacred duty of women.

I don't agree with Iqbal's idea of communalism. His thoughts of separate electorate was to safeguard interest of Muslims but it was against nationalism. Nation and its integrity is more important than any community.

According to me communalism and nationalism are two different things. However, communalism can be seen as respecting each others culture and growing together as in diverse country like India.

(a) People in the colonies suffered oppression at the hands of colonial power. This created resentment and unrest among the people and led to growth of nationalism. The people fought against the colonial powers for their rights. Therefore, growth of nationalism in the colonies is linked to an anti-colonial movement.

(b) The First World war created a new economic and political situation. It led to a huge increase in defence expenditure which was financed by war loans and increasing taxes: customs duties were raised and income tax introduced. Through the war years prices increased – doubling between 1913 and 1918 – leading to extreme hardship for the common people. Villages were called upon to supply soldiers, and the forced recruitment in rural areas caused widespread anger. All this led to resentment and as a result there was growth of the National Movement in India.

(c) Indians were outraged by the Rowlatt Act because it gave the government enormous powers to repress political activities, and allowed detention of political prisoners without trial for two years.

(d) At Chauri Chaura in Gorakhpur, a peaceful demonstration in a bazaar turned into a violent clash with the police. Hearing of the incident, Mahatma Gandhi called a halt to the Non-Cooperation Movement. He decided to withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement because he felt that the movement was turning violent in many places and satyagrahis needed to be properly trained before they would be ready for mass struggles.

The idea of satyagraha emphasised the power of truth and the need to search for truth. It suggested that if the cause was true, if the struggle was against injustice, then physical force was not necessary to fight the oppressor. Without seeking vengeance or being aggressive, a satyagrahi could win the battle through non-violence. This could be done by appealing to the conscience of the oppressor. People – including the oppressors – had to be persuaded to see the truth, instead of being forced to accept truth through the use of violence.

(a) 13th April 1919, Amritsar, a tragic and heinous incident shook the country today. General Dyer ordered to open fire on a crowd killing hundreds. Thousands of people gathered at Jalliawalah bagh, some to peacefully protest against the British government’s repressive measures while others to attend the annual Baishakhi Fair. These people were mostly villagers and were unaware of the imposition of Martial Law in the city. General Dyer, the Commander, blocked the exit points of the campus and opened fire upon the innocent citizens killing women, kids and men. It is being told that General wanted to create a ripple of fear among Indians. He has declared that it was to ‘produce a moral effect’, to create in the minds of satyagrahis a feeling of terror and awe. The country, however, is shocked and in anger over the brutal act.

(b) November,1927, Tory government in Britain has constituted a Statutory Commission under Sir John Simon. It has been set up in response to the nationalist movement. The commission is to look into the functioning of the constitutional system in India and suggest changes. The commission do not have a single Indian member. They are all British. How can a committee with no Indian member take decisions about constitution of India? This commission will not be welcomed in India. We deserve the right to make our own constitution.