Nationalism in India

• Nationalism is the feeling of oneness among the people living in a territory.

• FIRST WORLD WAR BROKE OUT IN1914

FIRST WORLD WAR CREATED A NEW ECONOMIC AND

POLITICAL SITUATION IN INDIA:
• The British imposed war expenditure on India.
• Income tax was introduced, Customs duties were raised.
• Prices of essential goods doubled during the war period.
• Forced recruitment was made in to the British Indian army.
• Crop failures resulted in shortage of food materials. Influenza epidemic spread in
many parts of India. Millions of people lost their lives.

GANDHIYAN SATYAGRAHA:
• Gandhiji came back to India in 1915.He introduced a new powerful method of
• struggle called Satyagraha.

SATYAGRAHA:
• Satyagraha literally means holding on to truth or truth force.
• It was a non-violent struggle introduced by Gandhiji in the Indian National Movement.
• It persuades the opponent to understand the truth.
• If the cause was true and if the fight was against injustice then physical force was not
necessary to fight the oppressor.
• Hunger strike, peaceful demonstrations, strike, hartal and non cooperation with the
government are some methods of Satyagraha

FIRST THREE SATYAGRAHA MOVEMENTS ORGANISED BY

GANDHIJI IN INDIA:
• Champaran Movement [1916]: It was a movement of workers in the indigo
plantations of the Champaran district of Bihar. It was against the oppressive
plantation system.
• Kheda Movement[1917]: Crop failure and plague epidemic made the life of the
farmers miserable in the Kheda district of Gujarat. So, they started a movement
under Gandhiji’s leadership with the demand for a reduction in land revenue.
• Mill workers Movement: Low wages and poor working conditions forced the mill
workers of Ahmedabad to start a movement under Gandhiji’s leadership in 1918.
Rowlatt Act[1919]:
• This Act gave the government the power to imprison any person without any
trial for a period of two years.
• Aim of this act was to destroy the national movement by imprisoning the
national
• workers.
• It was a black law because it was against basic human rights.

ROWLATT SATYAGRAHA:
• Gandhiji organised a non violent satyagraha against the Rowlatt Act.
• A hartal was organised on 6 April 1919. Rallies were conducted. Shops were
closed down.
• Workers conducted strike.
• Transport and communication systems came to a standstill.
• These protests led to the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre.

JALLIANWALA BAGH MASSACRE:

• On 13 April 1919, a public meeting was organized at Jallianwala Bagh in
Amritsar to protest against the arrests of national leaders.
• Many villagers who came to attend a fair were also present in the park.
• General Dyer reached the meeting place along with the British troops. He
ordered the troops to fire. The firing lasted for nearly 10 minutes.
• More than thousand people were killed and many were wounded. This
incident is called Jallianwala Bagh Massacre.

KHILAFAT MOVEMENT:
• It was a movement organized by Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali [Ali
brothers].
• The aim of this movement was to protest against the injustice done to Turkey
by Britain after the First World War.
• The Turkish Sultan had the title of Caliph. The muslims considered him as
their spiritual leader. So, many muslims joined this movement.
GANDHIJI DECIDED TO LAUNCH THE NON-COOPERATION
MOVEMENT BECAUSE :
• First World War added to the misery of the Indian people. Heavy taxes, high
prices, famines and epidemics made people’s life miserable.
• Rowlatt Act invited large scale protests throughout the country.
• Jallianwala Bagh Massacre and the injustice done to Punjab made Indians
angry.
• Muslims became unhappy due to the ill treatment of Turkey. They started
Khilafat Movement.
• The Congress session at Nagpur (1920) adopted Gandhiji’s the idea of Non-
co operation.

NON-COOPERATION MOVEMENT:

• Non co-operation was launched under Gandhiji’s leadership in 1920.

• It aimed at protesting against the injustices done to Punjab and Turkey and to
attain Swaraj.
• Educated middle class led the movement in towns and cities.
• Educational institutions, Law courts and foreign goods were boycotted.
• Peasants organized movements against Talukdars and Landlords in villages
under the leadership of Baba Ramchandra.
• Tribal people started an armed struggle in the Gudem hills of Andhra Pradesh
under the leadership of Alluri Sitaram Raju.
• Workers in the plantations of Assam started a struggle to get the right to free
movement.
• Chauri-Chaura incident forced Gandhiji to call off the Movement.

DIFFERING STRANDS WITHIN THE NON COOPERATION

MOVEMENT
MOVEMENT IN TOWNS AND CITIES:

• Educated middle class led the movement in towns and cities.

• Educational institutions, law courts and the council elections were boycotted.
• Foreign clothes and other goods were burnt in bonfires. People began to use
Khadi clothes.
• Government Servants resigned their jobs. Liquor shops were picketed.
NON COPERATION MOVEMENT SLOWED DOWN IN TOWNS
AND CITIES BECAUSE:
• Khadi clothes were very costly. The poor were not able to buy them.
• Indians boycotted British institutions like law courts and educational
institutions. But alternative institutions did not come up. So people had to stop
boycott.

MOVEMENT IN THE COUNTRYSIDE(VILLAGES):

PEASANTS’ MOVEMENT:

• In Awadh, a peasant’s movement was organized by Baba Ramchandra.

• It was against landlords and talukdars.
• Reduction of rent and the abolition of beggar were their main demands.
• They formed the Oudh Kisan Sabha.

BABA RAMCHADRA:
• He led a peasant’s movement in Awadh against Talukdars and Landlords.
• He demanded reduction of rent, abolition of Begar and the boycott of
landlords.
• In October 1920, he formed Oudh Kisan Sabha with the help of Nehru.

TRIBAL MOVEMENT:

• In the Gudem Hills of Andhra Pradesh, tribals started a movement under the
leadership of Alluri Sitaram Raju.
• Tribals wanted to get back their traditional rights over forests.
• The methods followed by the tribals and peasants were against the Gandhian
method of non violence. They followed violent methods of struggle.

ALLURI SITARAM RAJU:

• He led a movement of the tribal people in thebGudem hills of Andhra Pradesh.
• Many people considered him as an incarnation of God. They believed that he had
• many special powers.
• He supported Gandhiji and asked his followers to wear khadi and stop drinking. But,
he organized an armed struggle against the British.
MOVEMENT IN THE PLANTATIONS:
• Workers in the plantations of Assam demandedthe right to move freely in and out of
the estates.
• They opposed the Inland Emigration Act of 1859which took away the right to free
movement.
• When they heard about the Non-co operation movement, they moved to their
villages. They thought that the Gandhi Raj was coming and everyone would be given
land in their villages.
• However, they were caught and brought back

WITHDRAWAL OF THE NON COOPERATION MOVEMENT:

• Gandhiji withdrew the Non Co operationMovement because:
• The movement became violent in some places. In february 1922, in Chauri chaura
(Uttar Pradesh) people turned violent and set fire to a police station. Twenty two
police men were killed in this incident.
• Gandhiji was against violence.
• The movement slowed down in urban areas.
• He thought that it was necessary to train the people in non violent satyagraha.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NON- COOPERATION MOVEMENT:

• Non Co operation movement was a large scale mass movement. It attracted
common people from all social groups.
• Non Co operation Movement and Khilafat Movement went together. So, they
promoted Hindu-Muslim unity.
• Peasants’ and tribals’ movements became a partof the Indian National Movement.
• It was a non violent movement. So, it popularized the Gandhian idea of Non violent
satyagraha.

SIMON COMMISSION (INDIAN STATUTORY COMMISSION)

• It was a statutory commission set up by the British under Sir John Simon.
• It was asked to study the constitutional system in India and suggest changes.
Indians opposed the Simon Commission because:

• All the members of the commission were English men.

• There was no Indian in it.
• It did not provide any hope of Swaraj to Indians.
LAHORE CONGRESS OF 1929:
• The Congress session was held at Lahore in `1929 under the Presidentship of
Jawaharlal Nehru. Following decision were taken:
• The Congress declared Poorna Swaraj as its aim.
• It was decided to celebrate 26 January every year as Independence Day.
• It was decided to start the Civil Disobedience Movement to win Poorna Swaraj.

DEVELOPMENTS THAT LED TO THE LAUNCHING OF THE CIVIL

DISOBEDIENCE MOVEMENT:

• Indians launched a powerful struggle against the Simon Commission. The

government resorted to repression.
• Great Depression made the life of the people highly miserable.
• Lahore Conspiracy case and Meerut Conspiracy case created discontent
among the Indians.
• Lahore Congress of 1929 declared Poorna Swaraj as its aim and decided to
launch the Civil Disobedience Movement.
• Gandhiji inaugurated the movement by breaking the Salt Law at Dandi.

SALT MARCH [SALT SATYAGRAHA]:

• Gandhiji decided to inaugurate the Civil Disobedience Movement by breaking

the salt law.
• Gandhiji and 78 of his followers started a march on foot from Sabarmati
Ashram to Dandi [Dandi March].
• On 6 April 1919, they reached Dandi. Gandhiji prepared salt by using sea
water, broke the salt law and inaugurated the Movement.
• The government imposed heavy tax on salt. Moreover, the production of salt
was the monopoly of the government. So the price of salt was very high.
• Therefore, Gandhiji opposed the salt law.
THE MAIN FEATURES OF THE CIVILDISOBEDIENCE
MOVEMENT:
• Gandhiji led a march on foot from Sabarmati to Dandi. He broke the Salt Law
at Dandi and inaugurated the Movement.
• People broke salt law in many places. Foreign goods were boycotted. Liquor
shops were picketed. Government servants resigned their jobs. Forest laws
were broken.
• People refused to pay taxes. Leaders were arrested.
• Workers attacked government offices.
• Gandhiji called off the movement on 5 March 1931 under the Gandhi-Irwin
Pact. He agreed to attend the Second Round Table Conference.
• It was restarted when Gandhiji returned from London. It was finally called off
in 1934.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN NON-COOPERATIONMOVEMENT

AND CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE MOVEMENT:
• People refused to co operate with the government during the Non Co
operation
• Movement. People broke the laws during the Civil Disobedience Movement.
• Muslims participated in large numbers in the Non Co operation Movement.
Muslim participation was less in the Civil Disobedience Movement.
• No tax campaign was not there in Non Co operation Movement. People
refused to pay taxes in Civil Disobedience Movement

SOCIAL GROUPS WHICH PARTICIPATED IN CIVIL

DISOBEDIENCE MOVEMENT:
• Rich Peasants - Depression and fall in prices affected them badly. They
demanded reduction in land revenue. Swaraj meant reduction of taxes for
them.
• Poor Peasants - Depression affected them badly. They demanded reduction
in rent. Swaraj meant reduction of rent for them.
• Business classes – They demanded protection against the import of foreign
goods. They wanted a Rupee-Sterling exchange rate that would discourage
import.
• They formed the Indian Industrial and Commercial Congress in 1920. They
also formed the Federation of the Indian Chamber of Commerce and
Industries.
• They gave financial help to the movement and refused to sell the foreign
goods.
 • Industrial Workers – They were poorly paid.
• Conditions of work were miserable.
• Swaraj meant better wages and working conditions for them.
• Railway workers and dockyard workers conducted strike.
• Workers in mines wore Gandhi Caps and took part in rallies.

MAIN CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE

MOVEMENT:
• Civil Disobedience Movement was the first struggle to win Poorna Swaraj or
Complete Independence.
• It was based on non violent Satyagraha. Gandhian ideas were widely
followed.
• Women participated in large numbers in this movement.
• It was a real mass movement. Different social groups participated.
• It was an open challenge to the British rule. The people openly disobeyed
laws.

MAIN LIMITATIONS OF THE CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE MOVEMENT:

• Dalits did not participate in the Civil Disobedience Movement, because the Congress
did not give importance to their demands.
• Many Muslims did not participate in it. They thought that the Congress was moving
close to the Hindu Maha Sabha.
• Communal riots occurred in many places. Disunity between Hindus and Muslims
started.
• Industrial workers participation was minimum.

EFFORTS MADE BY GANDHIJI FOR THE UPLIFTMENT OF

DALITS:
• (i)Gandhiji was against untouchability. He said that Swaraj would not come for 100
years, if untouchability was not abolished.
• (ii)He called the untouchables ‘Harijans’ or sons of Gods.
• (iii)He organized Satyagraha to get temple entry and access to public wells, tanks,
roads and schools for dalits.
• (iv)He cleaned harijan colonies and in his ashram there was no caste feelings.
• (v)He asked the upper caste Hindus to give up the inhuman practice of
untouchability.
GANDHIJI Vs AMBEDKAR:

• Dr. Ambedkar demanded separate electorates for the dalits. He thought that a share
in political power would help in their upliftment.
• Gandhiji opposed separate electorates. He thought that it would create disunity.
• So, they clashed in the Second round table conference.
• Poona Pact: It was signed between Gandhiji and Ambedkar in September 1932.
Gandhiji brought an end to his fast.
• He accepted the demand for reservation of seats for dalits in the legislatures.
• Ambedkar agreed to give up the demand for separate
• electorates.

CULTURAL FACTORS AND IDENTITIES WHICH CREATED A SENSE OF

COLLECTIVE BELONGING AMONG THE PEOPLE OF INDIA.
IMAGE OF BHARAT MATA :

• Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay created the image of Bharat Mata.

• Abanindranath Tagore painted her image.
• Bharat Mata looked like a Sanyasini. She is calm, divine and spiritual. Devotion
towards her became a proof of Nationalism.

VANDE MATARAM:

• It was a prayer to Bharat Mata written by Bankim Chadra Chattopadhyay.

• Vande Mataram became the war cry of the Indians.
• It was later included in his novel Anandamath

NATIONAL FLAG:

• During the Swadeshi Movement a tricolor flag (red, green and yellow) was
developed.
• It had 8 lotuses representing the 8 provinces of the British India.
• It also had crescent moon which represented Hindus and Muslims.
• In 1921, Gandhiji designed the Swaraj flag.
• It was also a tricolor flag (red, green and white).
• It had a spinning wheel which represent the Gandhian idea of Self Help.
• The flag became a symbol of the Nation.
• It created the feeling of oneness.
• The people carried flag in protest marches and rallies
REDISCOVERY OF INDIA’S PAST:
• The British considered Indians backward and primitive.
• They said that the Indians were not capable of ruling themselves.
• In the 19th century, some educated Indians started the efforts of rediscover India’s
great achievements.
• They rediscovered the achievements made by the Indians in art, architecture,
science, mathematics, religion, culture, law, philosophy, crafts and trade.
• Knowledge about the great achievements of Indians created national pride, self
confidence and patriotism among the Indians.

REVIVAL OF FOLKLORE:

• Nationalists toured the villages to collect the folk songs and legends.
• Rabindranath Tagore collected a number of folk songs and legends.
• In Madras, Natesa Sastri published a four volume collection of tamil folk tales (The
Folklore of Southern India).
• The folk songs and legends gave a true picture of Indian culture.
• They showed there all thoughts and characteristics of Indians.
• They created National Pride among the people.