Non-Cooperation & Civil Disobedience
National Movement · असहयोग और सविनय अवज्ञा · 18 facts
Non-Cooperation Movement (NCM) was launched by Mahatma Gandhi in 1920 — passed at the Nagpur Congress session in December 1920.
The Khilafat issue (dissolution of the Ottoman Caliphate by Britain) provided the backdrop for NCM — Gandhi joined hands with Muslim leaders Ali Brothers (Mohammad Ali and Shaukat Ali).
Non-Cooperation Movement included: boycott of courts, schools, councils, titles, and foreign cloth. Students left British colleges; lawyers gave up practices.
Chauri Chaura incident (February 5, 1922) — a mob attacked and burned a police station in Chauri Chaura (UP), killing 22 policemen. Gandhi called off NCM immediately.
Gandhi's withdrawal of NCM was criticized by leaders like Motilal Nehru and CR Das — they formed the Swaraj Party in 1923 to enter legislative councils.
Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) began with the Dandi March (Salt March) on March 12, 1930 — Gandhi walked 241 miles (388 km) from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi.
Salt March protested against the British salt tax — Gandhi broke the salt law at Dandi on April 6, 1930, starting a nationwide Civil Disobedience Movement.
Contributions to CDM: Baba Saheb Ambedkar, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (Frontier Gandhi), women like Sarojini Naidu, Kamla Nehru participated actively.
Gandhi-Irwin Pact (March 5, 1931) — Gandhi agreed to call off CDM; British released political prisoners, agreed to allow salt-making on the coast, and invited Congress to Round Table Conference.
2nd Round Table Conference (1931) — Gandhi attended as the sole Congress representative. Deliberations failed as no agreement was reached on communal representation.
CDM was suspended in 1934 — Gandhi called it off after the second phase (1932-34) following the repressive British response and Communal Award controversy.
Salt Satyagraha saw massive participation from women — Sarojini Naidu led a raid on Dharasana Salt Works in May 1930; Webb Miller's news report shocked the world.
Peshawar Incident (April 1930) — Garwhal Rifles refused to fire on unarmed protesters — among the most extraordinary acts of defiance during CDM.
No-Tax Campaign was an important part of Civil Disobedience — farmers in Bardoli (Gujarat) and other areas refused to pay land revenue.
CDM saw unprecedented participation of women — over 80,000 women participated in picketing, processions, and salt-making activities.
Eleanor Roosevelt praised the Salt March saying Gandhi's challenge to British imperialism inspired civil rights movements across the world.
Individual Satyagraha (1940-41) was a limited symbolic protest against India's forced involvement in WWII — Vinoba Bhave was the first to offer Satyagraha.
The Congress officially demanded complete independence (Purna Swaraj) for the first time at the Lahore session in December 1929, under JL Nehru's presidency.