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Gandhian Movements NCM, CDM, QIM -

Know the Details!

Mahatma Gandhi has been known to be the great leader that led this country to

freedom. His presence in Indian History is so prominent that the whole time period in

which he fought for our freedom is known as the Gandhian Era. Read this article to

know in detail about the legendary Mahatma Gandhi and all of the Gandhian

Movements.

About Mahatma Gandhi

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was the leader of the Indian Independence

Movement against the British Rule.

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His birthday, 2nd October, is widely celebrated in not only India but all over the

world.

United Nations Organisation has declared this day as International Non-Violence

Day.

Gandhi was born and brought up in a Hindu merchant caste family in

coastal Gujarat, India.

He studied law at the Inner Temple, London.

After he returned to India in 1915, he set out to organize peasants, farmers, and

urban labourers to protest against excessive land-tax and discriminating system

of rule.

Taking up leadership of the Indian National Congress in 1921, Gandhi led

nationwide campaigns for achieving freedom from the British rule in a non-

violent way.

This Era was named after Gandhi simply because he was a major part in the long

struggle for India to gain back its independence. He stood up for what he believed in and

what was right without thinking about the consequences would be. He was a very strong

influence in India and will always be remembered not only in India but across the world

for his heroic accomplishments.

Major Gandhian Movements

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Champaran Movement

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When: Launched on 19th April 1917

Why: Protest against British Government for forcing farmers to grow opium with

barely any payment in return.

About the Movement:

It was the first Satyagraha movement.

On his return to India in 1915, Gandhi came to realize that the country was facing

adversities under the colonial rule.

The British Government forced the farmers to plant indigo and other cash crops

on their land.

Those crops were then sold to the farmers at a much cheaper price.

The situation worsened for the farmers due to harsh weather conditions and levy

of heavy taxes which pushed them towards abject poverty.

Gandhi paid a visit to Champaran district in April 1917 as soon as he heard about

it.

Implementing the approach of civil disobedience movement, Gandhi launched

several demonstrations and strikes against the landlords which eventually

brought them down on their knees.

The Movement ended in success with the landlords signing an agreement in which they

granted control and compensations to the farmers, and canceled the hikes in revenue

and collection.

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Kheda Movement

When: Launched during 1917-1918

Why: Major tax revolt against British Government as the farmers were unable to pay

heavy taxes due to crop failure and plague epidemic.

About the Movement:

It was the third Satyagraha movement by Gandhi after Champaran

Satyagraha and Ahmedabad mill strike.

The Champaran village was heavily affected by the floods and famine in 1918.

The natural phenomena resulted in massive destruction of the crop yields.

The farmers pleaded the British government to exempt them from the payment of

taxes but the British authorities refused.

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The farmers launched a crusade against the government under the guidance of

Gandhi and Vallabhbhai Patel and pledged for the non-payment of taxes.

The British government even threatened the peasants with the seizure of their

land but they remained undeterred.

After five months of consistent struggle, in May 1918, the British government

relieved the payment of taxes by the farmers and also returned the seized

properties of the farmers.

Khilafat Movement

When: Launched during 1919–1924

Why: To preserve the authority of the Ottoman Sultan as Caliph of Islam at the end of

World War I.

About the Movement:

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Also known as the Indian Muslim movement.

After the World War I, the Caliph and the Ottoman Empire encountered several

humiliating allegations.

The Muslims became fearful for the integrity of their Caliph and launched

khilafat movement.

The movement took place under the guidance of Gandhi and the purpose was to

fight against the British government to restore the collapsing status of the Caliph.

In 1919, Gandhi approached the Muslim community for their support in India’s

freedom struggle and in return he supported the Muslim community in launching

the Khilafat movement.

This movement made Gandhi a notable spokesperson of the All India Muslim

Conference and he returned the medals he had received from the British Empire

in South Africa.

Non Cooperation Movement (NCM)

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Although short lived, the Non-Cooperation Movement was very significant in the Indian

freedom struggle. Gandhi realized that there was no hope of getting fair treatment at the

hands of the British and thus decided to withdraw the cooperation of the people of India

by launching the Non Cooperation Movement.

When: Launched on 1st August 1920

Why: It was a reaction to the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre.

About the Movement:

Under this movement, all offices and factories were shut down.

Indians were encouraged to withdraw from the British sponsored schools, police

services, the military, and the civil service, and lawyers were asked to leave the

British courts.

Public transportation and English-manufactured goods, especially clothing, were

boycotted.

Indians returned their honors and titles given by the British government and

resigned from various posts like teachers, lawyers, civil and military services.

This movement was withdrawn in February 1922 due to the Chauri Chaura

incident in which protesters participating in the Non Cooperation Movement clashed

with the police who opened fire. Gandhi single-handedly stopped the nation wide

movement as he did not want violence to be involved in the quest for freedom.

Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM)

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When: Launched on 12th March 1930

Why: To display complete disobedience of the orders and laws of the British

Government.

About the Movement:

Gandhi launched the Civil Disobedience Movement by conducting the

historic Dandi Salt March, where he broke the Salt Laws imposed by the British

Government.

With the support of seventy nine ashramites, Gandhi went on his march from his

Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi that is located on the shores of the Arabian Sea.

On 6th April 1930, Gandhi and his entourage violated the Salt Law by picking up

a fistful of salt lying on the sea shore.

They made salt on the shores of Dandi.

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The British tried to repress the movement and resorted to brutal firing and killing

hundreds of people.

Many were arrested along with Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, but the movement

only got stronger.

After this, a Round Table Conferences was arranged by the British and Gandhi attended

the second Round Table Conference at London, but nothing was achieved in the

conference and thus the Civil Disobedience Movement was revived.

Quit India Movement(QIM)

When: Launched on 8th August 1942

Why: A call to the British to withdraw from India and give the country its freedom.

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About the Movement:

The Second World War broke out in September of 1939 and without consulting

the Indian leaders, India was declared a warring state on behalf of the British by

the Governor General.

Some Congress leaders were unhappy with India's involvement in the war and

called for India's withdrawal from it.

A delegation under Stafford Cripps was sent to negotiate with the unhappy

Congress leaders, which became popular by the name of Cripps mission.

The deal was to support Britain in the war in exchange of which the British

promised freedom.

The Indian National Congress passed a resolution on July 14, 1942, seeking

complete freedom from British rule.

In August 1942, Mahatma Gandhi decided to launch a mass civil disobedience

movement and thus started the Quit India Movement.

It was a 'Do or Die' call to force the British to leave India.

A huge number of people supported and participated in this movement.

There were widespread acts of violence and sabotage, and the British government

held Gandhi responsible for these acts of violence, alleging that they were a

deliberate act of Congress policy.

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The movement collapsed as it lacked organisation from the very beginning, but the

movement was not a complete failure. The movement of 1942 gave the death blow to the

British rule that was needed to boost the confidence of the people of India. The Quit

India Movement sparked off an aggressive national consciousness.

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