Summary

Summary - Advent of Gandhi and Mass Mobilisation

Gandhi’s entry into politics, bringing in its wake a new impulse, and his experiment of Satyagraha in peasant movements of Champaran and Kheda and in Ahmedabad mill workers’ strike provided the base for the launch of non-cooperation movement.

The shortcomings of Dyarchy, introduced in provinces through the Indian Councils Act of 1919 and the challenges posed by non-brahmin movements to mainstream nationalist politics bothered the Congress during this period.

Gandhi’s call for protest on the issues of Khilafat, and Rowlatt Act and as a response the British government’s repressive measures leading to the Jallianwalla Bagh massacre prompted the Congress to launch non-cooperation movement.

The withdrawal of non-cooperation movement after Chauri Chaura incident resulted in the birth of a short- lived Swarajist Party that carried on the struggle in the legislatures.

The Congress boycotted the Simon Commission and the first Round Table Conference and intensified the struggle by launching civil disobedience movement, in the wake of fruitless outcome of Second Round Table Conference.

Gandhi’s Dandi March and Rajaji’s Salt March to Vedaranyam in Tamilnadu succeeded in mobilizing the masses for the nationalist cause.

The emergence of Ambedkar as a leader of the Depressed Classes and his support of separate electorate proclaimed by the British under Communal Award prompted Gandhi to undertake a fast unto death that ended with the signing of Poona Pact.