Overview
This lecture covers the Khilafat and Non-Cooperation Movement in India, focusing on their origins, major events, and eventual suspension by Mahatma Gandhi.
Background: Hardships and Early Struggles
- During WWI and post-war years, Indians faced food shortages, higher taxes, and forced army recruitment.
- Initial resistance against British rule was scattered and uncoordinated.
Gandhi and the Rise of Satyagraha
- Mahatma Gandhi returned to India in 1915 and introduced Satyagraha (truth and non-violence) as a mass protest method.
- Successful peasant movements were organized in Bihar and Gujarat under Gandhi’s leadership.
- Gandhi launched the nationwide Rowlett Satyagraha in 1919 against the Rowlett Act, which allowed detention without trial.
Key Events: Jallianwala Bagh and Rising Discontent
- The Rowlett Satyagraha ended with the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, where General Dyer killed hundreds of civilians in Amritsar.
- News of the massacre led to widespread violence, forcing Gandhi to end the Rowlett Satyagraha.
Khilafat Movement and Muslim Involvement
- Indian Muslims were upset by British actions towards the Ottoman Caliphate after WWI.
- Leaders Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali initiated the Khilafat Movement to protest British policies.
- Gandhi allied with Muslim leaders to unite Hindus and Muslims in a common national struggle.
Launch and Progress of Non-Cooperation Movement
- The Khilafat and Non-Cooperation Movement was launched in December 1920.
- Goals included total non-cooperation: surrendering official titles, boycotting government jobs, schools, courts, and foreign goods.
Participation and Spread of the Movement
- Middle-class urban Indians resigned from government jobs and picketed shops selling foreign cloth and liquor.
- Rural participants protested against landlords, demanding lower land revenue and the end of forced labor.
- The Awadh Kisan Sabha was formed by Jawaharlal Nehru and Baba Ram Chandra to organize peasant struggles.
- Plantation workers also protested but faced brutal suppression by the British.
Decline and End of the Movement
- Lack of alternative institutions led many to resume government jobs.
- Incidents of violence, especially the Chauri Chaura incident where protesters killed policemen, led Gandhi to withdraw the movement in February 1922.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Satyagraha — A protest strategy based on truth and non-violence, introduced by Gandhi.
- Rowlett Act — British law permitting detention of political prisoners without trial.
- Jallianwala Bagh Massacre — 1919 Amritsar incident where British troops killed hundreds of Indian civilians.
- Khilafat Movement — Protest against British actions toward the Ottoman Caliph.
- Non-Cooperation Movement — A mass movement to boycott British institutions and goods.
- Chauri Chaura Incident — 1922 event where protesters killed police, prompting Gandhi to halt the movement.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review main features and outcomes of the Khilafat and Non-Cooperation Movement.
- Study causes and consequences of major incidents like Jallianwala Bagh and Chauri Chaura.