Table of Contents
Cause of Non Co-operation Movement
| Rowlatt Act | The Rowlatt Act, passed by the British government in March 1919, empowered the colonial authorities to arrest and detain individuals without trial, curbing civil liberties and freedom of expression. The Act was seen as a draconian measure to suppress dissent and further inflamed public discontent. |
| Punjab issue | The brutal massacre of hundreds of unarmed civilians by British troops on April 13, 1919, at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar, Punjab, deeply outraged and angered Indians. The indiscriminate firing on innocent protesters, including women and children, highlighted the oppressive and violent nature of British colonial rule, fueling widespread resentment. |
| The demand for Swaraj | Indians were dissatisfied with their lack of representation in the decision-making processes of the colonial government. The demand for self-governance and greater political autonomy gained momentum. |
The course of Non Co-operation Movement
- In June 1920, at an all-party conference at Allahabad, resolutions were adopted to boycott school colleges and boycott law and courts.
- The first phase of the Non-Cooperation Movement begins with the surrender of titles and resignation from government jobs by Indian officials.
- Lokmanya Tilak passed away on the 1st of August at the age of sixty-four. The National Congress was badly affected by his death. But soon Gandhiji, Chittaranjan Das, and Motilal Nehru filled the void.
- The non co-operation movement was initiated on August 30, 1920, at the initiative of the Khilafat Conference. Mahatma Gandhi was the first participant in this movement. On this occasion, he handed over the “Kaiser-e-Hind” medal awarded by the government for distinguished service during the war to the government.
- Special session in Calcutta:
- A special session of the National Congress was held in Calcutta in September 1920.
- In this session, Congress demanded –
1. Remedy for atrocities in Punjab,
2. compensation for the decline of the Caliphate’s dominions in Turkey, and
3. Swaraj - The policy of non-cooperation against the government was supported as per Gandhiji’s plan until these demands were met.
- Nagpur Session:
- The resolution to peacefully violate the laws was again adopted in the annual session of the Congress held at Nagpur in December 1920.
- In the Nagpur session of the Congress, some changes were also made to the constitution of the Congress.
- The Provincial Congress Committees were reorganized on a linguistic basis.
- Henceforth the Indian National Congress is governed by 15 working committee members. Among these 15 people, it is decided to have a president and a secretary.
- The constitution of the Congress gave the right to become a member of the Congress to any male and female 21 years of age or above and paid an annual subscription of four annas.
- Tilak Swarajya Fund:
- A fund named “Tilak Swarajya Fund“ was opened to conduct the Non-Cooperation Movement.
- Within 6 months, more than one crore rupees had been contributed to this fund.
- Women freely and enthusiastically donated their ornaments to augment this fund.
- Indian students start withdrawing from government schools and colleges, marking a significant escalation of the movement.
- During this period some Congress leaders left the Congress. Prominent leaders who left the Congress at this time were Muhammad Ali Jinnah, G. S. Khaparde, Bipinchandra Pal and Annie Beshant.
- Chauri Chaura Incident:
- Chauri Chaura incident occurs, leading to violence and loss of lives. Mahatma Gandhi calls off the Non-Cooperation Movement as a result.