Summary

● Calcutta Congress Session (December 1928)

One year ultimatum to government to accept dominion status or else civil disobedience to be launched for complete independence.

● Lahore Congress Session (December 1929)

Congress adopted complete independence as its goal. Congress decided to launch a civil disobedience movement. January 26, 1930 celebrated as the first Independence Day all over the country.

● Dandi March (March 12-April 6, 1930)

Led by Gandhi; resulted in spread of salt satyagraha to Tamil Nadu, Malabar, Andhra, Assam, Bengal.

● Spread of the movement with additional avenues of protest

Khudai Khidmatgars active in NWFP. Textile workers active in Sholapur.

Salt satyagraha in Dharasana.

No-chowkidara tax campaign in Bihar.

Anti-chowkidara and anti-union-board tax in Bengal. No-tax movement in Gujarat.

Civil disobedience of forest laws in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Central Provinces.

Agitation against ‘Cunningham Circular’ in Assam. No rent campaign in UP.

Mass participation of women, students, some sections of Muslims, merchants and petty traders, tribals, workers and peasants.

● Gandhi-Irwin Pact (March 1931)

Congress agreed to attend Second RTC and to withdraw CDM.

● Karachi Congress Session (March 1931)

Endorsed Delhi Pact between Gandhi and Irwin.

Passed resolutions on economic programme and fundamental rights.

● The Round Table Conference

The Second RTC Right wing in Britain against concessions to Indians.

Session got deadlocked on question of safeguards to minorities.

● December 1931 - April 1934: Second phase of Civil Disobedience Movement

● Communal Award (1932) and Poona Pact

Provided separate electorates to depressed classes. Nationalists felt this to be a threat to national unity. Gandhi’s fast unto death (September 1932) led to Poona Pact which abandoned separate electorates for depressed classes in favour of increased reserved seats for them.

● Impact of Poona Pact on depressed classes

● Joint electorate and its Impact on depressed classes

● Differences and similarities between thoughts of Gandhi and Ambedkar

Chapter 20

Debates on the Future Strategy after Civil Disobedience Movement

Following the withdrawal of the Civil Disobedience Movement, there was a two-stage debate on the future strategy of the nationalists: the first stage was on what course the national movement should take in the immediate future, i.e., during the phase of non-mass struggle (1934-35); and the second stage, in 1937, considered the question of office acceptance in the context of provincial elections held under the autonomy provisions of the Government of India Act, 1935.