Civil Disobedience Movement: Political Activity, Gandhi’s Eleven Demands

Introduction

The Civil Disobedience Movement was a significant event in India’s struggle for independence against British colonial rule. Initiated by Mahatma Gandhi in 1930, it aimed to peacefully resist unjust British laws and policies through nonviolent means such as protests, boycotts, and acts of civil disobedience. This mass movement mobilized people from all walks of life across the country, uniting them in a collective effort to challenge British authority and demand self-governance for India.

Political Activity in 1929

• Gandhi’s Travels: Gandhi’s extensive travel aimed at preparing for direct political action, encouraging youth readiness, organizing village constructive work, and addressing specific grievances.
• Gandhi initiated the cloth boycott campaign in Calcutta (March 1929).
  • Congress Working Committee (CWC) formed a Foreign Cloth Boycott Committee.
• The Meerut Conspiracy Case (March) added to political tension.
• Bomb Explosion: By Bhagat Singh and B.K. Dutt in the Central Legislative Assembly (April).
• Labour Government: Led by Ramsay MacDonald came to power in England (May), with Wedgewood Benn becoming the Secretary of State for India.

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• Irwin’s Declaration (October 31, 1929)

• • Collaborative Initiative: A joint effort by the Labour government and Conservative viceroy, Lord Irwin, aimed to restore faith in British policy towards India.
  • Lack of Immediate Implementation: Stated that Dominion status was implicit in the Declaration of 1917. 
    • However, no specific time frame was provided for achieving Dominion status, offering no new or immediate change.

• Delhi Manifesto (November 2, 1929)

• • It was a conference of national leaders that issued demands for attending the Round Table Conference.
    • Round Table Conference: This should act as a constituent assembly to formulate a constitution for implementing Dominion status.
    • Congress should have majority representation at the conference.
    • General amnesty for political prisoners and a conciliatory policy were requested.

• Gandhi, Motilal Nehru, and others met Lord Irwin in December 1929;

• • Leaders sought assurance from Irwin that the Round Table Conference‘s purpose was to draft a constitutional scheme for Dominion status.
  • Rejection of Delhi Manifesto Demands: Irwin rejected the demands of the Delhi Manifesto, stating the conference’s purpose was not to draft a constitutional scheme.

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• Lahore Congress and Purna Swaraj (December 1929)

• • Jawaharlal Nehru became the President of the Lahore session of Congress in December 1929, backed by Gandhi despite opposition from most Provincial Congress Committees.
  • Nehru declared an open conspiracy to free the country from foreign rule and invited all countrymen to join. 
  • He stated his socialist and republican beliefs, advocating for the abolition of kings, princes, and industrial king’s power over people’s lives. And emphasized peaceful mass movements as essential for liberation.

• Decisions at the Lahore Session

• • Round Table Conference was boycotted.
  • Declaration of complete independence as Congress’s goal.
  • Launch of Civil Disobedience: Authorization was given to the Congress Working Committee to launch civil disobedience, including non-payment of taxes, and urged legislators to resign.
  • January 26, 1930 was fixed as the first Independence (Swarajya) Day, to be celebrated everywhere.

Launch of Civil Disobedience Movement

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Gandhi’s Eleven Demands

• Empowerment of Gandhi to Initiate CDM: The Congress Working Committee, dissatisfied with the government’s lack of response to their demands, empowered Gandhi to initiate the Civil Disobedience Movement. 
  • Gandhi chose salt as the focal point for the movement, solidifying the decision by the end of February.

• Dandi March (March 12–April 6, 1930)

• • • On March 2, 1930, Gandhi communicated his strategic initiative to the Viceroy.
    • The plan involved leading a 240-mile march with 78 members from Sabarmati Ashram through Gujarat villages. 
    • Upon reaching Dandi (a village near Surat) on the coast, they would defy the salt law by collecting salt from the beach.
    • Symbolic breaking of the salt law by Gandhi at Dandi on April 6, marking the launch of the Civil Disobedience Movement.
    • Civil disobedience actions included picketing foreign liquor and cloth shops, refusal to pay taxes, lawyers giving up practice, boycott of law courts, and government servants resigning.

• Spread of Salt Law Disobedience

• • Gandhi’s action at Dandi initiated nationwide defiance of salt laws.
  • Nehru’s arrest led to massive demonstrations in Madras, Calcutta, and Karachi.
  • Gandhi’s arrest came on May 4, 1930, when he led a raid on Dharasana Salt Works on the west coast.
  • Congress sanctioned non-payment of revenue, no-chowkidara-tax campaign, and violation of forest laws in different regions.
  • Consequent upon the breaking of Salt Law by Indian people, the Indian National Congress was declared illegal by the colonial rulers. [UPSC 2019]

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Regional Movements during Civil Disobedience

• Impact of Civil Disobedience Movement: Decline in foreign cloth imports, loss of government income from liquor, excise, and land revenue and  Boycott of Legislative Assembly elections and widespread mass mobilization through various means like Prabhat pheries, Vanar senas, etc.
• Gandhi-Irwin Pact/Delhi Pact (1931)
  • On January 25, 1931, Gandhi and all other members of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) were released.
  • It was signed on March 5, 1931, in Delhi, where the Viceroy was representing the British Indian Government, and Gandhi was representing the Indian people. 
  • This pact placed the Congress on an equal footing with the government.

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• Agreements by Irwin
• • Immediate release of non-violent political prisoners [UPSC 2020], 
  • Remission of unpaid fines, 
  • Return of unsold lands, 
  • Lenient treatment of resigned government servants, 
  • Personal consumption salt-making rights in coastal villages, 
  • Permission for peaceful picketing, 
  • Withdrawal of emergency ordinances.
• Rejections by Irwin: Public enquiry into police excesses and Commutation of Bhagat Singh and comrades’ death sentence. [UPSC 2020]
• Agreements by Gandhi: Suspension of civil disobedience movement and Participation in the next Round Table Conference on constitutional matters.[UPSC 2020]
• Comparison with Non-Cooperation Movement
• • Objectives: Civil Disobedience aimed at complete independence, not just redressing specific wrongs or vague swaraj.
  • Methods: Violation of laws from the outset, not just non-cooperation with foreign rule.
  • Protests Involving Intelligentsia: Decline in forms of protests involving lawyers, students, etc.
  • Muslim Participation: Lower compared to Non-Cooperation Movement.
  • Labour Uprising: No major coinciding labour upsurge.
  • Peasant and Business Participation: Massive participation compensated for decline in other areas.
  • Prisoner Count: Three times more imprisoned individuals during Civil Disobedience.
  • Congress Strength: Organizational strength was higher during Civil Disobedience.

Conclusion

• The Civil Disobedience Movement led by Gandhi, despite facing challenges and setbacks, significantly galvanized India’s struggle for independence. 
• The Gandhi-Irwin Pact marked a notable moment of negotiation, although it did not fully meet all demands. 
• The Karachi Congress highlighted the unity and resolve of the Indian National Congress in pursuing freedom through peaceful and democratic means.