Introduction
Mahatma Gandhi arrived in India in 1915 from South Africa after fighting for the civil years. He brought with him a new impulse to Indian politics. He introduced satyagraha, which he had perfected in South Africa, that could be practiced by men and women, young and old. As a person dedicated to the cause of the poorest of the poor, he instantly gained the goodwill of the masses. In this lesson we shall see how Gandhi transformed the Indian National Movement.
Gandhi and MassNationalism
(a) Evolution of Gandhi
rights of the Indians there for about twenty Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on 2 October 1869 into a well to do family in Porbandar, Gujarat. His father Kaba Gandhi was the Diwan of Porbandar and later becamethe Diwan of Rajkot. His mother Putlibai,influenced the young Gandhi. After passing the matriculation examination, Gandhi sailed toEngland in 1888 to study law. After becoming a
barrister in June 1891 Gandhi returned to India as a firm believer in British sense of justice and fair play.
On returning to India, Gandhi’s attempt to practice in Bombay failed. It was during
this time that a Gujarati firm in South Africa, sought the services of Gandhi for assistance in a law-suit. Gandhi accepted the offer and left for South Africa in April 1893. Gandhi faced racial discrimination for the first time in South Africa. On his journey from Durban to Pretoria, at the Pietermaritzburg railway station,
he was physically thrown out of the first class compartment. Gandhi was determined to fight.
Gandhi called a meeting of the Indians in the Transvaal and exhorted them to form an association to seek redress of their grievances.He continued to hold such meetings, petitioned to the authorities about the injustices which were in violation of their own laws. Indians in the Transvaal had to pay a poll tax of £ 3,
could not own land except in areas marked for them, and could not move outdoors after 9 p.m. without a permit. He launched a struggle against such unjust laws
Gandhi was introduced to the works of Tolstoy and John Ruskin. He was deeply
influenced by Tolstoy’s The Kingdom of God is Within You, Ruskin’s Unto this Last and Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience. Gandhi’s ideas were formed due to a blend of Indian and Western thought.Despite being deeply influenced by Western
thinkers he was highly critical of Western civilisation and industrialisation. Inspired
by Ruskin, Gandhi established the Phoenix Settlement (1905) and the Tolstoy Farm (1910).Equality, community living and dignity of labour were inculcated in these settlements.They were training grounds for the satyagrahis.
6th social - Click here to Download
7th social - Click here to Download
8th social - Click here to Download
9th social - Click here to Download
10th social - Click here to Download
Rowlatt Satyagraha and Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
The Government of India Act 1919,however, caused disappointment, as it did not
transfer real power to the Indians. Besides, the government began to enforce the permanent extension of war time restrictions. The Rowlatt Act was enacted which provided for excessive police powers, arrest without warrant and detention without trial. Gandhi called it a ‘Black Act’ and in protest called for a nation- wide satyagraha on 6 April 1919. It was to be a non-violent struggle with fasting and prayer,and it was the earliest anti-colonial struggle spread across the country. The anti-Rowlatt protest was intense in Punjab, especially in Amritsar and Lahore. Gandhi was arrested andprevented from visiting Punjab. On 9 April two prominent local leaders Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew and Dr. Satyapal were arrested in Amritsar.
Constructive Programme of Gandhi
After the Chauri Chaura incident, Gandhi felt that the volunteers and the people had to be trained for a non-violent struggle. As a part of this effort he focused on promoting Khadi, Hindu-Muslim unity and the abolition of untouchability. He exhorted the Congressmen,“Go throughout your districts and spread the
message of Khaddar, the message of Hindu-Muslim unity, the message of anti-untouchability and take up in hand the youth of the country and
make them the real soldiers of Swaraj.” He made it compulsory for all Congress members to wear khaddar. The All India Spinner’s Association was formed
0 கருத்துகள்