Satyagraha and Non-cooperation Movement
The British exploited the Indians, so a majority of our countrymen were poor and illiterate. It was not possible for them to give up their livelihood and join the national movement for freedom. So, Gandhiji decided to implement the idea of Satyagraha. It meant insistence on truth and non-cooperation. The idea of non-cooperation was simple. People were asked not to cooperate with the British in a non-violent manner.
• They could do this in the following ways :
• They could violate laws and rules of the British government.
• They could hold peaceful demonstrations.
• They could boycott foreign goods.
• They could stop work. The idea was simple, but it had grave consequences. Hartals and processions became common in the country. The government resorted to lathi-charges and imprisonments, but people were resolute enough.
Gandhiji wanted to fight social evils also. He made this part of his movement. The leaders raised the issues of Hindu-Muslim unity, abolition of untouchability, spread of education, promotion of indigenous goods and khadi, and boycott of the British goods. All these issues concerned common people, so they joined the movement in large numbers.
When the British government didn’t respond to the demands of the people, Gandhiji launched the Civil Disobedience Movement as the final stage of the movement. It was a direct challenge to the British rule. The movement involved boycotting schools and courts, and refusing to pay taxes. It began on 1 February 1922 and gained massive support across India, with people holding protests and demonstrations. However, the British government attempted to suppress the movement. Unfortunately, a tragic event occurred during this period, which brought the movement to an abrupt end.
Chauri-Chaura Incident:
The Non-cooperation Movement was gaining strength in the whole country. At the town of Chauri-Chaura in Gorakhpur district (now in Uttar Pradesh), some peaceful protesters were taking out a march on 5 February, 1922. When the peaceful march was going past a police station, the policemen came out, abused the protestors and fired at them without any provocation. It was an uncalled for action. The protestors grew agitated. They retaliated and set the police station on fire. In the fire, 22 policemen lost their lives.
Gandhiji was an ardent supporter of non-violence. He was shocked when he heard of this incident. He immediately withdrew the movement. Other leaders opposed his decision, they said that such incidents could occur in a nationwide movement; but Gandhiji was firm. He said that non-violence had to be the followed as the main principle. This was how the Non-cooperation Movement came to a halt. The country lost a fine opportunity to pressure the British.