Nationalism in India | Class 10 Social Science Notes

Differing Strands within the Movement

The Non-Cooperation-Khilafat Movement, launched in January 1921, witnessed participation from various social groups across India, each interpreting the idea of swaraj differently based on their specific aspirations. In towns, the movement was led by the middle class: students boycotted government schools and colleges, teachers resigned, and lawyers gave up legal practice. Foreign goods were boycotted, liquor shops picketed, and foreign cloth burnt in bonfires. The import of foreign cloth halved between 1921 and 1922, boosting Indian textile production. However, the movement slowed as khadi cloth was often more expensive than mill cloth, and alternative Indian institutions to replace British ones were slow to develop, leading many to return to government schools and courts. In the countryside, peasants and tribals joined the movement with their own struggles. In Awadh, peasants led by Baba Ramchandra fought against landlords demanding high rents and forced labor (begar). The Oudh Kisan Sabha was formed to organize peasants, but the movement sometimes turned violent with attacks on landlords and looting. Tribal peasants in the Gudem Hills of Andhra Pradesh, inspired by Alluri Sitaram Raju, engaged in militant guerrilla warfare against forest laws and colonial authorities, believing liberation required force rather than non-violence. Plantation workers in Assam interpreted swaraj as freedom to move and maintain links with their villages; thousands left plantations during the movement but were stopped and beaten by police. These diverse interpretations of swaraj reflected the varied realities and hopes of India's people during the nationalist struggle.

📊 Diagram: Fig. 4 – The boycott of foreign cloth, July 1922. Foreign cloth was seen as the symbol of Western economic and cultural domination; Fig. 5 – Chauri Chaura, 1922, site of a violent clash leading to suspension of Non-Cooperation.

🧪 Activity: Design a poster urging school students to join the Non-Cooperation Movement; Reflect on how peasants in Uttar Pradesh might respond to Gandhi's call for Swaraj.

🔗 Connection: This section sets the context for the withdrawal of the Non-Cooperation Movement and the internal debates within the Congress about the future course of the nationalist struggle.