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Chap 1.1 First World War, Khilafat & Non-Coperation (4. The Rowlatt…
Chap 1.1 First World War, Khilafat & Non-Coperation
1. First World War and Hardships
First world war led to a huge increase in defense expenditure
To meet this, the government took war loans and increased taxes such as customs duties and income tax
The prices of essential goods went up causing extreme hardship for the common people
There was forced recruitment of soldiers from the villages leading to widespread anger
The crops failed twice in consecutive years in many parts of India causing famines
This was accompanied by an influenza epidemic
In 1921, around 13 million people died of famine & epidemic
2. Mahatma Gandhi & Satyagraha
Mahatma Gandhi returned to India in 1915
He had successfully fought against the racist government in South Africa using Satyagraha method
Satyagraha is Gandhiji's novel method of mass agitation
According to this method, if the cause was true & if the struggle was against injustice, then physical violence was not necessary to fight the oppressor
A satyagrahi could win a battle through non-violence by persuading the oppressors to see the truth
Gandhiji believed that by this method, truth would ultimately win and the dharma of non-violence would unite all Indians
3. Three Satyagraha Movements by Gandhiji
In 1916, he organised the peasants of
Champaran in Bihar
to fight against the oppressive
plantation
system
In 1917, the peasants of
Kheda district of Gujarat
were affected by crop failure & plague epidemic and could not pay revenue. He organised a satyagraha demanding that
revenue collection be relaxed
In 1918, he organised a satyagraha for the
cotton mill workers of Ahemedabad
4. The Rowlatt Act & Martial Law
The Rowlatt Act was hurriedly passed by the Imperial Legislative Council despite the united opposition of the Indian members
It gave the government enormous powers to repress political activities & allow detention of political prisoners without trial for two years
Gandhiji wanted non-violent protests against the law
Rallies were organised in many cities, shops were closed down and workers went on strike in railway workshops
Alarmed by the mass protests and scared that communication lines such as railways & telegraph would be disrupted, the British administration clamped down on the protesters
Local leaders were arrested in Amritsar and Gandhiji was barred from entering Delhi
In Amritsar, the police fired on a peaceful procession, provoking widespread attacks on banks, post offices & railway stations
Following this
Martial Law
was imposed and
General Dyer
took command