India's Freedom Struggle - Questions and Answers

Satyagraha means "truth force" or "soul force" - a non-violent resistance against injustice. Gandhi first applied Satyagraha in India in three local disputes:

• Champaran Satyagraha (1917): To support indigo farmers against oppressive plantation systems
• Ahmedabad Mill Strike (1918): To support textile workers demanding better wages
• Kheda Satyagraha (1918): To support peasants seeking tax relief during famine

The Khilafat movement was started in India for these main reasons:

• To protest against the unjust treatment of Turkey after World War I
• To protect the position of the Ottoman Caliph who was considered the spiritual leader of Muslims worldwide
• To unite Hindus and Muslims in the Indian freedom struggle
• It was led by Muslim leaders but supported by Gandhi and the Congress

Gandhi launched the Non-cooperation movement due to:

• Rowlatt Act, Jallianwala Bagh massacre, and Khilafat issue
• Its programmes included boycotting schools, courts, foreign goods, and resigning from government jobs
• Gandhi suspended the movement after the violent Chauri-Chaura incident where protesters burned a police station killing 22 policemen

The main aim was complete independence (Purna Swaraj) through non-violent breaking of unjust laws. Main features included:

• Salt Satyagraha - making salt illegally
• Boycott of foreign cloth and liquor
• Non-payment of taxes
• Peaceful picketing and demonstrations
• Mass participation including women

The Quit India Movement was launched in August 1942 due to:

• Failure of the Cripps Mission
• British involvement in World War II without Indian consultation
• Rising prices and wartime hardships

Yes, it was a milestone because it demonstrated mass determination for immediate independence and marked the final phase of the freedom struggle.

The Indian National Army (INA) or Azad Hind Fauj:

• Founded in 1942 by Captain Mohan Singh, later led by Subhas Chandra Bose
• Formed with Indian prisoners of war and civilians in Southeast Asia
• Aimed to liberate India from British rule with Japanese support
• Fought in Burma and Northeastern India
• Though militarily unsuccessful, it inspired nationalist sentiments

Satyagraha, meaning "truth force" or "soul force," was Gandhi's philosophy of non-violent resistance against injustice. It emphasized truth, non-violence, and self-suffering as means to achieve social and political change. Gandhi believed that Satyagraha could awaken the conscience of the oppressor and transform relationships.

In India, Gandhi first applied this technique in three significant local disputes:

• Champaran Satyagraha (1917): Gandhi organized peasants in Bihar against the oppressive tinkathia system imposed by British indigo planters. After an official inquiry, the system was abolished and peasants got relief.
• Ahmedabad Mill Strike (1918): Gandhi supported textile workers demanding a 35% wage hike. He used fasting as a tool and successfully negotiated a 35% increase.
• Kheda Satyagraha (1918): In Gujarat, Gandhi supported peasants seeking suspension of revenue collection during famine. The government eventually provided concessions.

These early successes established Gandhi's leadership and demonstrated the effectiveness of Satyagraha as a mass mobilization tool.

The Khilafat Movement (1919-1924) was started in India primarily to protect the Ottoman Caliphate and address Muslim grievances after World War I. The main reasons for its initiation were:

• Protection of the Caliphate: Muslims in India were concerned about the treatment of Turkey after its defeat in WWI. The Ottoman Sultan, who was also the Caliph (spiritual leader) of Muslims worldwide, faced the threat of removal and dismemberment of the Ottoman Empire.
• British Betrayal: Muslims felt betrayed as they had supported Britain during the war with the understanding that the Caliphate would be protected, but the Treaty of Sèvres imposed harsh terms on Turkey.
• Unity with Congress: Muslim leaders like the Ali brothers sought Hindu-Muslim unity and approached Gandhi, who saw it as an opportunity to unite Indians against British rule.
• Anti-Imperialism: The movement became part of the broader Indian nationalist struggle against British imperialism.

Gandhi supported the movement and integrated it with the Non-Cooperation Movement, making it a powerful mass movement that temporarily achieved remarkable Hindu-Muslim unity in the freedom struggle.

Mahatma Gandhi launched the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-1922) as a mass protest against British rule, triggered by several factors:

• Rowlatt Act (1919): The repressive legislation that authorized detention without trial angered Indians.
• Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (1919): The brutal killing of peaceful protesters in Amritsar created nationwide outrage.
• Khilafat Issue: Gandhi saw the Muslim discontent over the treatment of Turkey as an opportunity for Hindu-Muslim unity.
• Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms: The limited constitutional reforms disappointed nationalist aspirations.

The movement's programmes included: surrender of titles and honors, boycott of legislatures, courts and educational institutions, boycott of foreign goods, and promotion of swadeshi.

However, Gandhi abruptly suspended the movement in February 1922 after the Chauri-Chaura incident in Gorakhpur, where protesters set fire to a police station, killing 22 policemen. Gandhi believed the movement had violated its fundamental principle of non-violence and that people needed more discipline before continuing mass civil disobedience.

The Civil Disobedience Movement (1930-1934) was launched with the main aim of achieving complete independence (Purna Swaraj) through deliberate, non-violent violation of specific laws considered unjust. The movement represented a more confrontational approach than previous campaigns.

Key features of the movement included:

• Salt Satyagraha: The dramatic Dandi March (March-April 1930) where Gandhi and followers walked 240 miles to make salt illegally, challenging the British salt monopoly.
• Mass Participation: Unprecedented involvement of women, students, peasants, and merchants across India.
• Boycott Programmes: Comprehensive boycott of foreign cloth, liquor shops, and British goods.
• Non-payment of Taxes: Peasants in many areas refused to pay land revenue and other taxes.
• Peaceful Picketing: Non-violent demonstrations outside shops selling foreign goods and liquor.
• Forest Law Violations: Tribal communities in several regions violated forest laws.

The movement demonstrated the organizational capacity of the Congress and the determination of Indians for self-rule, though it was eventually called off after the Gandhi-Irwin Pact of 1931.

The Quit India Movement was launched on August 8, 1942, under particularly challenging circumstances:

• Failure of Cripps Mission (1942): The British offer of dominion status after the war disappointed Indian leaders who wanted immediate transfer of power.
• World War II Involvement: Britain had dragged India into the war without consulting Indian leaders, causing resentment.
• Wartime Hardships: Rising prices, famine conditions, and military failures created popular discontent.
• British Intransigence: The British government's refusal to transfer power strengthened the demand for immediate independence.

Yes, the Quit India Movement was undoubtedly a milestone in India's freedom struggle for several reasons:

• It was the final mass movement before independence, demonstrating that British rule had lost all legitimacy.
• The slogan "Do or Die" reflected the determination for immediate freedom rather than gradual reform.
• Despite brutal repression, the movement continued for months showing popular resolve.
• It established that India could no longer be governed without Indian consent.
• The movement paved the way for post-war negotiations that eventually led to independence in 1947.

The Indian National Army (INA), also known as Azad Hind Fauj, was an armed force formed by Indian nationalists during World War II to secure Indian independence from British rule. Its history can be divided into two phases:

First INA (1942): Captain Mohan Singh formed the first INA with Indian prisoners of war captured by the Japanese in Southeast Asia. However, disagreements with Japanese authorities led to its dissolution in December 1942.

Second INA (1943-1945): Subhas Chandra Bose revived the INA in 1943 after reaching Southeast Asia. Under his dynamic leadership, the INA became a formidable force with its own government - Azad Hind Government - which was recognized by several Axis powers.

Key aspects of the INA include:

• It had three brigades named after Gandhi, Nehru, and Azad
• Fought alongside Japanese forces in Burma and Northeastern India
• Included a women's regiment named after Rani Lakshmibai
• Adopted the slogan "Jai Hind" and the song "Kadam Kadam Badhaye Ja"

Though militarily unsuccessful, the INA's significance lies in its psychological impact. The Red Fort trials of INA officers in 1945 sparked massive public sympathy and nationalist fervor, contributing to the final phase of the independence movement.