Modern Indian History

Gandhi emphasized that ahimsa is an active force of love and soul-power, not merely passive tolerance or cowardice. It requires standing up against injustice, not accepting it.

Non-cooperation movement was an attempt organized by Mahatma Gandhi in 1920 to induce the British government of India to grant self-government, or swaraj, to India. Gandhi gave a call for boycott of foreign goods, surrendering all titles and honorary offices and resign from nominated seats in local bodies, etc. It was suddenly adjourned due to the violent Chauri Chaura incident in 1922.

Gandhi while in jail in 1932 had set up the All India Anti Untouchability League in September 1932 and had started the weekly Harijan in January 1933. He handed the responsibility for running it in the hands of two of his close associates, the industrialist, G.D. Birla, and the social worker, A.V. Thakkar. After the signing of Poona Pact, this organization was renamed the Harijan Sewak Sangh.

Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan, often called the Frontier Gandhi, was a close associate and follower of Gandhi's philosophy of non-violence.

This statement reflects Gandhi's philosophy of non-violence and his desire for Indian independence without wishing harm upon the British people.

Gandhi frequently argued that true non-violence is the virtue of the brave, and that cowardice is incompatible with the strength required for ahimsa.

Khadi, white & coarse, was to him a sign of purity, of simplicity & poverty. Wearing it also became a symbol of nationalism, a rejection of western mill-made cloth.

He was more famous as Gandhiji's political Guru. He was elected to the Bombay Legislative Council in 1899. He became the President of the Indian National Congress at Banaras in 1905.

Mahatma Gandhi returned to India from South Africa in January 1915.

It suggested that if the cause was true, if the struggle was against injustice, then physical force was not necessary to fight the oppresor. Without seking vengeance or being aggressive a satyagrahi could win the battle through non-violence. This could only be done by appealing to the conscience of the oppressor. 

In his famous book 'Hind Swaraj' (1909), Mahatma Gandhi declared that British rule was established in India with the cooperation of Indians, & had survived only because of this cooperation. If Indians refused to cooperate, British rule in India would collapse within a year, and Swaraj would come.

By 1921, Gandhiji had designed the Swaraj flag. It was again a tricolour (red, green & white) & had a spinning wheel in the centre, representing the Gandhian ideal of self-help. Carrying the flag, holding it aloft, during marches became a symbol of defiance.

The title ‘Sardar’ was conferred to Vallabhbhai Patel by Mahatma Gandhi. In 1928 there was a problem for the farmers of Bardoli. British were collecting unjust taxes from them. Vallabhbhai Patel came to rescue the people and conducted many no tax campaigns. 

As per the Poorna Swaraj  Resolution, the word Swaraj in the Congress Constitution would thenceforth mean Complete Independence or Purna Swaraj which was set forth as the goal of the National Movement. The resolution of Poorna Swaraj was adopted at the Lahore Session of  the Congress.

This was a great thought of Mahatma Gandhi that India could achieve its independence only when poor of India are free from suffering. Though India was blessed with rich heritage and treasures, the status of poor remained same throughout the ages and had never been better. Poor people constitute a majority of the Indian population. So he thought when poor are freed from their suffering independence can be achieved.