📖 Table of Contents: The Struggle for Swaraj (1928–1935)

🏗️ Phase I: The Constitutional Challenge (1928–1929)

• 1928 (Feb): 🕵️‍♂️ Arrival of the Simon Commission – The "All-White" commission triggers nationwide "Simon Go Back" protests.
• 1928 (Aug): 📜 The Nehru Report – India’s first draft constitution demanding Dominion Status and Joint Electorates.
• 1928 (Dec): ⏱️ Calcutta Congress Session – The "One-Year Ultimatum" given to the British to accept the Nehru Report.
• 1929 (Mar): 🔱 Jinnah’s Fourteen Points – The Muslim League rejects the Nehru Report; Jinnah declares the "Parting of Ways."
• 1929 (Oct): 📢 The Irwin Declaration – A vague British promise of future Dominion Status.
• 1929 (Nov): 📝 The Delhi Manifesto – National leaders set conditions for attending the Round Table Conference.
• 1929 (Dec): 🏁 The Lahore Session – Poorna Swaraj (Complete Independence) is declared; the Tricolour is hoisted on the banks of the Ravi.

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🌊 Phase II: The First Wave of Civil Disobedience (1930–1931)

• 1930 (Jan): 📄 Gandhi’s Eleven Demands – An ultimatum to Lord Irwin regarding salt tax, military spending, and political prisoners.
• 1930 (Mar–Apr): 🧂 The Dandi March – Gandhi walks from Sabarmati to Dandi (March 12 – April 6); the Salt Law is broken.
• 1930 (May–Dec): 🌍 Regional Spread of CDM –
  • Peshawar: Khudai Khidmatgars (Red Shirts).
  • Dharsana: The heroic salt works raid.
  • Regional variations: No-Rent (UP), No-Chaukidari (Bihar), Forest Satyagraha (Maharashtra).
• 1930 (Nov): 🇬🇧 First Round Table Conference – Held in London; boycotted by the INC; ends in deadlock.

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🤝 Phase III: The Truce and the Deadlock (1931–1932)

• 1931 (Mar 5): ✍️ The Gandhi-Irwin Pact – CDM is suspended; British agree to release non-violent prisoners and allow personal salt making.
• 1931 (Mar): 🏛️ Karachi Congress Session – Endorsement of the Pact; adoption of the Fundamental Rights resolution.
• 1931 (Sept–Dec): 🚢 Second Round Table Conference – Gandhi attends as the sole representative of INC; deadlocked over the "Minorities Question."
• 1931 (Dec): ⚔️ Return to India – Gandhi finds the British (under Lord Willingdon) breaching the pact; decision to resume the movement.

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🛡️ Phase IV: Repression and Transition (1932–1935)

• 1932 (Jan): ⛓️ Resumption of CDM – Gandhi and top leaders are arrested; Congress is declared an illegal organization.
• 1932: 👮 Government Terror – Brutal repression, confiscation of property, and virtual martial law.
• 1932 (Aug): 🎭 The Communal Award – (Contextual link) Ramsay MacDonald announces separate electorates for Depressed Classes.
• 1933–1934: 📉 Decline of the Movement – The mass struggle gradually loses momentum and is officially withdrawn.
• 1935: 📜 Government of India Act 1935 – The ultimate constitutional outcome of the years of struggle, introducing Provincial Autonomy.

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📊 Comparative Analysis Summary (1920 vs. 1930)

• Goal: Swaraj (vague) vs. Poorna Swaraj (Complete Independence).
• Method: Non-cooperation vs. Active violation of laws.
• Participation: Highest Muslim participation (1920) vs. Highest Women/Capitalist participation (1930).
• Repression: 30,000 jailed (1920) vs. 90,000 jailed (1930).

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🏛️ The Road to Poorna Swaraj (1928–1935)

Subject: Modern Indian History | Faculty: Sainil Nagare (StudyIQ IAS) Key Focus: The shift from 'Dominion Status' to 'Complete Independence'.

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🌩️ I. Political Atmosphere: The Calm Before the Storm

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🕵️‍♂️ II. The Indian Statutory Commission (Simon Commission)

The British government needed to review the 1919 Government of India Act, specifically the failure of the Diarchy system.

1. Why was it appointed early? 🗳️

• The Law: The 1919 Act mandated a review every 10 years (due in 1929).
• The Fear: Lord Birkenhead (Secretary of State) feared the Labour Party would win the upcoming UK elections. He wanted a Conservative-led commission to decide India's fate before losing power.

2. The "All-White" Composition 🚫👳‍♂️

The commission consisted of 7 British MPs.

• Chairman: Sir John Simon.
• Key Member: Clement Attlee (Future PM of UK).
• Other Members: Harry Levy-Lawson, Edward Cadogan, Vernon Hartshorn, George Lane-Fox, Donald Howard.
• The Controversy: No Indian was included.

3. British Justification for Exclusion 🇬🇧

• Birkenhead’s View: He believed if Indians were included, they would join hands with the Labour MPs.
• Viceroy Irwin’s View: He supported the exclusion, thinking Indian representatives would simply fight each other and fail to reach a consensus.

4. Divided Reactions in India 🎭

• 🚩 Boycott: Led by INC (Nehru, Gandhi) and the Muslim League (Jinnah).
• ✅ Support: Supported by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Periyar E. V. Ramasamy, and Chaudhary Chhotu Ram.
• 🤝 Cooperation: The British established an All-India Committee for Cooperation with the commission, including members like C. Sankaran Nair (Chairman), Nawab Ali Khan, and Hari Singh Gour.

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📜 III. The Nehru Report (1928)

🖋️ The Drafting Committee

In response to the challenge, the INC (Madras Session, 1927) under Dr. M.A. Ansari decided to draft a constitution.

• Chairman: Motilal Nehru.
• Secretary: Jawaharlal Nehru.
• Members: Tej Bahadur Sapru, Subhash Chandra Bose, M.S. Aney, Mangal Singh, Ali Imam, Shuab Qureshi, G.R. Pradhan.

✨ Major Recommendations

1. Dominion Status: Self-government within the British Empire (The biggest point of contention).
2. Joint Electorates: Rejection of separate electorates for minorities. only joint electorates with reservation only in minorities areas were given. where it was opposed by MUSLIM LEAGUE as well as SIKH and CHRISTIAN.
3. Fundamental Rights: 19 rights, including the right to bear arms and free education.
4. Universal Adult Franchise: Voting rights for all. but RESERVATION OF DEPRESSED CLASS were not given where B.R. AMBEDKER opposed the NEHRU REPORT.
5. Linguistic Provinces: Reorganizing states based on language.
6. Secularism: Complete dissociation of State from religion.

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⚖️ IV. The Communal Dilemma: League vs. Mahasabha

The Nehru Report tried to balance opposing views but ended up satisfying few.

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🔱 V. Jinnah’s Fourteen Points (March 1929)

Jinnah called the Nehru Report a "death warrant." He proposed 14 points as the "Manifesto of the Muslim League":

1. Federal Constitution with residuary powers to provinces.
2. Provincial Autonomy.
3. Separate Electorates.
4. 1/3rd Muslim Representation in the Cabinet and Central Legislature.
5. Separation of Sindh from Bombay.
6. Constitutional Reforms in NWFP and Baluchistan.
7. Full Religious Freedom for all communities.
8. 
9. 
10. 

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🚩 VI. The Rise of the Young Radicals & Poorna Swaraj

While the seniors (Motilal) pushed for Dominion Status, the youth were hungry for more.

🏃‍♂️ The Independence for India League (1928)

• Founders: Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhash Chandra Bose.
• Goal: Pressure the Congress to abandon 'Dominion Status' and demand Complete Independence.

🏁 The 1928 Calcutta Session Ultimatum

Presided over by Motilal Nehru.

• The Resolution: The Congress adopted the Nehru Report.
• The Threat: If the British did not grant Dominion Status within one year (by Dec 1929), the Congress would launch a mass movement for Poorna Swaraj (Complete Independence).

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This is the Master Chronology (1922–1929), bridging the gap between the end of the Non-Cooperation Movement and the declaration of Complete Independence.

This timeline captures the internal rift (Swarajists vs. No-Changers), the British provocation (Simon Commission), and the final unification for Poorna Swaraj.

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⏳ Timeline: The Road to Poorna Swaraj (1922–1929)

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🔑 Key Committees & Their Composition

🏚️ 1. The Civil Disobedience Enquiry Committee (1922)

• Purpose: To see if the country was ready for a new mass movement.
• Result: Recommended entering councils (led to the Swaraj Party).

🖋️ 2. The Nehru Committee (1928)

• Chairman: Motilal Nehru.
• Secretary: Jawaharlal Nehru.
• Goal: To draft a constitution that all Indian parties could agree upon.
• The Conflict: The younger generation (J. Nehru, S.C. Bose) was angry that it only asked for Dominion Status instead of Independence.

🕵️‍♂️ 3. The Simon Commission (Nov 1927)

• Chairman: Sir John Simon.
• Objective: Investigate the progress of the Government of India Act 1919.
• Controversy: Contained zero Indian members, leading to the slogan "Simon Go Back!"

🖋️ 4. The Nehru Committee (Feb – Aug 1928)

• Chairman: Motilal Nehru.
• Secretary: Jawaharlal Nehru.
• Key Members: Tej Bahadur Sapru (Liberal), Subhash Chandra Bose (Congress), M.S. Aney (Hindu Mahasabha), Mangal Singh (Sikh), Ali Imam & Shuab Qureshi (Muslim League).
• Outcome: The Nehru Report, which demanded Dominion Status and Joint Electorates.

🤝 5. All-India Committee for Cooperation (1928)

• Chairman: C. Sankaran Nair.
• Context: Established by the British Council of India to work with the Simon Commission (since the main nationalist parties boycotted it).
• Members: Arthur Froom, Nawab Ali Khan, Shivdev Singh Uberoi, Zulfiqar Ali Khan, Hari Singh Gour, Abdullah Al-Mamun Suhrawardy, Kikabhai Premchand, and Prof. M. C. Rajah.

🔱 6. Jinnah’s Fourteen Points (March 1929)

• Leader: Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
• Context: Formulated at the Muslim League meeting in Delhi.
• Purpose: To safeguard Muslim interests against the "Unitary" recommendations of the Nehru Report.
• Famous Quote: Jinnah declared this period as the "Parting of Ways" with the Congress.

🏁 7. The Calcutta Session Ultimatum (Dec 1928)

• President: Motilal Nehru.
• The Decision: The Congress accepted the Nehru Report's goal of Dominion Status, but only for one year.
• The Pivot: This session set the stage for the 1929 Lahore Session (where Jawaharlal Nehru would finally declare Poorna Swaraj).

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🌊 The Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM)

Lecture 66 | Source: StudyIQ IAS (Sainil Nagare)

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⏳ 1. Prelude: The Road to 1930

Before the salt was picked up at Dandi, several key developments set the stage:

• 🏙️ Calcutta Session (1928): The Nehru Report was endorsed, and a 1-year ultimatum was given for Dominion Status.
• 🔥 Political Activity (1929): Nationwide boycott of foreign cloth and the Meerut Conspiracy Case (March) radicalized the atmosphere.
• 📢 Irwin’s Declaration (Oct 31, 1929): A vague promise that "Dominion Status" was the eventual goal of British policy.
• 📝 Delhi Manifesto (Nov 1929): National leaders put forward conditions for attending the Round Table Conferences (RTC).
• 🚩 Lahore Session (Dec 1929):
  • Presided by Jawaharlal Nehru.
  • Proclaimed Purna Swaraj (Complete Independence).
  • Decided to boycott the RTC.
  • Dec 31, 1929: The Tricolour was hoisted on the banks of River Ravi at midnight.

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📜 2. Gandhi’s Eleven Demands

Gandhi gave the government a final chance by presenting 11 demands with a deadline of January 31, 1930.

🌍 Issues of General Interest

1. Reduce expenditure on Army & Civil Services by 50%.
2. Total Prohibition of intoxicants.
3. Reforms in the CID Criminal Investigation Departmrnt )
4. Change the Arms Act for popular control of firearms.
5. Release all political prisoners.
6. Accept the Postal Reservation Bill.

🚜 Peasant & 💰 Bourgeois Demands

7. Reduce Land Revenue by 50%.
8. Abolish Salt Tax and the government’s salt monopoly.
9. Reduce Rupee-Sterling exchange ratio.
10. Introduce textile protection.
11. Reserve coastal shipping for Indians.

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🧂 3. The Dandi March (March 12 – April 6, 1930)

Gandhi chose Salt as the central theme.

• Why Salt? It was a basic right, a universal grievance of the rural poor, and a symbol of mass suffering.
• The Journey: Gandhi and 78 followers marched from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi.
• The Act: On April 6, 1930, Gandhi picked up a handful of salt, technically breaking the law and signaling the start of the CDM.

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Important instruction related to this movement

🗺️ Regional Spread of the Civil Disobedience Movement (1930)

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💡 Study Tip for Obsidian:

Use the [[Name of Leader]] or [[Name of Region]] syntax in your notes to link these entries to their respective biographical or regional files in your digital garden! 🌿

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👥 5. Mass Participation & Govt. Response

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1. 🎓 Students & Youth

The handwritten notes highlight the organizational genius of the youth during this period.

• Specialized Groups:
  • Vanar Sena: (Monkey Brigade) Groups of young boys who helped with non-violent tasks, messaging, and protests.
  • Manjari Sena: (Cat/Bud Brigade) Similar groups for young girls.(Indra gandhi)
• University Activism: Participation shifted from individual protests to organized Student Unions.
• Assam (ACC): The scribble "ACC" refers to the massive student agitation against the Cunningham Circular, which forced students to sign bonds of "good behavior."

2. 👩 Women

• Leadership & Scale: Women participated not just as followers but in Leadership roles.
• Demographics: For the first time, participation bridged the Urban + Rural divide on a massive scale. Women from respectable households came out to picket liquor and foreign cloth shops.

3. 🌙 Muslims (The "Paradox")

The instructor uses words like "Paradox" and "2nd class citizen" to describe the complex Muslim attitude.

• Decreased Participation: Unlike the 1921 Non-Cooperation Movement (which was joined with the Khilafat movement), Muslim participation in CDM was relatively lower.
• Islamic Nationalism: A shift toward communal politics. The notes mention Maulavis moving toward the "Right" (communal/conservative wing).
• Political Context: Mention of March 1929 (Jinnah's 14 Points). There was a growing fear of a "Hindu Majority" government, leading the Muslim League (ML) and leaders like Aga Khan (AK) to distance themselves from Congress-led movements.

4. 💰 Merchants, Traders & Workers (The Capitalist Class)

• Economic Roots: The notes trace back to World War I, which allowed the Indian Capitalist class (Tata, Birla, Purshottamdas Thakurdas) to grow.
• FICCI (1927): The formation of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry gave business interests a unified political voice.
• Why they supported CDM: They wanted protection against foreign imports and a change in the rupee-sterling exchange ratio.

5. 🏛️ Internal Congress Dynamics (Bottom Left)

The notes reveal a "tug-of-war" within the Indian National Congress (INC):

• The Right Wing: Led by Gandhi and those friendly to the capitalist/merchant class.
• The Left Wing: Led by Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhash Chandra Bose, who were influenced by socialism and wanted more radical economic reforms for workers and peasants.

6. 🏹 Tribals & 🚜 Peasants

• Drivers: Their participation was driven by "social/communal" grievances and specific local issues like forest laws (for tribals) and high land revenue/rents (for peasants).

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📜 The Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM): Part 2

🛡️ I. The British Government’s Attitude (1930)

As the movement intensified, the British government adopted a dual policy of repression and negotiation.

• Repressive Measures: The government issued ordinances curbing civil liberties. Provincial governments were empowered to ban organizations associated with the movement.
• Violence: Use of lathi-charges and firing on unarmed crowds became common.
• Political Maneuvering: In July 1930, Viceroy Lord Irwin proposed a Round Table Conference (RTC) to discuss India’s future, reiterating the vague goal of "Dominion Status" to pacify moderate elements.

⛓️ II. Early Negotiations & The First RTC

• Prison Negotiations (August 1930): Motilal and Jawaharlal Nehru were taken to Yeravada Jail to meet Gandhi. They unequivocally demanded:
  1. The right of secession from Britain.
  2. Complete national government with control over defense and finance.
  3. An independent tribunal to settle Britain’s financial claims.
• The First Round Table Conference (Nov 1930 – Jan 1931):
  • Chair: Ramsay MacDonald.
  • Significance: The first time British and Indians met as "equals."
  • Participants: Princely States, Muslim League, Justice Party, and Hindu Mahasabha.
  • The Congress Stance: The INC and prominent business leaders refused to attend.
  • Key Discussions: Tej Bahadur Sapru proposed an All-India Federation. The Muslim League supported this, provided internal sovereignty for states was guaranteed and the center remained weak.
  • Outcome: Failure. MacDonald admitted that no progress was possible without the INC.

🤝 III. The Gandhi-Irwin Pact (March 5, 1931)

Known as the Delhi Pact, this was a major diplomatic milestone.

• Viceroy’s Concessions:
  • Immediate release of non-violent political prisoners.
  • Return of confiscated lands (if not yet sold).
  • Right to make salt in coastal villages for personal consumption (not for sale).
  • Withdrawal of emergency ordinances.
• Denied Demands: Irwin refused a public inquiry into police excesses and rejected the commutation of death sentences for Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru.
• Gandhi’s Commitments: Agreed to suspend the CDM and participate in the Second RTC.

🏛️ IV. The Karachi Congress Session (March 1931)

Presided over by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, this special session endorsed the Gandhi-Irwin Pact.

• Tribute to Martyrs: While dissociating from political violence, the INC admired the bravery of Bhagat Singh and his comrades.
• Defining Swaraj: For the first time, Congress spelled out what Poorna Swaraj meant for the masses.
• Historic Resolutions: Adopted resolutions on Fundamental Rights and the National Economic Programme.

🌍 V. The Second Round Table Conference (Sept – Dec 1931)

• Change in Leadership: Lord Irwin was replaced by the more conservative Lord Willingdon.
• Deadlock: The conference stalled on the "Minorities Question." Muslims, Depressed Classes, Christians, and Anglo-Indians formed a "Minorities’ Pact" demanding separate electorates.
• Gandhi’s Stand: Claimed INC alone represented India. He argued that "Untouchables" were Hindus and should not have separate electorates.
• Iqbal’s Vision: In the 1930 Allahabad Session, Muhammad Iqbal had already called for a "Muslim India within India."
• Outcome: No consensus. MacDonald announced two new Muslim-majority provinces (NWFP & Sindh) and threatened a unilateral Communal Award if Indians didn't agree.

⚔️ VI. Resumption of CDM & Repression (1932)

• Resumption: Finding the 2nd RTC a failure, the CWC decided to resume the CDM on Dec 29, 1931.
• Arrests: Lord Willingdon refused to meet Gandhi. On January 4, 1932, Gandhi was arrested.
• Virtual Martial Law: Repressive ordinances were issued. INC was declared illegal, properties were confiscated, and Gandhi ashrams were occupied.
• Resistance: Roughly 80,000 Satyagrahis were jailed. Resistance included picketings, symbolic flag hoists, non-payment of Chaukidari tax, and the installation of a secret radio transmitter near Bombay.

📊 VII. Analysis: CDM vs. Non-Cooperation Movement (NCM)

⭐ VIII. Final Impact

1. Groundwork: Instilled deep distrust in the British government.
2. Propaganda: Popularized new methods like Prabhat Pheris and pamphlets.
3. Economic: Halved foreign imports of cloth and cigarettes; reduced government revenue.
4. Inclusivity: Saw massive participation from women, students, and tribals (active in Central Provinces and Maharashtra).
5. Political Boycott: Elections to the Legislative Assembly were effectively sabotaged.

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