1. Introduction
2. Background
3. Emergence of Swarajists & Socialist Ideas
3.1. Swarajists and No Changers
3.2. The Emergence of Congress-Khilafat Swarajists
3.3. Swarajist Arguments
3.4. Swarajist Manifesto for Elections
3.5. Swarajists Activities in Councils
3.6. Achievements and Drawbacks
3.7. No changers Arguments
3.8. Constructive Works by No Changers
3.9. Gandhi’s Attitude
3.10. Muddiman Committee (1924)
4. Swaraj Party: Formation
4.1. Gandhi and Swarajists
4.2. Objectives and Aims
4.3. Programme
4.4. Methods
5. Swarajists at the Polls
6. Work in the Legislatures
7. Constructive Work
7.1. Khadi
7.2. Untouchability
7.3. Other Social Problems
8. Demoralisation and Decline
8.1. Drift
8.2. Merger
8.3. Disintegration
9. Causes for Decline
9.1. Rising Communal Tempo
9.2. Lure of Office
9.3. Class Character
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Topic – Emergence of Swaraj Party (Notes)
Subject – History
(Modern Indian History)
Table of Contents
Introduction
The period 1922-29 is important for many reasons. It began with the ending of the Non-Cooperation Movement and ended with the starting of yet another movement. It also enriched India’s struggle for liberation by introducing new trends and forms of political action. It placed before the nation the twin programme of council entry and constructive works. It also brought to the forefront, new leaders with a different outlook. Besides, the period witnessed new problems, new tensions, new dilemmas and new constraints on India’s fight for independence. In this unit you are going to be introduced to all those aspects of the period 1922-29.
Background
Under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, the Congress emerged as a great nationalist forum of all shades and opinions voicing anti-imperialist sentiments. During Gandhi’s first Civil Disobedience Movement (1920–22), its roots spread out among all classes of people. The formal acceptance of Swaraj as the goal of the Congress really converted Non-Cooperation into a mass movement. Gandhi’s catchy slogan ‘Swaraj in one year’ stirred the masses of men into action. The suspension of Non-Cooperation in February, 1922 created widespread disappointment and precipitated an open division in the leadership of the Congress. The Government took advantage of the situation to take resort to a policy of repression. It invoked Bengal Regulation III of 1816 and promulgated an ordinance providing for summary arrest and trial before special commissioners. The British Prime Minister, Lloyd George, delivered his ‘steel frame’ speech, praising the work and efficiency of the I.C.S. cadre. This was in tune with the shift in policy which virtually repudiated the principles of self-government and strengthened the autocratic British regime.
A sense of disillusionment led many at this stage to question the efficacy of Gandhian methods of struggle. Was it at all possible to train millions of people in the philosophy of non-violence? Even if it was possible, how long would it take? Gandhi was now behind the bars and there was no definite political programme before the country. The artificial Hindu-Muslim unity was fast disappearing. Acute Hindu-Muslim tensions and outbreak of communal violence dissipated national energies. The Constructive Work of the Congress, an essentially socio-economic programme of amelioration, could not attract the upper middle class intellectuals. They had never appreciated Gandhi’s emotional and metaphysical approach to politics. They looked at politics from the plane of reality, and were keen to rescue the Congress and its politics from the demoralisation that had set in after the withdrawal of Non-Cooperation.
Emergence of Swarajists & Socialist Ideas
The Indian National Congress was divided into two ideologies, the Swarajist and the No Changers, based on council participation or boycott. The Swarajists’ main goal was to end the council boycott, whereas the No-Changers argued that the boycott should continue. CR Das, Vithalbhai Patel, Motilal Nehru, and Hakim Ahmed Khan were Swarajists. C Rajagopalachari, Vallabhbhai Patel, MA Ansari, and Rajendra Prasad.
Swarajists and No Changers
Swarajists:
- One group, led by C R Das, Motilal Nehru, and Ajmal Khan, wanted to end the boycott of legislative councils so that nationalists could enter them to expose the fundamental flaws of these assemblies and use them as a platform for political struggle.
- They wanted to ‘end or mend’ these councils, which meant that if the government did not respond to the nationalists’ demands, they would obstruct the councils’ work.
- Their only intention was to use the councils as a forum for political struggle; they had no intention of using the councils to gradually transform colonial rule.
- The Swarajists were those who advocated for inclusion in legislative councils.
No Changers:
- The ‘No-changers’ were those who opposed council entry.
- They advocated for a focus on constructive work while maintaining the boycott and noncooperation.
- They also advocated for the quiet resumption of the suspended civil disobedience programme.
- The ‘No-changers’ were a school of thought led by Vallabhbhai Patel, Rajendra Prasad, C. Rajagopalachari, and M.A. Ansari.
The Emergence of Congress-Khilafat Swarajists
- Following Gandhi’s arrest in March 1922, nationalist ranks disintegrated, disorganized, and demoralized. A debate began among Congressmen about what to do during the transition period, also known as the movement’s passive phase.
- One group, led by C.R. Das, Motilal Nehru, and Ajmal Khan, wanted to end the boycott of legislative councils so that nationalists could enter them to expose the fundamental flaws of these assemblies and use them as a forum for political struggle to rouse popular support.
- They wanted to ‘end or mend’ these councils, which meant that if the government did not respond to the nationalists’ demands, they would obstruct the councils’ work.
- Those advocating entry into legislative councils became known as the ‘Swarajists,’ while those opposing entry became known as the ‘Nochangers,’ led by C. Rajagopalachari, Vallabhbhai Patel, Rajendra Prasad, and M.A. Ansari.
- The ‘No-changers’ advocated for a focus on constructive work, the continuation of the boycott and non-cooperation, and quiet preparation for the resumption of the suspended civil disobedience programme.
- The Swarajists’ proposal of ‘ending or mending’ the councils was defeated at the Gaya session of the Congress due to disagreements between the two schools of thought on the issue of council entry (December 1922).
- C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru resigned from their positions as president and secretary of the Congress, respectively, and announced the formation of the Congress-Khilafat Swarajya Party, or simply Swarajist Party, with C.R. Das as president and Motilal Nehru as one of the secretaries.
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