The Non-cooperation Movement was Gandhi’s first mass-based political movement. This movement was launched as per the resolution taken by the Indian National Congress at the Calcutta session but ratified in the Nagpur session in December 1920. August 01, 1920 was fixed as the date of starting the movement.

Non- Cooperation Movement and Mahatma Gandhi

• In 1917, Mahatma Gandhi spent most of his time in Champaran fighting for the rights of peasants. He was seeking to obtain the security of tenure as well as freedom in farmer’s choice for the cultivation of crops.
• Then again in 1918, in his home state Gujarat, he was involved in two campaigns. The first campaign is about demanding better conditions for textile mill workers. Then in Kheda, he joined peasants against the state for the remission of taxes at the times of failure of their harvest.
• These initiatives taken in the Champaran, Ahmedabad, and Kheda put Gandhi as a nationalist among the people who fought for the poor. But all of these were small localized struggles.
• During world war 1914-18, the British had put censorship of the press and permitted detention without trial. These measures are continued under the recommendation of the committee chaired by Sir Sidney Rowlatt.
• In response, a campaign was called by Gandhi against the “Rowlatt act”. In towns of North and West India, schools are closed and shops are shut down in response to the bandh call.
• Rowlatt Satyagraha made Gandhi a prominent leader among the people.
• There were also intense protests started in Punjab against the Rowlatt Act. Because many men had served on the side British Government in the War, and instead of getting rewarded they were given the Rowlatt Act.
• Gandhi was also detained while protesting in Punjab.
• This situation became more aggressive when a British Brigadier ordered his troops to open fire in a nationalist meeting at Jallianwala Bagh. More than four hundred people were killed in this incident known as the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre.
• Due to these happenings, Gandhi called out a campaign of “Non-Cooperation” against the British Government.
• Those who wanted freedom from the colonial rule were asked to stop attending schools, colleges, and courts and not to pay taxes.
• They were asked to renounce all association with the British government.
• According to Gandhi, if non-cooperation was effectively carried out without violence, India would get its freedom within a year.
• To increase the momentum of the movement Gandhi further joined hands with the Khilafat Movement. This would collectively bring the two major religious communities of India, Hindu, and Muslims.
• Gandhi along with the Ali Brothers (Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali) did a nationwide tour to promote the non-cooperation Movement along with addressing the meetings.
• The boycott related to education was successful in Bengal and Punjab too which operated under the leadership of Lala Lajpat Rai.
• Apart from this educational boycott, some of the most important lawyers also gave up their lucrative practices in their fields.

Features of the Non-Cooperation Movement

• The main focus of the movement was to boycott schools, colleges, law courts and increase the use of Charkha and using items made in the country.
• Students stopped going to schools and colleges which were run by the British government.
• The working class of the society also went on strike in many towns and cities.
• According to the official data, in 1921, there were 396 strikes all over India, involving 600,000 workers in the strikes and a loss of 7 million workdays.
• Effects of the movement are also seen in the countryside. In northern Andhra, hill tribes violated the forest laws.
• In Awadh, farmers there did not pay taxes to the government.
• In Kumaun, peasants refused to carry loads of the British officials.
• Student movements were in full swing and major lawyers like C.R. Das, Motilal Nehru, C. Rajagopalachari, M.R. Jayakar, Saifuddin Kitchlew, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel gave up their practices.
• Thereafter, the next step is to boycott foreign clothes and boycott of the forthcoming visit of The Prince of Wales in November 1921.
• Jail Bharo Andolan by Congress volunteers and Charkha and Khadi clothes were also popularized.
• The Non-Cooperation movement was financed by the Tilak Swaraj Fund.
• Swaraj, Redressal of Punjab wrongs, and Khilafat issues were demanded through this movement.
• The Non- Cooperation movement started in January 1920 and successfully ran till February 1922.