Gandhi
Phase I (1869-1915)
Introduction
- Date of Birth: 02 October 1869
- Native Village: Porbandar in Kathiawar Princely State , now Gujarat
- Father: Karamchand Gandhi (Kaba Gandhi) , Diwan(Minister) of Porbandar, Wankaner(Bikaner) and Rajkot
- Wife: Kasturba Gandhi, married in 13 years age
Education
- Primary Education: Rajkot
- Barrister Training: Inner Temple, London in 1893
In South Africa
- First visit in 1893 for Dada Abdullah's case
- Spent 21 years there
- Emergence of nationalism by facing racism, humiliation and contempt of labourers in SA(South Africa)
- Organized Indian Labourers to Fight for their Rights.
Type of Labourers
- Indentured Indian Laboureres ( Migrated after 1890 to SA , Contractual Workers, Sugar Plantations )
- Merchants (Meman Muslims, followed labourers)
- Ex-indentured Labourers (Expired Contracts)
Hardships of Labourers:
- illiterate, little or no knowledge of English
- racial discriminations
Restrictions on Labourers:
- Denied Right to Vote
- Reside only in prescribed locations
- Could not stay out of doors after 9 p.m
- Could not use public footpaths
Establishments in South Africa (1894)
- Natal Indian Congress : established in 1884
- Tolstoy Form: established with his colleagues
- Phoenix (Durban) Ashram: established in 1904, reopened in 2000
Literary Work in South Africa
- Indian Opinion ( English, Gujarati, Hindi, Tamil )
Principles of Ram Rajya
- Truth
- Non-Violence
Statements and Quotes
- “I am a true socialist and the aim of my socialism is progress of all”: Gandhiji himself said to Luis Fisher,
- “I am trying to solve that problem which is being faced by scientific socialism”.
- “means and ends are two sides of a coin. Immoral means cannot be used to achieve moral ends."
Opinion
On Socialism and Idealism
- Gandhiji is called as Individualist and Marxist among the socialists.
- Active politics as an important tool for social upliftment and public welfare
- Emphasized more on practical idealism than idealism
- Inclusion of Morality, Religion and Humanity
- Believed in the removal of State
On Polity and Governance
- Establishment of stateless society
- Decentralization of power
- Gram Panchayats to manage and administer their village.
- Inclusion of Morality, Religion and Humanity
On Education <!-- NCERT- -->
- Believed in the removal of State
Family Planning
- selfcontrol as the best solution
Satyagraha
- Passive Resistance ( In South Africa)
- India’s struggle for Independence (In India)
- Agni-Baan
- Fasting(First Option)
- Strike (Last Option) -to change the heart of enemy
Political Mentor
- Gopal Krishna Gokhale
In Congress
- First participation in Culcutta Session in 1901 where Resolution of Gandhiji on Africa was passed. chaired by Dinsha Wacha
- Joined Indian National Congress at 1915 Bombay Session
Gandhi's Return to India
- In 1901, established his first office of law at Bombay
- In 1915, established Satyagraha Ashram at Ahmedabad. Later on 17th June, 1917 moved to the banks of Sabarmati River and called Sabarmati Ashram.
- introduced the strategy of Satyagraha, non-violence, and mass mobilisation.
- Travelled across India including Bihar, Gujarat, Maharashtra
Phase II: (1915–1942)
Champaran Satyagraha (1917)
- Location: Champaran, Bihar
- Issue: Tinkathia system (forced indigo cultivation on 3/20 of land)
- Date: April 1917
- Gandhi visited Motihari after being invited by Raj Kumar Shukla
- British Official: W. B. Heycock (District Magistrate of Champaran) threatened Gandhi with arrest
- Gandhi refused to leave Champaran; case dropped due to public support
- Edward Gait, Lt. Governor of Bihar, appointed inquiry committee
- Result: Tinkathia system abolished; peasants compensated
- Significance: First application of Satyagraha in India; Gandhi became mass leader
Key Bihar Personalities Involved:
- Raj Kumar Shukla, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Brij Kishore Prasad, J. B. Kripalani
- Gaya Prasad Singh, Ram Nawami Prasad, Parmanand Pathak
📜 PYQ (BPSC 64th): Gandhi’s first Satyagraha in India? → Champaran (1917)
Ahmedabad Mill Strike (1918)
- Location: Ahmedabad, Gujarat
- Conflict: Textile workers vs mill owners over plague bonus
- Gandhi demanded 35% wage hike
- Launched hunger strike to support workers
- Outcome: Workers got 35% wage hike
- Significance: First use of fast as a political tool
Kheda Satyagraha (1918)
- Location: Kheda, Gujarat
- Cause: Crop failure but tax not waived
- Leaders: Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Indulal Yagnik
- Method: Peaceful tax refusal
- Result: Partial relief granted
- Influence in Bihar: Inspired later peasant struggles like Bakasht Movement
Rowlatt Satyagraha (1919)
- Law: Rowlatt Act (Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act)
- Preventive detention without trial
- Gandhi declared 6 April 1919 as Hartal Day
- Protests in Delhi, Punjab, Bombay, and Bihar
Bihar Impact:
- Protests in Patna, Gaya, Muzaffarpur
- Leaders like Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Mazharul Haque condemned the Act
- British official: Edward Gait, monitored unrest
- Sparked rural anti-colonial mobilisation
📜 Expected Q: What Act led to Gandhi's first nationwide movement? → Rowlatt Act
Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–22)
- Trigger: Jallianwala Bagh massacre + Khilafat Movement
- Methods: Boycott of British goods, institutions, titles
- Promoted Khadi, Swadeshi, self-rule
Congress Session:
- Nagpur Session (1920) – NCM officially adopted
Bihar Role:
- Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Maulana Mazharul Haque led movement
- Shivpujan Sahay, Sayed Hasan Imam spread nationalist writings
- Patna College, Bihar National College students boycotted classes
- Bihar became a Khadi and Charkha hub
📜 PYQ (66th): Why was the movement withdrawn? → Chauri Chaura violence
Civil Disobedience Movement (1930–34)
- Trigger: Salt Law
- Gandhi’s Dandi March began on 12 March 1930
Bihar Participation:
- Rajendra Prasad was selected for Dandi March but stayed to organise local Satyagrahas
- Salt Satyagrahas held in Sonepur, Purnea, Bettiah
- Sri Krishna Singh, Anugrah Narayan Sinha arrested
Congress Session:
- Karachi Session (1931) – Declaration of Fundamental Rights
Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931):
- Political prisoners released
- Gandhi attended 2nd Round Table Conference
Peasant Movements:
- Triveni Sangh (1933) founded by Yogendra Shukla, Jagdev Prasad, Yadunandan Sharma
Individual Satyagraha (1940–41)
- Against forced Indian participation in WWII
- Vinoba Bhave and Jawaharlal Nehru were first satyagrahis
Bihar Role:
- Leaders: Rambriksh Benipuri, Maghfoor Ahmad Ajazi arrested
- Movement spread in Sitamarhi, Darbhanga, Champaran
Quit India Movement (1942)
- Launched on 8 August 1942 in Bombay
- Slogan: Do or Die
- British arrested leaders within hours
Bihar Role:
- Jayaprakash Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia, Yogendra Shukla escaped Hazaribagh Jail
- Formed underground resistance group Azad Dasta
- Attacks on police stations, railways, and government buildings
- Women Leaders: Kamala Sinha, Vijaya Laxmi Pandit mobilised rural women
British Official:
- Governor Thomas Rutherford declared martial law in Bihar
📜 PYQ (66th): Who gave slogan “Do or Die”? → Gandhi, 1942
Phase III: Towards Independence (1945–1948)
Cabinet Mission Plan (1946)
- Gandhi supported a united India
- Bihar Congress tried to avoid communal division
Partition & Riots (1947)
- Gandhi fasted in Noakhali, Delhi, Calcutta
- Appealed for peace in riot-hit Bihar districts: Arrah, Munger, Patna
Assassination (1948)
- Date: 30 January 1948
- By: Nathuram Godse
- Last words: Hey Ram
Gandhian Ideology and Legacy
- Satyagraha: Non-violent resistance
- Ahimsa: Non-violence in thought and deed
- Swadeshi: Promotion of Khadi, rural industries
- Constructive Work: Literacy, sanitation, women’s upliftment
- Gram Swaraj: Village-level self-rule
Impact on Bihar:
- Gandhi visited Banka, Madhubani, Purnea for Khadi promotion
- Inspired leaders: Jagjivan Ram, Yogendra Shukla, J. B. Kripalani
- Stayed in Dalit settlements during Champaran Satyagraha
PYQs and Expected Questions
PYQs
- Gandhi's first Satyagraha? → Champaran (64th)
- “Do or Die” slogan? → Quit India, 1942 (66th)
- Why was NCM withdrawn? → Chauri Chaura (66th)
- Who invited Gandhi to Bihar? → Raj Kumar Shukla
- Law that triggered 1919 Satyagraha? → Rowlatt Act
Expected (71st BPSC)
- British officer in Champaran? → W. B. Heycock
- Bihar leader in Dandi March? → None; Rajendra Prasad led local satyagraha
- Triveni Sangh founders? → Yogendra Shukla, Jagdev Prasad, Yadunandan Sharma
- Bihar women in Quit India? → Kamala Sinha, Vijaya Laxmi Pandit
- Congress session approving NCM? → Nagpur Session, 1920
Quick Revision Points
- 1917: Champaran Satyagraha (Bihar)
- 1918: Ahmedabad & Kheda Satyagrahas
- 1919: Rowlatt Satyagraha – Bihar protests
- 1920: NCM; Bihar students join
- 1930: CDM; Salt Satyagraha in Bihar
- 1942: Quit India – JP’s escape, Azad Dasta
- 1947: Gandhi in riot-hit Bihar