Political and Economic situation during First World War that encouraged the growth of Indian National movement 

• Huge increase in defence expenditure

• Increase in taxes: Custom duties were raised and income tax introduced

• Increase in Prices

• Extreme Hardship

• Forced Recruitment

• Famines and Epidemic: influenza epidemic of 1921 in which 12 to 13 million people perished

• Acute shortages of food 

Ideology Of Mahatma Gandhi

• Satyagraha 

i) Persuasion for truth

ii) A novel method of mass agitation

iii) Pure Soul Force

iv) Endurance

v) Appeals to the conscience of the oppressor

v) Power of the Strong however mistaken as a power of the weak and passive resistance

• Truth ultimately wins

• Physical force not required to fight with the oppressors

• Power of Truth and search for truth

• Weapon of Satyagrahis : Truth and Non-Violence

• Dharma of Non-Violence could unite all Indians

Advent of Mahatma Gandhi and initial Mass Movements

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

• Then He extensively toured India.

Successful Satyagraha Movements 

1. Champaran Movement[1917]: 

• Mahatma Gandhi organised satyagraha in Champaran, Bihar in 1917.

• The movement was a struggle against the oppressive Indigo plantation system and in support of the peasants.

2. Kheda Movement[1917]:

• Gandhiji organised satyagraha for the peasants of the Kheda district of Gujarat in 1917.

• Against the high revenue that the peasants were unable to pay due to crop failure and a plague epidemic.

• Demand for relaxation in revenue

3. Ahmedabad Movement[1918]:

• In 1918, Mahatma Gandhi went to Ahmedabad, Gujarat and organised Satyagraha for the cotton mill workers.

• Demand for higher wages and better working conditions.

The Rowlatt Act

• The Anarchical and revolutionary crimes act of 1919

• A Black Act

• Legislative act passed by Imperial legislative council in Delhi on March 18, 1919.

• Passed despite the united opposition of the Indian members.

• Preventive detention of political prisoners without trial for a period of two years.

Events that led to Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

1. Rowlatt Act passed despite united opposition of Indian members.

2. Gandhiji decided to launch non-violent civil disobedience with a 'Hartal' on 6th April.

3. Rallies and strikes organised everywhere . Government followed repressive policies

• arrested leaders

• stopped Gandhiji from entering Delhi

4. On 10th April, police fired on peaceful procession in Amritsar that sparked violence.

5. On 12th April, Martial law was imposed and General Dyer took command.

6. On 13th April, Baisakhi day, General Dyer opened fire on crowd gathered at Jallianwala Bagh.

Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

• The Jallianwala Bagh massacre, also known as the Amritsar massacre, took place on 13 April 1919.

• One of the most infamous incident of the Indian History

• On that day a large crowd gathered in the enclosed ground of Jallianwalla Bagh.

• Some came to protest against the government's repressive measures.

• Others came to attend the annual Baisakhi fair.

• Many villagers were unaware of of the martial law that had been imposed.

• General Dyer entered there, blocked the exit points, and opened fire on the crowd, killing hundreds.

• General Dyer declared that his objective behind it was to produce a moral effect to create in the minds of satyagrahis a feeling of terror and awe.

Results/Effects of Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

1. News spread and crowd s took on the streets.

2. Strikes and clashes with the police started.

3. Repressive measures by the government

• People humiliated and terrorised

• Satyagrahis were forced to rub their noses on the ground, crawl on streets, and do salaam(salute) to all sahibs.

4. Villages around Gujranwala(Pakistan) were bombed.

5. Violence forced Mahatma Gandhi to call off the movement(Rowlatt Satyagraha).

Khilafat Issue

• World War I ended with defeat of Ottoman Turkey .

• Ottoman Empire(Khalifa) considered as the spiritual head of the Islamic world.

• Rumour of imposition of a harsh peace treaty on Khalifa.

• Muslims were concerned and wanted to preserve Khalifa's temporal(religious) powers.

• Khilafat committee formed in Bombay in March 1919.

• Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali were the most important Khilafat leaders who discussed with Mahatma Gandhi about the possibility of a united mass action on the Khilafat issue.

Khilafat-Non- Cooperation Movement

• Rowlatt satyagraha was limited to cities and towns.

• Gandhiji wanted a wider movement by uniting Hindus and Muslims. Khilafat issue gave this opportunity.

• Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali discussed united action on Khilafat issue.

• Gandhiji saw this as an opportunity to bring Muslims under the umbrella of a unified national movement. 

• At the Calcutta session of the Congress session in September 1920, Mahatma Gandhi convinced to start a non-cooperation movement in support of Khilafat as well as for swaraj.

• Gandhiji launched Khilafat Non-Cooperation movement.

Need of Non-Cooperation | Why Non-Cooperation

• Mahatma Gandhi  declared in his book Hind Swaraj(1909) that British rule was established in India with the cooperation of Indians.

• Britishers survived due to the cooperation of Indians.

• If Indians stop cooperating the Britishers then the British rule in India would collapse within a year, and Swaraj would come.

• Swaraj refers to self-rule.

Swaraj

• Swaraj meant self rule

•  It implied self government by the Indians

•  The government was to be formed by representatives of the people

•  People would have the right to deal with internal matters

•  India would remain a part of the British Empire

•  Sovereignty over India  would remain with the British crown

Methods Of NCM/Proposed Stages

• Surrender of titles

• Boycott of civil services, army, police, courts and legislative councils

• Boycott of foreign goods

• Boycott of government schools

• Picketing of liquor shops

• Use of Indian goods/products like Khadi

• Last stage: In case of repression, launch of full civil disobedience campaign.

Reluctance to boycott council elections and adoption of Non-Cooperation Programme

Intense tussle in congress to contest council elections scheduled for November 1920

Fear of popular violence

Many leaders wanted to contest elections

Compromise worked out and NCM adopted at the congress session at Nagpur in Dec. 1920.

Non-Cooperation Khilafat movement began in January 1921.