1. Nationwide Satyagraha Against the Rowlatt Act (1919) 🇮🇳📜

• Background of the Rowlatt Act:

  • The Rowlatt Act was passed by the British in March 1919 through the Imperial Legislative Council 🏛️📜.
  • Despite strong and united opposition from Indian members, the Act was hurriedly passed 🚫🇮🇳.
  • The law gave the British government enormous powers to control and suppress political activity in India 💼⚖️.
  • The Act allowed the detention of political prisoners without trial for up to two years ⏳🔒.
  • It was seen as a direct attack on the civil liberties and freedoms of the Indian people 🚷💔.
  • It gave the government the authority to suppress protests and curtail press freedom 📰❌, leading to widespread resentment 😡.

• Gandhi’s Response:

  • Mahatma Gandhi decided to launch a nationwide satyagraha in protest against the Rowlatt Act ✊🕊️.
  • Gandhi called for non-violent civil disobedience to challenge the Act’s unjust provisions 🧘‍♂️⚖️.
  • The movement was planned to start with a hartal (strike) on 6 April 1919 📅✋.
  • Gandhi appealed to students 🎓, laborers 🛠️, and farmers 🌾 to join the cause and participate in the protest.
  • People across India organized rallies 🎤, strike actions in railway workshops 🚉, and closure of businesses 🏢.
  • Gandhi emphasized that the protest should remain non-violent 🕊️, with participants using peaceful means to resist ✋.

• British Response and Repression:

  • Alarmed by the growing popular resistance 📈, the British administration took repressive measures 👮‍♂️💥.
  • Local leaders in Amritsar were arrested to weaken the leadership of the movement 🔒👥.
  • Mahatma Gandhi himself was barred from entering Delhi 🚫🚉, further escalating tensions.
  • On 10 April, the police in Amritsar opened fire on a peaceful procession of protestors 💣🔫.
  • This attack led to widespread anger 💥, resulting in retaliatory actions such as attacks on government buildings 🏢🔥.
  • In response to the chaos, the British imposed martial law in Amritsar and surrounding areas ⚔️🚨.
  • General Dyer was given command and tasked with suppressing the protests using extreme force 🛑👮‍♂️.

2. Jallianwalla Bagh Massacre (13 April 1919) 💔💣

• The Incident:

  • On 13 April 1919, a large crowd gathered at Jallianwalla Bagh in Amritsar 🏞️👥.
  • The crowd consisted of people attending the Baisakhi fair 🎉 and others protesting the Rowlatt Act 🕊️⚖️.
  • Many people were unaware of the martial law that had been imposed 🔒🚫.
  • The martial law prohibited any gatherings of more than four people 🚶‍♂️🚶‍♀️.
  • General Dyer, who had been given authority to restore order, surrounded the Bagh with his troops 🚷👮‍♂️.
  • Exit points were blocked, trapping the peaceful protestors inside the area 🚪🔒.

• The Massacre:

  • Without warning, General Dyer ordered his troops to open fire 🔫💥 on the unarmed crowd.
  • The soldiers fired live ammunition for over ten minutes ⏱️🔫.
  • It is believed that hundreds of people were killed, with many more injured 🏥💔.
  • The massacre caused widespread horror and anger across India and the international community 🌍💔.
  • Dyer later justified his actions by stating that his goal was to “produce a moral effect” 😡💥.
  • He claimed the goal was to instill fear and break the spirit of resistance by spreading terror 😱.

• Impact and Aftermath:

  • The news of the massacre spread rapidly, leading to outrage across India 🔥📣.
  • In several towns, there were strikes 🛑 and clashes with the police 👮‍♂️🚨 as a response to the brutal action.
  • The British government’s response was to continue its brutal repression ⚔️👮‍♂️, with humiliation and torture of protestors 😞💥.
  • The massacre galvanized the Indian freedom movement 🇮🇳, strengthening the resolve to resist colonial rule ✊🔥.
  • Mahatma Gandhi, seeing the violence spread, eventually called off the movement 🛑🚫, recognizing the risks of further escalation.
  • Despite Gandhi’s call for non-violence, the massacre led to increased political radicalization 💥 and deeper resentment toward British rule 🇬🇧❌.

3. National Response to Jallianwalla Bagh 🗣️🔥

• Protests and Strikes:

  • The horrific news of the Jallianwalla Bagh massacre spread rapidly across north India, triggering widespread protests and strikes 📢👥.
  • In many cities, crowds gathered to express their anger and solidarity with the victims of the massacre 🏙️💔.
  • People clashed with the British police 👮‍♂️, confronting their brutality with peaceful resistance ✊🚷.
  • Protesters also targeted government buildings, including post offices, banks, and railway stations 🏢🔥, as symbols of British colonial control.
  • The satyagrahis (non-violent protestors) continued to demand justice for the massacre, and the movement gained massive support across the country 🌍🤝.

• British Repression:

  • The British government, under the command of General Dyer and other officials, responded with extreme repression 💣👮‍♂️.
  • They sought to humiliate and terrorize the population in an effort to break their resolve and instill fear 😱💥.
  • Satyagrahis were subjected to degrading punishments, such as being forced to rub their noses on the ground 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 and crawl on the streets 🛣️ as a symbol of submission.
  • Protesters were also forced to perform salaams (salutes) to the British officers 👋🙇‍♂️ as an act of humiliation and compliance.
  • In Gujranwala, a region in Punjab (now in Pakistan), villages were bombed 💥🏚️ by the British forces to instill fear and suppress resistance.
  • The brutal tactics used by the British administration only strengthened the resolve of many Indians to continue fighting for their rights ✊⚔️.

• Gandhi’s Decision to Call Off the Movement:

  • Amid the growing violence and repression 🚨, Mahatma Gandhi faced a critical decision.
  • He realized that the movement had escalated beyond peaceful protest and was leading to unintended violence 🕊️💥.
  • Gandhi decided to call off the movement 🔴❌, recognizing that non-violence was the core principle of his strategy, and further violence would undermine the very goals of the satyagraha.
  • This decision was difficult for Gandhi, as he had hoped to maintain peace and unity across the nation despite the oppression.
  • However, the widespread suffering and violence convinced Gandhi that it was time to reassess the course of action in favor of non-violence and dialogue 🕊️💬.

4. Launch of the Khilafat Movement and Non-Cooperation Movement (1920) 🕌🤝

• The Khilafat Issue:

  • World War I had ended with the defeat of Ottoman Turkey, and there were rumors that a harsh peace treaty would strip the Ottoman Emperor (the Khalifa) of his religious and political powers 🌍💔.
  • This was a significant issue for Muslims in India, as the Khalifa was considered the spiritual leader of Muslims worldwide 🌏🕌.
  • In response, a Khilafat Committee was formed in March 1919 in Bombay to defend the Khalifa’s temporal powers 🕌🔒.
  • The committee, which had prominent Muslim leaders like the Ali brothers (Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali) 🧑‍🤝‍🧑🇮🇳, aimed to preserve the Khalifa’s authority against British intervention.
  • Gandhi saw this as a crucial opportunity to unite Hindus and Muslims under a common cause 🤝, strengthening the national movement against British rule.

• Unity of Hindus and Muslims:

  • Mahatma Gandhi believed that the Khilafat issue could be a powerful way to bring Hindus and Muslims together 👫🕊️ in the fight against British colonialism.
  • Gandhi recognized the need for a unified national movement that could include both communities, transcending religious divisions 🤝🕊️.
  • He worked closely with young Muslim leaders like Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali, who were also committed to the Khilafat cause 🧑‍🤝‍🧑🇮🇳.
  • Gandhi used the Khilafat issue to build a stronger national unity, pushing for a collective effort toward self-rule (swaraj) ✊🏠 for all Indians, regardless of religion.

• The Non-Cooperation Movement:

  • At the Calcutta Congress session in September 1920, Gandhi presented his vision for a non-cooperation movement against British rule ✊🚫.
  • He convinced other Congress leaders to support the idea of a mass boycott of British institutions, including schools, courts, and legislative bodies 🎓⚖️🏛️.
  • Gandhi linked the non-cooperation movement to both the Khilafat issue and the demand for swaraj (self-rule) 🌍🗳️.
  • The movement urged Indians to boycott British goods, stop working for the British government, and embrace indigenous products to weaken British economic control 🏭🇮🇳.
  • The Non-Cooperation Movement began as a peaceful mass movement with the aim of isolating the British from the Indian population 🏙️🕊️.
  • Gandhi believed that through peaceful resistance, Indians could gain political freedom and economic independence 💡✊.