1. Gandhi’s Decision to Withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement ✋

• February 1922: Mahatma Gandhi decided to withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement due to increasing violence in various parts of India ⚔️.
• The movement had gained momentum, with millions of Indians participating in protests and boycotts against British rule 🇮🇳✊.
• Gandhi was troubled by the violence in several areas, which went against the principles of non-violence that the movement was founded on 💥❌.
• Gandhi’s belief in ahimsa (non-violence) meant he could not support a movement if it led to violent outbreaks ⚖️🚫.
• Gandhi argued that satyagrahis (followers of non-violence) were not yet sufficiently trained to engage in mass struggles properly 📚🧘‍♂️.
• He emphasized that proper training in non-violent methods was necessary before they could engage in large-scale resistance 🏋️‍♀️.
• The growing violence made Gandhi reconsider the effectiveness of continuing the movement in its current form 🔄💔.
• Gandhi believed that non-violence was not just a political strategy but a moral obligation ✊💖.
• The decision to withdraw was a turning point in the independence movement, requiring a reevaluation of strategies 🛑🔄.

2. Internal Debate within the Congress 🏛️

• After the withdrawal of the Non-Cooperation Movement, there was a significant debate within the Congress over the future direction of the movement 🗣️💬.
• Some Congress leaders were tired of mass struggles and wanted to engage in elections for the provincial councils set up by the Government of India Act of 1919 📜🗳️.
• These councils were a form of self-governance under British supervision, and the leaders in favor of this approach wanted to push for reforms from within 🏛️⚖️.
• Their goal was to oppose British policies within the councils, highlight their undemocratic nature, and argue for reforms and more autonomy 🇬🇧🚫.
• Motilal Nehru and C. R. Das formed the Swaraj Party to advocate for a return to council politics 🧑‍💼📊.
• The Swaraj Party believed that by participating in the councils, they could influence British policy and expose the system’s flaws 💡🔍.
• However, younger leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose opposed this moderate approach ⚡❌.
• The younger leaders called for radical action and argued that participation in councils was a compromise with British rule 🌍✊.
• They believed that complete independence could only be achieved through mass agitation and direct action 💥⚡.
• Constitutional reforms were seen as insufficient, and the goal should be to break free from British control entirely 🔓🇮🇳.
• The younger faction gained more influence and began to push for Purna Swaraj (complete independence) 🏆🌟.
• The Swaraj Party continued to push for political engagement within the British system, but the younger faction was increasingly dominant in Congress discussions 🏛️📈.
• This internal conflict ultimately led Congress to formally adopt complete independence and reject any form of dominion status or continued British control 🚫🗣️.

3. Impact of the Worldwide Economic Depression 📉💸

• The worldwide economic depression in the late 1920s had a devastating impact on India, particularly in rural areas 🏞️💰.
• Agricultural prices began to decline in 1926, creating financial difficulties for farmers and landlords 📉🚜.
• By 1930, agricultural prices had completely collapsed, causing severe economic distress across the country ⚠️💔.
• The demand for agricultural goods fell sharply, leading to reduced exports and a glut of unsold produce 📦❌.
• Peasants found it increasingly difficult to sell their harvests, leading to massive income losses 🌾💸.
• Many farmers were unable to pay land revenue and other taxes to the British government, increasing financial burdens 🏦⚖️.
• This crisis resulted in widespread rural distress, leading to peasant uprisings, protests, and growing resentment against British policies 🚜🔥.
• The economic depression deepened the divide between the rich and the poor, as landlords and moneylenders took advantage of struggling farmers 💰⚖️.
• This growing economic instability contributed to an increase in political activism as the masses became more involved in the freedom movement 🏛️✊.

4. The Simon Commission and Public Response 📜👥

• In 1927, the British government set up the Statutory Commission, led by Sir John Simon, to review India’s constitutional system ⚖️🇬🇧.
• The commission was tasked with examining the existing system and suggesting reforms to address Indian political aspirations 🏛️🔍.
• However, the commission had no Indian members, as all of them were British officials, making it highly unpopular in India 🇬🇧❌.
• Indian leaders saw this as a deliberate insult, ignoring the aspirations of millions of Indians who were fighting for self-governance 🚫😡.
• When the Simon Commission arrived in 1928, it faced widespread protests and demonstrations in different cities 🏙️✊.
• Protesters raised the powerful slogan “Go Back Simon”, demanding the immediate withdrawal of the commission 🚷📢.
• The Indian National Congress, the Muslim League, and other parties united in opposition, showing rare political solidarity 🧑‍🤝‍🧑🤝.
• Demonstrations were organized across the country, with thousands of people participating in strikes, marches, and boycotts 🚶‍♂️🛑.
• The police responded with brutal force, leading to clashes with protesters and the tragic death of Lala Lajpat Rai, a senior leader who was lathi-charged during a protest in Lahore ⚠️💔.
• The commission’s arrival and the violent suppression of protests further fueled anti-British sentiment, strengthening the call for complete independence 🔥🇮🇳.

5. Lord Irwin’s Offer and Rising Tensions 🏛️🔥

• In October 1929, the Viceroy of India, Lord Irwin, made an announcement to ease rising political tensions in India 🏛️📜.
• He offered a vague promise of ‘dominion status’ for India, but without a clear timeline or concrete details 🔮⏳.
• Additionally, he proposed the organization of a Round Table Conference to discuss a future Indian constitution 🏛️📅.
• However, this offer failed to satisfy the Indian National Congress, which had already moved towards a demand for full independence 🇮🇳❌.
• Moderate leaders within the Congress considered negotiating, but the radicals rejected the offer, seeing it as a mere delaying tactic ⚠️🛑.
• Leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose strongly opposed accepting anything less than complete independence ✊🔥.
• The failure of Lord Irwin’s offer led to growing frustration and impatience within the nationalist movement 😡⚡.
• Tensions escalated as Congress leaders debated their next course of action, leading to the push for a more decisive break from British rule ⚖️🚫.

6. The Demand for Purna Swaraj (Complete Independence) 📜🗳️

• As opposition to British rule intensified, the radicals within the Congress, including Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose, became more vocal in their call for Purna Swaraj (complete independence) 🇮🇳💥.
• Many leaders felt that dominion status under British rule was unacceptable, as it would still leave India partially controlled by the British Crown 🏛️❌.
• In December 1929, at the Lahore session of the Indian National Congress, Jawaharlal Nehru was elected as the Congress President 🏛️📅.
• Under Nehru’s leadership, the Congress formally passed a resolution declaring complete independence as its official goal 🎯✊.
• The resolution rejected any compromise with British rule and committed to achieving sovereignty through mass struggle 💪🔥.
• To mark this decision, Congress declared that 26 January 1930 would be observed as Independence Day across the country 📅🎉.
• On this day, people were urged to take a pledge to fight for India’s complete independence from British rule 📜🇮🇳.
• However, despite the resolution, the idea of freedom still seemed abstract to many Indians, and the celebrations received limited participation initially 🎇❌.

7. The Independence Day Pledge (26 January 1930) 📝🇮🇳

• On 26 January 1930, people across India were asked to take the Independence Day Pledge, which contained several key points 📜✍️.
• The pledge asserted that freedom was an inalienable right of every Indian, just like any other people in the world 🧑‍🌾🗽.
• It emphasized that Indian people deserved the fruits of their labor, as well as basic necessities like food, shelter, and clothing 🍞🏠.
• The pledge condemned the British government for exploiting India’s economic resources, leaving millions in poverty and hardship 💔⚖️.
• It accused British rule of causing India’s economic, political, cultural, and spiritual decline over the years 📉🇬🇧❌.
• The pledge proclaimed that if a government oppresses its people, they have the right to alter or abolish it by any means necessary ✊🔥.
• As a result, the pledge called for Indians to sever their ties with British rule and strive for Purna Swaraj (Complete Independence) 🏛️🚨.
• The observance of Independence Day in 1930 was a symbolic act, but it helped lay the foundation for future mass movements against British rule 📅💥.