Civil Disobedience 1930-31

Abstract

British imperialism's position, after its triumph in 1918 over its main challenger, Germany, and largely successful containment of Soviet Russia, was now reinforced in India by embarrassingly abrupt withdrawal of Non Cooperation movement in February 1922. The Union Jack seemed unassailably ascendant over Indian Empire, with nationalists forced into a demoralised and disorderly retreat. A division in nationalist camp erupted between Gandhian No Changers sticking individual non cooperation and proponents of electoral participation as a means of carrying on political opposition government. When in 1926 Swarajists experienced severe reverses in elections, compared with their 1923 performance, Responsivists, seeking become ministers under Dyarchy, began split Swarajist camp as well. Simultaneously, HinduMuslim chasm grew as Hindu critics of nationalism's espousal of Khilafat, on one hand, and Muslim leaders' outcry against its alleged betrayal of same Khilafat, on other, undermined platform of communal unity that Non Cooperation in 1920-22 had so splendidly built up. Gandhi's fast in 1924 in protest against growth of communalism had only limited effect; 1925 saw establishment of RSS, and Swami Shraddhanand's murder. Well could Lord Birkenhead, secretary of state for India, claim in 1925, that the unsubstantial ghost of nationalism was being laid rest. The British government accordingly felt that this was best time for it institute a constitutional review that would place nationalists further in their place. The Government of India Act, 1919, had provided for appointment, after ten years, of a statutory commission recommend, after scrutiny, whether to extend, modify or restrict