Question

The Simon Commission was appointed in November 1927 by the British Government. Subsequently the Civil Disobedience Movement began. In this context answer the following questions:
(a) Why was the Simon Commission appointed by the British Government? Why did the Congress boycott the Commission?
(b) The Civil Disobedience Movement was launched by Gandhiji with his famous Dandi March on March 12, 1930. Mention the significance of this historic event.
(c) Why did Gandhiji call off the Civil Disobedience Movement and later renew it?

Answer 1

a) The Simon Commission: It was an all-British Commission appointed in November 1927 to investigate the need for further constitutional reforms in India. The absence of Indians in the Commission was seen as an insult to the self-respect of the Indians and they decided to boycott the Commission at every stage and in every form.

b) On the morning of 6th April , Gandhiji violated the Salt Laws at Dandi by picking up some salt left by the seawaves. He had decided to attack the salt laws because the salt-tax affected all sections of society, especially the poor. Gandhiji's breaking of salt laws marked the beginning the Civil Disobedience Movement.

The movement spread rapidly. Violation of salt laws all over the country was soon followed by defiance of forest laws in Maharashtra , Karnataka, and the Central Provinces and refusal to pay the rural Chaukidari tax in Eastern India. People joined hartals, demonstrations and the campaign to boycott foreign goods and refused to pay taxes. Lakhs of Indians offered Satyagraha. The boycott of British goods and the picketing of liquor shops were a part of the daily programme. Civil Disobedience resulted in mass strikes and setting up of parallel governments in several places.

c) Since satyagraha could not be suppressed, the Government through Tej Bahadur Sapru and Jaykar, started negotiations with Gandhiji in jail. This resulted in the signing of a pact by Gandhiji and Lord Irwin, the Viceroy, in March 1931. This is known as Gandhi-Irwin pact. The government agreed to :

(i) Withdraw all ordinances and end prosecutions.

(ii) Release all political prisoners, except those guilty of violence.

(iii) Permit peaceful picketing of liquor and foreign cloth shops.

(iv) Restore the confiscated properties of the satyagrahis.

(v) Permit the free collection or manufacture of salt by persons near the coast.

The Congress in turn consented to the following:

(i) To suspend the Civil Disobedience Movement.

(ii) To participate in the second session of the Round Table Conference.

(iii) Not to press for investigation into police excesses.

Renewal of Civil Disobedience Movement: After the failure of the talks at the Second Round Table Conference , Gandhiji came back to India. Gandhiji sought an interview with Viceroy Willingdon. The interview was refused. The Congress passed a resolution for the renewal of the Civil Disobedience Movement. On January 4, 1932, Gandhiji was arrested. The Congress was declared illegal. Congress leaders were arrested and their properties were seized. Gradually the Civil Disobedience Movement lost its force. Congress called it off in 1934.