The Nagpur Session of Congress – Unity and Resolve: How the 1920 Nagpur Congress Session Changed India’s Freedom Movement
A Watershed Event in India’s Freedom Movement
Nagpur session of Indian National Congress in the month of December 1920 proved to be a landmark event for the cause of freedom of India. It not only portrayed the future course of action but also marked an important shift in the strategy of the Congress. This session initiated the official implementation of Mahatma Gandhi’s Non-Cooperation policy and the reorganization of the Congress itself to align with the objectives that the organization’s goals were changing. Key points, historical background, decisions, and outcomes of Nagpur Session are given below:
Historical Background
British Colonial Rule:-
It was an exploitative colonial rule under which British had started ruling India in the early 20th century. Indian resources and people were being exploited with full glee by the colonizers.
Rising Nationalism:-
In the year 1885, the Indian National Congress was established. Its approaches were initially mild with petitioning and discussing for concessions in the British session. However, by the late years of the 1910s, people began feeling highly frustrated over not seeing any effective changes.
Effects of World War I:-
The involvement of thousands of Indian troops in the World War on behalf of the British forged expectations over political reasons when the war would come to a close. Fate had other things in store as the repressive effects of the Rowlatt Act (1919), which strongly limited civil liberties, culminated into the infamous incident Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
Background to the Nagpur Session
Emergence of Gandhi:-
Mahatma Gandhi emerged as a key leader after his success in the South Africa non-violent movement and then in India, notably in Champaran (1917) and Kheda (1918).
Rowlatt Satyagraha:-
In 1919, Gandhi initiated the Rowlatt Satyagraha against the Rowlatt Act – a set of repressive laws enabling detention without trial. Although it was suspended on account of violence, it marked the commencement of Gandhi’s non-cooperation policy.
Khilafat Movement:-
Gandhi also championed the Khilafat Movement (1919–1924) to re-establish the Caliphate in Turkey. He thereby brought him closer to the Muslim leadership in India and the fight united Hindus and Muslims.
Leadership Debate in Congress:-
The Congress leadership was split between two lines of thought one, the moderates who wanted to resort to constitutional methods of protest and second, the radicals who wanted more extreme action. The debate would be ended at the Nagpur Session when adopting a more radical agenda.
December 1920 Nagpur Session
Date and Place:-
Between 26 December and 30 December, 1920, at Nagpur, Maharashtra.
Session Chairman:-
The session was chaired by C. Vijayaraghavachariar, who was one of the veteran leaders and close companions of Gandhi.
Important Participants:-
The prominent Congress leaders present in the session were Mahatma Gandhi, Motilal Nehru, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and Subhas Chandra Bose, amongst others.
Main Decisions Made at the Nagpur Session
Adoption of Non-Cooperation:-
The most important decision was the formal adoption of Mahatma Gandhi’s Non-Cooperation Movement. The Congress resolved to boycott British institutions, including government schools, law courts, legislative councils, and foreign goods.
Boycott of Titles and Honors:-
Congress asked Indians to surrender titles and honors given by the British government.
Boycott of Elections:-
In the form of boycott of elections to legislative councils, the Congress decided that the Montagu-Chelmsford reforms were inadequate for India’s needs .
Reorganization of Congress:-
The new constitution, which was accepted at the Nagpur Session, helped the congress strengthen its base and become more representative .
Decentralization:-
Congress was decentralized, and provincial Congress committees were organized on linguistic lines to incorporate maximum representation.
Mass Membership:-
A very drastic change in this was bringing the membership fee of Congress down to 4 annas (25 paise). It became popularized to the masses. This was actually an attempt to change the Congress into a mass organisation.
Working Committee:-
There was a formulation of the working committee in order to make some effective decisions and make the organization more functional.
Swadeshi emphasis:-
The session went on to accentuate the use of swadeshi goods and boycott of foreign goods, British textile being the prime example. This formed part of the comprehensive economic boycott aimed at hitting at the very roots of British economic supremacy over India.
Promotion of Charkha and Khadi:-
Gandhi promoted the use of charkha, or the spinning wheel, and khadi, or hand-woven cloth, as a mark of resistance against the exploitative nature of the British. These became the hallmarks of the Non-Cooperation Movement.
Effect of Adaptation of Non-Cooperation
A New Policy:-
Congress had adopted Non-Cooperation as an important shift in strategy from moderate petitions and constitutional means to mass mobilization and direct action.
Mass Involvement:-
For the first time, Congress involved Indian masses-primarily peasantry, laborers, and middle-class citizen-in struggle for independence.
Mahatma Gandhi’s Leadership:-
It was reemphasized during the session that Mahatma Gandhi was the leader of the Congress and his weapon of Satyagraha or non-violent resistance was the predominant mode of achieving Swaraj or Self-rule.
Impact of the Nagpur Session on India’s Freedom Movement
Launch of Non-Cooperation Movement:-
The session concluded and Gandhi, in no time, launched the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920 and it soon turned out to be a mass movement where every section of Indian society participated.
Boycotts:-
It boycotted the government schools, imported goods, and legislative councils in its entirety. Motilal Nehru and C.R. Das resigned his law practice in protest
Strikes and Protest:-
Strikes, demonstrations, and hartals were common. Students boycotted their schools; lawyers boycotted the courts; and people took to wearing khadi.
Hindus and Muslims Combine:-
It was also the movement of Hindus and Muslims, and it came at the time when Khilafat Movement was on, so it became a totally Indian movement.
Challenges and Setbacks
Chauri Chaura Incident (1922):-
Gandhi had to stop the Non-Cooperation Movement in February 1922 because a violent incident at Chauri Chaura erupted during which anti-Gandhian protesters clashed with the police and 22 policemen died in the encounter. Gandhi felt that movement had lost its way as according to Gandhi’s basic principle.
Dissatisfaction Among Extremists:-
There were leaders, for example Subhas Chandra Bose and others who were dissatisfied with the withdrawal of the movement and believed that there should have been a continuation of the fight regardless of the violence.
Reforms in Congress After the Nagpur Session
Introducing Mass Politics:-
The Nagpur Session ranks as a turning point which made the Congress a mass political party. It now became more accessible to the people and became an integral part of the freedom struggle.
Emergence of Young Leaders:-
Due to the tactics of Gandhi, many young leaders such as Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose started actively taking part in Congress. This further led to the subtle assimilation of fresh ideas and policies in the movement.
Legacy of the Nagpur Session
A New Phase in the Freedom Struggle:-
The Nagpur Session initiated a new phase of the Indian freedom movement with much more intense movements that followed in the subsequent future dates, such as the Civil Disobedience Movement (1930) and Quit India Movement (1942).
Mahatma Gandhi’s Role:-
This session consolidates Mahatma Gandhi’s position as the unquestioned leader of Indian National Congress and the struggle for freedom. His philosophy of non-violence and mass mobilisation remained the central axis of the Congress’s strategy.
Continued Relevance:-
The organisational changes decided upon during the Nagpur Session, such as provincial Congress committees in linguistic lines, went a long way in ensuring that Congress would remain united and representative of the whole country for decades thereafter.
Conclusion:-
The Nagpur Session of the Congress marked the turning point in India’s struggle for independence. It made the Congress a mass movement, integrated various sections of Indian society and gave the strategic grounding for further action. To the adopting policy of Non-Cooperation brought the Congress to a new level where the British government could no longer duck the increasing demand for Swaraj from the brown masters. The session also saw the coming of Mahatma Gandhi to the forefront as the leading figure of the Indian national movement. His impact will continue to influence the struggle’s course for years to come. Yet, despite the challenges and subsequent setbacks, this session is a milestone on the path to India’s independence journey.
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