Question

Discuss the Non violent movement led by Mahatma Gandhi.

Champaranya Movement and Rowlatt Act

Answer 1

1) Champaranya Movement:

In 1917, MAhatma gandhi took up the issues of the farmers in Chaparanya in Bihar. The British plant owners there were pressing local farmers to cultivate only indigo. Not only that, they used to buy indigo from them at very low rates. Gandhiji decided to protest against this exploitation and to relieve the farmers from their misery by doing Satyagraha. Gandhiji was successful in his efforts and the British government banned the compulsion of cultivating indigo. The farmers were relieved from the harassment of the British plant owners.

2) Rowlatt Act:

The British government formed a committee to suppress the national movement that was spreading rapidly. Sir Sydney Rowlatt, the British officer was the president of the committee. An Act was passed in 1919 by this committee which came to be known as the Rowlatt Act. This act authorised the British government to imprison any Indian without warrant and to put under trial without inquiry. Mahatma Gandhi decided to protest against this act through satyagraha. He appealed on 6th April 1919 to all people to go for a mass protest (hartal) by closing down all daily transactions.