Towards Civil Disobedience

Introduction

After the withdrawal of the Non-Cooperation Movement in February 1922 following the Chauri Chaura incident, Indian nationalists searched for new ways to continue the freedom struggle. NCERT Class 10 History Chapter 2, Section 3 "Towards Civil Disobedience" explains the crucial events between 1922 and 1930 that led to the launch of the Civil Disobedience Movement. This period saw the formation of the Swaraj Party, the arrival and boycott of the Simon Commission, the historic Lahore Congress Session where Purna Swaraj (complete independence) was declared, and finally the background that pushed Gandhi to launch another mass movement. Understanding this transition phase is vital for CBSE board exams as questions regularly appear asking about Simon Commission, Purna Swaraj declaration, and the difference between Swaraj and complete independence. This section typically carries 5-8 marks in board papers through MCQs and long-answer questions.

After Chauri Chaura: What Happened Next?

Debate Within Congress

When Mahatma Gandhi withdrew the Non-Cooperation Movement in February 1922, many Congress leaders had different reactions:

· Some leaders were tired of mass struggles and wanted to participate in elections to legislative councils

· They believed they could oppose British policies from within the system

· Others wanted to continue with mass movements outside the councils

This led to an important split in strategy.

Formation of Swaraj Party (1923)

Key Facts (Exam Important):

Aspect	Details
Year formed	January 1923
Founders	C.R. Das (Chittaranjan Das) and Motilal Nehru
Full name	Congress-Khilafat Swaraj Party
President	Chittaranjan Das
Secretary	Motilal Nehru
Main objective	Enter legislative councils through elections and obstruct British government from within
Strategy	Oppose British policies, create disruption in council proceedings

Why Was It Formed?

After Non-Cooperation withdrawal, C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru felt that simply staying out of councils was not enough
They wanted to use councils as arenas of struggle
The idea was: if elected, Swaraj Party members would oppose every British policy and expose the hollowness of reforms

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The Simon Commission (1928)

What Was Simon Commission?

Background:
The British government set up a Statutory Commission under Sir John Simon in 1927. The commission arrived in India in 1928.

Purpose:

· Set up in response to the nationalist movement

· To look into the functioning of the constitutional system in India

· To suggest changes in the Indian constitution

The Problem: All-British Commission

Why Indians Were Angry:
The commission did not have a single Indian member. All members were British.

This was seen as a huge insult because:

· Indians were not considered capable of deciding their own constitutional future

· It showed British attitude of racial superiority

· It violated the principle of self-determination

Indian Response: Massive Protests

When the Simon Commission arrived in India in 1928, it was greeted with the slogan:

"GO BACK SIMON"

Who Participated in Protests?

· Indian National Congress

· Muslim League

· Students, workers, and common people

· All parties united in opposition

Example of Protest:
In Lahore, when the Simon Commission arrived, a massive protest was held. Lala Lajpat Rai led the protest. Police brutally lathicharged the peaceful demonstrators. Lala Lajpat Rai was seriously injured and later died from his injuries, becoming a martyr of the freedom struggle.

Quick Revision Table: Simon Commission

Point	Details
Chairman	Sir John Simon
Year arrived in India	1928
Purpose	Review constitutional system and suggest changes
Problem	No Indian member; all British
Indian response	"Go Back Simon" slogan; massive boycott
Who protested	Congress, Muslim League, all parties
Significance	United Indians across party lines against British insult

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Lord Irwin's Vague Offer (October 1929)

The Announcement

To calm Indian anger after Simon Commission protests, Viceroy Lord Irwin made an announcement in October 1929:

What He Offered:

· A vague offer of "dominion status" for India

· In an unspecified future (no clear date)

· A Round Table Conference to discuss future constitution

What Is Dominion Status?

Definition:
Dominion status meant India would become a self-governing nation within the British Empire, like Canada or Australia. India would have its own government but the British King would remain the head of state.

Why Indians Rejected It:

Reason	Explanation
Vague and unclear	No specific date given
Not complete independence	India would still be under British Crown
No guarantee	Just a promise, could be delayed indefinitely
Insult after Simon Commission	Seemed like a tactic to divide Indians

Congress Response:
This vague offer did not satisfy Congress leaders. The radicals within Congress, led by Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose, became more assertive and demanded complete independence, not dominion status.

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Historic Lahore Congress Session (December 1929)

The Turning Point

The Lahore session of the Indian National Congress was held in December 1929 (specifically, the Purna Swaraj resolution was passed on 19 December 1929).

President of the Session:
Jawaharlal Nehru

This was significant because Nehru was a young radical leader who represented the new generation demanding complete freedom.

The Historic Declaration: Purna Swaraj

What Was Declared:

Aspect	Details
Resolution	Purna Swaraj (Complete Independence)
Date	19 December 1929
Place	Lahore, on the banks of Ravi River
Who hoisted flag	Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru
Flag	Indian tricolour
Independence Day decided	26 January 1930

Meaning of Purna Swaraj:

· Purna = Complete

· Swaraj = Self-rule

· Purna Swaraj = Complete Independence from British rule

Why 26 January?

The Congress decided to celebrate 26 January 1930 as "Independence Day" or "Purna Swaraj Day".

How It Was Celebrated:

· All over India, the tricolour flag was hoisted

· People took a pledge to fight for complete independence

· Meetings and processions were organized

Connection to Modern India:
This is why 26 January was later chosen as Republic Day when India adopted its Constitution in 1950, to honor the 1930 Purna Swaraj declaration.

Difference: Swaraj vs Purna Swaraj (Exam Important)

Swaraj	Purna Swaraj
Self-rule or self-government	Complete independence
Could mean dominion status within British Empire	No link with British Empire at all
Earlier Congress demand	Demand from 1929 Lahore session onwards
Moderate demand	Radical, uncompromising demand

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Events Leading to Civil Disobedience

Worldwide Economic Depression

What Happened:

· In 1929-30, the world faced a Great Economic Depression

· Agricultural prices fell sharply

· Indian farmers suffered massive income loss

Impact on India:

· Peasants' cash income disappeared

· They found it impossible to pay government's revenue demand

· Government refused to reduce revenue demand

· This led to widespread resentment in rural areas

This created a perfect situation for another mass movement.

Gandhi's Strategy

After Lahore Congress declared Purna Swaraj, the question was: How to achieve it?

Mahatma Gandhi decided to launch a new mass movement that would:

· Not just refuse cooperation (like 1920-22)

· But also actively break colonial laws

· Make the movement more militant but still non-violent

This new movement would be called Civil Disobedience Movement.

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MCQs for Practice (CBSE Board PYQs)

Q1. The Swaraj Party was founded by:
A. Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru
B. C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru
C. Subhas Bose and Bhagat Singh
D. Lala Lajpat Rai and Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Answer: B

Q2. The Simon Commission arrived in India in:
A. 1927
B. 1928
C. 1929
D. 1930
Answer: B

Q3. The Simon Commission was boycotted because:
A. It was set up too late
B. It did not have a single Indian member
C. It supported Indian independence
D. It was formed by Congress
Answer: B

Q4. The slogan raised against Simon Commission was:
A. "Quit India"
B. "Vande Mataram"
C. "Go Back Simon"
D. "Inquilab Zindabad"
Answer: C

Q5. The Lahore Congress Session (1929) was presided over by:
A. Mahatma Gandhi
B. Motilal Nehru
C. Jawaharlal Nehru
D. Subhas Chandra Bose
Answer: C

Q6. Purna Swaraj resolution was passed on:
A. 26 January 1929
B. 19 December 1929
C. 26 January 1930
D. 15 August 1930
Answer: B

Q7. The Indian National Congress decided to celebrate Independence Day on:
A. 15 August 1929
B. 26 January 1930
C. 12 March 1930
D. 19 December 1930
Answer: B

Q8. Lord Irwin announced the vague offer of dominion status in:
A. August 1929
B. October 1929
C. December 1929
D. January 1930
Answer: B

Q9. The Swaraj Party was formed in:
A. 1920
B. 1922
C. 1923
D. 1925
Answer: C

Q10. Dominion status meant:
A. Complete independence from Britain
B. Self-government within British Empire
C. Military rule by British
D. Separate nation outside British control
Answer: B

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Short Answer Questions - CBSE Board PYQs

Q1) Why was the Simon Commission boycotted by Indians?

Answer:

· The Simon Commission arrived in India in 1928 to review the constitutional system and suggest changes.

· The problem was that it did not have a single Indian member; all members were British.

· Indians felt insulted as they were not considered fit to decide their own constitution, so all parties including Congress and Muslim League boycotted it with the slogan "Go Back Simon".

Q2) Why was the Swaraj Party formed?

Answer:

· After the withdrawal of Non-Cooperation Movement in 1922, C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru formed the Swaraj Party in January 1923.

· They wanted to enter legislative councils through elections and oppose British policies from within.

· Their strategy was to create disruption in council proceedings and expose the hollowness of British reforms.

Q3) What was the significance of the Lahore Congress Session of 1929?

Answer:

· The Lahore Congress Session held in December 1929 under the presidentship of Jawaharlal Nehru passed the historic Purna Swaraj (complete independence) resolution on 19 December 1929.

· Congress decided to celebrate 26 January 1930 as Independence Day.

· This marked a shift from demanding dominion status to demanding complete independence from British rule.

Q4) Why did Congress reject Lord Irwin's offer of dominion status?

Answer:

· In October 1929, Viceroy Lord Irwin offered vague dominion status for India in an unspecified future.

· Dominion status meant self-government within the British Empire, not complete independence.

· Congress leaders, especially radicals like Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Bose, rejected it as too vague and demanded Purna Swaraj (complete independence) instead.

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Long Answer Questions - CBSE Board PYQs

Q1) Explain the events that led to the demand for Purna Swaraj and the decision to launch Civil Disobedience Movement.

Answer:

· After the withdrawal of Non-Cooperation Movement in 1922, some leaders like C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru formed the Swaraj Party in 1923 to oppose British from within legislative councils.

· In 1928, the Simon Commission arrived in India without a single Indian member, leading to massive boycotts with the slogan "Go Back Simon" by Congress, Muslim League and other parties.

· In October 1929, Lord Irwin offered vague dominion status in an unspecified future, which did not satisfy Congress leaders, especially radicals like Nehru and Bose.

· At the Lahore Congress Session in December 1929 under Jawaharlal Nehru's presidentship, the historic Purna Swaraj resolution was passed on 19 December 1929, and 26 January 1930 was declared as Independence Day.

· The worldwide economic depression of 1929-30 worsened peasants' conditions as agricultural prices fell and they couldn't pay revenue, creating widespread resentment that made the time right for Civil Disobedience Movement.

Q2) Describe the Simon Commission and the Indian response to it.

Answer:

· The British government set up a Statutory Commission under Sir John Simon in response to the nationalist movement to review India's constitutional system and suggest changes.

· The commission arrived in India in 1928, but it did not have a single Indian member—all members were British.

· This was seen as a huge insult as Indians were not considered capable of deciding their own constitutional future.

· When the commission arrived, Indians greeted it with massive protests and the slogan "Go Back Simon"; all parties including Congress and Muslim League participated in demonstrations.

· The united opposition to Simon Commission showed that Indians across different political parties were united in demanding self-respect and participation in constitutional decisions.

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Conclusion

Section 3 "Towards Civil Disobedience" covers a crucial transition period in India's freedom struggle between 1922-1930. After the withdrawal of Non-Cooperation Movement, Indian leaders tried different strategies including the Swaraj Party's entry into councils. The all-British Simon Commission united Indians in opposition, while Lord Irwin's vague dominion status offer was rejected. The historic Lahore Congress Session of 1929 declared Purna Swaraj and set the stage for the Civil Disobedience Movement. For CBSE board exams, students must remember key dates (1923-Swaraj Party, 1928-Simon Commission, 19 December 1929-Purna Swaraj, 26 January 1930-Independence Day), understand the difference between Swaraj and Purna Swaraj, and be able to explain why each event was significant. This section typically carries 5-8 marks through MCQs (2-3 marks) and long-answer questions (5 marks).

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