Mahatma Gandhi (Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi) was born on October 2, 1869 in the princely state of Porbandar, in present day Gujarat. He studied law and left for London at the age of 18. After completing his studies, he returned to India and did non-violent protests and movements for the growth and development of the country. Gandhi is considered one of the most important leaders of the nation. His father was a government official.
•Before leading India’s struggle for independence, Gandhi lived in South Africa to fight against injustice and class division. During his ten years there, Gandhi promoted the philosophy of Satyagraha and motivated the country towards a society without class or ethnic discrimination. Gandhi arrived in Durban aboard the SS Safari in 1893.
• Gandhi immediately became the leader of the South African Indian community. His participation in the non-violent movement in South Africa was a major driving force in India’s freedom struggle; there he is looked up to as a leader.
• From 1893 to 1914, Gandhi worked as a lawyer and public worker. Gandhi stated: “He was born in India but made in South Africa.
• In 1901, Gandhiji returned to India from South Africa and began practicing in the Mufassil courts. He won several cases in the Mufassil courts and his confidence rose.
Contribution of Mahatma Gandhi in India’s freedom struggle
Many of us know about the movements of Mahatma Gandhi. Let’s take a look at it
1. World War 1 – At a conference on the war, Gandhi was summoned to Delhi by Lord Chelmsford, then Viceroy of India. Gandhi agreed to rally the people to enlist in the army for World War I to gain the faith of the empire. However, in a letter to the viceroy, he promised that he would “not personally kill or harm anyone, friend or foe”.
2. Champaran – Gandhi’s first direct involvement in Indian freedom politics was the Champaran agitation in Bihar. Farmers in Champaran were forced to grow indigo and threatened with torture if they objected.
The farmers turned to Gandhi for help, and through a well-planned non-violent protest, Gandhi convinced the authorities to grant them concessions.
3. Kheda – Local farmers in Kheda village in Gujarat asked the authorities to waive taxes when the area was severely affected by floods. Gandhi then began collecting signatures in which the peasants promised to renounce paying taxes.
He also launched a social boycott of mamlatdars and talatdars (financial officials). The government relaxed the conditions for paying income tax in 1918 until the famine ended.
4. Khilafat Movement – ​​Gandhi had a huge impact on the Muslim population. His participation in the Khilafat movement served as proof. After World War I, Muslims feared for the safety of their caliph or religious leader, and a worldwide uprising was planned to combat the deteriorating position of the caliph. Gandhi later became a well-known representative of the All India Muslim Conference. He surrendered the medals he had received from the Empire while serving in South Africa with the Indian Rescue Corps. His involvement in the Khilafat quickly made him a national leader.
5. Non-Cooperation Movement – ​​Gandhi understood that the cooperation of Indians was the only reason why the British were allowed to stay in India. With this in mind, he called for a non-cooperation movement. His steadfast spirit and the support of the Congress helped him to convince the people that peaceful non-cooperation was necessary to achieve independence.
The Non-Cooperation Movement began on the inauspicious day of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Swaraj, or self-government, was Gandhi’s avowed goal, and has since developed into a guiding principle of India’s freedom struggle.
6. Salt March – Gandhi’s Salt March, also known as the Dandi Movement, is considered a seminal event in the history of the freedom struggle. Gandhi warned the British to grant India dominion status at the 1928 Calcutta Congress or the nation would erupt in revolution for full independence. The British ignored it.
As a result, the Indian flag was hoisted in Lahore on 31 December 1929 and the following 26 January was designated as India’s Independence Day. In March 1930, Gandhi then launched a Satyagraha campaign to protest against the salt tax. He marched 388 kilometers from Ahmedabad to Dandi in Gujarat to make salt. One of the largest marches in Indian history was made possible by the thousands of people who joined it.
7. Quit India Movement – ​​Gandhi vowed to deliver a decisive blow to the British Empire that would ensure their ouster from India during World War II. When the British started recruiting Indians for the war, this happened.
Gandhi protested vehemently, arguing that India was not a free nation and therefore Indians could not participate in a war to promote democracy. The colonizers were expelled from this nation within half a decade after this argument revealed their dual nature. That was Mahatma Gandhi’s freedom struggle.
By: Vaishali Verma
