Responsible situations (circumstances resulting in Non – cooperation and Khilafat movements:
The following circumstances were responsible for the start of the Non-cooperation and Khilafat movements:
1. Circumstances created by the World War – I:
The First World War lasted between 1914 – 1918. Defense expenditure increased considerably due to war. To meet this increased expenditure, war tax was levied and the public was forced to buy war – bonds. The pricey of essential goods shot up. Toll – taxes were also increased and more people came under the purview of income tax.
All these extra levies on the pocket of the people multiplied their difficulties. A great scarcity of food stuff was caused due to the new recruits in the army. This affected the lives of the villagers too. Epidemics like flue, plague and famine made life more miserable. People had thought that with the end of war, their difficulties would also end. But, nothing of this sort happened.
2. Gandhiji returned from South Africa and started his Satyagraha:
In Jan. 1915, Mahatma Gandhi came back to India from South Africa. There, he had successfully fought against the foreign rulers through his non-violent weap on of weapon of satyagraha. In India too, he got success through his satyagraha. For example, in Champaran (Bihar), in Kheda (Gujarat) and in Ahmedabad (Gujarat), he fought for the Indigo growers and for the labourers with great success. These satyagrahas laid a strong foundation for non-cooperation and Khilafat movements.
3. Rowlatt Act:
In spite of the strong opposition by the Indian members, the Imperial Legislative Council, in 1919, passed the Rowlatt Act. The Act increased the powers of the police to a large extent. The police could arrest any Indian political leader and the revolutionaries on any false charge and they could be imprisoned for two years without trial. The purpose of their Act was to suppress Indian political movement and the revolutionaries.
4. Jallianwala Bagh Massacre:
On 13th April 1919, on the Baisakhi Day, a public meeting was held to protest against the Rowlatt Act. The lieutenant governor of Punjab, Michael O’ Dyer, ordered his army soldiers to fire ruthlessly on the unarmed people without warning. Consequently, at least 1000 people were killed and several others were injured. The news of massacre spread throughout the country and people came on roads to protest against this. All these causes prepared a strong ground against the British rule.
