Swarajists and no changers
Genesis of Congress-Khilafat Swarajya Party
Introduction:
- After Gandhi’s arrest in March 1922, there was confusion and demoralization among the nationalist ranks.
- A debate started among Congressmen on what to do during the passive phase of the movement.
Two Schools of Thought
- One section led by C.R. Das, Motilal Nehru, and Ajmal Khan wanted to end the boycott of legislative councils.
- They believed that entering the councils would allow them to expose the weaknesses of these assemblies and use them as an arena for political struggle.
- They were known as the ‘Swarajists’.
- The other school of thought led by C. Rajagopalachari, Vallabhbhai Patel, Rajendra Prasad, and M.A. Ansari opposed council entry.
- They advocated concentrating on constructive work, continuing the boycott and non-cooperation, and quietly preparing for the resumption of the suspended civil disobedience program.
- They were known as the ‘No-Changers’.
Differences at the Gaya Session of the Congress
- The Swarajists proposed ‘ending or mending’ the councils at the Gaya session of the Congress in December 1922.
- The differences over the question of council entry between the two schools of thought resulted in the defeat of the Swarajists’ proposal.
- C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru resigned from the presidency and secretaryship, respectively, of the Congress.
Formation of Congress-Khilafat Swarajya Party
- C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru announced the formation of Congress-Khilafat Swarajya Party, also known as the Swarajist Party.
- C.R. Das became the president, and Motilal Nehru became one of the secretaries.
Swarajists’ Arguments
- The Swarajists believed that entering the councils would not negate the non-cooperation program but would instead open a new front for the movement.
- They believed that by entering the councils, they could continue the struggle for Swaraj through other means.
- They thought that boycotting the councils would only benefit the British government, as it would allow them to pass any law they wanted without any opposition.
Conclusion:
- The formation of the Congress-Khilafat Swarajya Party marked a significant turning point in the Indian freedom struggle.
- The Swarajists’ decision to enter the legislative councils was a departure from the non-cooperation movement's earlier strategy.
Works and Achievements of Swaraj Party
Introduction:
- The Swaraj Party was formed in 1922 by Indian political leaders who were disillusioned with the Indian National Congress' policy of boycotting the legislative councils under the Government of India Act of 1919.
- The party aimed to gain control of the legislative councils and use them as a platform to demand greater autonomy for India.
Success in Elections:
- In the 1923 elections, the Swarajists emerged as the single largest party in the Central Assembly, Bombay and Bengal Councils.
- Their numbers in the U.P. Council were also significant. This victory strengthened their position in the congress against the No Changers.
Anti-British Protest:
- In the absence of mass political activities in this period, the Swarajists played a significant role in keeping the spirit of Anti-British protest alive.
- They made it almost impossible for the British rulers to get the approval of the legislatures for their policies and proposals.
- For example, in 1928, they defeated a bill that would have given the government the power to expel non-Indians who supported India's struggle for freedom.
Exposing Weaknesses of Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms:
- The Swarajists exposed the weaknesses of the Montagu-Chelmsford reforms and gave fiery speeches in the Assembly on self-rule and civil liberties.
Legislative Victories:
- The year 1924-25 registered many victories for the Swarajists in the Legislative Assembly.
- Here, they succeeded in throwing out the Budget, forcing the Government to rely on its power of certification.
- They also resorted to adjournment motions and asking inconvenient questions to expose the misdeeds of the alien government.
- Vithalbhai Patel was elected speaker of Central
Legislative Assembly in 1925.
- A noteworthy achievement was the defeat of the Public Safety Bill in 1928, which was aimed at empowering the Government to deport undesirable and subversive foreigners (because the Government was alarmed by the spread of socialist and communist ideas and believed that a crucial role was being played by the British and other foreign activists being sent by the Commintern).
Decline of Swaraj Party:
Failure to Obstruct Policies:
- The enthusiasm of 1924 began to wane, and the years 1925-27 saw demoralization and eventual decline of the Swarajists.
- Inside the legislatures, the Swarajists failed to pursue the policy of ‘constant, continuous uniform obstruction.'
Death of C R Das:
- The death of C R Das in 1925 further weakened the party.
Simon Commission:
- The announcement of Simon Commission in the closing months of 1927 and Lord Birkenhead's challenge to Indians to produce a constitution acceptable to all sections of society opened new political vistas in the country.
Communal Politics:
- Rising communal politics, the presence of reactionary elements of both the communities within the party, and the activities of the Hindu Mahasabha weakened the Swarajist position.
- The Muslim alienation from the Congress became so marked that its erstwhile Muslim members fought elections as Muslims, not as Swarajists.
Lure of Office:
- The lure of office proved to be another reason for the decline of the Swarajists.
- They began their career with a declared objective of stiff resistance to the bureaucracy, but soon, the spirit of resistance gave way to cooperation.
Internal Divisions:
- The Swaraj Party was a house divided against itself, mutual bickering and distrust eroded its credibility.
- Denial of tickets to some Swarajists led them to declare their candidature as independents.
- There were internal divisions among the Swarajists.
- They were divided into the responsivists and the non-responsivists, with the responsivists wanting to cooperate with the government and hold offices, while the non-responsivists withdrew from legislatures in 1926.
- In 1930, the Swarajists finally walked out as a result
of the Lahore Congress resolution on purna swaraj and the
beginning of the Civil Disobedience Movement.
Conclusion:
- Despite its eventual decline, the Swaraj Party played a significant role in keeping the spirit of Anti-British protest alive and exposing the weaknesses of the Montagu-Chelmsford
The No-Changers' Constructive Work: A Summary and Critique
Summary of Constructive Work by No-Changers:
- The No-Changers were dedicated to constructive work that connected them with the masses.
- They established ashrams in areas like Kheda and Bardoli in Gujarat where they popularised the use of charkha and khadi among tribals and lower castes.
- They set up national schools and colleges that trained students in a non-colonial ideological framework.
- They worked towards Hindu-Muslim unity, removing untouchability, boycott of foreign cloth and liquor, and flood relief.
- They served as active organisers and were the backbone of civil disobedience movements.
Critique of Constructive Work by No-Changers:
- National education only benefited the urban lower middle classes and the rich peasants, and enthusiasm for it was short-lived.
- The popularisation of khadi was difficult due to its higher cost compared to imported cloth.
- Campaigns against untouchability did not focus on the economic grievances of landless and agricultural labourers, who mostly belonged to the untouchable castes.
- The Swarajists and No-Changers worked separately, but were able to unite for political struggles when necessary.