The Struggle for Indian Independence
After the war the British further alienated India's Muslims for failing to honour a promise not to dismember the Turkish Empire, its leader, the Sultan, was also recognised as the spiritual leader of the Muslims. This gave Gandhi the opportunity to unite Muslims and Hindus in a policy of non-cooperation with The British Government in India. This policy was confirmed by the All-India Congress Committee in December 1920. Among its points, along with boycotts of official functions; elections; government schools and colleges, was a boycott of British goods, particularly textiles and an encouragement to use home-spun, home-woven cloth.
The boycott was because Lancashire mass-produced textiles had destroyed the Indian handloom industry. In the early seventeenth century the Indian sub-continent was one of the world’s leading manufacturers and exporters. That was why British traders set up the East India Company. At the end of the century the fledgling Lancashire industry, started by immigrant Flemings, began to pressure for restrictions on the import of manufactured Indian textiles. In 1700 Acts were passed that prohibited the wearing of Indian silks and calicoes. By 1760 cotton goods from India had import duties on them ranging from 50-70% and by 1813 of 85%. The British East India Company was in conflict with the Lancashire manufacturers over this. Once India came under direct British rule, restrictions even on exports from India were introduced. Even with the new machinery of the 1760s, Lancashire could not hope in a free market to compete seriously with India since it could not produce as fine yarns until the invention of the Crompton’s mule in the 1780s. This ‘protection’ enabled capital investment in the Lancashire industry and led to the collapse of the Indian industry. India became de-industrialised and many urban artisans had to return to impoverished village life.
This is why during the Indian Independence struggle, the spinning wheel and the handloom became symbols of freedom and students made bonfires of Lancashire cloth. To read more about this by Mary Searle-Chatterjee click here.
Bonfires of Lancashire cloth raged throughout the land. The spinning wheel and the handloom became symbols of patriotism and freedom. When the Prince of Wales arrived on a visit to Bombay on November 17th 1921, he was met by closed shops and deserted roads. The Government maintained its hard line; banning public meetings, arresting activists. By the end of 1921 50,000 members of the movement were in prison.
It was Gandhi's intention to intensify the campaign by withholding tax payments, but a clash between police and demonstrators at Chauri-Chaura which led to the death of 22 policemen, caused him to suspend the movement altogether. This was not popular with his followers and the Government took advantage of this and had him arrested and sentenced to six years imprisonment on a charge of spreading disaffection.
In January 1924 Gandhi fell ill with acute appendicitis. While he was recovering in hospital in Poona, he was released from prison. What he found on his release disturbed him. The unity between Hindus and Muslims had evaporated; the All-India Congress was divided. He undertook a fast of 21days to atone for the sins of his people. Over the next few years he devoted himself to Hindu-Muslim unity; the equality of women; the removal of untouchability; and the promotion of hand-spinning.
By 1929 Congress was re-united under his leadership and he moved a resolution that complete independence be their ultimate goal. In 1930 he began his historic 24 day march to the sea to protest against the law which compelled people to pay punitive duties on salt. Picking up a rock of salt on the beach was a simple and symbolic act which provoked wide-spread defiance of the law. Thousands went on marches and were arrested. Gandhi himself was arrested and was not available to be Congress's representative at the First Round Table Conference held in 1930 to explore ways towards independence for India.
Alan Duckworth
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