Why in news?
The Congress is organizing a two-day event in Belagavi (previously Belgaum), Karnataka, on December 26-27 to mark the centenary of Mahatma Gandhi presiding over its historic Belgaum session in 1924.
The event includes an extended session of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) and a rally.
What’s in today’s article?
1924 session
- Backdrop against which 1924 Belgaum Session was held
- After his release from prison in February 1924, Mahatma Gandhi was troubled by the lack of Hindu-Muslim unity in the freedom struggle and Congress factionalism.
- Mahatma Gandhi was in prison in February 1924 for his involvement in the Non-Cooperation Movement against British rule.
- He was arrested in 1922 on charges of sedition for writing three articles in Young India that criticized British policies.
- Gandhi was sentenced to six years in prison but was released early in February 1924 after serving about two years due to health concerns.
- To address these issues, he undertook a 21-day fast from September 18 to October 8 that year.
- Participants in the 1924 Congress session
- The session was attended by several senior Congress leaders including Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Sarojini Naidu, and Khilafat movement leaders Muhammad Ali Jauhar and Shaukat Ali, among others.
- Significance of 1924 Session
- Mahatma Gandhi presided over the 1924 Congress session in the erstwhile Bombay state, marking the only time he held the position of Congress president.
- During this session, Gandhi presented his ideas on non-violence, communal harmony, and "swaraj" (self-rule).
- He served as the Congress president from December 1924 to April 1925.
- Gandhi’s message to the 1924 conclave
- Gandhi on Non-Violence and Non-Cooperation Movement
- Mahatma Gandhi discussed his philosophy of non-violence.
- He explained that although the Non-Cooperation Movement was called off in 1922 after the Chauri Chaura incident, it had been an effective strategy for India’s path to independence.
- He highlighted that the boycotts, such as those of government institutions and foreign cloth, were not fully successful but had reduced the prestige of these institutions.
- Gandhi emphasized that non-violence, rather than revolutionary violence, was a more effective force for change, as it came from goodwill and gentleness.
- Hindu-Muslim Unity and Untouchability
- Gandhi stressed that the removal of untouchability was as essential for swaraj (self-rule) as Hindu-Muslim unity.
- He argued that Hindus could not claim swaraj until they restored the liberty of the suppressed classes, underscoring the importance of social reform in the freedom struggle.
- Self-Rule and Reforms
- Gandhi suggested reforms to achieve swaraj, including moving the final court of appeals from London to Delhi and adopting Hindustani as the official language in provincial governments and courts.
- He urged the people to become "perfect satyagrahis," emphasizing that satyagraha (non-violent resistance) was an attainable quality for all, vital for achieving truth and justice.
- Khadi and Self-Reliance
- Gandhi called on the masses to take up spinning and weaving khadi, asserting that true swaraj could only be achieved when the people embraced self-reliance, symbolized by the use of khadi fabric.
- Impact of 1924 session on the freedom movement
- Historians believe that the session was a step towards the promotion of peasant consciousness.
- This resulted in the spread of khadi with village industries getting traction in Karnataka and other parts of the country.
- It also saw increased participation of peasants in the Congress-led initiatives.
