Rise of Gandhi: Champaran, Kheda and Ahmedabad Mill Strike

The Rise of Gandhi is marked by his leadership in the Champaran Satyagraha, Kheda Satyagraha, and Ahmedabad Mill Strike movements, where he used nonviolent methods to champion the rights of peasants and workers. These early successes established Gandhi as a prominent leader in India’s struggle for independence and set the foundation for future mass movements. This article aims to study in detail Gandhi’s interventions in these movements and their lasting impact on the Indian freedom struggle.

Rise of Gandhi

• The period following the First World War I witnessed the emergence of a new and dynamic leader in India’s struggle for independence—Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.
• Gandhi’s return to India in 1915 marked the beginning of a new chapter in the Indian freedom movement.
• His earlier experiences in South Africa, where he had successfully fought against racial discrimination, had shaped his philosophy of nonviolent resistance, which would soon become the cornerstone of India’s fight for freedom.
• His arrival in India came at a time of widespread disillusionment with the British and the existing leadership of the Indian National Congress, which had become passive under the Moderates.
• Gandhi’s innovative approach to leadership, his ability to engage the masses from diverse social and religious backgrounds, and the socio-economic conditions created by the First World War helped elevate him to an undisputed leader.

Gandhi’s Early Activities in India

• Upon his arrival in India in 1915, Gandhi spent a year travelling across the country, observing and understanding the people’s conditions.
• He refrained from taking any political stance during this period and focused on organising the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad.
• However, his first significant intervention in Indian politics came in 1917, when he joined three major localised Satyagraha movements in Champaran, Kheda, and Ahmedabad.

The Champaran Satyagraha (1917)

• Gandhi’s first major involvement in the Indian freedom struggle was in Champaran, Bihar, where peasant unrest against European planters had been brewing for decades.
• The peasants were forced into the Tinkathia system, where they were required to grow indigo on a portion of their land and sell it at prices fixed by the planters.
• This system severely exploited the peasants, and the discontent had reached a boiling point by the time Gandhi arrived in Champaran in 1917.
• When Gandhi came to Champaran, he was ordered by the British authorities to leave, but he defied the order and chose to face the consequences of his civil disobedience.
• This act marked the first instance in India where a leader, in defiance of unjust orders, chose passive resistance as a form of protest.
• Gandhi’s intervention helped to raise the peasants’ confidence and broke the long-standing fear of the British Raj.
• The government eventually relented, setting up a commission of inquiry with Gandhi as one of its members.
• The commission’s findings led to the abolition of the Tinkathia system and the refund of the illegal dues to the peasants.
• This was a significant victory for Gandhi and helped establish his reputation as a leader who could fight for the rights of the common people.

The Ahmedabad Mill Strike (1918)

• In 1918, Gandhi became involved in another important struggle, the Ahmedabad textile mill strike.
• The strike was sparked by mill owners withdrawing the plague bonus that had been paid to workers during an epidemic.
• With rising prices and workers struggling to survive, they demanded the restoration of the bonus. Gandhi intervened to mediate between the workers and the mill owners.
• The mill owners initially rejected negotiations, leading to a standoff in which the workers were locked out of the mills.
• Gandhi, who had become known for his use of nonviolent methods, decided to lead a hunger strike to pressure the mill owners.
• His fasting proved to be a turning point. The owners agreed to arbitration, and the workers were granted a 35% wage increase.
• This movement began organised labour struggles in India and laid the foundation for the Textile Labour Association in 1920.
• Gandhi’s successful intervention in Ahmedabad further solidified his reputation as a leader capable of mobilising the masses and bringing about change peacefully.

The Kheda Satyagraha (1918)

• In the same year, Gandhi’s leadership was sought in the Kheda district of Gujarat, where the Patidar peasants faced extreme hardships due to crop failures, high land revenue, and rising inflation.
• The peasants of Kheda demanded a remission of land revenue as their crops had failed.
• Despite the calamity, the government refused to grant relief. Local leaders approached Gandhi, who launched a Satyagraha campaign, urging peasants to withhold revenue payment.
• The movement gained momentum, and although the government did not meet all the demands, it decided not to confiscate the properties of those unable to pay.
• This partial victory demonstrated Gandhi’s ability to mobilise peasants and win concessions from the government, further boosting his popularity and credibility.

Analysis of Gandhi’s Early Movements

• Gandhi’s early movements in Champaran, Ahmedabad, and Kheda played a pivotal role in establishing his leadership in the Indian freedom struggle.
• Although local leaders had initiated these movements, Gandhi’s intervention, with his unique blend of nonviolent resistance and deep empathy for the plight of the people, helped elevate these struggles to national significance.
• His ability to break the shackles of fear among the masses, particularly in Champaran, where the British had long maintained a grip on the people, was a key factor in his growing popularity.
• The movements also provided Gandhi with the platform to consolidate his influence and prepare the country for the larger battles ahead in the struggle for independence.

Conclusion

The early movements led by Gandhi in Champaran, Ahmedabad, and Kheda were monumental in shaping the course of India’s independence struggle. They helped Gandhi win the trust and support of the masses, transcending regional boundaries and bringing together people from various social strata. These movements laid the foundation for Gandhi’s subsequent nationwide campaigns, further solidifying his position as the leader of the Indian National Congress and the undisputed leader of the Indian independence movement. His successful application of nonviolent resistance and his ability to mobilise diverse sections of Indian society through these early struggles became the hallmark of his leadership and set the stage for the larger, more significant future movements.

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