Nehru played a fundamental role in organising political activities as the provincial Congress secretary, his active involvement leading to his arrest on 6th December 1921, on charges of opposing the British government. It aimed to challenge the colonial power structure, the impact of which was forcing British Authorities to take notice of the demands for Indian independence.

Methods

• all offices and factories would be closed

• Indians would be encouraged to withdraw from Raj-sponsored schools, police services, the military, and the civil service, and lawyers were asked to leave the Raj's courts;

• public transportation and English-manufactured goods, especially clothing, was boycotted; and

• Indians returned honours and titles given by the government and resigned from various posts like teachers, lawyers, civil and military services.

• refuse to buy British goods and use local Indian handicrafts

• ending untouchability (dalits)

• publicly held meetings and strikes

Effective in mobilising large sects of Indian society. His leadership and clear articulation of nationalist sentiment was something the movement was gravely missing and that led to previous divide.

Extremely popular, peaceful means of achievement appealed to the masses, uniting various sects of Indian society, showing collective demand for self-governance. Although by the end Gandhi had felt the movement had veered off course, and the movement was called off under the STS (struggle truce struggle) where Gandhi believed to have an effective movement it should go in periods of struggle, truce, struggle

British Raj

Not popular. Resulted in arrest of Gandhi, suppression of protestors by police, censorship, police and angry mobs tackling eachother, otal shock to British authorities and a massive support to millions of Indian nationalists.

salt march

The Salt march was an act of nonviolent civil disobedience in colonial India, led by Gandhi, which was a direct action campaign of tax resistance and nonviolent protest against the British salt monopoly, needing a strong inauguration that would inspire people to follow this example. It sparked large scale acts of civil disobedience against the salt laws by millions of Indians.

Nehru was initially hesitant about this, but soon realised the immense symbolic political capital that this protest held, leading a large procession and producing contraband salt. He was arrested and sentenced to six months in jail

individual satyagraha

Individual Satyagraha (1940-1941)

During the Individual Satyagraha launched to affirm the right to free speech against British rule, Nehru was chosen as the second official Satyagrahi, following Vinoba Bhave

The government detained Nehru in 1940 at Allahabad for the breaking of the Defense of India rules before he could begin his campaign. For his seditious marks, he received a four and a half year term.

Mixed opinions - many supported the movement as it aligned with the struggle for independence and also the principles of Satyagraha and non-violence as a whole. However, critics felt that the focus on individual action pushed the emphasis off of more larger radical acts and questioned its efficiency, believing more aggressive forms of protests were better suited.

Quit India Movement (1942)

Despite initial reluctance, Nehru supported the call for British withdrawal, after leading the resolution, he was arrrested (again.)

Role in INA Trials (1945-1946)

The INA constituted a momentuous part of India;s freedom struggle, its secular nationalist ideology bridging religious, regional, and ethnic divides. They were court mandated trials by the British Indian government to prosecute officers of the Indian national army for charges including treason and murder during WW1. These trials became a significant event in India’s struggle for independence, which prompted a growing sense of nationalism and indignation against British rule.

Nehru’s role is that he took responsibility and ownership for defending INA soldiers throughout trials. A special committee was formed by the Congress to represent the soldiers playing a key role in their defence.

• The All India Muslim League, founded in 1906, aimed to represent Muslim interests in British India, responding to concerns of political and social marginalization under British and Congress-dominated politics.

• Jinnah emerged as the central leader advocating Muslim political rights. Over time, he articulated the need for a separate Muslim nation to safeguard Muslim identity and rights, culminating in the demand for Pakistan.

• Separate Electorates and Political Safeguards: The League initially demanded separate electorates to ensure Muslim representation and protections in a Hindu-majority India.

• Lahore Resolution (1940): The Muslim League declared the idea of independent states for Muslims in Muslim-majority regions of British India, promoting the Two-Nation Theory, that Hindus and Muslims were distinct nations requiring separate homelands.

• During WWII:

  • The Muslim League rejected the Quit India Movement (1942), which was led by the Congress, often supporting British war efforts to gain political leverage.

  • The League mobilized groundswell for partition and escalated political pressure on the British government.

  • They called for Direct Action Day in 1946 to press demands for Pakistan, which led to widespread communal violence highlighting the urgency of partition.

• Influence on British Policies and Partition Debate:

  • The Muslim League’s insistence on a separate nation significantly influenced British decisions during Cabinet Mission negotiations in 1946.

  • It contributed to the eventual British resolve to partition India in order to avoid larger-scale communal conflict.

  • The League’s demands and activism were crucial in shaping the partition plan announced in 1947, culminating in the creation of Pakistan.

    
    

    The partition resulted in the largest mass migration in history, accompanied by severe communal violence. The Muslim League’s role remains central in understanding the geopolitical reorganization of South Asia and the legacy of India-Pakistan relations.