Government Response and Withdrawal of the Movement
Modern History › Non-Cooperation and Khilafat Movement · Topic 17.4
Talks between Gandhi and Viceroy Reading broke down in May 1921, and in December the government declared volunteer corps illegal and arrested most leaders. After the Chauri Chaura violence of 5 February 1922, in which twenty-two policemen were killed, Gandhi withdrew the movement. He was arrested in March 1922 and sentenced to six years.
6 min read · UPSC Prelims · History · Non-Cooperation and Khilafat Movement
At a Glance
- Talks fail May 1921, Gandhi and Viceroy Reading
- Crackdown December 1921: volunteer corps banned, leaders arrested
- Chauri Chaura 5 February 1922; 22 policemen killed
- Withdrawal Announced by Gandhi; CWC resolution at Bardoli, February 1922
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Modern History: Non-Cooperation and Khilafat Movement
Where Does It Fit?
This is the fourth topic of the category on the Non-Cooperation and Khilafat Movement. The previous topic described the spread of the movement. This topic covers how the government responded and why Gandhi withdrew the movement. The next topic evaluates the movement. Previous topic: Spread of the Movement and People’s Response.
How Did the Government Respond?
Talks between Gandhi and Reading, the Viceroy, broke down in May 1921, because the government wanted Gandhi to urge the Ali brothers to remove those portions of their speeches that suggested violence. Gandhi realised that the government was trying to drive a wedge between him and the Khilafat leaders and refused to fall into the trap.
In December the government came down heavily on the protesters. Volunteer corps were declared illegal, public meetings were banned, the press was gagged and most leaders, except Gandhi, were arrested.
What Was the Last Phase Before the Withdrawal?
Gandhi was under increasing pressure from the Congress rank and file to start the civil disobedience programme. The Ahmedabad session of 1921, presided over by C.R. Das while he was in jail, with Hakim Ajmal Khan as acting president, appointed Gandhi the sole authority on the issue.
On 1 February 1922, Gandhi threatened to launch civil disobedience from Bardoli in Gujarat if political prisoners were not released and press controls not removed. The movement had hardly begun before it was brought to an abrupt end.
What Happened at Chauri Chaura?
Chauri Chaura, a small village in Gorakhpur district of the United Provinces, found a place in history books because of an incident of violence on 5 February 1922. The police there had beaten up the leader of a group of volunteers who were campaigning against liquor sales and high food prices, and then opened fire on the crowd that had come to protest before the police station.
The agitated crowd set fire to the police station with policemen inside, and those who tried to flee were hacked to death and thrown back into the fire. Twenty-two policemen were killed. Gandhi, unhappy with the increasingly violent trend, immediately announced the withdrawal of the movement.
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Place | Chauri Chaura, Gorakhpur district, United Provinces |
| Date | 5 February 1922 |
| Cause | Police beat a volunteer leader and then fired on a protesting crowd |
| Result | Police station burnt; 22 policemen killed |
| Gandhi’s response | Immediate withdrawal of the movement |
What Did the Congress Decide, and How Did Leaders React?
The Congress Working Committee met at Bardoli in February 1922 and resolved to stop all activity that led to breaking the law and to take up constructive work. This included popularising khadi, national schools, and campaigning for temperance, Hindu-Muslim unity and against untouchability.
Most nationalist leaders, including C.R. Das, Motilal Nehru, Subhash Bose and Jawaharlal Nehru, expressed bewilderment at Gandhi’s decision. Subhas Chandra Bose wrote that sounding the retreat just when enthusiasm was at boiling point was a national calamity, and that Das, Motilal Nehru and Lajpat Rai, all in prison, shared the popular resentment. A Marxist interpretation holds that the leadership took over a revolutionary movement to keep it controlled and called it off when the masses seemed to be taking the initiative. Gandhi himself wrote in Young India on 16 February 1922 that he would suffer every humiliation to prevent the movement from becoming violent.
In March 1922 Gandhi was arrested and sentenced to six years in jail. In his court speech he invited the highest penalty for what in law was a deliberate crime and appeared to him the highest duty of a citizen.
Why Did Gandhi Withdraw the Movement?
Gandhi felt that people had not learnt or fully understood non-violence. Incidents like Chauri Chaura could produce an excitement that turned the movement generally violent, and a violent movement could be easily suppressed by the colonial regime, which would use the incidents as an excuse to use the armed might of the State against the protesters.
| Reason | Detail |
|---|---|
| Non-violence | People had not fully understood the method; violence invited repression |
| Fatigue | The movement was showing signs of fatigue, since no movement can be kept at a high pitch for long |
| Government stance | The government seemed in no mood for negotiations |
| Khilafat dissipated | In November 1922 the people of Turkey rose under Mustafa Kamal Pasha and removed the sultan’s political power; Turkey became a secular state and the caliphate was abolished in 1924 |
As an analytical point, the reasons fall into two kinds: a principle, that a movement must remain non-violent, and a practical judgement, that the movement could not be sustained. Critics such as Bose and the Marxist interpretation disputed the timing, which shows that the withdrawal remains one of the most debated decisions of the national movement. The way it was assessed overall is in Evaluation of the Non-Cooperation Khilafat Movement, and the debate it set off within the Congress is in Swarajists and No-Changers.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Chauri Chaura The date and the casualties are stock Prelims facts
- Withdrawal debate A frequent Mains question
- Link to what followed The withdrawal led to the Swarajist and No-Changer debate
What Came Next?
The next topic evaluates the Non-Cooperation Khilafat Movement as a whole. Next topic: Evaluation of the Non-Cooperation Khilafat Movement.
Key People and Terms
- Lord Reading The Viceroy who held talks with Gandhi in May 1921
- Bardoli Place in Gujarat where civil disobedience was to be launched and where the CWC met
- Chauri Chaura Village in Gorakhpur where violence took place on 5 February 1922
- Constructive work Khadi, national schools, temperance, unity and removal of untouchability
- Mustafa Kamal Pasha Led the Turkish people against the sultan in November 1922
- Caliphate Abolished in Turkey in 1924
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Chauri Chaura: 5 February 1922; 22 policemen.
- CWC at Bardoli, February 1922: stop law-breaking, take up constructive work.
- Gandhi arrested March 1922; six years.
- Talks with Reading failed in May 1921.
- Caliphate abolished in 1924.
Do Not Confuse With
- Bardoli threat and Bardoli CWC 1 February: threat of civil disobedience; February: CWC resolution to stop
- Chauri Chaura and Jallianwala Bagh Violence by a mob versus firing by troops; 1922 versus 1919
- Gandhi’s arrest and the withdrawal Arrest in March 1922 followed the withdrawal
Memory Hook
Bardoli threatened, Chauri Chaura burned, Gandhi called a halt.
Mains Angle
Questions ask about the reasons for withdrawal and its critics. These points add depth.
- Reasons Non-violence, fatigue and Turkey
- Critics Das, Nehru, Bose and the Marxist view
- Government Repression after talks failed
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Why did Gandhi withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1922, and what were the reactions of other leaders?”
How to Answer
- Events Repression and Chauri Chaura.
- Reasons Non-violence, fatigue, Khilafat decline.
- Reactions Bewilderment of leaders and critics.
- Conclude A debated decision.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
How did the government respond to the Non-Cooperation Movement?
Talks between Gandhi and Viceroy Reading broke down in May 1921, as the government wanted the Ali brothers' speeches toned down. In December 1921 it banned volunteer corps and public meetings, gagged the press and arrested most leaders except Gandhi.
What happened at Chauri Chaura?
On 5 February 1922 at Chauri Chaura in Gorakhpur district, police beat a volunteer leader and fired on a protesting crowd. The crowd burnt the police station with policemen inside, and twenty-two policemen were killed. Gandhi, unhappy with the violent trend, immediately announced the withdrawal of the movement.
What did the Congress Working Committee decide at Bardoli in February 1922?
The Working Committee resolved in February 1922 to stop all activity that led to breaking the law and to turn to constructive work, including popularising khadi, national schools, temperance campaigns, Hindu-Muslim unity and the removal of untouchability.
Why did Gandhi withdraw the movement?
Gandhi felt people had not understood non-violence and that violence would give the government an excuse for repression. The movement was also showing fatigue, the government would not negotiate, and the Khilafat question lost relevance after Turkey became secular in 1922.
How did other leaders react to the withdrawal?
Leaders including C.R. Das, Motilal Nehru, Subhash Bose and Jawaharlal Nehru expressed bewilderment. Bose called the retreat a national calamity. Gandhi himself was arrested in March 1922 and sentenced to six years in jail, after a memorable court speech.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 The Chauri Chaura incident took place on 5 February 1922.
Twenty-two policemen were killed.
2 Chauri Chaura is in Gorakhpur district of the United Provinces.
The movement was withdrawn after it.
3 Gandhi was sentenced to six years in jail in March 1922.
He gave a notable court speech.
4 The caliphate was abolished in Turkey in 1924.
The Khilafat question lost relevance.
5 The Congress Working Committee at Bardoli resolved to start mass civil disobedience.
It resolved to stop law-breaking and take up constructive work.
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