1. Gandhi Marginalized

2. Overview Statement of the problem or issue Context of the 1920s
1920s and other Actors in Nationalist Politics
INC, left and right wings
Ambedkar
Revolutionary Terrorists
1930s, Salt March and Beyond. Gandhi’s marginalization
Gandhi’s own complicity in marginalization, work as MOBILIZER and as BRAKE, stop-start
Initiative to Colonial State
Communal Award controversy, Gandhi and Untouchables
1935 Act and consequences

3. Statement of the issue
1930 Salt Satyagraha and Civil Disobedience movement puts Gandhi at the center of nationalist politics
Non Cooperation and Civil Disobedience at a mass scale was threatening foundations of colonial rule
Yet, by the end of the decade nationalist politics appeared to have moved away from the Gandhian paradigm all together
It’s all about elections, negotiations over power, who gets what, and how?
Suits the British much more, because this is a politics they understand and can negotiate with much more easily than Gandhi’s
This marginalization also paves the way for the politics that leads to partition. But, more on that later

4. Context of the 1920s
G calls off 1st Non-Cooperation/ Khilafat movement, after CHAURI CHAURA, February 1922
Two wings to the INC: SWARAJIST AND NO-CHANGER Swarajists seek elections to Legislative Councils and the "No Changers" follow Gandhi in constructive work in rural area.
These were elections based on the 1919 Government of India Act, (Montague- Chelmsford Reforms). Limited in nature
1922 to 1927 Gandhi remains focused on village level work, promotion of “khadi” homespun cloth, etc.
Two wings of INC come together in 1928 during agitation against the all-white Simon Commission
1928, INC issue the NEHRU REPORT, asking for dominion status
1929 During the Lahore session of the INC, declare for PURNA SWARAJ (complete independence) a significant change from Nehru Report

5. India in the 1930s
Great Depression of the 1930s, impact all around, on peasants and even more so on factory workers
Factories product of WW I, where disruption of shipping gave opportunities to Indian capitalists
Success of Gandhi’s SALT SATYAGRAHA is a product of this
But then, in 1931, with no excuse of violence either, Gandhi calls off the movement
Unlike the 1920s, now, there were more radical, socialist, organizations, pressing to go beyond the proposed no-tax campaigns to NO RENT campaigns
Clear presence of LEFT in nationalist politics
Organized left: CPI, begin in the 1920s, affiliated to Communist International and MOSCOW
Independent left, though impressed by Soviet revolution, and Marxism, not Comintern. This was the Left WITHIN INC, e.g. Jawaharlal Nehru (JLN), Bose, trade union leaders, writers, poets, peasant leaders, members of the CSP, etc.
Although independent left strength was growing, with leaders like JLN and Bose, they were a MINORITY within the INC, still dominated by elite, and more conservative right-wing leaders
Right wing leaders WANT independence, but no real socio-economic change; want traditional hierarchies in place. Willing to enter councils, while the left, led by NEHRU and Bose and younger leaders, want change in all spheres

6. Divisions with the INC
Division between left and right within INC threatened to break up INC after 1931
JLN critical of Gandhi throughout the mid 30s, but Gandhi, still the most important figure, retains his position above and over left and right, placates both groups
Pushes for NEHRU as president , allow him to pass radical resolutions, e.g. at the KARACHI session of the INC (pledging the INC to radical agrarian reform after SWARAJ) yet at the same time effectively withholding support for the initiation of mass agitations to achieve these ends, which was the only way to make those resolutions a reality
Also see, INC, left and right wings: Gandhi’s role in debates over 1935 GoI Act (pp )

7. Other Actors in Nationalist Politics
Subhash Chandra Bose: Militant, Maverick, …Fascist??
Bhimrao Ambedkar:
“Untouchable” Highly educated, PhD from Columbia University, Law from London
History of clashes with Gandhi back to 1931 (Round Table Talks) over who represents Untouchables
Prefers the term “Dalit” (the oppressed or the broken) to Gandhi’s label of “Harijan” (children of God) that Ambedkar finds patronizing
Differences over approach to combating what both recognize as an evil and immoral system of discrimination
Revolutionary Terrorists such as Bhagat Singh: Hindustan Socialist Republican Army. BHAGAT SINGH very popular, in , even at peak of Gandhi’s popularity. Arrested in 1929, inspired others, 1929 Chittagong Armory raid, 1930, Binoy Badal Dinesh attack the seat of British administration in Calcutta
Not to forget, the still very important role played by the colonial state

8. Gandhi’s Marginalization: Own Complicity?
Mobilizer and Brake, both major movement suggest this
Salt movement had galvanized people, a full scale civil disobedience movement had been planned, also a no tax agitation in plan
But, Gandhi, did not like movements going out of control, and as in 1922, calls off Salt Satyagraha in 1931 with Gandhi-Irwin Pact and attending the second Round Table Conference (RTC) in London in 1931
Why? Radicalism getting out of hand? Lack of control threaten UNITY?
Gandhi had many options at this point, lots of negotiating points, could have included for instance, commuting of Bhagat Singh’s death sentence, but not do so!!
RTC fail, as expected, re-launch agitation, but not as successful this time

9. Gandhi’s role after 1932
Withdrawal from Nationalist politics and from INC after 1934 to focus on village level work”
Special focus on “Harijan reform” and the abolition of untouchability
Alienation of Subaltern Groups
Opportunity for Colonial State who follow up the Communal Award of with the Government of India Act, 1935
Greater opportunities for both opponents and “supporters” who were now free to play games of power politics (having abandoned non cooperation)

10. Gandhi, Ambedkar, and the Communal Award
With Gandhi marginalized, the British Prime Minister, offered the “Communal Award” in 1932
The award granted weighted separate electorates in India to upper caste Hindus, Dalits, Muslims, Buddhists, Sikhs, Indian Christians, and other groups
AMBEDKAR supported, while Gandhi saw the award as a huge threat to unity, and threatened to fast to death
Ultimately, Gandhi and Ambedkar reach an agreement, called the “Poona Pact”, that gave Dalits reserved seats within the Hindu bloc. Other minority groups continued to have separate electorates
Gandhi argued that separating out untouchables would prevent change among upper caste Hindu society
Untouchability to Gandhi was morally wrong and despite opposition from orthodox, even own wife, takes up this issue seriously
In 1934 withdraws from INC to concentrate on HARIJAN welfare work

11. Gandhi’s Marginalization: An Opportunity
For many on both left and right wings of INC, Gandhi’s marginalization was an opportunity to acquire real political power within the colonial system
The Government of India Act of 1935 is a great example of this
For the colonial state this an opportunity to deal with folks who spoke their own language of power (divide and rule never work when there is non-cooperation)
Paradigm of politics changes: More and more about who will get what, how, and when
Shift from Gandhian politics to HIGH politics of negotiations that ultimately produces the partition of the subcontinent

12. 1935 Act and the Pathway to Partition
For details of provisions of 1935 Act, see pp
For the first time, there would be elected majorities in assemblies, and franchise was expanded, though far from universal
Allows the majority party to form a cabinet, have executive power
Left-Right split in INC over accepting the 1935 Act and participating in elections
Gandhi personally NOT in favor, more interested in Harijan affairs, reform upper caste Hindus and spiritual regeneration
His logical position was with left, as favors rejection of Act and elections
But Gandhi LEAVES INC, and as a result, the majority right wing dominates
INC retains leftist rhetoric, but participates in the elections
Earlier an opponent Nehru very enthusiastically involved in 1937 elections
INC wins, forms governments in most provinces from
Muslim League routed in 1937 elections and realizes impossibility of defeating INC in all-India contest