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Difficulty: Very hardGandhian Era and Major Mass Movements

Consider the following statements regarding the structural and tactical differences between the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–1922) and the Civil Disobedience Movement (1930–1934):

1. The Non-Cooperation Movement sought the deliberate violation of specific colonial laws from its inception, whereas the Civil Disobedience Movement initially aimed only at non-cooperation with administrative functions.
2. The Nagpur Session of the Indian National Congress (1920) restructured the Congress organizational framework to create a mass-based party, whereas the Lahore Session (1929) authorized the launch of Civil Disobedience.
3. While urban Muslim participation was extensive during the Non-Cooperation Movement owing to the Khilafat alliance, overall Muslim participation during the Civil Disobedience Movement was markedly lower, with the notable exception of the North-West Frontier Province.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. A
    1 and 2 only
  2. 2 and 3 onlyAnswer
  3. C
    1 and 3 only
  4. D
    1, 2 and 3

Answer

The correct answer is '2 and 3 only', as statements 2 and 3 are historically accurate, whereas statement 1 conflates the legal tactics of the Non-Cooperation Movement and the Civil Disobedience Movement.
Statements 2 and 3 are correct. The Nagpur Session (1920) reorganized the Congress structure to make it a mass party, while the Lahore Session (1929) authorized Civil Disobedience. Furthermore, Muslim participation was widespread during Non-Cooperation due to the Khilafat movement, whereas it decreased during Civil Disobedience nationwide except in the North-West Frontier Province under the leadership of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan. Statement 1 is false because it reverses the foundational methods of the two movements: Non-Cooperation relied on boycotts without breaking statutory laws initially, while Civil Disobedience began directly with deliberate law-breaking.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze Statement 1 regarding the legal tactics of NCM and CDM.
Statement 1 is incorrect. The Non-Cooperation Movement (NCM) focused on peaceful non-cooperation through the surrender of titles, boycott of schools, courts, and foreign goods, without systematically breaking specific statutory laws at the outset. Conversely, the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) explicitly began with the open defiance of colonial laws, marked by Gandhi's Salt March to Dandi.
Differentiating between passive non-cooperation and active law-breaking is a core conceptual distinction in Gandhian mass movements.
2
Evaluate Statement 2 regarding INC resolutions and organizational restructuring.
Statement 2 is correct. The December 1920 Nagpur INC session adopted a new constitution for the Congress, reducing membership fees to 4 annas and creating Village/Taluka Congress Committees. The December 1929 Lahore INC session under Jawaharlal Nehru endorsed 'Poorna Swaraj' and authorized the Working Committee to initiate Civil Disobedience.
Matching major INC sessions to their historical mandates verifies structural and policy evolution of the freedom struggle.
3
Evaluate Statement 3 regarding demographic and communal participation trends.
Statement 3 is correct. NCM coincided with the Khilafat agitation, resulting in high Muslim participation across urban centers. By 1930, communal rift and appeal by organizations like the Muslim League led to lower Muslim involvement in CDM, though NWFP saw massive participation led by Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (Khudai Khidmatgars).
Analyzing social bases and regional exceptions in mass movements tests advanced historical synthesis.

Key Concept

Comparative analysis of Gandhian Mass Movements (NCM vs CDM) and INC Organizational Evolution
Estimated Time:2m 0s
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Gandhian Era and Major Mass Movements

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