How India Gained Its Own Independence

             Indians have celebrated their own independence every 15 August since 1950. They gained what in 1947, but the first national independence day was celebrated in 1950.Every 15 August, they have a national holiday and everybody walks on the streets with national flags, flying kites and they always do some cultural activities. Gandhi played a very big role in the independence movement. He organized all the Indians and they fought against the British for years.

            Gandhi was born on 2 October 1869. He was called “Mahatma”. It means “Great Soul” and “Father”. In India, Gandhi’s birthday, 2 October, is one of the national holidays. It means the International Day of Non-Violence. Gandhi was a pre-eminant political and ideological leader in India. He first employed non-violent civil disobedience in South Africa to protect civil rights. Then he organized farmers and urban labourers to protest excessive land-tax and discrimination, when he returned toIndia in 1915. After his achievement, he assumed leadership of the Indian National Congress to ease poverty, expand women’s right, build religious and ethnic amity, end untouchibility and increase economic self-reliance. He protested the British-imposed salt tax in 1930. Then he called fort he British to quit India 1942 and after 6 years, he was assassined by Naturam Godse, who was sympathetic to Muslims in New Delhi on 30 January 1948. Now, 30 January is Martyrs’ Day in India.

            The Indian National Congress (the INC) was founded in 1885. It is one of the two major political parties in India. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. It was dominated by factionalism and opposing political strategies and it was not homogenous. The party’s modern liberal platform was largely considered center-left in the Indian political spectrum. The INC became the leader of the Indian Independence Movement with over 15 million members and over 70 million participants in its struggle against the British rule in India. In this period, Gandhi was a new idiom fort he INC and he developed satvagraha that was truth and soul force, he fought for civil rights and freedom, achieved political and social progress.

            In 1918, Gandhi achieved his first major objective against the British landlords that was Champaran and Kheda.Gandhi worked hard to win poblic support, but Kheda was hit by floods. After ashort time period, at the and of May 1918, the government relaxed conditions of payments and gave way on important provisions. Additionally, people said “Babu”and “Mahatma” to Gandhi – meaning “Great Soul” and “Father”. He employed non-corporation, non-violence and peaceful resistance against the British Raj. However, the British troops killed civilians in Punjab. It was the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, alsa known as the Amritsar Massacre and it caused deep trauma. After the massacre, Gandhi began to focus on complete self-government, control of all Indian government maturing soon into Swaraj (political independence).

            In December 1921, Gandhi invested the INC and recognized with the goal of Swaraj. He arranged the boycott of foreign-made goods. He also exhorted Indian men and women to spend time for independence. He invented a small typewritter with a wheel to inculcate discipline.He wanted to include women in the movement with his invention. He urged the people to boycott British educational institutions and British law courts toresign from government employment and forsake British titles and honours.

             On 10 March 1922, Gandhi was arrested and sentenced to six years’ imprisonment, but he was released in February 1924 for an appendicitis operation. In the 1920s, Gandhi stayed out of active politics and he focused on resolving the wedge between the Swaraj Partyand the INC. He expanded initiatives against untouchability, alcholism, ignorance and poverty. In 1928, Gandhi returned to the fore. New constitutional reform commission (leader Sir John simon) did not include any Indian, so the result was a boycott by Indian political parties. On 31 December 1929, the flag of India was unfurled in Lahore and after a year, the INC accepted Indian’s Independence Day on 26 January 1930.

            On 6 April 1930, Gandhi marched 388 kilometres from Ahmedabad to Delhi. All Indians joined him. Lord Edward Irwin decided to negotiate with Gandhi, so Gandhi-Irwin Pact was signed in March 1931. This Pact promised to free all political prisoners. Gandhi was invested to attend the Round Table Conferance against the Indian princes and minorities in London; however, Gandhi was arrested again. Indians protested Gandhi’s detention in 1932. After that, Gandhi was released and began to help the Harijan Movement (Harijans: the children of God) on 8 May 1932.

            In the summer of 1934, Gandhi resigned from party membership. He organised communists, socialists, trade unionists, students and religious conservatives to avoid being a target for Raj propoganda. In 1936, Gandhi returned to active politics with the Nehru presidency and the Luck now session. He focused on independence. When the World War II broke out, Gandhi offered non-violent moal support in 1939. He fought for democratic freedom and called fort he British to “Quit India”. He was criticised with party members, Indian political groups, pro-British and anti-British. In this period, Britain fought against Nazism. Quit India was the most powerful movement and lots of freedom fighters were killed, injured and arrested.

            On 9 August 1942, Gandhi was arrested by the British in Bombay. He was held two years in the Aga Khan Palace, which was in Pune. In this period, Mahadev Dersai, who was his old secretary, died of a heart attack and Katsurba, who was his wife, died. On 22 February 1944, Gandhi suffered a severe malaria attack, so he had surgery. Then, he was released on 6 May 1944. At the end of the World War II, British gave indications, so power would be transferred to Indian hands. Gandhi called off the struggle, 100,000 political prisoners were released including the Congress’ leadership. On 16 August 1946, Gandhi visited the most riot prone areas to stop the massacres. A year after, on 14 and 15 August 1947, the Indian Independence Act was invoked and people moved from one side to another. 500,000 people were killed in riots. On 30 January 1948, Gandhi was assassined by Naturam Godse in New Delhi.

             In my opinion, Gandhi was a clever,brave and wise leader and a hero. He did not use any weapons to defeat the British rule to free India. Gandhi was a Hinduist, so it was the main reason why he did not use any weapons. Although, Indians were arrested and killed, Gandhi was arrested, the struggle continued for years. Gandhi’s brilliant ideas and brave identity helped the independence. Additionally, the World War II was one of the main reasons for India getting its own independence. While Gandhi was fighting for Indian independence, the Indian culture was getting more and more westernized by the British, so for India’s independence to take place, they would need to have an Indian cultural identity, not a British one. Gandhi organized all Indians and he saved Indian culture.

            On the other hand, I want to give some examples of similarities with Gandhi. Nelson Mandela is a classic example of the Gandhian spirit. He organized African people and fought against the same objective like Gandhi, although he was arrested like Gandhi. He was a president in South Africa and Gandhi assumed leadership of the Indian National Congress. It is the other similarity between Gandhi and Mandela. Another example is from the Philippines. Jose Rizal is also similar to Gandhi, he did not use any weapons to overthrow Spanish rule either.

            Gandhi liked people, so he did not use any weapons in the struggle. He was Hinduist, so this behaviour was normal for Gandhi. In the 1920s and 1930s, conditions were very bad, but Gandhi invented the typewritter and marched 388 kilometres with all Indians. Additionally, he fought against his diseases and surgery. These shows us, he was a clever, organizor and strong. He impressed me very much. I think the real heroes lived in 1900s. Our pathfinder and leader is Atatürk forever. He was the key person for the Turkish Republic – like Gandhi was for Indians.

My Teacher’s Note: I like the fact that you’re made these comparisons and included your views. Very good project.