The emergence of the Swarajist movement marks a pivotal moment in India’s struggle for independence from British colonial rule. Rooted in the ideals of self-governance and indigenous empowerment, the Swarajist movement represented a significant shift in the tactics and strategies employed by Indian nationalists. This movement, which gained prominence in the 1920s, particularly after the Non-Cooperation Movement led by Mahatma Gandhi, sought to reconcile the nationalist aspirations with the practicalities of governance within the existing colonial framework.
In the Indian National Congress, there were two main groups with different ideas: the Swarajists and the No Changers. The Swarajists wanted to stop boycotting the council meetings, while the No Changers thought the boycott should keep going. Swarajists like C. R. Das, Vithalbhai Patel, Motilal Nehru, and Hakim Ahmed Khan believed in participating in the councils. On the other hand, No Changers like C. Rajagopalachari, Vallabhbhai Patel, M. A. Ansari, and Rajendra Prasad wanted to continue boycotting them.
Swarajist and No-Changers
Some people, led by C. R. Das, Motilal Nehru, and Ajmal Khan, wanted to stop boycotting the legislative councils. They thought nationalists should join the councils to show their flaws and use them to fight for their rights. They said they’d either change the councils or stop them if the government didn’t listen. They only wanted to use the councils for political fights, not to slowly change British rule. These people were called Swarajists because they wanted to be part of the councils.
Others, called the ‘No-changers’, didn’t want to join the councils. They believed in doing useful work without cooperating with the British. They also wanted to quietly restart disobeying British laws. Vallabhbhai Patel, Rajendra Prasad, C. Rajagopalachari, and M.A. Ansari were among the leaders of this group.
Congress-Khilafat Swarajists
- After Gandhi was arrested in March 1922, the nationalist movement fell apart, and people felt confused and disheartened. Congress members started debating what to do next, called the passive phase of the movement.
- One group, led by C.R. Das, Motilal Nehru, and Ajmal Khan, wanted to stop boycotting the councils so nationalists could join them. They thought this would show how flawed the councils were and would help gather public support for their cause. They wanted to either fix the councils or disrupt their work if the government didn’t listen. These people were called Swarajists.
- The other group, led by C. Rajagopalachari, Vallabhbhai Patel, Rajendra Prasad, and M.A. Ansari, didn’t want to join the councils. They believed in doing useful work without cooperating with the British. They also wanted to quietly get ready to restart disobeying British laws. They were called No-changers.
- At a meeting in Gaya in December 1922, the Swarajists’ idea of changing or stopping the councils was rejected because of disagreements between the two groups. C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru then left their positions in Congress and formed a new party called the Swarajist Party, with C.R. Das as president and Motilal Nehru as one of the secretaries.
Swarajist Stand
- The Swarajists believed that joining the councils wouldn’t cancel out the noncooperation program. Instead, it would be like carrying on the movement in a different way, by starting a new way of fighting.
- They thought that during a time when there wasn’t much political action, working in the councils would keep people excited and motivated.
- They also thought that having nationalists in the councils would stop the government from filling them with people who supported them. This would prevent the government from making their actions look more acceptable.
- The Swarajists didn’t want to slowly change British rule through the councils. Instead, they wanted to use them as a place to fight politically.
Swarajists Activities in Councils
- The Swarajists faced challenges that weakened their position. Communal riots and divisions within the Swarajist ranks based on religious and political beliefs caused their strength to decrease.
- The government’s tactic of dividing Swarajists, especially between militant and moderate factions, Hindus and Muslims, worked well. Many Muslims stopped supporting the Swarajists when the party didn’t back the tenants’ rights against landlords in Bengal, where most tenants were Muslims.
- Some people with communal interests also joined the Swarajist Party. When C.R. Das passed away in 1925, it further weakened the party.
- Some Swarajists, like Lala Lajpat Rai, Madan Mohan Malaviya, and N.C. Kelkar, believed in working with the government and holding positions wherever possible, focusing on what they saw as Hindu interests.
- Communal groups accused leaders like Motilal Nehru, who opposed joining the council, of being against Hindus. Meanwhile, Muslim communalists accused the Swarajists of being anti-Muslim.
- In March 1926, the main leaders of the Swarajist Party decided to stick to mass civil disobedience and left the legislatures. Another group of Swarajists, in disarray, participated in the 1926 elections but didn’t do well overall. They won some seats in the Centre and in Madras but lost in the United Provinces, Central Provinces, and Punjab.
- Finally, in 1930, the Swarajists left altogether because of the Lahore Congress resolution calling for complete self-rule and the beginning of the Civil Disobedience Movement.
No changers Arguments
The No-Changers believed that if they got involved in parliamentary work, they would lose their passion for the revolution and might become corrupt.
Instead, they focused on doing constructive work to prepare for the next phase of civil disobedience. Here are some examples:
- They set up ashrams where young people worked with tribal and lower-caste communities, especially in places like Kheda and Bardoli in Gujarat. They encouraged the use of the spinning wheel (charkha) and khadi cloth.
- They established national schools and colleges to teach students in a way that wasn’t influenced by colonial ideas.
- They made important progress in bringing Hindus and Muslims together, ending untouchability, boycotting foreign cloth and alcohol, and providing help during floods.
- The constructive workers played a vital role in organizing civil disobedience activities.
Muddiman Committee (1924)
Because Indian leaders demanded it and following a resolution by the Swaraj Party in the early 1920s, the British Government formed a committee called the Muddinman Committee. Sir Alexander Muddinman was in charge of it. The committee had both British and Indian members, totaling four Indians. Committee members who were Indian
- Sir Sivaswami Aiyar
- Dr. R P Paranjape
- Sir Tejbahadur Sapru
- Mohammad Ali Jinnah
Even though they faced challenges and the situation kept changing, the Swarajists were able to gain and strengthen their influence for a while, which boosted the growing nationalist movement. They had a big impact on public discussions and making laws, which later leaders like J. Nehru followed. Their efforts also inspired other movements like those of farmers and workers in the future.