Q. Consider the following statements in respect of the Non-Cooperation Movement: - The Congress declared the attainment of 'Swaraj' by all legitimate and peaceful means to be its objective.
- It was to be implemented in stages with civil disobedience and nonpayment of taxes for the next stage only if 'Swaraj' did not come within a year and the Government resorted to repression.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (UPSC Prelims 2025)
Answer:
Both I and II
Notes: The correct answer is
[C] Both I and II. The Nagpur Session of the Indian National Congress in December 1920 was a watershed moment that formalized the Non-Cooperation Movement (NCM) and restructured the party's foundation.
- Statement I – Correct: Before 1920, the Congress goal was the attainment of self-government through "constitutional means" within the British Empire. At the Nagpur Session, this was changed to the attainment of 'Swaraj' (self-rule) through "all legitimate and peaceful means." This shift allowed the Congress to move beyond mere petitioning and embrace extra-constitutional mass struggle.
- Statement II – Correct: Mahatma Gandhi designed the movement to be progressive. The initial stages involved the surrender of titles and the boycott of schools, courts, and foreign cloth. The more radical steps—civil disobedience and the non-payment of taxes—were reserved for the final stage. This stage was only to be launched if the initial non-cooperation failed to yield Swaraj within a year or if the British government's repression became unbearable.
The Nagpur Session also saw significant organizational changes, including the formation of Provincial Congress Committees on a linguistic basis and the reduction of membership fees to four annas to make the Congress a true mass-based party.