Gandhi was much impressed by Jawharlal

Gandhi thus had the opportunity to know the Punjab and its people. The flocked to him. They loved him and respected him.

Jawaharlal Nehru, who was also there in the Punjab, realized that Gandhi was the leader of the masses. People were drawn to him because of his thoughts and deeds. Nehru saw the scientific accuracy with which Gandhi was conducting the enquiry.

Gandhi’s report of the atrocities showed that efforts were being made by the government to shield certain persons.

Gandhi was never interested in taking revenge on anybody but he was shocked at the way the government sat silent when its own report was published. Gandhi was very much moved by the sufferings of the people in the Punjab. He knew the extent of the atrocities committed on defenseless people.

Gandhi now advised the people to non-cooperate with the government in every possible way. He advised them not to accept any of the honours offered by Britain, and

Requested those who had already received honours to return them. He wanted people to start a movement to boycott the la courts. He advised people not to buy any foreign goods. He wanted every effort to be made to persuade Indians not to serve the government in any capacity. He called out students from educational institutions.

Gandhi’s influence on the Indian people was steadily growing. The old leaders, many of them with liberal policies, were vanishing from Indian politics. By the close of 1920 Gandhi was the undisputed leader, and head of the Indian National Congress.

The Congress was fighting for immediate Home rule. Its method of fighting was non-violent non- cooperation with the government, and defying carefully selected laws at suitable times.

Gandhi was much impressed by Jawaharlal Nehru and his socialistic views and particularly more by the account Jawaharlal had given of his contacts with the peasants, the difficulties they were experiencing and the high taxes they had to pay.

The Political situation in India grew worse. The government grew nervous. There was tension everywhere and amidst the suppressed people there was the danger of violence.

In spite of the harsh attitude of the government. Gandhi believed that England would soon right the wrong before it was too late. Jawaharlal was of the opinion that England would not change her policy unless she was forced to do so. Jawaharlal was right. Soon the government started arresting the leaders and imprisoning them. The British were afraid to loosen their grip on Indian.

On August 1, 1920, in a letter to the Viceroy, Lord Chelmsford, Gandhi gave the signal for a non- cooperation campaign. Along with it he returned the Kaiser-i-Hind gold medal which had been awarded to him in 1915. In the columns of Young India Gandhi wrote in detail in defense of non-violent non-cooperation.

With other leaders he travelled extensively, addressing huge meetings and preaching the essentials of Satyagraha.

Everywhere the crowds welcomed him with great love and enthusiasm. Again and again he warned the people against violence. He abhorred mass fury.

“If India has to get her freedom by violence,” he said,” let it be by the disciplined violence named war.”

At the end of August the Gujarat Political Conference passed a non-cooperation resolution and a special session of the Congress was held in Calcutta from September 4-9. The draft of the non-cooperation resolution had been prepared by Gandhi.

Gandhi was not sure how much support he would get at the congress session. When he moved the resolution he said that they knew that it envisaged a policy which was different from the one hitherto followed. He knew that many leaders were dead against it.

“But,” he declared,” knowing this I stand before you in fear of god and with a sense f duty to put this before you for your acceptance.”

The special Congress session adopted the non-cooperation plan as means of attaining Swaraj.

During the latter part of 1920 Gandhi advocated a triple boycott. He wanted an absolute boycott of the government and all government institutions. Including schools, colleges, and courts. If the people were free of these they could easily have their own schools colleges and courts, and the power, of the British would collages at once.

There was much laughter and ridicule from the moderates and the supporters of the British rule. But Gandhi paid no attention to them. Gandhi’s activities made the government panicky. They issued a warning that anyone who overstepped the limits of law would be arrested and imprisoned.

Gandhi thought that this warning was a victory for the campaign. He issued instructions which the people were to follow if he were arrested.