Second Phase and Suspension — Definition

Definition

The Second Phase and Suspension of the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), spanning from late 1931 to May 1934, represents a critical, albeit challenging, chapter in India's struggle for independence. Following Mahatma Gandhi's return from the Second Round Table Conference in London in December 1931, where his efforts to secure significant constitutional reforms proved largely unfruitful, the British government under Viceroy Lord Willingdon adopted a far more repressive stance.

Unlike the relatively cautious approach during the initial phase of the CDM, the government now moved swiftly and decisively to crush the movement. Gandhi and other top Congress leaders were arrested almost immediately upon their return, and a slew of 'ordinances' – emergency laws – were enacted.

These ordinances effectively suspended civil liberties, banned public gatherings, censored the press, and gave immense powers to the police to arrest, detain, and confiscate property without trial. This period saw widespread arrests, with tens of thousands of Indians, including women and children, incarcerated.

Congress organizations were declared illegal, and their funds were seized. The government's strategy was to decapitate the movement by imprisoning its leadership and terrorizing its rank and file, preventing any large-scale mobilization similar to the Salt Satyagraha.

Amidst this severe repression, a significant development occurred in August 1932: the British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald announced the 'Communal Award.' This award proposed separate electorates for various minority communities, including Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, and importantly, the 'Depressed Classes' (Dalits).

Gandhi, who was then imprisoned in Yerawada Jail, saw the separate electorates for Dalits as a dangerous attempt to permanently divide Hindu society and undermine the unity of the national movement. He believed it would institutionalize untouchability and prevent social reform.

In protest, Gandhi began a 'fast unto death' in September 1932. This dramatic act created immense national pressure, leading to intense negotiations between Gandhi and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the prominent leader of the Depressed Classes.

The result was the 'Poona Pact,' signed on September 24, 1932. This agreement abolished separate electorates for Dalits but reserved a larger number of seats for them in provincial and central legislatures within the general electorate.

The Poona Pact was a political triumph for Gandhi in preserving Hindu unity, but it also marked a significant moment for Dalit political assertion.

Following the Poona Pact, Gandhi shifted his focus to the 'Harijan campaign,' dedicating himself to the eradication of untouchability and the upliftment of Dalits, whom he called 'Harijans' (children of God).

He launched the Harijan Sevak Sangh and started publishing the 'Harijan' newspaper, undertaking extensive tours across India to promote social reform. This shift, while morally significant, meant that the direct political agitation of the CDM took a backseat.

The movement, already weakened by government repression and the imprisonment of its leaders, struggled to maintain its momentum. The mass enthusiasm that characterized the first phase had waned. Congress leaders, many still in jail, debated the future course of action.

Some advocated for a return to council entry, while others felt the need for a new strategy. Gandhi, recognizing the exhaustion of the movement and the need for a period of introspection and constructive work, officially suspended the Civil Disobedience Movement in May 1934.

This decision marked the end of a tumultuous period, paving the way for new political strategies and a renewed focus on social reform within the broader nationalist struggle.