(i) The non-violent non-co-operation movement was an expression of the growing resentment of all classes of the Indian people against oppressive British rule. Gandhiji took up three specific points on which the movement was launched ― (a) the Khilafat wrong, (b) the Punjab wrong and (c) Swaraj.
(ii) Eminent lawyers like CR Das, Motilal Nehru, Saifuddin Kichhlu, Vallabhbhai Patel, C. Rajagopalachari, Asaf Ali and others gave up their lucrative practices. This sacrifice inspired the people.
(iii) Boycott of foreign goods, picketing of shops selling foreign cloth were other forms of protest. Charkhas began to be distributed and handspun cloth became popular among nationalists. Nationalist newspapers held advertisements inviting people to participate in bonfires of foreign goods. The value of cloth exports fell to a great extent. Along with cloth shops there was also for the first time picketing of liquor shops.
(iv) In July 1921 Muhammad Ali appealed to all Muslims in the British Indian army and declared that they must consider it morally wrong to be a part of the British army and that they should not continue in it. He was arrested at once.
(v) This call was taken up by the Congress and Gandhi. A manifesto was issued calling all men (civilian and soldier) to sever all links with the British Indian army.
(vi) In the midst of this the Prince of Wales visited India in November 1921, and was greeted by a hartal in Bomaby where he landed and also in the rest of the country. Gandhi addressed a huge meeting on the day of the Prince of Wales arrival and anti-British feeling was so strong that a riot situation occurred when the people dispersing from the meeting came across the others who had gone for the welcome procession of the Prince. Gandhi had to go on a four day fast to reduce tension.
(vii) The Non-Cooperation Movement wa gaining strength progressively. In Midnapur district of Bengal a movement was organised against Union Board taxes and a no-tax movement was also organised in Andhra Pradesh. The refusal to pay taxes under the Gandhian scheme was to be resorted to in the very last and most radical stage of the movement. In the Awadh region of UP the Kisan movement was gaining ground through the Kisan sabhas which were becoming more organised and a great threat to British rule.
Repressive measures of the colonial government against the movement and the withdrawal of the movement by Gandhiji:
(i) The stand of the colonial government was also becoming more rigid. The fall in cloth exports, the show of resentment from the students, lawyers, government officials, workers, peasants, plantation workers and attempts to influence the army finally led to the adoption of repressive measures against the movement.
(ii) Public meetings and assemblies were banned, newspapers repressed, and midnight raids were conducted at Congress and Khilafat offices.
(iii) The Congress under Gandhi's guidance was beginning to chalk out a programme of civil disobedience at Bardoli. This move was however cut short by a violent incident at Chauri Chaura in Gorakhpur district of UP. A Khilafat and Congress procession on being confronted by some policemen turned violent and attacked the police. The policemen tried to take shelter in the police station, however the enraged mob set fire to it and hacked to death those policemen who came out to escape the fire. Twenty-two policemen were killed. This incident occurred on the 5th of February and on the 12th Gandhi withdrew the Non-Cooperation Movement.
(iv) This withdrawal proved that at this stage Gandhi did not want to lead a movement which he could not control and it also proved that the nationalists would heed Gandhi's call, for though there were many who differed from him, no one thought of defying his call for withdrawal.
