The Lucknow Pact of 1916 was a kind of intermission of the Freedom Struggle. Because after this a very magnificent character entered into the Indian Freedom Struggle, it was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.
Gandhian Era (1915-1948)
So, from here starts the Gandhian Era of the Freedom Struggle. On January 9, 1915, Gandhi returned back to India from South Africa. From 1915-1919, he was politically dormant. But this was also the period of the political experiment by Gandhi.
Champaran Satyagraha, Ahmedabad Mill Strike, and Kheda Movement proved experimenting labs for Gandhi. He precisely observed the previous movements of the Indian Freedom Struggle. So, by taking lessons from them he came out with his own method to fight with Britisher. So, after the coming of Gandhi, the phase of the freedom struggle was the Gandhian Era.
Reasons for Political Dormancy
Settlement Issue
Gandhi went to South Africa as a worldly being. But he returned as Mahatma. So, his first priority was to get a settlement for himself and for his followers. Therefore, his first step was to construct Sabarmati Ashram in 1915. To construct this Ashram he got financial assistance from Ambalal Sarabhai.
Faith and Confidence in British Government
Gandhi was the first Indian leader who had faith and confidence in British Constitution. Because he fought against the misrule of the British Government in South Africa. He was victorious in South Africa against the exploitative British rule.
So, when he arrived in India, Britain was going through World War-I. In World War-I, Britishers declared that they were fighting for the right of self-determination for suppressed people. So, Gandhi was attracted by this declaration and used it as a tool for the Freedom Struggle in India.
Gandhi also started recruiting soldiers for the British army and because of this, he was called as recruiting sergeant. All the recruited soldiers went to fight under British General in World War-I.
Scientific Temperament of Gandhi
On his arrival and due to the advice of his political Guru, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, he decided to travel around the country for a year. So, that he should be aware of the ground realities of India and Indians. He understood the temperament of Indians very precisely and planned accordingly. Because of this, he was the most eminent personality of the Indian National Movement.
In the next coming post, we shall read about the Champaran Satyagraha under the leadership of Gandhi.
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