The delayed independence of India

It was shocking information for me.

The independence of India was delayed for nearly 25 years because of one man who wanted the whole nation to follow his way.

In September 1920 Gandhi convinced leaders of INC of the need to start a non-cooperation movement for independence (self rule).

It urged the use of khadi (Khaddar) and Indian material as alternatives to those shipped from Britain.

It also urged people to boycott British educational institutions and law courts; resign from government employment; refuse to pay taxes; and forsake British titles and honors.

And Gandhi wanted the ideals of Ahimsa or non-violence to be on top the movement.

The movement enjoyed widespread popular support, and the resulting unparalleled magnitude of disorder presented a serious challenge to foreign rule.

Every day the movement was gaining more support from the Indians.

It continued for more than 2 years.

The success of the revolt was a total shock to British authorities and a massive encouragement to millions of Indians.

It forced the British authorities to plan for changes in rules.

On 2nd February, 1922 around 3000 strong protesters were protesting for a fair price of meat in the marketplace of Chauri Chaura.

One of their leaders was arrested.

So some people of the crowd were protesting and shouting slogans for release of their leader in front of police station. 

The crowd started shouting anti-government slogans.

Armed police were dispatched to control the crowd.

In an attempt to frighten and disperse the crowd, the police fired warning shots into the air but this only agitated the crowd who began to throw stones at the police.

With the situation getting out of control, the sub-inspector ordered the police to open fire on the advancing crowd, killing three and wounding several others. 

Reports vary on the reason for the police retreat with some claiming that the police ran out of ammunition while others claim that fear of the crowd's unexpectedly courageous and angry reaction to the gunfire were the cause.

In the ensuing chaos, the heavily outnumbered police fell back to the shelter of the police station while the angry mob advanced.

Infuriated by the gunfire into their ranks, the crowd took revenge by setting the station ablaze, killing the 23 policeman trapped inside. 

Gandhi felt that he had acted too hastily in encouraging people to revolt against the British Raj without sufficiently emphasizing the importance of ahimsa (non-violence) and without adequately training the people to exercise restraint in the face of attack.

He decided that the Indian people were ill-prepared and not yet ready to do what was needed to achieve independence.

Just because his ideology of ahimsa was violated by a group of people he stopped the national revolt single-handedly.

What else the crowd would do if 20 policemen try to threaten a group of 3000 men who protest peacefully?

What else they would do if few of them were killed and many of them were wounded?

All he cared about was the ahimsa not the independence of India.

He wanted the history of India to be written as Gandhi won the independence through his ahimsa movements.

And he defended himself saying “If he had not stopped the revolts, India could have descended into a chaotic rebellion which would have alienated common Indians and impress only violent revolutionaries”.

Is it?

At that time that movement was spread all over the country.

Is it possible that 3000 people gather at a small place Chauri Chaura without the support of common Indians?

The movement was successful enough to break the back of British rule, and possibly even result in the independence most Indians strove for until 1947.

But a single man convinced the INC to stop the successful movement for his own glory and wasted the efforts of the whole country.

If the revolt would have continued, India would have got the independence and the partition of India would not have happened and few other gentlemen like Bhagat Singh and Nethaji would not have died.

As Nethaji mentioned the independence of India was a settled fact. The only uncertain factor was the time factor.

Gandhi also knew this very well. He delayed it as far as he can so that he can become popular all around the world and say that he won the independence struggle.

Pity that the whole nation calls him the father of the nation though he was not actually declared as one.

P.S : It is purely my view and if anyone feels it is wrong, please inbox me with your comments. Will be happy to correct myself. 
Source: 
          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chauri_Chaura_incident
          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-cooperation_movement