The development of the Congress during this period may conveniently be divided into several periods.
Civil Disobedience Movement
The Congress at its Calcutta session in 1928 wanted to pass a resolution declaring complete independence as its goal. Mahatma Gandhi intervened and a resolution was passed declaring Dominion Status as the goal. Mahatma Gandhi gave an assurance that he would himself lead the movement for independence, if the British Government did not confer Dominion status by the end of 1929. Lord Irwin declared in October 1919 that Dominion Status was the goal of the British Government in India but no time limit was set. A session of the Congress was held at Lahore in December 1919 under the Presidentship of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru and a resolution was passed declaring complete independence as the goal of the Congress. 26th of January, 1930, was declared as Independence Day.
It was decided to launch Disobedience Movement. It started with Mahatma Gandhi’s famous march of Dandi Beach to violate Salt Laws. Thousands of Congress volunteers were sent behind the bars. The Government used every kind of repression but the movement could not be crushed. The Congress boycotted the First Round Table Conference held in 1930.
Gandhi-Irwin Pact was made atlast in 1931. Its terms were the following:
- The safeguard to be embodied in the new constitutional set-up were to be in the interest of India.
- Civil Disobedience prisoners, not guilty of violence, were to be released.
- Fines, which had not been realised, were to be remitted. The fines already realised were not to be refunded.
- Immovable property confiscated by the Government was to be returned. Where it has been solid, the transaction was to be considered final.
- Where the posts rendered vacant by resignation had been permanently filled, the Government was not bound to reinstate their former employees. Other cases of resignations were to be considered on their merits. The Local Government were to follow a liberal policy in such cases.
- Mahatma Gandhi was not to press for a public enquiry into the allegations against the conduct of the police of India.
- The boycott of non-Indian goods was to be discontinued if it was exclusively against the British goods with a view to exerting pressure for political ends.
- The Government of India was to withdraw the ordinances promulgated in connection with the Civil Disobedience Movement.
- The right of manufacturing salt was to be conceded to the people living in salt areas.
- The Congress was to withdraw Civil Disobedience Movement.
- The Congress agreed to participate in the deliberations of the Second Round Table Conference.
It has been said in defence of the Pact that the Congress saved the people from a lot of suffering and repression. On the other hand, it has been condemned on the ground that Mahatma Gandhi was not able to save the lives of Sardar Bhagat Singh and his comrades.
Mahatma Gandhi attended the Second Round Table Conference as the sole representative of the Congress but it yielded no results due to the attitude of Jinnah. It could not arrive at any agreed formula regarding the representation of different communities. Mahatma Gandhi expressed his intention of starting civil disobedience and was arrested immediately on reaching India under the orders of Lord Willingdon.
Communal Award
Ramsay Macdonald, Prime Minister gave his famous communal Award in August, 1932. It gave separate representation to the Scheduled Castes. Mahatma Gandhi protested against this and observed fast unto death. The leaders of Upper Caste Hindu and of Scheduled Castes met at Poona and made Poona Pact to save the life of Mahatma Gandhi. It was decided not to give some seats out of general seats. They were also to have their right of contesting general seats. The Poona Pact was accepted by the British Government and necessary modifications were made in Communal Award. The Congress did not participate in the Third Round Table Conference.
The Government of Great Britain published a White Paper in 1933 containing constitutional proposals to be embodied in the Act. The elections of the Central Legislative Assembly were held in 1934 and the Congress secured a large number of seats.
Congress and Government of India Act
The British Parliament passed the Government of India Act of 1935. The election were held and the Congress was able to get majority in six out of the 11 provinces. Only the provincial part of the Act was put into practice. The Governors were given special powers and special responsibilities. The Congress asked the Governors to give an assurance that they would not interfere in the day-to-day affairs of the ministers. They declined to give such an assurance and the Congress refused to form the ministries. At last the Governors under instruction from the Governor-General gave an assurance that they would not interfere in the day-to-day affairs of the ministers and the Congress formed ministries in July 1937.
The Second World War started in September 1939. The Congress asked the British Government to declare whether the War Aims of the Allies would apply to India or not. The British Government refused to make such a declaration and the Congress ministries resigned in November 1939.
Cripps Proposals
The British Cabinet sent Sir Stafford Cripps in March, 1942 with certain proposals. The Indians were to have the right of making their constitution after the war. All the departments, except Defence, were to be at one transferred to Indian hands. The Congress was prepared to accept the long-term scheme and not the interim scheme. Moreover the Congress did not like the attitude of ‘take it or leave it’ because it left scope for negotiations. The Cripps Mission was a failure.
Quit India Movement
All India Congress Committee passed Quit India Resolution on 8th of August 1942. The Government arrested Mahatma Gandhi and all the members of the Congress Working Committee. The Congress organisation was banned and the police took possession of its offices. The people reacted violently and revolted. There was collapse of the machinery of the Government at several places. Jinnah was taken by surprise by the Quit India Movement and declared that the object of the movement was not only to turn out of the British but also to subjugate the Muslims. He asked the Muslims to keep aloof. The Muslims League began to raise slogans for the division of India.
Cabinet Mission Plan, Partition and Independence
The Labour Government sent Cabinet Mission to India in 1946 with certain proposals which are popularly know as Cabinet Mission Plan. It could not bring about a compromise between the Congress and the Muslim League. Then it announced its own proposals on 16th of May 1946. These were a compromise between the Muslim League demand for Pakistan and the Congress demand for united India. The scheme was rejected by the Congress and accepted by the League. Then the Congress accepted it and the Muslim League rejected it. The Muslim League observed 16th of August as the Direct Action Day. Thousands of Hindus were killed and a lot of property was burnt at Calcutta.
Pundit Jawarhal Lal Nehru Formed interim Government on September 2, 1946. There were riots in Noakhali and Bihar. The Muslim League joined Interim Government with the idea of wrecking it. There was confusion in the country. The British Prime Minister Attlee declared that the British would leave India by June 1948. Lord Mountbatten was sent as Governor-General in March 1947 and he declared that the country would be divided as soon as possible. His June 3rd Plan was accepted by all the parties. The British Parliament passed India Independence Act in July 1947 creating the Dominions of India and Pakistan. India became independent on 15th of August 1947. The Congress achieved the object of securing the independence but failed to keep the country undivided.