Eternal India Encyclopedia

Eternal India encyclopedia

FREEDOM MOVEMENT

India has not only deprived the Indian people of their freedom but has ruined India eco- nomically, politically, culturally and spiritu- ally. ”

* The qualification for the franchise should be neither property nor position but man- ual work. * The ruinous military expenditure should be curtailed. * Administration of justice should be cheap- ened. * Revenue from intoxicating liquors and drugs should be abolished. * Salaries of the civil and military service should be brought down to a level compat- ible with the general condition of the country. * Re-distribution of provinces on a linguis- tic basis. * Appointment of a commission to examine all the monopolies of foreigners.

VL - session -1929 - Lahore

President: Jawaharlal Nehru The Congress passed the resolution, "this Congress declares that the word swaraj.... shall mean complete independence ... and au- thorises the All -India Congress Committee to lunch upon a programme on civil disobe- dience. " Deliberating on the Presidential address Jawaharlal Nehru hinted the end of Euro- pean domination and explained the causes for the 'Fall of India.' He declared himself as a ‘ socialist' and favoured the upliftment of Indian peasantry and labour. Finally he called for the peaceful mass movement for liberation. The Congress on 31st Dec. 1929 passed the 'Independence resolution' which reads as follows: "This Congress is of opinion that to en- able the masses to appreciate what "Swaraj," as conceived by the Congress, will mean to them, it is desirable to state the position of the Congress in a manner easily understood by them. This Congress, therefore, in pursuance of the resolution passed at its session at Calcutta last year, declares that the word 'Swaraj' in article 1 of the Congress Constitution shall mean Complete Independence, and hopes that all Congressmen will henceforth devote their exclusive attention to the attainment of complete independence for India. This Congress calls upon Congressmen and others taking part in the national movement to abstain from participating di- rectly or indirectly in future elections. This Congress appeals to the Nation zealously to prosecute the constructive programme of the Congress, and authorizes the All-India Congress Committee, when- ever it deems fit, to launch upon a pro- gramme of Civil Disobedience including non-payment of taxes." On January 26, 1930 the Congress passed the 'complete Independence pledge' or 'pooma Swaraj' which said : "We believe that it is the inalienable right of the Indian people, as of any other people, to have freedom and to enjoy the fruits of their toil and have the necessities of life, so that they may have full opportunities of growth. We believe also that if any government de- prives people of these rights and oppresses them, the people have a further right to alter it or to abolish it. The British Government in

XVVI - session - 1931 - Karachi

President: Vallabhabhai Patel. Presiding over the Congress, Vallabhabhai Patel spoke on ’Boycott of foreign cloth’, “the best propaganda is to do sacrificial spinning ourselves and wear khadi,” and put forward his 11 points. The Congress passed ’Resolution on economic policy’ and ’Fundamental Rights': “This Congress is of the opinion that to enable the masses to appreciate what ‘swaraj’ is., it is desirable to state the po- sition of Congress. Therefore any constitu- tion should provide, the following: * Every citizen of India has the right of free expression of opinion, the rights of free association and combination, and the right to assemble peacefully and without arms. * Every citizen shall enjoy freedom of con- science and the right freely to profess and practise his religion, subject to public order and morality. * The culture, language and script of the mi- norities and of the different linguistic areas shall be protected. * All citizens are equal before the law, irre- spective of caste, creed or sex. * No disability attaches to any citizen, by reason of his or her religion, caste, creed or sex, in regard to public employment, office of power or honour, and in the exercise of any trade or calling. * No person shall be deprived of his liberty nor shall his dwelling or property be en- tered, sequestered or confiscated, save in accordance with law. * The State shall observe neutrality in re- gard to all religions. * The franchise shall be on the basis of uni- versal adult suffrage. * Every citizen is free to move throughout India and settle in any part thereof, to acquire property and to follow any trade or calling. Labour * The organization of economic life must conform to the principle of justice, to FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND DUTIES

* Full guarantee of status to Indian chiefs.

* Repeal of all arbitrary powers.

* The highest posts to be open to all who may be otherwise fit. * Recognition of complete religious free- dom. * The official language to be the vernacular of the province.”

President: Sarojini Naidu.

Sarojini Naidu spoke on 'village recon- struction', 'education problem ' and 'national militia' pointing at village reconstruction she emphasised the importance to formulate a practical scheme of village reconstruction... With regard to the educational problem she said,... "We are today no more than the futile product of an artificial and imitative system of education which, entirely unsuited to the spe- cial trend of our racial genius, had robbed us of our proper mental values and perspectives, and deprived us of all true initiative and originality in seeking authentic modes of self- expression... " She favoured the inclusion of a complete course of military training as an in- tegral part of national education.

IVl – session – 1928 – Culcutta President: Motilal Nehru

In his presidential speech, he underlined the need to bring communal harmony and said the aim of all education and progress is to develop the collective instinct in man, to fear him to co-operate with neighbours.