Individual Satyagraha emerged as a direct response to the August Offer that the British put forward in 1940 during a crucial time in the war. Even though it was part of the Civil Disobedience Movement, both the Congress and the Muslim League rejected the August Offer. Following this, M.K. Gandhi shifted his focus to Individual Satyagraha, a movement not just for independence but also for the right to freely express oneself. Those participating in Satyagraha wanted to use this freedom to speak out against the war by making an anti-war declaration.

Launch of Individual Satyagraha 1940-41

After the August Offer, the Congress found itself in a bit of a mess. Some folks, the radicals and leftists, were all gung-ho about launching a big Civil Disobedience Movement. But Gandhi, being Gandhi, had other plans. He insisted on something called Individual Satyagraha. Now, this Individual Satyagraha wasn’t about screaming for independence. Nope, it was all about saying, “Hey, we have the right to speak our minds.” Gandhi had a few goals with this move:

• Show that being patient didn’t mean being weak.
• Tell everyone that Indians weren’t interested in this war stuff and didn’t care if it was Nazism or the double autocracy ruling India.
• Give the government one more chance to play nice and accept Congress’ demands without a big fuss.

Another reason Gandhi went for Individual Satyagraha was that he was worried a massive movement might turn violent. And he definitely didn’t want to embarrass Great Britain with that kind of drama. He even told Lord Linlithgow about it when they met in September 1940. Non-violence was the star of the show in Individual Satyagraha. Gandhi handpicked folks who were all about that peaceful protest life. The first guy to step up was Acharya Vinoba Bhave. He spoke out against the war in a village called Panaur and, surprise, got himself arrested.

Next in line was Jawahar Lal Nehru, followed by Brahma Datt from Gandhi’s Ashram. They all ended up in jail for breaking the Defense of India Act. A bunch of others joined in, but since it wasn’t a massive movement, not many people got excited about it. By December 1940, Gandhi hit the pause button on the whole thing. But wait, it wasn’t over. In January 1941, the campaign fired up again, and this time, it was big. Thousands of people joined in, and around 20 thousand of them got themselves arrested. Talk about making a statement!

Background 

• In 1940, during World War II, the British Government wanted support from Indians and came up with an idea called the “August Offer” on August 8th.
• The August Offer promised that after the war, a group of Indians would be chosen to create a new Constitution.
• Surprisingly, both the Congress and the Muslim League said no to this offer.
• Gandhi wasn’t happy with the offer and decided to start something called “Individual Satyagraha.”
• Individual Satyagraha was not a big thing, just a symbolic and peaceful protest, and it lasted for about a year.
• During this time, Gandhi selected people to be Satyagrahis, who were committed to non-violence.

Objectives

• To demonstrate that nationalist patience was not the result of weakness.
• To express people’s disinterest in the war and their lack of distinction between Nazism and the double autocracy that ruled India.
• To give the government another chance to accept Congress’ demands peacefully.

Features

• In 1940, after the British presented the August Offer, Gandhi took a stand by initiating the Individual Satyagraha. At first, only three people joined, and unsurprisingly, the British arrested them. The first brave soul was Acharya Vinoba Bhave, paving the way for others like Jawahar Lal Nehru and Brahma Dutt.
• Despite the risks, hundreds more joined the Individual Satyagraha, facing imprisonment for their anti-war stance. Their simple demand was to freely express opposition to the war through an anti-war declaration. As the movement gained momentum, they also launched the Delhi Chalo Movement. Unfortunately, this movement didn’t succeed and fizzled out by December 1940.
• However, the British reconsidered their August Offer proposals because they needed India’s support in the war. This led to the launch of the Cripps Mission in March 1942.

Leaders Involved

Vinoba Bhave

• He was the first person chosen to present an individual satyagraha.
• On October 17, 1940, he launched his mission from Paunar, just five miles from Wardha.
• In a speech, he asked the people not to participate in the Government’s war effort for three reasons:
  • the Government’s refusal to establish a Provisional National Government;
  • dragging India into the war without her consent or consultation; and
  • denial of freedom to preach against the war.

Jawaharlal Nehru

• He was selected as the second Satyagrahi after Vinoba Bhave.
• On October 31, 1940, the government detained Nehru at the Cheoki train station near Allahabad for violating the Defence of India Rules, preventing him from launching his campaign.
• He was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for his seditious remarks.
• His arrest stunned the country. Protests were held all over the country.
• Even the British government was concerned, and Churchill sent an urgent cable requesting that Nehru be treated with special consideration and care.

Brahma Dutt

• He was the third person chosen to offer an individual satyagraha.
• He was an inmate of Gandhiji’s ashram.

Impact

• The British government peacefully accepted Indian requests, reflecting the strong political sentiments of the Indian people.
• Gandhiji and the Congress, driven by their anti-Nazi stance, hesitated to take advantage of Britain’s predicament and avoided undermining the war effort by inciting a widespread revolt in India.
• Before Christmas, Gandhiji paused the individual satyagraha campaign, during which 29 ex-ministers, 11 Working Committee members, 176 All-India Congress Committee members, and 400 Central and Provincial Assembly members were arrested, including prominent figures like Maulana Azad and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
• The campaign resumed on January 5, 1941, gaining momentum with over 2,250 voluntary arrests by the end of January.
• The enthusiasm of the volunteers was remarkable, and within a few months, over 20,000 people had been convicted.
• Upon release from prison, satyagrahis willingly offered themselves for re-arrest, with thousands constantly sacrificing their comforts.
• In early December 1941, the government released all the satyagrahis.

Challenges

• People selected for Satyagraha were often unsure about leaving their jobs in local government, slowing down the movement’s progress.
• The impact of the movement was limited because only a few people were involved, making it challenging to create widespread change.
• Mahatma Gandhi imposed certain restrictions that further constrained the movement’s potential impact, possibly hindering its effectiveness.

Conclusion

Individual Satyagraha, with its core values of nonviolence, self-sacrifice, and steadfast commitment to truth, truly captured the spirit of India’s fight for independence. This movement went beyond its time frame, creating a lasting impact and a legacy that still inspires those who seek justice, freedom, and equality.

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