Gandhi’s Return and the Challenge of Communalism (1924–27)

Gandhi’s Release from Prison (1924)

• After the sudden suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement (1922), Gandhiji was in prison.
• In February 1924, he was released on health grounds. But instead of reviving direct confrontation with the Raj, Gandhi shifted focus to constructive work:
  • Promotion of khadi and homespun cloth → to reduce dependency on foreign imports and build economic self-reliance.
  • Abolition of untouchability → to reform Hindu society from within and prepare it morally for self-rule.
  • Hindu–Muslim harmony → Gandhi stressed tolerance among faiths, seeing it as essential for national unity.

➡️ This shows Gandhi’s belief that political freedom without social unity and self-reliance would be hollow.

Belgaum Session of Congress (1924)

• The 39th session of Congress was held at Belgaum (Karnataka) in December 1924.
• This session was historic because it was the only time Gandhi himself presided over a Congress session.
• Key outcome: the Gandhi–Nehru–Das Pact.
  • This pact resolved the internal rift between No-Changers and Swarajists.
  • Agreement:
    • Swarajists were recognized as the official representatives of Congress inside councils.
    • Swarajists accepted Gandhi’s condition that only those spinning khadi could remain Congress members.
• Thus, Belgaum established a working relationship of trust between the two factions, preventing a repeat of the Surat-type split (1907).

Rise of Communalism after 1922

Despite these reconciliations within Congress, communal tensions began to intensify across the country. Why?

• Frustration after withdrawal of Non-Cooperation (1922): Many people felt disillusioned, and this void was often filled by communal appeals.
• Even the Swarajists split internally: the Responsivists (M.M. Malaviya, Lala Lajpat Rai, N.C. Kelkar) supported cooperation with government in order to “protect Hindu interests” — accusing leaders like Motilal Nehru of betraying Hindus.

Gandhi’s Intervention

• Deeply disturbed, Gandhi tried to bridge divides.
• In September 1924, at Maulana Mohammed Ali’s house in Delhi, Gandhi undertook a 21-day fast as an act of penance for the communal violence.
• However, his efforts had limited impact — communal mistrust continued to grow.

➡️ Result: The ideal of composite nationalism (all Indians first) suffered a serious setback.

Structural Factors Behind Communalism

Several broader factors explain why communalism gained traction in this period:

1. Impact of Khilafat Movement: Religious idioms entered mass politics, and even after Khilafat ended, many leaders continued linking politics with faith.
2. Separate electorates under Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms (1919): Institutionalized communal identity in politics, allowing parties to mobilize voters on religious lines.
3. Unemployment + Education gap: Expansion of education without parallel job creation led many unemployed youth to rely on religious groups for patronage and opportunities.

Signs of Communalisation (1922–27)

• After 1923, communal riots became frequent → 91 riots in U.P. alone between 1923–27.
• Flashpoint issues: cow slaughter, music before mosques.
• Organisational developments:
  • Hindu Mahasabha (founded 1915) became more assertive.
  • RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) founded in 1925, emphasizing Hindu unity and discipline.
  • Muslim League revived around 1922–23, now more openly separatist.
  • Muslim reformist movements emerged in response: Tabligh (propagation of faith) and Tanzim (organization).

The Tablighi Jamaat (1926)

• Founded in 1926 at Mewat (India) by Maulana Muhammad Ilyas al-Kandhlawi, a scholar of the Deobandi school.
• Purpose: to “purify” Muslim faith by urging Muslims to live like the Prophet, not by converting others but by strengthening religious observance among Muslims themselves.
• Its rise was partly a reaction to Hindu revivalist efforts such as Shuddhi (reconversion) and Sangathan (consolidation) movements.
• The movement later became an international Islamic missionary organisation.

Significance of this Phase

• The mid-1920s highlighted two simultaneous realities:
  1. Congress Unity Restored: Belgaum session and Gandhi–Nehru–Das Pact ensured Congress remained the central platform for nationalism.
  2. National Unity Threatened: Outside Congress, communal divisions hardened, fragmenting the broader nationalist spirit.

Thus, while political strategy within Congress matured, society at large was increasingly fractured along communal lines — a challenge that haunted India throughout the freedom struggle.