Consider the following subjects with regard to Non-Cooperation Programme:
I. Boycott of law-courts and foreign cloth
II. Observance of strict non-violence
III. Retention of titles and honours without using them in public
IV. Establishment of Panchayats for settling disputes
How many of the above were parts of Non-Cooperation Programme?

Correct Answer:

(c) Only three

Explanation of the Correct Answer:

Let us evaluate each statement in the context of the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–22) launched by Mahatma Gandhi:

I. Boycott of law-courts and foreign cloth

→ Correct

• Boycotting British courts and foreign cloth was a central feature of the Non-Cooperation Programme.
• Indians were encouraged to:
  • Withdraw from colonial legal institutions
  • Promote hand-spun khadi and boycott Manchester cloth

II. Observance of strict non-violence

→ Correct

• The movement was premised on non-violence (Ahimsa).
• Gandhiji emphasized that non-violence was the soul of the movement.
• However, this was a principle, not a specific programme item like boycott or institution-building.

Yet, for the purposes of the Non-Cooperation Programme, strict observance of non-violence was considered a disciplinary precondition for participation.

III. Retention of titles and honours without using them in public

→ Incorrect

• The programme specifically called for the renunciation of British-conferred titles and honours, not their retention.
• Many leaders gave up titles like “Sir,” “Rai Bahadur,” and “Kaiser-i-Hind.”
• Hence, this statement contradicts the Non-Cooperation objective.

IV. Establishment of Panchayats for settling disputes

→ Correct

• Gandhi encouraged village-level self-rule.
• Panchayats were to be established as alternative dispute resolution forums to replace British courts.
• This aligned with Gandhi’s vision of Swaraj at the grassroots.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

• (a) Only one: Incorrect – at least three statements are valid.
• (b) Only two: Incorrect – three correct items are identifiable.
• (d) All the four: Incorrect – Statement III is incorrect.

Relevant Supplementary Information:

Table: Analysis of the Statements

Related Concepts:

• Launch Date: 1 August 1920 (after the Khilafat issue and Jallianwala Bagh massacre)
• Major forms of protest:
  • Surrender of titles
  • Boycott of government schools and courts
  • Promotion of khadi and swadeshi
  • Resignation from government jobs
• Suspension: Following the Chauri Chaura incident (1922), where violence broke out, Gandhi called off the movement.

Current Relevance:

• The Non-Cooperation Movement was the first mass-based political mobilization under Gandhi.
• It set the stage for civil disobedience, constructive work, and the Gandhian approach to nationalism, still referenced in civil movements today.

Table: Information About Concepts in the Non-Cooperation Programme

Additional Context:

Relevance Today:

• Emphasis on peaceful protest, self-reliance, and grassroots governance remains relevant in civil society movements.
• Non-Cooperation principles laid the foundation for later mass movements like Civil Disobedience and Quit India.