The Indian freedom movement saw the transformation of women from passive subjects of reform (as in Unit 3) to active agents of change. Mahatma Gandhi's call for mass movements played a crucial role in bringing women out of their homes and into the political sphere.
1. Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-1922)
This was the first true mass movement led by Gandhi, and it marked the first time women participated in large numbers.
- Gandhi's Call: Gandhi's philosophy of Satyagraha (non-violent resistance) was seen as "feminine" in character (based on tolerance and endurance), making it a socially acceptable path for women to join.
- Role of Women:
- Boycott and Swadeshi: Women were at the forefront of the boycott of foreign goods. They picketed shops selling foreign cloth and liquor.
- They gave up their foreign ornaments and clothes, spinning khadi (homespun cloth) on the charkha (spinning wheel) as a patriotic duty.
- Fundraising: Many women, like Basanti Devi (wife of C.R. Das), donated their jewelry and money to the Tilak Swaraj Fund.
- Women began to be arrested and imprisoned for political action for the first time in large numbers.
2. Civil Disobedience Movement (1930-1934)
If the Non-Cooperation Movement was women's entry, the Civil Disobedience Movement was their "coming of age" as a major political force.
- The Salt March (Dandi March):
- Initially, Gandhi did not include women in the core group marching to Dandi, as he feared the British would accuse them of "hiding behind women."
- The women, led by figures like Sarojini Naidu, were outraged and protested. Gandhi relented, realizing their determination.
- While men broke the salt law at Dandi, Sarojini Naidu led the famous, and brutal, Dharasana Salt Works raid, where protesters (men and women) non-violently walked into police lathis, an event that shocked the world.
- Mass Participation: This movement saw an unprecedented mass mobilization of women from all classes—from elite women like Kamala Nehru to ordinary rural women.
- They picketed, faced lathi charges, and went to jail in the thousands. Their participation proved they were not the "weaker sex" and made them equal stakeholders in the fight for freedom.
3. Quit India Movement (1942)
This was the final, and most radical, of the Gandhian movements. When all the top male leaders (Gandhi, Nehru, Patel) were arrested on the very first day, the movement became leaderless and spontaneous—and women stepped up to fill the vacuum.
- Women as Leaders: With the men in jail, women led from the front.
- Aruna Asaf Ali: Famously hoisted the Congress flag at the Gowalia Tank Maidan in Bombay after the leaders were arrested, an act of open defiance. She went underground and became a key leader of the resistance.
- Usha Mehta: Ran the secret, underground "Congress Radio," broadcasting messages of freedom and coordinating the movement, all while being hunted by the police.
- Sucheta Kripalani: Another leader who went underground, organizing protests and activities.
- Rural & Violent Participation: Unlike previous movements, women in rural areas also participated in more violent acts, such as attacking police stations and railway lines. In Assam, Kanaklata Barua, a young girl, was shot and killed while leading a procession to hoist the national flag at a police station.
4. Revolutionary Movements
While many women followed Gandhi's path, others believed non-violence was not enough and joined the "Revolutionary" (or militant nationalist) movements, which believed in armed struggle.
- Role of Women: They acted as spies, message carriers, and keepers of weapons, and also actively participated in attacks.
- Key Figures (Bengal):
- Pritilata Waddedar: A school teacher who, in 1932, led a raid on a European club in Chittagong (which had a sign saying "Dogs and Indians not allowed"). She was wounded during the attack and consumed cyanide to avoid capture.
- Kalpana Datta: Another key member of the Chittagong Armoury Raid team, led by Surya Sen. She was arrested and jailed.
- Bina Das: A student who, in 1932, attempted to assassinate the Governor of Bengal at her own convocation ceremony.
- Bhagat Singh's Group:
- Durga Devi (Durga Bhabhi): A member of the HSRA, she was instrumental in helping Bhagat Singh escape from Lahore in disguise after he assassinated the police officer Saunders.
5. Indian National Army (INA)
Subhas Chandra Bose's Indian National Army (INA) formed in Southeast Asia to fight the British, had a dedicated, all-female regiment—a revolutionary idea at the time.
- The Rani of Jhansi Regiment:
- Bose created this regiment in 1943, inspired by the "Rani of Jhansi," a symbol of the 1857 revolt.
- It was an all-female combat regiment, not just a nursing corps.
- Leadership: The regiment was commanded by Captain Lakshmi Sahgal (Dr. Lakshmi Swaminathan), a medical doctor from Singapore.
- Impact: The women of the INA were trained in the use of rifles, bayonets, and machine guns. They fought alongside men in the INA's campaign in Burma. The very existence of this regiment was a powerful symbol of gender equality and women's capability in armed combat, directly challenging all traditional notions of what women could do.