Q : Discuss the role of women in the freedom struggle especially during the Gandhian phase. 2016 | 12.5

Introduction

The Gandhian phase of the Indian freedom struggle (1915–1947) witnessed an unprecedented participation of women in national politics. Mahatma Gandhi’s inclusive approach transformed the movement into a mass struggle where women from diverse social backgrounds emerged as symbols of courage, sacrifice, and leadership.

Body

1. Mahatma Gandhi’s Influence
• Gandhi viewed women as equal partners in the freedom struggle, emphasizing their moral strength and non-violent courage. His appeal brought women from homes into public life for the first time on a mass scale.
2. Participation in Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–22)
• Women joined picketing of liquor shops, boycotting foreign cloth, and promoting khadi. Leaders like Sarojini Naidu and Basanti Devi mobilized women in Bengal and Punjab.
3. Civil Disobedience Movement (1930–34)
• Women played a frontline role in defying salt laws, leading marches, and courting arrest. Sarojini Naidu led the Dandi March after Gandhi’s arrest. Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay sold illegal salt in Bombay as an act of defiance.
4. Participation in Quit India Movement (1942)
• Women actively led underground activities, protests, and communication networks. Aruna Asaf Ali hoisted the Congress flag at Gowalia Tank Maidan. Usha Mehta ran the underground Congress Radio to spread nationalist messages.
5. Grassroots Mobilization and Social Reform
• Women like Kasturba Gandhi and Durgabai Deshmukh worked among rural women, promoting education, sanitation, and removal of untouchability, aligning social reform with political struggle.
6. Regional Participation
• Kamala Nehru in the United Provinces, Perin Captain in Bombay, and Matangini Hazra in Bengal exemplified local leadership. Hazra became a martyr during Quit India Movement.
7. Participation across Communities
• Muslim women such as Bi Amman (mother of Ali brothers) and Abadi Bano Begum participated in the Khilafat and Non-Cooperation movements, breaking patriarchal barriers.
8. Cultural and Literary Contribution
• Women writers like Subhadra Kumari Chauhan and Sarojini Naidu inspired nationalist sentiment through poetry and speeches, instilling courage among youth and women.
9. Transformation in Social Perceptions
• The participation of women in the national struggle challenged patriarchal norms, leading to their growing assertion in public and political life.

Conclusion

The Gandhian phase democratized India’s freedom struggle by integrating women as active participants and leaders. Their courage and sacrifice not only strengthened the nationalist movement but also paved the way for gender equality and women’s empowerment in post-independence India, reflected in constitutional guarantees of equal rights and political participation.