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Ahmedabad Satyagraha – Mahatma Gandhi’s Early Movements

By BYJU'S Exam Prep

Updated on: November 14th, 2023

Ahmedabad Satyagraha is also known as Ahmedabad Mill Strike was the first hunger strike led by Mahatma Gandhi. The Ahmedabad Satyagraha was led by Mahatma Gandhi in 1918 after he returned from South Africa just at the turn of the twentieth century. Gandhi used the hunger strike as a weapon in this strike.

The Ahmedabad Satyagraha was held as an intervention in the dispute between Ahmedabad workers and millowners. The strike was successful, and workers received a 35% wage increase as a result.

In this article, you will get the full details of the Ahmedabad satyagraha for the preparation for the UPSC exams. You can also download the Ahmedabad satyagraha PDF from the link attached to read about this important topic from prelims and main perspectives.

What is the Ahmedabad Satyagraha?

The Ahmedabad Satyagraha was a power tool of Mahatma Gandhi and is considered to be one of the major independence movements in the history of India. After returning from South Africa, Gandhi led the Ahemadabad Satyagraha, where there was a dispute between workers and mill-owners regarding wages, which was named the Ahmedabad Mill Strike. The hunger strike was a success.

Soon after, within a few days later, there was an issue with paying taxes to the government by farmers where there was less yield due to agriculture failure, which led to another strike called Kheda Satyagraha. Many other leaders, including Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, joined under the guidance of Gandhi, and this was also successful.

Ahmedabad Mill Strike 1918

For the first time, Mahatma Gandhi led a satyagraha and a hunger strike for an industrial dispute between the owners and the workers of a cotton mill in Ahmedabad.

  • To compensate for wartime inflation, workers wanted a 50% raise.
  • The employees went on a hunger strike as the mill owners were ready to pay only a 20% increase in wages.
  • For help in their struggle for justice, the mill workers went to Anusuya Sarabhai.
  • Gandhi resolved the dispute between cotton mill owners and workers in Ahemadabad.

Features of Ahmedabad Satyagraha

Anusuya Sarabhai, president of the Ahmedabad Mill Owners Association and sister of Ambalal Sarabhai, was approached for help in the fight for justice.

  • Anusuya Behn contacted Gandhi to step in and help resolve the dispute between workers and millowners.
  • Regardless of the fact that he took the workers’ cause, Gandhi was Ambalal’s friend.
  • Gandhi encouraged employees to strike in order to demand a wage increase of 35%.
  • Gandhi asked the workers to remain peaceful while on strike. After failing to reach an agreement with mill owners, he went on his first fast to boost the workers’ determination.
  • The mill owners gave in and finally agreed to listen to the workers’ demands.
  • The strike ended at some point. The panel eventually awarded the workers a 35% wage increase.

Kheda Satyagraha

Kheda Satyagraha was held on 11 March 1918, just 4 days after the Ahmedabad Satyagraha. The Kheda Satyagraha was essentially led by Sardar Patel and Gandhi after the region faced famine, cholera, and plagues which led to destroyed agriculture.

  • The Gujarat District of Kheda was on the verge of starvation due to droughts. The harvest was so low that the growers were unable to pay the revenue. But the government insisted that for cultivators, the yield is not that bad and they have to pay the taxes.

Gandhi accepted the Kheda Satyagraha fight just as the mill workers’ strike was coming to an end. Many leaders, like Vallabhbhai Patel, Shankarlal Banker, Mahadev Desai, and others, under Gandhi’s guidance, took an active part in the protest against the government for not paying the taxes.

The protest was peaceful and successful, as the government authorities gave in and agreed to give some concessions to farmers.

Kheda Satyagraha UPSC

Go through the overview of Kheda Satyagraha for the upcoming IAS exam below.

Kheda Satyagraha

Details

Kheda Satyagraha Date

11 March 1918

Kheda Satyagraha Place

Kheda, Gujarat

Kheda Satyagraha Reason

Despite a devastating crop failure and outbreaks of plague and cholera, the peasant-Patidar hamlet of Kheda was forced to submit to a 23 % tax rise.

Kheda Satyagraha is also known as

First non-cooperation movement led by Mahatma Gandhi

Timeline of Ahmedabad Satyagraha & Kheda Satyagraha

Listed the Movements initiated and led by Mahatma Gandhi in the Chronological series. It is important to note the Ahmedabad Satyagraha Date and other dates for the upcoming exam.

Movements led by Gandhi Year

Champaran Satyagraha

1917

Ahmedabad Mill Strike

1918

Kheda Satyagraha

1918

satyagraha against Rowlett act

1919

Ahmedabad Satyagraha UPSC

Gandhi led the Ahmedabad Satyagraha, which brought him into direct contact with the masses, and he actively championed their interests throughout his life. In fact, he was the first Indian nationalist leader to connect his life and manner of life to the common people’s existence. You can get the History Books for UPSC preparation.

The Ahmedabad Satyagraha is one of the important topics in modern Indian history. Many questions have been asked about the Ahmedabad Satyagraha in UPSC Prelims and UPSC Mains. To answer the questions in the exams, one must be fairly knowledgeable about topics in the history syllabus for UPSC. You can get the UPSC Syllabus here and NCERT books for history for in-detailed learning about the topic.

Ahmedabad Satyagraha UPSC Questions

Below are listed the questions that appeared in the UPSC Civil Service 2017 official paper1.

Q-Arrange the following events in the correct chronological sequence using the code below:

  1. Satyagrah against Rowlatt’s Act
  2. Champaran Satyagraha
  3. Kheda Satyagraha
  4. A Mill Strike in Ahmedabad

Select the correct answer using the option below.

  1. 2,4,3,1
  2. 1,2,3,4
  3. 2,1,4,3
  4. 3,2,4,1

Correct Answer:- Option 1

Mahatma Gandhi UPSC Notes PDF

Download the Mahatma Gandhi UPSC Notes PDF which includes notes on Ahmedabad Satyagraha and Kheda Satyagraha. You can also download Indian History Notes for UPSC to complete other important topics

Download Mahatma Gandhi’s Early Movements Notes PDF

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