1Section 1 of 1About 1 min
Background: From Constitutional Pressure to Purna Swaraj
- 1928 Calcutta Congress: Congress gave the British Government one year to accept the constitutional demands associated with the Nehru Report; failure would lead to the adoption of complete independence and a civil disobedience movement.
- Lord Irwin’s Declaration — 31 October 1929: The government stated that the natural constitutional objective contemplated by the 1917 Declaration was Dominion Status.
- Delhi Manifesto — 2 November 1929: National leaders demanded that the proposed Round Table Conference should formulate a constitutional scheme leading to Dominion Status, with adequate Congress representation, political conciliation and amnesty for political prisoners.
- Irwin rejected the Delhi Manifesto's conditions, increasing nationalist dissatisfaction.
- Lahore Congress — December 1929: Under Jawaharlal Nehru, Congress adopted Purna Swaraj as its goal and authorised the launching of a Civil Disobedience Movement.
- 31 December 1929: The tricolour was hoisted on the banks of the Ravi at Lahore.
- 26 January 1930: The day was observed across India as the first Independence Day, with people taking the Independence Pledge.
- February 1930: The Congress Working Committee authorised Gandhi to determine the form and timing of the Civil Disobedience Movement.