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The Swaraj Party (1923)

1. Formation & Context

• Founded: January 1923 by Motilal Nehru and Chittaranjan Das (C.R. Das).
• Context:
  • Formed after the failure and withdrawal of the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-1922) by Mahatma Gandhi.
  • The immediate trigger was a disagreement within the Indian National Congress at its Gaya session in December 1922.
• Initial Status: A faction within the Indian National Congress.

2. Founders and Key Leaders

• Primary Founders: C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru.
• Other Prominent Leaders:
  • Vithalbhai Patel (First Indian Speaker of the Central Legislative Assembly)
  • N.C. Kelkar
  • Srinivas Iyer
  • Lala Lajpat Rai (joined later)
• Leaders NOT Associated: C. Rajagopalachari and Rajendra Prasad (they remained with the Gandhi-led faction).

3. Objectives and Strategy

• Main Strategy: To enter the legislative councils established by the Government of India Act, 1919.
• Primary Goals:
  • To obstruct the government from within (a policy known as “obstruction” or “wrecking the act”).
  • To demand a responsible government for India and force changes to the 1919 Act.
• Key Principle: C.R. Das famously stated that “Swaraj should be for common people not only for classes.”

4. Political Activities and Performance

• Elections: Participated in the November 1923 elections to the legislative councils.
• Performance:
  • Won 42 out of 101 elected seats in the Central Legislative Assembly.
  • Formed majorities in some provincial assemblies.
  • Formed coalitions with other groups, including liberals and independents like M.A. Jinnah and Madan Mohan Malviya.
• Key Achievement: Vithalbhai Patel was elected as the President (Speaker) of the Central Legislative Assembly in 1925.

5. Regional Expansion

• A branch of the Swaraj Dal was established in Bihar under the leadership of Shri Krishna Singh.

Related Historical Context

Government of India Act, 1919 & Liberal Separation

• The Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms led to the Government of India Act, 1919, which introduced the dyarchy system.
• When the Congress condemned the Montagu-Chelmsford Report, many moderates left to form the Indian Liberal Federation (also called the Liberal Party).

Key Personalities

• C.R. Das:
  • Known as ‘Deshbandhu’ (Friend of the Nation).
  • A renowned lawyer who defended Aurobindo Ghose.
• Vithalbhai Patel:
  • Elder brother of Vallabhbhai Patel.
  • One of the founders of the Swaraj Party.
  • Became the first Indian Speaker of the Central Legislative Assembly in 1925.

Supplementary Facts

Indian National Congress (INC) Sessions

• Topic: Presidents of the INC
  • Mahatma Gandhi presided over the Indian National Congress only once.
  • This was the 39th annual session.
  • This session was held in 1924 in Belgaum, Karnataka.

Central Legislative Assembly

• Topic: Leadership
  • Vithalbhai Patel was the President of the Central Legislative Assembly in August 1925.

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