What was the main objective of the non-cooperation movement started by Mahatma Gandhi?

a) Achieving complete independence from British rule

b) Demanding separate electorates for Hindus and Muslims 

c) Promoting communal harmony 

d) Seeking economic reforms only

The correct answer is (a) Achieving complete independence from British rule, though the immediate goal was expressed as attaining Swaraj (self-rule).

The Goal of Non-Cooperation

Launched in 1920, the Non-Cooperation Movement was Mahatma Gandhi's first pan-India mass movement. Its primary objective was to compel the British government to grant Swaraj, or self-rule, to the Indian people. This was a response to several events that were seen as grave injustices by the British.

The movement was driven by three main goals:

1. Seeking Justice for the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre: Protesting the horrific killing of unarmed civilians in Amritsar in 1919.
2. Addressing the Khilafat Issue: Supporting the Caliph of Turkey to foster Hindu-Muslim unity against the British.
3. Attaining Swaraj: Achieving self-governance for India.

The method was to withdraw all cooperation from the colonial administration. This included boycotting British goods, courts, schools, and elections, and returning any titles and honors bestowed by the British.

Why the Other Options are Incorrect

• b) Demanding separate electorates: This was a policy Gandhi and the Indian National Congress strongly opposed, as they believed it would divide the nation.
• c) Promoting communal harmony: While promoting Hindu-Muslim unity was a crucial strategy within the movement (especially through the Khilafat alliance), the ultimate objective was Swaraj.
• d) Seeking economic reforms only: Economic actions, like the boycott of foreign cloth and the promotion of Khadi, were key components, but they were tools to achieve the larger political goal of self-rule, not the sole objective.