The nationalist movement grew in a wide spread mass anti-imperialist movement at the end of the war. It served to bring millions of people into the movement for swaraj. Here swaraj means, own administration. In December 1929, the Congress session was held at Lahore with Jawaharlal Nehru as the President.

The Congress declared the attainment of complete Independence as its aim and decided to launch a Civil Disobedience movement under the leadership of Gandhiji. It was decided to celebrate 26th January as the Independence Day all over the country. On 26th January 1930, meetings were held all over the country and the Congress tricolor was hoisted. The people took the ‘pledge of independence’ at these meetings.