Meerut conspiracy case
Topic: The National Movement: Gandhian Era · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The Meerut conspiracy case was a long trial of communist and trade union leaders, held at Meerut from 1929 to 1933. The British arrested 31 of them in March 1929 and charged them with plotting to remove the King's rule over India. The real aim was to crush the growing workers' movement. The plan failed. The trial gave the accused a public stage, and they won wide sympathy.
Example
Three British communists were among the accused: Philip Spratt, Ben Bradley and Lester Hutchinson. Nationalist leaders such as Jawaharlal Nehru helped with the defence. In 1933 most of the accused received long sentences, but many were cut down on appeal.
Don't confuse with
- Lahore conspiracy case (1929–31): that trial was about revolutionaries who used guns, led by Bhagat Singh. The Meerut case was against labour and communist organisers for their political organising.
Related concepts
- All India Kisan Sabha
- Swami Sahajanand Saraswati
- FICCI
- G.D. Birla
- Jamnalal Bajaj
- All India Trade Union Congress
- Communist Party of India
- Women in the civil disobedience movement
- Women's Indian Association
- All India Women's Conference