Correct Option
The Champaran Movement, initiated by Mahatma Gandhi in 1917, marked his first significant political engagement in India after his return from South Africa. Although a regional peasant agitation in Bihar, its successful application of Satyagraha against the exploitative Tinkathia system of indigo cultivation brought Gandhi national recognition and established his method of non-violent resistance. This event served as a crucial precursor to his future all-India movements, demonstrating his leadership and mass mobilization capabilities.
Incorrect Options
The Non-Cooperation Movement commenced in 1920, three years after the Champaran Movement. It was a nationwide mass movement aimed at resisting British rule through non-violent means.
The Rowlatt Satyagraha was launched in 1919 as an all-India protest against the repressive Rowlatt Act. While it was Gandhi's first call for an all-India agitation, it occurred after his successful experiments in Champaran (1917), Ahmedabad Mill Strike (1918), and Kheda Satyagraha (1918).
The Dandi March, also known as the Salt March, was a pivotal part of the Civil Disobedience Movement, which began in 1930. This event took place much later than the Champaran Movement.