The call for ‘renunciation of (all) voluntary associations with the (British) Government’ was given during

The call for the 'renunciation of (all) voluntary associations with the (British) Government' was a central tenet of the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-22). Mahatma Gandhi proposed that the movement should unfold in stages, beginning with the surrender of titles and a boycott of civil services, army, police, courts, and schools [2]. This strategy was based on the premise that British rule in India survived only because of Indian cooperation; if Indians refused to cooperate, the administration would collapse [2]. The movement urged people to resign from government employment and forsake British honors. Historical texts explicitly link the specific phrase 'renunciation of (all) voluntary association with the (British) Government' to the instructions given to the public during this period to ensure the movement's effectiveness [1]. This 'renunciative freedom' aimed to simultaneously withdraw participation from and non-violently confront colonial governance.

Sources

1. [2] India and the Contemporary World – II. History-Class X . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 2: Nationalism in India > 1.3 Why Non-cooperation? > p. 33
2. [1] https://cuet.iitk.ac.in/sathee-cuet/student-corner/ncert-books/class-12/themes-in-indian-history/chapter-11-mahatma-gandhi-and-the-nationalist-movement-civil-disobedience-and-beyond/