In 1924, Mohandas Gandhi was released from jail after two years out of a six year sentence. He had pleaded guilty to sedition (illegal resistance of the authorities and attempting to disrupt the government), but was released early because government had wanted to prevent disastrous publicity should Gandhi have died in prison due to his acute appendicitis condition.

During Gandhi imprisonment, the other leaders of the Indian independence movement had abandoned his policy of non-violent non-cooperation with the British colonial masters. They had wanted action and immediate results. This resulted in violence and unrest in India. Worst of all, the Indian Muslims and Hindus had started fighting one another. Gandhi quickly regained his political strength and, with his 21-day fast for Indian unity and religious tolerance, once again became the centre of the independence movement.