Summary

● Quit India Movement

* Why launch a movement now?

Failure of Cripps Offer an evidence of British lack of will to concede Indian demands

Public discontent against wartime hardships A feeling of imminent British collapse

Indian leadership’s desire to prepare masses for possible Japanese invasion

* AICC Meeting (Bombay—August 8, 1942)

The meeting ratifies Quit India Resolution

* August 9, 1942 All prominent leaders arrested

* Major Activity

Public on rampage—especially Eastern UP, Bihar, Bengal— attacking symbols of authority

Underground activity to provide a line of command Parallel governments in Ballia (UP), Tamluk (Bengal) and Satara (Maharashtra)

Sections participating included youth, women, workers, peasants, government officials, some communists

February 1943 Gandhi started a fast

March 23, 1943 Pakistan Day observed

● C. Rajagopalachari Formula (March 1944)

League should immediately support independence for India and cooperate in Interim Government

After War, Muslim majority areas to exercise right to self- determination

In case of partition, common centre for defence, commerce, communications, etc

Jinnah rejected the offer as he wanted Congress to accept the two-nation theory

● Desai-Liaqat Pact

Congress and League nominees to have equal representation in Central Executive

20% of seats reserved for minorities

● Wavell Plan (Shimla Conference—June 1945)

An all-Indian executive council except the governor-general and commander-in-chief

Equal representation for caste Hindus and Muslims

Muslim League wanted all Muslims to be its nominees and claimed a communal veto in the executive council

Congress objected to it being painted purely as a caste Hindu party

● Subhash Bose and the INA

Origin of INA—Mohan Singh’s role. First Phase of INA.

Second Phase of INA.

Subhash Bose takes over from Rashbehari Bose. INA achievements—flag hoisted on Indian Soil.

Retreat of INA with the Japanese with the end of Second World War.

Chapter 24

Post-War National Scenario

Two Strands of National Upsurge

Two basic strands of national upsurge can be identified during the last two years of British rule—

(i) tortuous negotiations involving the government, Congress and Muslim League, increasingly accompanied by communal violence and culminating in freedom and the partition.

(ii) sporadic, localised and often extremely militant and united mass action by workers, peasants and states’ peoples which took the form of a countrywide strike wave. This kind of activity was occasioned by the INA Release Movement, Royal Indian Navy (RIN) revolt, Tebhaga movement, Worli revolt, Punjab Kisan Morchas, Travancore peoples’ struggle (especially the Punnapra-Vayalar episode) and the Telangana peasant revolt.