THE NATIONAL MOVEMENT 1935-42

QUIT INDIA MOVEMENT FORWARD BLOC

1935 - 42

• WIDENING OF RIFT BETWEEN THE CONGRESS AND THE MUSLIM LEAGUE

• PARTING WAYS BETWEEN MAHATMA GANDHI AND SUBHASH CHANDRA BOSE

• SECOND WORLD WAR

• CONGRESS STARTED QUIT INDIA MOVEMENT

CRIPPS MISSION OF 1942

JAWAHARLAL NEHRU WITH SIR STAFFORD CRIPPS

CRIPPS MISSION OF 1942

• Why did Sir Stafford Cripps come to India?

– 7th December, 1941

– Japan attacked Pearl Harbour

– Japan’s entry into war was a cause of great worry for Britain, USA and China

– Japan advanced till Burma (Myanmar)

– The war had to come to the very border of India.

– The efficient defence of India needed the fullest cooperation of the people of the country

– Sir Stafford Cripps a member of the British War Cabinet, was sent to India to solve the Indian problem.

CRIPPS MISSION

JAPAN WAS MAKING SIGNIFICANT GAINS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA, WHICH BROUGHT IT CLOSER TO THE BORDERS OF INDIA.

THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WAS HENCE FORCED TO SEEK SUPPORT OF THE PEOPLE OF INDIA.

THERE WAS ALSO CONSIDERABLE PRESSURE FROM THE ALLIES, ESPECIALLY THE USA ON BRITAIN TO GRANT CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS TO INDIA.

IN MARCH 1942, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT SENT STAFFORD CRIPPS, THE LEADER OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN ENGLAND, TO INDIA WITH A SET OF PROPOSALS IN ORDER TO SEEK ITS SUPPORT FOR THE WAR. THIS WAS NAMED THE CRIPPS MISSION.

The proposals of Cripps Mission were as follows:

After the War India would be given the same status as the other Dominions (Canada, Australia) had.

Immediately after the War a Constituent Assembly would be set up. The Princely states would be free to choose whether to join the Indian Union or

to stay out.

The British government would accept the Constitution so framed subject to the condition that any Province or Provinces which did not accept the New

Constitution could frame a Constitution of their own.

Until the new Constitution was framed, the government desired effective participation of Indian leaders in Viceroy’s Executive Council. Only ‘the

defence of India’ would remain under the control of the British Government.

REJECTION OF THE CRIPPS PROPOSALS

Congress:

The proposal could divide India into a number of independent states

It demanded complete independence instead of a dominion status

The people of the Princely States had not been given the right to elect their representatives to the proposed

Constitution-making body. Their representatives were to be selected by the rulers.

Self government or Dominion Status was yet very far away. Meanwhile the Governor-General was to continue with full powers over matters like war and

defense. In war times defense covers almost the whole of administration.

Cripps did not talk about immediate transfer of power.

Muslim League

the proposal did not grant the right of self-determination to

the Muslims.

It did not give them the right of creation of Pakistan.

Gandhiji called the Cripps Mission a

‘post-dated cheque on a failing bank’.

Reasons for launch of Quit India Movement

FAILURE OF THE CRIPPS MISSION

• CONGRESS LEADERS REALIZED THAT THE BRITISH WERE ONLY INTERESTED IN FORCING INDIA TO SUPPORT ITS WAR EFFORTS. CRIPPS MISSION OFFERED ONLY A DOMINION STATUS TO INDIA.

WORSENING COMMUNAL PROBLEMS

• THE MUSLIM HAD BEEN DEMANDING FOR A SEPARATE STATE OF PAKISTAN.

• THE GOVERNMENT LENT ITS SUPPORT TO THE MUSLIM LEAGUE.

• THE COMMUNAL SITUATION BECAME TENSE

JAPAN POSED A SERIOUS THREAT

TO INDIA

• PEOPLE FEARED THAT IN CASE OF A JAPANESE ATTACK ON INDIA, THE BRITISH WOULD LEAVE THE INDIANS TO THEIR OWN FATE AND RUN AWAY.

• THE LEADERS BELIEVED THAT IT WAS NECESSARY TO LAUNCH A MOVEMENT IN ORDER TO LIFT THE LOW SPIRIT OF THE PEOPLE OF INDIA. OTHERWISE THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO RESIST THE JAPANESE ATTACK.

Popular discontent

The acute shortage of food in the country and the rising prices increased the misery of people.

Congress leaders felt that the time had come to give direction to the general discontentment of

the masses.

Collapse of the British empire

The news of British defeats at the hands of the Japanese strengthened the feeling that

the British empire was soon going to collapse. Rumours that Britain was

evacuating its south-east Asian territories spread rapidly.

Quit India Resolution

The resolution called for the immediate end of the British rule in India.

On August 8, 1942 by the All India Congress Committee.

Gandhi gave the mantra ‘ do or die’ to the Indians and accept nothing less than freedom.

Impact of the movementIt demonstrated that the sense of nationalism had reached deep into

the society with students, peasants, workers, women being active participants of the movement.

It brought new confidence among the people to refuse accepting anything but freedom.

All religious communities joined the movement.

The British realized that it was no longer possible to rule India against the wishes of the Indians.

As a result ot the movement, the leaders were in jail and there was very little political activity in the country till the end of the second

world war in 1945.

Significance of the movement

The British authority collapsed due to the quit India movement.

The attention of the world was drawn to the problems in India.

The pressure of public opinion made the British realize that they will have to give India independence sooner or

later.

It led to the growth of courage, confidence and political consciousness among the Indians.