Quit India Movement

Introduction to Quit India Movement

• The Quit India Movement was a significant civil disobedience movement launched by the Indian National Congress in 1942.

• The movement aimed to demand an immediate end to British rule in India and the formation of a provisional Government of India after British withdrawal.

• The Quit India Resolution was ratified at the Congress meeting at Gowalia Tank, Bombay, on August 8, 1942.

Reasons for Starting the Struggle

Failure of the Cripps Mission

• The failure of the Cripps Mission to solve the constitutional deadlock exposed Britain’s unchanged attitude on constitutional advance and made it clear that any more silence would be tantamount to accepting the British right to decide the fate of Indians without consulting them.

Popular Discontent

• There was popular discontent because of rising prices and shortage of rice, salt, etc., and because of factors such as commandeering of boats in Bengal and Orissa.

• There were fears of Britain following a scorched earth policy in Assam, Bengal, and Orissa against possible Japanese advance.

News of British Reverses

• News of reverses suffered by the British in South-East Asia and an imminent British collapse enhanced popular willingness to give expression to discontent.

• The Japanese troops were approaching the borders of India. Popular faith in the stability of British rule was so low that people were withdrawing deposits from banks and post offices.

British Behavior and Racism

• The manner in which the British evacuated from South-East Asia leaving the subjects to their fate, and the rout of a European power by an Asian power shattered white prestige and the British behavior towards the Indian subjects in South-East Asia exposed the racist attitude of the rulers.

Conditioning for Possible Japanese Invasion

• The leadership wanted to condition the masses for a possible Japanese invasion.

The Quit India Resolution

• The Congress Working Committee met at Wardha in July 1942 and resolved that it would authorize Gandhi to take charge of the non-violent mass movement.

• The resolution was generally referred to as the ‘Quit India’ resolution. Proposed by Jawaharlal Nehru and seconded by Sardar Patel, it was to be approved by the All India Congress Committee meeting in Bombay in August.

• The Quit India Resolution was ratified at the Congress meeting at Gowalia Tank, Bombay, on August 8, 1942.

• The meeting also resolved to demand an immediate end to British rule in India, declare commitment of free India to defend itself against all types of Fascism and imperialism, form a provisional Government of India after British withdrawal, and sanction a civil disobedience movement against British rule.

• Gandhi was named the leader of the struggle.

Gandhi’s General Instructions to Different Sections

• Gandhi’s special instructions were spelt out at the Gowalia Tank meeting but not actually issued. They were directed at various sections of society.

• Government servants: Do not resign but declare your allegiance to the Congress.

• Soldiers: Do not leave the army but do not fire on compatriots.

• Students: If confident, leave studies.

• Peasants: If zamindars are anti-government, pay mutually agreed rent, and if zamindars are pro-government, do not pay rent.

• Princes: Support the masses and accept sovereignty of your people.

• Princely states’ people: Support the ruler only if he is anti-government and declare yourselves to be a part of the Indian nation.

• Gandhi followed up with the now-famous exhortation: “Here is a mantra, a short one, that I give you. You may imprint it on your hearts and let every breath of yours give expression to it. The mantra is: ‘Do or Die’. We shall either free India or die

Extent of Mass Participation

Youth Participation:

• Youth, especially students from schools and colleges, remained in the forefront of the Quit India Movement.

• They organized protest rallies and marches, delivered speeches and actively participated in civil disobedience campaigns.

Women Participation:

• Women, especially school and college girls, actively participated in the Quit India Movement.

• Prominent female leaders of the Quit India Movement include Aruna Asaf Ali, Sucheta Kripalani, and Usha Mehta.

Worker Participation:

• Workers from various industries went on strikes and faced repression during the Quit India Movement.

• The workers demanded better working conditions and equal pay for all, and participated in various forms of civil disobedience.

Peasant Participation:

• Peasants of all strata were at the heart of the Quit India Movement.

• Even some zamindars, who were traditional landlords, participated in the movement. However, there was no anti-zamindar violence as the peasants concentrated their offensive on symbols of authority.

Government Officials Participation:

• Government officials, especially those belonging to lower levels in police and administration, also participated in the Quit India Movement.

• This resulted in erosion of government loyalty and provided momentum to the movement.

Muslim Participation:

• Muslims helped by giving shelter to underground activists during the Quit India Movement.

• Interestingly, there were no communal clashes during the movement, which was a great achievement in itself.

Opposition 

• The Communists did not join the movement; in the wake of Russia (where the communists were in power) being attacked by Nazi Germany, the communists began to support the British war against Germany and the ‘Imperialist War’ became the ‘People’s War’.

• The Muslim League opposed the movement, fearing that if the British left India at that time, the minorities would be oppressed by the Hindus.

• The Hindu Mahasabha boycotted the movement.

• The Princely states showed a low-key response.

Parallel Governments during the Quit India Movement

During the Quit India Movement, several parallel governments were established by the activists in various parts of India. Here are some of the notable examples:

Ballia (August 1942)

• Chittu Pandey established a parallel government in Ballia for a week during August 1942.

• The government secured the release of many Congress leaders who had been arrested.

• It worked towards the promotion of local self-government and the spread of the Quit India message.

Tamluk (Midnapore, December 1942 to September 1944)

• Jatiya Sarkar was established in Tamluk and remained functional from December 1942 to September 1944.

• It undertook relief work in the aftermath of a devastating cyclone.

• The parallel government also sanctioned grants to schools, supplied paddy from the rich to the poor, and organized Vidyut Vahinis (groups to promote rural electrification).

Satara (mid-1943 to 1945)

• The parallel government established in Satara was named “Prati Sarkar” and functioned from mid-1943 to 1945.

• Leaders like Y.B. Chavan, Nana Patil, etc. were instrumental in running the government.

• Village libraries and Nyayadan Mandals (groups to promote justice) were organized.

• Prohibition campaigns were carried out, and ‘Gandhi marriages’ were organized to promote the Quit India message.

Satara-

• Parallel government was also established in Satara.

• Satara, in the present-day state of Maharashtra, was not the only place in the region to establish a parallel government.

• In the neighboring district of Pune, the Keshavrao Jedhe Committee set up a parallel administration that functioned for two years (1943-1945).

• The committee took charge of a range of activities, including providing relief during famines and natural disasters, setting up schools and health centers, and organizing cultural programs.