9. Last Phase of Struggle for Independence

In this chapter we are going to study proposal of in front of the Indians. the , underground But none of the political party was satisfied movement and the contribution of Indian with this proposal. The Indian National National Army. Congress rejected the proposal since there Act of 1935 : This Act made a was no clear mention of complete provision for the British governed Indian independence. Since there was no mention provinces and Princely States to form a of creation of Pakistan, the Muslim League federation. According to this act, the also rejected the Cripps Mission. working of British governed provinces will Second World War and Indian be handed over to the Indian representatives. National Congress : The Second World If the princely states join the federation War began in Europe in 1939. The then then they would lose their autonomy, hence Viceroy Lord Linlithgo declared that India they refused to join. Therefore the proposal has joined the war on the side of the of federal state in the Act was not brought British. England claimed that it is fighting into practice. to save Democracy in Europe. The Indian Provincial Cabinets : The demanded that if the National Congress was not satisfied with claim was true then England should the Act of 1935, but still decided to take immediately grant freedom to India. part in the elections of Provincial legislature England refused to fulfill this demand and provided by the Act. In 1937, elections therefore the provincial ministers of Indian were held in eleven provinces in the National Congress resigned in November country. Among these, Indian National 1939. Congress gained majority over eight Quit India Movement : After the provinces and came to power. In other Cripps mission, the Indian National three provinces none of the party could Congress decided to start an intense achieve majority and therefore mixed movement for attaining independence. The cabinet was formed. Working Committee of the Congress passed The Cabinet ministers of Indian a resolution on 14 July 1942 at Wardha. National Congress did useful work for the The resolution demanded that the British people such as release of political prisoners rule in India be ended immediately and from jail, introduction of basic education, India should be given independence. If this prohibition of liquor, measures undertaken demand was not fulfilled then the Indian to improve condition of the Dalits, passing National Congress warned to start a non of Act giving debt relief to the farmers etc. violent movement for freedom of India. Cripps Mission : During the second world Quit India Resolution : On 7 August war, England supported America against 1942, the session of Indian National Japan. The Japanese army reached the Congress was held at Gowalia Tank eastern borders of India. The British (Kranti Maidan) in Mumbai. Maulana realised that if Japan attacks India, then Abul Kalam Azad was the President of they will need co-operation from the this session. The British should leave India, Indians. Hence the British Prime Minister this resolution passed by Congress Working Winston Churchill sent Sir Stafford Cripps Committee at Wardha was to be finally to India. In March 1942, he put up a approved in the Mumbai session. On

8 August the resolution British. They tried to take control of of ‘Quit India’ put Government offices. In Maharashtra, the forth by Jawaharlal young and old struggled with determination Nehru got passed with and boundless courage at places like great majority. It was Chimur, Ashti, Yavali, Mahad, Gargoti also decided to start a etc. and made the struggle immortal. nation wide non violent agitation under Do you know ? the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. Inspirational accounts of brave children : Gandhiji said, “Every The school students also Maulana Azad one of you should, contributed in the freedom from this moment onwards, consider movement. At Nandurbar, the school children, under yourself a free man or woman and behave the leadership of like a citizen of free India.... we shall either Shirishkumar, carried out free India or die in the attempt.” Gandhiji procession holding the tri made an inspirational appeal to the public colour flag. The slogan of to be ready to sacrifice with the feeling of ‘Vande Mataram’ was Shirishkumar ‘Do or Die’. given. The police became Beginning of People’s Movement : furious and opened firing on small children as The news of arrest of important leaders of well. In this firing Shirishkumar, Laldas, Indian National Congress spread out all Dhansukhlal, Shashidhar, Ghanashyam, these over the country. The angry mob took out school children became martyr. processions at various places. Even though Underground Movement : At the end police lathi charged and opened firing on of 1942 the public the public but still people were not afraid. movement got a new The agitators attacked some places jails, turn. The leadership police stations, railway stations etc. which of this movement symbolised the suppressive policy of the went into hands of

Let us know... young socialist Individual Satyagraha : The British activists. Jayprakash Government was Narayan, Dr. Ram constantly neglecting the Manohar Lohia, demands, hence the Jayprakash Narayan Chhotubhai Puranik, Indian National Congress Achyutrao Patwardhan, , decided to start anti war Yusuf Meher Ali, Sucheta Kriplani, S.M. propoganda. For this it Joshi, Shirubhau Limaye, N.G. Gore, was decided that instead Yashwantrao Chavan, Vasantdada Patil, of a collective movement, Maganlal Bagdi, Usha Mehta such leaders every single person were in the forefront. The activist disrupted should disobey the laws. Acharya Vinobha This was known as Bhave the transport and communication as well as the government machinery by causing ‘Individual Satyagraha’. Acharya Vinoba Bhave was the first satyagrahi of individual the breakdown of Railway routes, cutting satyagraha. He was followed by nearly 25,000 of telephone line, blowing up bridges etc. satyagrahis who accepted imprisonment for The impact of the movement was seen all their participation. over India. Hemu Kalani, in Sindh province,

Government. People started accepting the verdict passed by the People’s Court appointed by the Parallel Government.

Opposition to money

lenders, prohibition on liquor, spread of literacy, opposition to caste distinctions many such

Aruna Asaf Ali Achyutrao Patwardhan constructive work was done by this government. tried to destroy the railway along with his Due to it the Parallel companions when he received the news of Government became a passing of a railway carrying British troops Krantisinh Nana source of inspiration for Patil and supplies. The court punished him to be the public. hanged to death. Bhai Kotwal’s ‘Azad Dasta’ in Karjat Importance of Quit India Movement : The 1942 movement took up the form of a taluka of modern day Raigad district, nationwide agitation. To fulfill the objectives General Awari’s ‘Lal Sena’ in Nagpur of gaining independence lakhs of Indians such groups made the government helpless made unlimited sacrifices. Many sacrificed and witless for months. In Mumbai, Vitthal their lives. The number of people Zaveri, Usha Mehta and her companions participating in the struggle was so huge established a secret transmission centre that even all the prisons in the whole of the named ‘Azad Radio’. Patriotic songs were country were not enough to contain them. sung on it. News of agitations in the The patriotic songs country where broadcasted on it. Patriotic composed by Sane speeches were telecasted. This gave Guruji, Rashtrasant encouragement to the agitators. Such Tukdoji Maharaj and transmission centres operated at Kolkata, others increased the Delhi and Pune for some period of time. enthusiasm of the Establishment of Parallel agitators. This Government : At some places in the nationwide movement is country, British officers were driven out also called ‘August and the ‘People’s Government’ was Rashtrasant Kranti’. established. These are called ‘Parallel Tukdoji Maharaj Government’. Parallel Government where Indian National formed in districts of Midnapore in Bengal, Army ( Sena) : Netaji Subhash Ballia and Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh and Chandra Bose took phenomenal efforts for gaining independence of India. On the Purnia in Bihar. eastern borders of India, thousands of In Satara district of Maharashtra, in Indians stood in readiness to fight against 1942, Krantisinh Nana Patil brought an end the British. All these soldiers belonged to to the British government and established Azad Hind Sena. Netaji Subhash Chandra parallel government. At Kundal, under the Bose was their leader. leadership of Krantiagrani G. D. alias Bapu Subhash Chandra Bose was an important Lad, ‘Toofan Sena’ was established. Through leader of Indian National Congress. He its medium, collection of taxes, maintenance graced the position of President of Congress of law and order, punishment to criminals, twice. As per his opinion, while England was such work was done by the Parallel

engaged in Second the help of Captain , formed World War, the a battalion of these Indian Prisoners of War. Indians should take It was named as ‘’

advantage of it and (Azad Hind Sena). Later Netaji Subhash

make the movement Chandra Bose led the Indian National Army. more intense. If In October 1943, Netaji established Azad necessary India Hind Government in Singapore. Shah should seek the help of Nawaz Khan, Jagannath Bhosale, enemies of Dr.Laxmi Swaminathan, Gurubuksh Sing Netaji Subhash England. But there Dhillon, Prem Kumar Sehgal etc. were his Chandra Bose aroused difference of chief associates. Captain Laxmi opinion between him and other senior leaders Swaminathan was the Commander of Rani of Congress. As a result, Subhash Chandra of Jhansi Regiment. Netaji appealed to the Bose resigned from the position of President. Indian people- ‘You give me blood and I To place his views in front of the people he will give you independence’. founded a party known as ‘Forward Bloc’. Achievements of Indian National Through his speeches, Netaji appealed Army : In November 1943, Japan to the Indians to revolt against the British conquered Andaman and Nicobar islands rule. Due to it the Government imprisoned and handed them over to Azad Hind him. Subhash Chandra Bose went on fast Government. Netaji renamed them as unto death in the prison due to which the ‘Shahid’ and ‘Swarajya’ respectively. In British Government interned him in his 1944, Indian National Army captured the residence. From there he escaped in Aarakan province in Myanmar. Posts on disguise. In April 1941 he reached the eastern border of Assam were captured. Germany. There he founded the ‘Free India In the same period the campaign of Imphal Centre’. From the Berlin Radio station in remained incomplete because Japan Germany, he appealed to the Indian people stopped helping the Indian National Army. to join in an armed struggle. During this But in adverse circumstances, soldiers of period, invited Subhash Indian National Army were dedicatedly Chandra Bose to Japan. fighting. But in the same period, Japan Formation of accepted defeat. On 18 August 1945 the Indian National Subhash Chandra Bose died in a plane Army : Rash Behari accident. On this background the soldiers Bose was staying in of Indian National Army had to lay down Japan since 1915. He their arms. Thus ended the thrilling phase had organised the of the Indian National Army. Indian patriots living Later, the British Government in countries of South charged the officers of Indian National East Asia and Army with treason. Pandit Jawaharlal stablished the Nehru, , Tej Bahadur Rash Behari Bose organisation named Sapre these expert lawyers defended them. ‘Indian Independence League’. In the early But the military tribunal held the officers part of 1942, Japan conquered the territiries guilty and they were sentenced to life in South East Asia which were controlled imprisonment. Therefore there was severe by the British. Thousands of Indian soldiers unrest against the British Government in and officers in British army there, fell into the minds of Indian people. Finally the the hands of Japan. Rash Behari Bose, with British Government had to suspend the

punishments given by the military tribunal. To support the uprising of naval Revolts of Indian Navy and Airforce : soldiers, the Air force officers from Delhi, The navy and Air force soldiers, with the Lahore, Karachi, Ambala, Meerut etc. inspiration from Indian National Army, went on strike. These revolts were a clear caused discontent against the British indication that the sentiments of discontent Government. It burst out on the British war against the rulers had reached a climax. In ship ‘Talwar’ in Mumbai on 18 February this way the period between 1942 to 1946 1946. The soldiers unfurled the tri colour shook the foundation of British power in flag on the British warship. They raised India. Through the Quit India Movement slogans against the British Government. the severe discontent of Indian people The British Government sent army to open against the British was expressed. Army, fire on the naval soldiers. The rebels also Navy and Air Force was the backbone of made counter attack with firing. The British power. They were also now workers and common people extended their opposing the British. Due to these incidents support to the naval soldiers. Finally with the British rulers realised that they will not the mediation of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, be able to empower India for a long period the naval soldiers laid down their arms. of time.