Quit India Movement

 Okay, here are the notes summarizing the lecture on the Quit India Movement (QIM):

Quit India Movement (క్విట్ ఇండియా ఉద్యమం) 1942-44

Context:

• Followed the failure of the Cripps Mission (క్రిప్స్ మిషన్ విఫలం), which was rejected by all major Indian parties.

• Timeline: 1942-1944 (as per Spectrum/NCERT).

• Represents a shift in Gandhi's strategy from Individual Satyagraha (వ్యక్తిగత సత్యాగ్రహం) in 1940 to a mass movement. The speaker emphasizes understanding this Pariwartana (పరివర్తన - change).

Reasons (కారణాలు) for Launching the Movement:

1. Failure of Cripps Mission: Lack of satisfactory constitutional proposals and unmet demands led to widespread frustration.

2. Japanese Threat: Japan's rapid advance in South East Asia (మలయా, థాయిలాండ్, బర్మా) during WWII, coupled with their "Asia for Asians" slogan, created fear of an imminent invasion of India. The belief was that the British presence invited this threat. Reports of Japanese atrocities (e.g., in China) added to the urgency.

3. Economic Hardship & Public Unrest: WWII caused severe inflation, scarcity of essential goods (like rice), and widespread poverty (భారత్ పేదైపోయింది). This created significant public discontent (ప్రజల్లో అశాంతి) and readiness for action.

Resolution (తీర్మానం) & Launch:

1. Wardha Resolution: The initial resolution for QIM was passed by the Congress Working Committee (CWC) at Wardha. (Gandhi was based here after leaving Sabarmati Ashram).

2. AICC Approval: The All India Congress Committee (AICC) formally approved the resolution in Bombay (బాంబే) at the Gowalia Tank Maidan (later renamed Kranti Maidan - క్రాంతి మైదాన్) on August 8, 1942.

3. Gandhi as Leader: The CWC appointed Gandhi as the leader of the movement.

4. "Do or Die" Slogan: Gandhi gave the famous call "Do or Die" (చేయండి లేదా చావండి), urging people to either "Free India" or "Die in the attempt," emphasizing total commitment and no tolerance for slavery (బానిసత్వం సహించేది లేదు). He asked people to imprint this mantra on their hearts.

5. Gandhi's Successor: Between the Cripps Mission failure and the QIM launch, Gandhi declared Nehru (నెహ్రూ), not Rajagopalachari (రాజగోపాలాచారి), as his political successor, despite potential differences.

6. Rajagopalachari's Opposition: Rajagopalachari opposed the QIM resolution, resigned from Congress, and formed the Swatantra Party (స్వతంత్ర పార్టీ).

Course of the Movement & Participation:

1. Leaderless & Spontaneous: Top leaders (Gandhi, Nehru, etc.) were arrested on August 9, 1942 (Operation Zero Hour). The movement became largely leaderless (నాయకుడు లేడు) and directionless (దిశ లేదు), spreading spontaneously.

2. Widespread Violence (హింస): Marked by significant violence, much more than NCM or CDM. This is attributed to the leaderless nature and aggressive interpretations of "Do or Die."

   • Public on Rampage: Attacks on symbols of British authority: police stations burned (ఠాణా జలావో), railway stations attacked (స్టేషన్ ఫుంక్ దో), telegraph lines cut, railway tracks removed. Slogan: Angrezon Bhag Gaye (ఆంగ్లేయులు పారిపోయారు).

3. Key Participants:

   • Students: Played a major role, especially from Banaras Hindu University (BHU). Active in Bihar and UP.

   • Underground Activities (రహస్యంగా): Led primarily by the Congress Socialist Party (CSP) members (Ram Manohar Lohia, Jayaprakash Narayan, Acharya Narendra Dev) and the Forward Bloc.

   • Women: Significant participation. Notable names from NCERT:

     • Matangini Hazra (మాతంగిని హజ్రా) in Bengal.

     • Kanaklata Barua (కనకలత బారువా) in Assam.

     • Rama Devi (రమాదేవి) in Orissa.

     • Usha Mehta (ఉషా మెహతా): Operated a secret Congress Radio in Bombay.

     • Aruna Asaf Ali (అరుణా అసఫ్ అలీ): Hoisted the flag at Gowalia Tank Maidan after leaders' arrest, prominent in underground activities, published the Inquilab (ఇంక్విలాబ్) paper.

   • Peasants (రైతులు): High participation, similar to NCM. Established Parallel Governments (సమాంతర ప్రభుత్వాలు):

     • Ballia (బలియా), UP: Led by Chittu Pandey (చిట్టు పాండే). Short-lived.

     • Tamluk (తమలుక్), Midnapore, Bengal: Jatiya Sarkar (జాతీయ సర్కార్) formed by Vidyut Vahini Sena (విద్యుత్ వాహిని సంస్థ).

     • Satara (సతారా), Maharashtra: Led by Y.B. Chavan (వై.బి. చవాన్) and Nana Patil (నానా పాటిల్). Called Prati Sarkar (ప్రతి సర్కార్). Longest-lasting parallel govt.

   • Tribals: Mentioned Veer Lakhan Nayak (వీర్ లఖన్ నాయక్), a tribal leader hanged during the movement. His reported last words lamented dying before seeing "Freedom's Dawn" (స్వతంత్రపు ఉషోదయం). (UPSC Prelims 2019 question connection).

Stance of Other Parties:

• Muslim League (ML): Opposed the movement. Demanded "Divide and Quit" (విభజించి వెళ్ళండి), fearing Hindu domination post-British withdrawal, citing the Pirpur Report.

• Hindu Mahasabha (HM): Opposed/Boycotted the movement.

• Communist Party of India (CPI): Opposed the movement after initially supporting it. Changed stance when Germany attacked their ideological parent, Russia (USSR). They then termed WWII a "People's War" and supported the British (allied with USSR), leading to public criticism.

• Forward Bloc: Supported and actively participated in underground activities. (Netaji Bose supported from Berlin via radio).

• Ambedkar: Did not support the movement; joined the Viceroy's Executive Council as Labour Member.

Government Response (బ్రిటిష్ స్పందన):

• Severe Repression: Most brutal suppression since 1857.

• Mass arrests (over 100,000).

• Lathi charges and firing.

• Unprecedented Measure: Use of airplanes to drop bombs on protestors.

• Viceroy Linlithgow (లిన్లిత్ గో) acknowledged the severity in letters to Churchill.

• Gandhi undertook a 21-day fast in Aga Khan Palace (ఆగాఖాన్ ప్యాలెస్), Pune, in protest against the repression. (Kasturba Gandhi and Mahadev Desai died during this imprisonment).

• Three Indian members of the Viceroy's Executive Council (Aney, Sarkar, Mody - ఆనే, సర్కార్, మోడీ) resigned in protest against the repression.

Evaluation/Significance (సమీక్ష):

• Last major mass movement before independence involving the general populace across sections.

• Demonstrated the depth of nationalist sentiment and willingness to sacrifice.

• Though brutally suppressed and leaderless, it significantly weakened British authority and convinced them that ruling India was no longer tenable long-term.

• Marked a decline in Gandhi's direct command over movements and the rise of the next generation (Nehru, Patel).

• The violence led to criticism, even from Gandhi later (though he blamed British provocation). Sumit Sarkar called the "Do or Die" slogan Gandhi's "Militant Mood".

• Considered the "August Revolution" (ఆగస్ట్ విప్లవం) due to its intensity and timing.

• Around 1000 people were officially killed (unofficial figures likely higher).