Skip to main content

But for Quit India movement, British would have been tempted to prolong colonial rule

By Bharat Dogra 

It was on August 8 1942, 80 years ago, that Mahatma Gandhi gave his great call to the people of India to ‘do or die’ for independence and thereby served notice to the colonial rulers. Even though all the leading Congress rulers were arrested almost immediately, several hundred thousand people responded almost immediately and the very next day witnessed some of the most courageous and spontaneous clashes of people with police, despite the clear instructions from Churchill and his henchmen to step up their repressive machinery as perhaps never before.
Even as the British rulers evoked the ideals of freedom and democracy in their wider struggle against the Axis powers in the Second World War, it appeared that they were determined more than ever before to deny this to India and other countries ruled by them. The restraining hand of their most important ally, the USA (then under the leadership of FDR, one of the best Presidents of the USA) was the only problem Churchill appeared to care for before unleashing one wave of repression after another. Even as he used over 2 million soldiers of India to fight some of his most difficult battles, the British Prime Minister was only too willing to send India’s most respected leaders to prison. He and his henchmen also prepared the background for two of the biggest, avoidable tragedies, the most cruel and harmful legacies of British colonial rule in its last decade.
First, the neglect of crucial food needs of India and more particularly its more vulnerable people at a difficult time and even diversion of food led to the great Bengal famine which claimed around three million lives. There had been several terrible mass famines as a result of the exploitative policies of colonial rulers earlier also but perhaps none as devastating and destructive as this, one important factor being the tendency to subvert all other considerations to what Churchill perceived to be war-time needs. Forgetting also the nearly two million Indian soldiers being used by him in this effort, Churchill was compulsively contemptuous towards the great aspirations of India for freedom and called Mahatma Gandhi a half-naked fakir who should be trampled under an elephant’s feet.
Secondly, as the most important leaders of the freedom movement were imprisoned and hence were not able to be in contact with their people, the colonial rulers also used this as an opportunity to strengthen Hindu as well as Muslim communal forces. As their prize for staying away from the Quit India Movement and even opposing it, the communal forces led on two sides by the Muslim League as well as the Hindu Mahasabha were provided ample opportunities by the colonial rulers to strengthen their base and operations. This greatly increased their power for mischief and worse (at a time when the freedom movement’s leaders with the biggest support base among people were imprisoned and hence were unable to challenge openly their collusion with the divide and rule policy of colonial rulers). Hence the ground for partition was prepared by a few highly narrow-minded selfish and sectarian leaders who did the bidding of colonial rulers while betraying their own people.
In the middle of all these adversities, however, the common people showed great courage in rising in revolt. They revolted at many places and even set up parallel governments for some time. They clashed repeatedly with the police and braving bullets and lathis insisted on unfurling their tiranga flag at public places, often succeeding, sometimes sacrificing their life in the process. The police forces not just struck them lathi blows, but also fired on people more frequently than perhaps ever before. They even flogged protesters and imposed collective fines (although even they did not go to the extent of demolishing their houses).
However even as this highly repressive machinery was being unleashed, more officials and even policemen had started to secretly help freedom fighters in various ways. Several of them apologized to freedom fighters for having taken any action against them, and offered to help them in some way secretly within their limits.
Even as people continued protests in non-violent as well as violent ways, Mahatma Gandhi refused to take back the movement, thereby making amends for taking back the non-cooperation movement after the violence at Chauri Chaura, something which had been opposed by even Congress leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhash Chandra Bose at that time. Of course his own deep commitment to non-violence continued. His 21 day fast taken up in very difficult conditions helped to strengthen his resolve for independence and for taking this message to people. Tragically he lost forever his constant companion and support Kasturba Gandhi and close associate Mahadev Desai in the course of this imprisonment.
In the absence of the most famous leaders, new leaders like Arun Asaf Ali and Jayaprakash Narayan played an increasingly important role. Those who provided the leadership for various parallel governments also made an important contribution. The jail breaks of Yogendra Shukla, JP and others thrilled and inspired the youth. Those working outside India for India’s independence, including Subhash Chandra Bose and his colleagues but also others, were encouraged by the great upsurge of people in India.
As a result of the continuing repression the protests of course could not of course retain their strength for a very long time, and this has been mistakenly seen as a failure by some commentators. On the contrary the great upsurge of people played a very important role in strengthening the freedom movement in a very difficult phase and in fact in conveying a very strong message to the colonial rulers that their days were numbered. If such a great uprising had not taken place, the British hardliners led by Churchill would have been tempted to prolong colonial rule even after the end of the world war. However the strong message sent by this movement and its brave resistance was that the colonial rulers should start packing up.
---
The writer has contributed several booklets and books on the freedom movement, the latest being “When the Two Streams Met” and “Azadi ke Deewanon ke Dastavez”

Comments

TRENDING

Land under siege: A silent crisis, desertification is threatening India’s future

By Raj Kumar Sinha*  Desertification is emerging as one of the gravest environmental challenges of our time. Marked annually on June 17, the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought reminds us that the fate of our planet’s land—and the billions who depend on it—is hanging in the balance.

Hyderabad protest demands end to Operation Kagar as senior Maoist leaders killed in encounter

By Harsh Thakor*  A protest was held on June 17 at Indira Park in Hyderabad by the Shanti Charchala Committee, calling for an end to Operation Kagar and the start of peace talks with Maoist groups. The event brought together representatives from several political parties and civil society organizations. Among those who addressed the gathering were CPI (ML) New Democracy Central Committee member Vemulapalli Venkatramayya, along with leaders from the Congress, BRS, CPI, CPM, Telangana Janasamithi, MCPI, SUCI, CPI ML, RSP, and VCK. The programme also featured performances by cultural groups such as CLC, HRF, TVV, Arunodaya, Praja Kala Mandali, and Praja Natya Mandali. Public figures including actors Narayana Murthy and Tudundebba Upendar and academics like Professor Anver Khan and Professor Vinayaka Reddy participated as speakers.

Madhya Pradesh village's inspiring example of how small budget effort conserves water amidst heat wave

By Bharat Dogra  Heat waves have been intensifying over vast areas of India in recent days and there are also many reports of water scarcity making the conditions worse for people. However the situation can differ significantly in various villages depending on whether or not significant water conservation efforts have been made. In recent years I have visited several villages of good water conservation efforts where I noticed that even at the time of adverse weather conditions, people of these villages as well as farm and other animals feel important relief in terms of access to adequate water. Due to water and moisture conservation, conditions of farms and pastures is also much better. What is more, with the participation and involvement of people, even quite low budgets have been utilized well to achieve very useful and durable results.     

Central London discussion to spotlight LGBTQ+ ex-Muslim rights and persecution

By A Representative   On June 13, 2025, the Dissident Club in Central London will host a public discussion to mark the 18th anniversary of the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (CEMB) and to commemorate World Refugee Day. The event, scheduled from 7:00 to 9:00 pm, will feature speakers Ali Malik, Maryam Namazie, and Taha Siddiqui, who are expected to address the intersecting challenges faced by LGBTQ+ ex-Muslims globally.

Population explosion: India needs a clear-headed policy, data-driven governance, long-term planning

By N.S. Venkataraman*  At the upcoming G7 summit in Canada, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been invited as a special guest, with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau citing two main reasons: India’s rise as the world’s fifth-largest economy and its status as the most populous nation. While economic growth is undoubtedly a point of pride, the latter distinction—India’s population—raises an important question: should this be seen as a strength or a source of growing concern? India has not conducted a national census since 2011, leaving the current population figures largely speculative. Estimates place the population at around 1.4 billion, with projections reaching 1.8 billion by 2050. Despite modest declines in fertility and death rates, the annual population growth remains between 1.5% and 2%. The next census, scheduled for 2026, will provide a more accurate demographic picture, but until then, policymaking remains uninformed by crucial data. Over the past eleven years, the gov...

Victim to cricketing politics, Alvin Kalicharan was a most organized left handed batsman

By Harsh Thakor* On March 21st Alvin Kalicharan celebrates his 75th birthday. Sadly, his exploits have been forgotten or overlooked. Arguably no left handed batsman was technically sounder or more organized than this little man. Kalicharan was classed as a left-handed version of Rohan Kanhai. Possibly no left-handed batsmen to such a degree blend technical perfection with artistry and power.

Exploring 'Volokolamsk Highway': A tale of Soviet heroism and resilience

By Harsh Thakor*  "Volokolamsk Highway" is a classical war novel by Alexander Bek, first published in Russian in 1944 and translated into English in 1958. Set during WWII on the Eastern Front, it describes critical battles fought by the Soviet Red Army against Nazi forces advancing toward Moscow in October 1941. Republished by Foreign Languages Press in 2023, the novel offers a vivid portrayal of Soviet soldiers' struggles to defeat fascism. It is recommended for those seeking insight into Soviet heroism during World War II.

Better halves lead the way as organic farmers, entrepreneurs and social reformers

By Bharat Dogra  Two major challenges continue to limit the full participation of rural women in development. First, their crucial roles, potential, and capabilities often remain underrecognized. Second, even when women are encouraged to take on broader responsibilities, the overarching development models may not align with their needs or perspectives and may even appear counterproductive. Under such conditions, it is unrealistic to expect women to engage as enthusiastic and creative participants.

Citizens demand judicial probe into Ahmedabad plane crash, cite neglect of intern doctors, victims' families

By A Representative    A wide coalition of concerned citizens, academics, medical professionals, social activists, and public intellectuals has submitted a petition to the Prime Minister of India demanding an urgent judicial inquiry into the recent tragic airplane crash in Ahmedabad that claimed over 240 lives. The petition, coordinated by the Movement for Secular Democracy (MSD), calls for a high-level judicial committee, headed by a retired High Court justice and comprising eminent citizens, to investigate the incident beyond the scope of the existing technical committee.