VisionIAS - Video Classroom Lecture

Modern Indian History Class 02

PROVINCIAL ELECTIONS (5:06 PM)

Result of the election
Out of 1161 seats in provinces, Congress contested 716 seats
In six provinces, it had a clear majority i.e UP, CP, Bihar, Orissa, Bombay, and Madras
They formed a coalition government in Assam, Sindh, and NWFP
In Punjab, the Unionist Part of Sikander Hayat Khan formed the government, and in Bengal coalition government of the Muslim League and Krishak Praja Party was created
Work of Congress Ministries
They repealed emergency ordinances and the Public Safety Bill
Freedom of the press was restored
Civil liberties were established
They lifted a ban on many organizations like Hindustan Sewa Dal and Youth League, but the ban on the Communist Party of India remained intact as it was imposed by the Central government
They controlled communal violence in their respective provinces
They minimized their own personal expense and led by examples
They promoted Gandhian principles and the Gandhian model of education
Some of the states came up with reform legislations like the UP Tenancy Act of 1938 and the Industrial Dispute Bill which was based on collaboration and cooperation but not on confrontation
Few blemishes of the Congress ministry
In Madras, two left-wing congressmen Yusuf Mehrally and S.S. Batliwala were arrested for giving hate speech against British authority
In Bombay, Home Minister KM Munsi used the services of CID to watch the activities of left-wing congressmen and communist leaders
When World War II broke out, British authority declared India to be a party to the war without taking the connivance of Indian leadership as such Congress ministries resigned from the provinces after their twenty-eight-month rule
Annual INC Session 1938 at Haripura
For the first time, SC Bose became President of the Congress
In this session, he proposed the creation of the National Planning Committee under the chairmanship of JL Nehru
Bose rejected the Gandhian model of development which was village-centric and favored the development of small village-based cottage industries
Bose favored the industrialization of India
In this session, differences between Bose and Gandhi were wide and out
Annual INC Session 1939 at Tripuri
Once again, Bose announced his candidature despite knowing that he would be opposed by Gandhi
Initially, Gandhi tried with JL Nehru who suggested the name of Maulana Azad Sahib
However, Maulana Azad also refused to contest against Bose
In this scenario, Gandhi came up with the name of Dr. Pattabhi Sitaramaiya
In elections, Bose secured 1580 votes and Dr. Pattabhi 1377
After the victory of Bose, Gandhi said "This defeat is more mine than his. It was I who insisted on the name of Dr. Pattabhi after Maulana Azad Sahib refused to contest. Gandhi further added, I'm glad about his victory after all Subhash Babu is not the enemy of the country and he has suffered for it. In his opinion, he has the boldest program and policy in such a scenario minority can only wish him the best of luck."
At this time, Gobind Vallabh Panth moved a resolution expressing faith in the old working committee according to the wishes of Gandhi
Though, the resolution was passed Gandhi did not approve it
Such was disastrous division in the Congress that the next month Bose resigned from the President position and created Forward Bloc
It led to the election of Rajender Prasad as the next Congress President
Pakistan Declaration of Muslim LeagueIn March 1940, the Muslim League declared to combine the geographically contiguous areas in the northwest and east where Muslims are in majority into a separate nation Pakistan

AUGUST OFFER (5:57 PM)

By 1940, Hitler made huge advancements in World War II
Belgium, Holland, and France fell to Hitler by this time
British authority wanted increased cooperation of Indians in the war effort, as such Viceroy Linlithgow made the following proposals:
Dominion status as the objective for India
Expansion of Viceroy's Executive Council to include more Indians
Creation of a war advisory council which will consist of an equal number of Indians
No constitutional development will take place against the wishes of minorities
Indians will have the right to frame their constitution after the end of the war
Annual INC Session at Ramgarh 1940
It was presided over by Maulana Azad Sahib
In this session, Congress reiterated its position on war and maintained that nothing less than Purna Swaraj would be accepted by Congress
It further said to the government that, when Congress would be fit enough for the purpose it would initiate the Civil Disobedience Movement to seek India's independence
Individual Satyagraha
It was a civil disobedience movement on an individual level
It included programs like moving to different parts of the country and giving speeches against colonialism, imperialism, and sensitizing people about their political rights and values of freedom
Gandhi did not want to initiate mass movement at this time as he sympathized with Britain's fight with Hitler
Through this movement, Gandhi wanted to give ample time to British authority to accept Indian demands peacefully
Satyagrahis were chosen carefully so that the movements may not lead to violence
Vinobha Bhave was the first chosen Satyagrahi, JL Nehru was second, and Brahma Dutta was third
Within six months, more than twenty-five thousand people dedicated themselves to individual satyagraha
Cripps Mission
In February 1941, US President Roosevelt, Chinese leader Chiang Kai Seik, and British Prime Minister Winster Churchill visited India
At this time, the US President sympathized with India's aspiration for freedom
He also raised questions regarding Indian Constitutional Reforms with Winston Churchill
As such, Churchill decided to send Cripps Mission to India which was headed by senior labor politician Stafford Cripps
Prominent features
Dominion status as the objective for India
After the end of the war, the establishment of the constituent assembly of India to frame its own constitution
Members of the constituent assembly will be elected from British-ruled provinces and nominated from princely states
If any province is not ready to accept the proposed constitutional scheme, then it will have a right to sign a separate agreement with British authority regarding its future
At the current time, the defense of India would be in the hands of British authority
India'S reaction
Congress objected to dominion status, nomination by princely state, and blue-print of partition

QUIT INDIA MOVEMENT (7:01 PM)

The failure of Cripps' mission led to the country plunging into anger and frustration
Moreover, by this time Japan's victory in Andaman, Singapore, and Burma created restlessness in the society but at the same time it also busted the myth of British supremacy
Gandhi himself was highly aggressive at this time and he wrote in Harijan, "Leave India to the god, if that is too much leave her to anarchy, I would risk it"
The historic meeting of the nationalists was held on 8th August 1942 at Gowalia Tank, Bombay
Gandhi addressed the nation, he appealed to the people to initiate a non-violent civil disobedience movement, do not pay any heed to the orders of British authority, and act as an independent nation
He also gave a famous exhortation "Do or Die"
In the early morning of 9th August, all the leaders of Congress were arrested in a single sweep, and from the very first day, the movement became leaderless
In this scenario, youth leader of Congress Aruna Asaf Ali hoisted the Indian flag at Gowlai tank on 9th August to initiate the Quit India Movement
The government responded by banning Congress and destroying the freedom of the press
Harijan ceased its publication for the entire duration and National Herald was banned
Underground activities
Not allowed to function in the open, many underground networks started to emerge whose main leaders were the youth of the time e.g. Achyut Patvardhan, Biju Patnaik, RP Goenka, Ram Manohar Lohia, JP Narayan, Ram Nadan Mishra, Aruna Asaf Ali, Suceta Kriplani, and Usha Mehta
The most daring activity of the underground network was the creation of Congress radio which operated clandestinely from different locations in Bombay city
This radio was organized by Aruna Asaf Ali, Sucheta Kriplani, and Usha Mehta
Ram Manohar Lohia regularly broadcasted from Congres radio
Usha Mehta was the announcer of this radio
Their greatest contribution was keeping alive the spirit of Quit India aloft in the brutal suppression phase
Looking at the violence of the masses, British authority called on Gandhi to condemn the violence of the masses
Gandhi at this time rather than condemning the violence of the masses maintained "It is the leonine violence of the state which has provoked the masses and state will have to stop its own violence before condemning the masses
Gandhi announced a twenty-one-day fast against state violence
Gandhi's health started to deteriorate at this time
On one hand, the anxious nation was pleading for Gandhi's life, on the other hand, British authority went ahead with the funeral preparation of Gandhi
Three members of the Viceroy's executive council MS Aney, NR Sarkar, and HP Mody resigned and said though they were party to Quit India separation, they would not party to Gandhi's death
Parallel Government
By the end of August 1942, Chitu Pandey in the Balia district of UP created the first parallel government
But within a week, the British re-establish their control
By December 1942, Jatiya Sarkar parallel government was created in Tamluk area of Midnapore in Bengal
They also created many departments of administration like education, health, agriculture, etc.
They created an armed force known as Vidyut Vahini which performed cyclone relief work during a tropical cyclone in Bengal
Satara
It was created in early 1943 in the Satara area of Maharastra
It was named Prati Sarkar
YB Chavan and Nana Patil were the important leaders of this parallel government
It was longest longest-survived parallel government
They not only created departments for administration but also Nyaydan Mandal to dispense justice
One of the unique features of this parallel government was the conduct of Gandhi Marriage
CR Formula (March 1944)
C Rajagopalchari proposed this formula to break the deadlock between the Muslim League and the Congress
Muslim League must give up the demand for a separate nation and cooperate with Congress in demanding complete independence and the formation of an interim government
After the end of the war, a plebiscite shall be held in the northwest and east where Muslims are in the majority to decide whether or not Pakistan would be created
In the event of partition, agreements would be made on all essential matters
The above terms shall be binding only in the case of a complete transfer of power from British authority to the Government of India
Muhammad Ali Jinnah had his own reservation against plebiscite provisions and he rejected it
Desai-Liaqat Pact
Bhula Bhai Desai of Congree and Liaqat Ali Khan of the Muslim League met informally to break the deadlock between the two parties
As per their pact, the Muslim League was to abandon the demand for a separate nation and in return, they would be given parity in the Council of Ministers, but later both parties rejected it

The topic for the next class: Wavel Plan, Azad Hind Fauz