CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF QUIT INDIA MOVEMENT:

1. This movement though started by INC; it could not be led by its leaders as the British govt.
arrested Gandhi and other INC leaders at the beginning of the movement itself. Though it
started with the principle of non-violence, it shortly turned into a violent movement and it
being a war period the govt. was able to use highest force to suppress it ruthlessly.
2. The movement was politically insignificant, but the consequences had a greater impact on
India’s future. It convinced the British that their days in India were numbered. Indian
historians call the Quit India movement as ‘the last nail in the British coffin’.
3. The movement was solely supported by INC and all the other non-congress leaders and
organisations opposed the movement and stood with the British side.
4. The Muslim League gave a call to all its followers to boycott the movement and render the
British their support by joining into the British army in large numbers.
5. Jinnah commented the Quit India movement as an attempt to establish Hindu-raj and make
Muslims sub-ordinate citizens of India. Even then we see a good participation of Muslims in
rural areas where Muslim League was not so popular among the masses.
6. The communists also opposed the movement as their high command namely Russia was on
the side of Britain in the allied powers and so the communists did not want to disturb the
British in India during the world war. They gave a call to all their followers (the worker’s
classes and peasants) not to participate in the movement but against to their expectations
there was a large-scale participation of labour classes and the peasants in the movement.
7. The Indian bureaucracy which is generally referred to as the steel frame of British empire
also ideologically supported the movement unofficially. It was a mixture of patriarchism and
favouritism. They were convinced that an independent India would definitely come under
INC’s rule, and this was the right time for them to record their names in the good books of
INC.
8. Many Indian princes did not join the Quit India movement and used their muscle power to
suppress its activities in their kingdoms. It was a blessing in disguise for national leaders as
the people in the princely states stood with Indian govt. during the integration process.
9. This movement though was not led by INC leaders, we see emergence of a 2nd generation
Indian leadership within INC who took political shelter in other parties and implemented the
agenda of INC. Ram Manohar Lohiya in Delhi, Jai Prakash Narayan in Bihar, Chittu Pandey in
United Provinces, Usha Mehta in Bombay province, Aruna Asaf Ali in Central provinces were
the prominent socialist leaders of INC who established parallel revolutionary govts. secretly
and guided the followers to continue the movement.

TRANSFER OF POWER/PERIOD OF NEGOTIATIONS (1944-1947):

After the Quit India movement, the Indian national movement went into a standstill and
there was political silence for the next 2 years in India. Lord Wavell (1943-Feb 1947) arrived as the
next viceroy in 1943 and by this time the British were convinced to transfer the power of India into
Indian hands as soon as possible. In 1944, all the INC leaders were released from jails to create a
favourable environment for discussions on granting independence. But the main obstacle in this
process came between INC and Muslim League who had different views about independence. While
INC wanted an undivided India (Akhand Bharat), the Muslim League demanded for a divided India.
Jinnah became the most uncompromising leader who was not ready to dilute any of his stubborn
demands. He presented only 2 options- his 14-point formula of 1928 within undivided India with
British as guarantor or a separate Pakistan for Muslims. INC was not in favour of any of these 2
options as both were detrimental for India’s future. Understanding the critical situation, Gandhi
focussed upon building a middle way mechanism to resolve the tie.

Chakravarthi Raja Gopala Chari, an ex-INC member was requested by Gandhi to frame a plan
to settle the issue between both the parties. He devised a scheme according to which-

a. Muslim League must join hands with INC to accept independence from the British.
b. All the Muslim majority districts in north-west and north-east regions will be identified and a
plebiscite would be conducted on the question of partition.
c. If people give a favourable vote, partition would come into effect and some areas of govt.
like the defence, international affairs, communications would be handled together.

Jinnah rejected this plan as he viewed that it would create a weak Pakistan. The next talks
continued between Gandhi and Jinnah, and also between Bhulabai Desai and Liyaqat Ali Khan.
All the attempts made from Indian side bitterly failed.

SHIMLA CONFERENCE (1945):

The 1st attempt made by the British govt. to reconcile INC and ML was the Viceroy’s
conference held at Shimla in June 1945. All the major political parties were invited. Lord Wavell
brought 2 proposals infront of the leaders-

a. Establishment of an Interim government at the centre with 14 members (8 from INC ? and 6
from muslims). Only the viceroy and chief commander posts would be under the British.
b. A constituent assembly would be elected with members both from British India and princely
states to draft a constitution for India.
c. The British would completely exit by handing over the power to the interim govt. after the
constitution became ready.

Initially, both INC and ML accepted this plan but once again there was a deadlock. (point
missing) All the 6 muslim candidates in the interim govt. must be nominated only by Muslim
league party. INC objected to this demand as it was not ready to repeat the mistake of 1916
Lucknow pact. Wavell cancelled the meeting in the mid-way and declared it as a failure.