Indian Freedom Struggle From 1935 – 1947
❖ Government of India Act, 1935: -
➢ It introduced the concept of Indian Federalism.
➢ It abolished Diarchy in the Indian provinces.
➢ The act divided the power between the centre and the unit in terms of three
list—
▪ Federal list,
▪ Provincial list,
▪ Concurrent list
➢ The act introduced the provincial autonomy and bicameral legislature.
➢ Establishment of a federal court in Delhi in 1937.
➢ The act separated Burma from India in 1937.
➢ Nehru said “A machine with strong break but nor engine”, he also said “A
charter of slavery”.
➢ Jinnah Said– “it was un-fundamental and rotten”.
➢ C Y Chintamani said– “it was lame federation”.
❖ 1936: -
➢ Foundation of all India Kishan Sabha at Lucknow by Sahajanand Saraswati
and N G Ranga (Secretary).
➢ Foundation of independent labour party by B R Ambedkar.
❖ 1937: -
➢ Foundation of Krishak Praja Party by Fazlul Haq.
➢ Right to property was given to the women.
❖ First provincial election of 1937—
▪ The election to the provincial legislature was held in January-February in
11 provinces.
▪ By which congress formed the ministry in 8 provinces.
▪ In 5 provinces (Madras, United province, Central Province, Bihar and
Orissa) it had absolute majority.
▪ In NWFP, Assam, Bombay congress emerged as the single largest party.
▪ In Bengal, Punjab and Sindh the congress did not have majority .
▪ In Punjab the Unionist party and Muslim league formed a coalition
government.
❖ 1938: -
➢ Foundation of Hindustan Majdur Sabha by B V Patel, Rajendra Prasad, J B
Kripalani.
➢ Foundation of National Planning Committee by the chairmanship of J. L
Nehru at Haripura Session.
❖ 1939: -
➢ 3rd Sep– Starting of World War II.
➢ 3rd May– foundation of forward block by S C Bose.
❖ 1940: -
➢ Holwell Satyagraha Movement by S C Bose at Calcutta during this time R N
Tagore gave him the title Desh Nayak.
➢ Foundation of Radical Democratic Party by M N Roy.
➢ August Offer Announced by Lord Linlithgow on the issue of Dominion
Status.
❖ 1942: -
➢ Cripps Mission–
▪ Causes– Growing power of Japan,
Pressure of Chiang-Kai-shek (China’s President) and Roosevelt
(president of the United States)
▪ Gandhi said– “a post-dated chequer on a crashing bank.
▪ Only the radical democratic party of M N Roy supported the Cripps
proposal.
➢ Quit India Movement–
▪ causes–
Failure of Cripps mission, probable Attack of japan on India
▪ That time viceroy was Lord Linlithgow.
▪ 14th July– The working committee of congress adopted the resolution of
quite India at Wardha.
▪ 8th august– This movement was started from Gowalia Tank of Bombay.
▪ Gandhi ji announced 4 things –
• Forgot the difference between Hindu and Muslim and you are only
Indian.
• You are not fighting against the British but against the British
imperialism.
• Feel that from today you are a free man and not dependent.
• Do or Die.
▪ 9th August– Gandhi and Sarojini Naidu were arrested and taken to Aga
khan Palace, Nehru in Almora Jail and Maulana Azad in Bankura Jail.
this incident known as Operation Zero Hour [It was the only leaderless
movement]
Some important leaders and centre: -
▪ Bombay– Aruna Asaf Ali (She hoisted the national flag in Bombay)
▪ Satara– A government was formed and known as Patri Sarkar by Y B
Chauhan and Nana Patil.
▪ Central Province and Berar– Suraj Mal Gupta and Bajirao Besan.
▪ Nilgiri and Talcher– At Talcher a parallel government was formed
known as Majdur Raj by Pabit Rai.
▪ South India– K B Menon.
▪ Delhi– Jugal Kishore.
▪ Punjab– Daya Singh, Sanatan Dharma.
▪ Bihar– J P Narayan (the hero of Quit India Movement), Ram Nandan
Mishra.
▪ United Province– At Ballia 1st parallel government formed by Chitu
Pandey.
▪ Bengal– At Midnipur Tamralipta Jatiyo Sarkar founded by Satish
Samanta, Ajay Mukherjee and Sushil Dhara, (17th December 1942 – 8th
August).
▪ Women Leader— Matangini Hazra, Kanklata Barua (Assam, Age-13),
Sucheta Kripalini (She founded Satyagraha Samiti), Usha Mehta
(Founded underground radio station in Bombay), Aruna Asaf Ali (The
heroine of quite India movement)
▪ This movement was opposed by Muslim league, Hindu Mahasabha,
Communist party (people’s war), C R Gopala Chari, Tej Bahdur Sapru,
V. D Savarkar.
❖ 1944: -
RAJAJI FORMULA
❖ In April 1944, when the Congress leaders were in jail,
Rajagopalachari put out a proposal to resolve the issue
❖ 1945: -
➢ Wavell Plan (Breakdown Plan) – On 14th June 1945 lord Wavell presented
a plan for ending the political problem of India that all the member in the
executive except viceroy and the commander in Chief shall be Indian and it
was to have the equal representation to the Hindu and Muslim and this
executive was to act like an interim government,
➢ Shimla Conference–
▪ To discuss the Wavell, plan a conference was held at Shimla on 25th June
1945.
▪ Members: Gandhi ji, Jinnah, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and Tara Singh.
Due to obstinacy of Jinnah and his communal view point no decision was
taken.
INA Trials / Red Fort Trials
➢ P. K. Sahgal, Shah Nawaz and Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon were put on Trial
at the Red Fort.
➢ Bhulabhai Desai, Tej Bahadur Sapru and Nehru appeared for the defence
and the Muslim League also joined the countrywide protest.
➢ 12th November, 1945 was celebrated as the INA day.
❖ 1946: -
RIN Mutiny
RIN Mutiny 18 February 1946, Bombay Ratings of HMS Talwar struck work
due to flagrant racial discrimination, unpalatable food and abuse after the arrest
of B.C. Dutt who had scrawled Quit India on the ship. On 19th February HMS
Hindustan, in Karachi also mutinied.
❖ 1946: -
THE CABINET MISSION-1946
➢ Purpose: -
• peaceful transfer of power
• formation of a constitution
• set up and interim government
➢ Members — Pethick Lawrence (secretary of State), Stafford Cripps
and A.V Alexander
Proposal for Cabinet Mission
➢ Rejection of the demand for a full-fledged Pakistan.
➢ The provinces would be divided into three sections/groups:
o Group A includes Madras, the Central Provinces, Uttar
Pradesh, Bihar, Bombay, and Orissa.
o Group B consists of Punjab, Sindh, the NWFP, and
Baluchistan.
o Group C consists of Bengal and Assam.
DIRECT ACTION CAMPAIGN (August 16, 1946)
❖ The Muslim league launched the direct-action campaign on Aug 16,1946,
which resulted in heavy communal riots in the country.
❖ Interim Government: -
➢ Came into existence on 2nd September, 1946, in accordance with
Cabinet Mission’s proposal and was headed by J. L. Nehru.
➢ Muslim League refused to join it initially.
➢ Wavell persuaded the League leaders to join on 26th October,
1946
▪ Total members– 16 (6 congress, 5 Muslim league, 3 minorities),
▪ Posts– J L Nehru (Vice President)
▪ B V Patel (Home Information and executive council)
▪ Baldev Singh (Defence)
▪ Liaquat Ali (Finance)
▪ Rajagopalachari (Education)
▪ Asaf Ali (Railway)
▪ Rajendra Prasad (Food and Agriculture)
▪ J N Mandal (Law)
▪ Jagjivan Ram (Labour)
ATTLEE'S ANNOUNCEMENT
❖ Prime Minister Atlee on 20 February, 1947 announced that the British
would withdraw from India by 30 June, 1948 and that Lord Mountbatten
would replace Wavell.
❖ Mountbatten Plan (3rd June Plan): -
➢ This plan recommended the transfer of power between two separate
provinces. Jinnah accepted the plan 15 June 1947 and congress in July.
➢ The plan was executed by Indian independence act 1947.
➢ 4th July 1947 Indian Independence bill proposed in the house of common.
➢ 15th July the bill was passed in the house of common.
➢ 18th July the Bill received the Royal Assent.
➢ 15th August birth of independent India.
➢ Boundary Commission was to be headed by Radcliffe and the award was
to be announced after Republic day (which was a major cause of
massacres).
S. C Bose and INA
➢ Bose joined the Indian National Congress in 1921. He also started a
newspaper called ‘Swaraj’
➢ He also organized “Nursing brotherhood” to help poor.
➢ He resigned from his civil service job on 23 April 1921 and returned to
India.
➢ He worked as the editor for Das’s newspaper–Forward, and later started
his own newspaper, Swaraj
➢ He resigned from his civil service job on 23 April 1921 and returned to
India.
➢ In 1924, he became the CEO of the Calcutta Municipal Corporation. In
1930, he became the Mayor of Calcutta.
➢ Bose was sent to prison in Mandalay for nationalist activities in 1925. He
was released in 1927 and became the INC’s general secretary.
➢ 1940– At Calcutta he started Holwell Satyagraha Movement and on this
occasion R. N Tagore gave him the title ‘Deshnayak’.
➢ 2 July 1940– S C Bose was arrested.
nd
➢ 17th January 1941– S C Bose escaped from his house and reached Kabul
under the penname of Md. Jiauddin.
➢ 28th march 1941– Feb 1943—stayed in Germany
➢ 1941– Foundation of Free Indian Centre at Rome and Berlin and many
Indians of Rome and Berlin called him ‘Netaji’
➢ 1941– S C Bose founded Indian Legion (1st plan of INA)
➢ 1941 15th December– The idea of Indian National Army was first conceived
by Mohan Singh in Malawa.
➢ 1942– Japan Government handed over Indian National Army to Rash Behari
Bose. Foundation of Indian Independence League at Tokyo by Rash Behari
Bose.
➢ 1943– S C Bose came in East Asia.
➢ 8th February 1943– S C Bose left Germany along with Abid Hassan and
reached Tokyo in 13th June.
➢ 4th July 1943– From Rash Behari Bose S C Bose took the responsibility of
Indian Independence League at Singapore.
➢ October 1943–S C Bose founded Arji Hukumat-I-Hind in Singapore.
➢ 21st October 1943– Foundation of Azad Hind Government in Singapore.
➢ 9th Country of the world recognised the Azad Government.
➢ 1943– The PM of Japan (Toza) donated 2 islands–
1. Andaman (Sahid) and 2. Nicobar (Swaraj) to Azad Government.
➢ 1944–The main camp of Azad Brigade established at Rangoon.
➢ Spoken as a part of a motivational speech for the Indian National Army at a
rally of Indians in Burma on 4 July 1944, Bose's most famous quote was
"Give me blood, and I shall give you freedom!"
➢ On 6 July 1944, in a speech broadcast by the Azad Hind Radio from
Singapore, Bose addressed Mahatma Gandhi as the "Father of the Nation"
➢ March 1944–the Azad Hind Army captured Mudak (MZ), INA merged up to
Mudak near Kohima.
➢ INA hoisted their flag at Moirang.
➢ 1945– Japan Surrendered.
➢ 18th August 1945– Taihuku Plane Crash.
➢ 12 November 1945– Celebrated as INA day
➢ Symbol of INA— Springing Tiger
➢ Slogan of INA “Delhi Cholo"
➢ Slogan of Mohan Singh– “Kadam Kadam Badhaye Ja”
➢ Father of Indian Independence Movement of East Asia – Rash Behari Bose.
Important Brigade of INA–
1.First Guerrilla Regiment or Subhas Brigade— Shahnawaj Khan (GEN)
2. Second regiment or Gandhi Brigade—Inayat Kiyani
3. Third Guerrilla Regiment or Azad Brigade— Gulzara Singh
4. Fourth Guerrilla Regiment or Nehru Brigade— GS Dhillon
5. Jhanshi Brigade— Laxmi Swaminathan.
Important post of INA—
❖ SC Bose– Head of state, PM and minister for war and foreign affairs
❖ S. A. Ayer– Publicity and propaganda
❖ A C Chatterjee– Finance
❖ A M Sahay– Secretary
❖ Rash Bihari Bose– Supreme Advisor
❖ A N Sarkar– The legal advisor
❖ Laxmi Swaminathan– Women Organization
