The Struggle for Independence (1919-1947)

Background

Moderats / Boycott &

Partition of
INC Extremists or Swadeshi
Bengal
radicals Movement

Home Rule
Morley Minto World war I
League
Reforms ended
(Lucknow Pact)
Mahatma Gandhi (1869-
1948)
• Born in Porbandar Gujarat
• Satyagrah In Africa
• Came to India-
• Champaran in Bihar ( indigo
planters)
• Textile workers, Ahmedabad
• Peasants in Kheda, Gujarat
• A moderator
 • 6th Feb 1919
The Rowlatt Act (1919) • According to this act, any
Indian could be arrested
without trial in the court
of law.
• The act curbed
fundamental rights such
as the freedom of
expression and
strengthened police
powers
• Black Act
• 6th April as 1919
National Humiliation Day
 • Mahatma Gandhi, Muhanmad Ali
Jinnah criticize the act as a ‘devilish’ and
Nationalists tyrannical
• Mahatma Gandhi launched a
Leaders Satyagraha against the Rawlatt Act, to
oppose the suppress them British used Brutal measure
• Example : Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
Rowlatt Act
• Gandhiji wanted Hindu and Muslim support
each other for just cause​
The Jallianwala Bagh massacre

• 13th April 1919 in Amritsar

• General Dyre
• Rabindranath Tagore returned his
knighthood
The Khilafat Movement

• Khilafat launched by two brothers

Mohammad and Shaukat Ali on Anti
British Attitude as British threatened the
welfare of turkey by weakening the
Caliph’s (Sultan of Turkey) position
• It was supported by Gandhi, Tilak and
the Indian National Congress to paved
the way for Hindu-Muslim unity
The Non- cooperation
Movement
• Thousands of students left government-
controlled schools and colleges.
• Many lawyers such as Motilal Nehru, C.R.
Das, C. Rajagopalachari and Asaf Ali gave
up their practices.
• British titles were surrendered, and
legislatures boycotted.
• People lit public bonfires of foreign cloth.
 The Chauri Chaura
Incident
• In Feb 1922, police station in Chauri
Chaura set fire, 22 policemen killed
• Mahatma Gandhi felt sad and called off
NCM
• Gandhi’s followers start constructive work
• Popularise Khadi and Charkha, Schools,
help poor
• In 1927, British sent commission headed
Simon
• In 1929, with J.Nehru the Congress fight
for Purna Swaraj
Purna Swaraj
• Young leaders
Jawahar Lal Nehru
and Subhash
Chandra Bose
• Influenced by
Russian Revolution
1917
• Believed in Socialism
and equality
• Nationalist
movement became
militant
The Simon Commission (1927)
 Simon Go Back
• Lord Reading thought to suppress movement by
more constitutional reforms
• Along with reviewing the Government of India Act
• Made a committee to take a decision on self-
government for India
• Where there was not a single Indian in the
committee
• The Congress, Muslim League, Hindu Mahasabha
all decided to boycott the Simon Commission
• Feb 1928- greeted with demonstration of Black
flag
• Lathi charge from Britishers- Lala Lajpat Rai
injured
• Officer Saunder was killed by Bhagat Singh
• He was hanged on 23 March 1929
Civil disobedience and the
Dandi March (1930)
• The British had the sole right to manufacture
salt in India
• Heavy taxes on salt were levied on the
purchase of salt

• Mahatma Gandhi walked 400 km from the

Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi
• He picked up handful of salt – 6th April 1930
– to break the laws

• C Rajagopalachari- Madras Presidency –

Thiruchirapally to Vendaranyam
• 4th May 1930, Gandhiji got arrested
 • First round Table Conference to discuss
Simon's recommendation
• Britishers realised that Congress support is
required and hence agree to release all
political prisoners
• In return, Congress suspended civil
The Gandhi- obedience
• Congress agreed to participate in Second
Irwin Pact table conference

(1931) • Second conference- Gandhiji put

forth demand for independence- arrested
• Third Conference – The Government of India
1935- Congress didn't participate
 Congress Ministries (1937)
• Under the The Government of India Act 1935- Congress
nominated and swept all the polls
• Abdul Gffar Khan, Muslim League- could not got a single
seat
• 7 out of 11 had Congress
• That became the reason for Muslim Community to hate
Congress as they believed that they won't be protected by
the Hindu community or Congress
Two Nation Theory

• Mohammad Ali Jinnah, President of the Muslim

League
• Put forward- two nation theory
• 1940, the Muslim league passed a resolution
demanding partition of India and creation of
Pakistan
• Hindu Mahasabha also accepted
The Second World
War!
• 3rd Sept 1939- England, France and Russia –
Germany & Italy
• British declared India would participate where
Congress objected
• Congress insisted immediate transfer of
effective power in return of support in war
• On the other hand, Jinnah supported the
British government
The Cripps Mission (1942)
• Japan joined Germany's group and
reached till Burma
• British govt realised the need for
India's help
• Sir Stafford Cripps committed to
Congress demand
• But Cripp's offer failed to satisfy
Indian leader
The Quit India Movement • Disappointed with Cripps
Mission, thought of taking
active step for
Independence
• 8 Aug 1942 – passed Quit
India Resolution with
non-violence
• 9th Aug 1942, Gandhi and
all members of Congress
committee were arrested
• It turned violent with
strikes
 • Reorganised the Indian National Army
(INA) or Azad Hind Fauz in Singapore in
1943
• Indians in British Army who got prisoners
during second world war by Japanese
• Indians living in South East Asia
The Indian • 45000 soliders
National Army • Azad Hind Government (provisional govt)
with tricolour flag and the slogan of Jai
Hind
• 1944-45 with the defeat of Japan, INA lost
all hope
• Netaji disapeeared!!!
The Cabinet Mission
➢Winston Churchill's party lost the election, and the Labour Party came in the
power in Britain
➢The Labour Party was in favour of India's Independence
➢Cabinet mission- Lord Pethick- Lawrence, Sir Stafford Cripps, A V Alexendar in
1946
➢British will control defence, foreign affairs and communication

➢Constituent Assembly- July 1946, congress won with majority

➢Disturbed with this, 16th Aug 1946 as Direct Action Day
Hindu- Muslim
Riots
• 16th Aug, 1946- riots in
Calcutta, Bihar, East Bengal,
UP and Bomabay
• Many Hindus and Muslims
were killed
• Interim government
headed by Jawar Lal Nehru
• December 1946 began
drafting constitution
without participation of
The Muslim League and the
Indian princes
The Final Move towards Independence

• Country was in confused

state
• 20th Feb 1947 Clement
Atlee announced that
British will completely
transfer power to Indians
by June 1947, that agitated
Muslim League more
• 23rd March 1947 observed
Pakistan Day
The Partition of India

• March 1947, Mountbatten

– last Viceroy
• Presented plan with 2
states- India & Pakistan
• The congress & Gandhiji
accepted reluctantly
Independence from the
British- Mountbatten Plan

• 2 states with their own constitution

• Punjab & Bengal based on muslim and
non muslim majority areas
• Boundary commission for Pakistan &
rest of India
• Princely states free to join India or
Pakistan
• India & Pakistan free to leave or
remain in the British commonwealth
Sequence of Events

Moderates / Boycott &

Partition of
INC in 1885 Extremists or Swadeshi
Bengal
radicals Movement

Home Rule
Morley Minto World war I
League
Reforms ended
(Lucknow Pact)
 Emergence of New
The Rawlatt Act (6th Jallianwala Bagh
leaders (Gandhiji, Dr
April Non- Massacre (13th April
Rajendra Prasad,
Humiliation Day) 1919)
Patel)

The Non-
The Khilafat Chaura Chauri
Cooperation
Movement (Turkey)- Incident – 5th Feb
Movement- Dec
Ali Bros. 1922
1920
 Simon Commission
Swaraj Party (Motilal Purna Swaraj Civil Disobedience &
(Lala Lajpat Rai &
Nehru) & Constructive (Jawaharlal Nehru & S. Dandi March – Mar-
Bhagat Singh)- Feb
Programme (Gandhiji) Bose) April 1930 (Salt laws)
1928

Congress Ministries Difference with

The Gandhi Irwin Pact The Government of
(7/11 seats+ 2 Muslims (2 nation
1931 India Act 1935
coalition) theory)

WWII (England, France The Quit India

Cripps Mission (didn't S.Bose - INA, Azad
, Russia | Germany Movement (8th Aug
work out) Hind Fauz/Govt
Italy & Japan 1942)
Labour Party came in rule Proposed- British Defence + External Affairs
in England (Clement Provinces + Princely State + Communication (By
Atlee) (By India) Britain)

Interim government by J.
Congress won the
Both H&M accepted and Nehru started drafting-
cabinet votes- Muslim
ready for new cabinet to and Muslim also joined
got agitated,
draft constitution with the hesitation –
Hindu/Muslim riots
Sept/Oct 1946

Clement Atllee- Full

H&M riots- 23rd Mar Mar 1947- Mountbatten-
transfer of power – 20th
1947 – Pakistan Day 2 states- India & Pakistan
Feb 1947
Deleted Portions