Question

The Quit India Resolution in 1942 was one of the final calls given by Gandhi for the British to leave India. Moving towards Independence, Lord Mountbatten’s Plan was significant. In this context, answer the following:

State two reasons for the launching of the Quit India Movement.

Answer 1

Two reasons for launching the Quit India Movement:
(i) The resignation of the Congress Ministries: Congress had formed ministries in the United Provinces, Central Provinces, Orissa, Bihar, Madras and Bombay. Later, it also formed governments in Assam and North-West Frontier Province. The Congress leaders questioned as to how an enslaved nation could aid others in fighting a war. In protest against the decision of the government to join the Second World War and its refusal to liberate India, the Congress ministries resigned.
(ii) The August Offer: In the British Parliamentary elections in 1940, Winston Churchill became the Prime Minister of Britain. Under international compulsion, the British government made a new offer to the Congress known as the ‘August Offer’ on 8 August 1940. The Congress rejected the offer as too much constitutional independence was given to the minorities. The League also rejected the offer because it did not talk about the formation of the separate state of Pakistan.