1. Quit India Movement (1942)

Background and Launch

• Due to the failure of the Cripps Mission, discontent due to wartime inflation, fears of a scorched earth policy in Assam, Bengal, and Orissa against potential Japanese advancement, news of British defeats in South-East Asia, coupled with the looming threat of a British collapse, increased public readiness to express dissatisfaction.
• The Congress Working Committee authorized Gandhiji to lead a non-violent mass movement against the British. This is known as the Quit India resolution.
• The resolution was proposed by Nehru, seconded by Sardar Patel and ratified at the Congress meeting at Gowalia Tank, Bombay, on August 8, 1942.
• Usha Mehta was a Gandhian and freedom fighter who organized the Congress Radio, an underground radio station, which functioned for a few months during the Quit India Movement. To elude the authorities, the organizers moved the station's location almost daily.

Parallel Governments during Quit India Movement

• Ballia (August 1942) — Chittu Pandey — He got many Congress leaders released.
• Tamluk (Dec 1942 - Sep 1944) — Midnapore — Jatiya Sarkar — Cyclone relief, school grants, supplied paddy to the poor, organised Vidyut Vahinis.
• Satara (Mid-1943 - 1945) — "Prati Sarkar" — Y.B. Chavan, Nana Patil, etc. — Village libraries, Nyayadan Mandals, prohibition campaigns and 'Gandhi marriages' were organised.

2. Demand for Pakistan

Rajagopalachari Formula (1944)

• C. Rajagopalachari (CR) prepared a formula for Congress-League cooperation.
• It was a tacit acceptance of the League's demand for Pakistan, supported by Gandhi.
• Muslim League to endorse Congress's demand for independence.
• Cooperation in forming a provisional government at the center.
• After the end of the war, the entire population of Muslim majority areas in North-West and North-East India to decide by a plebiscite, whether or not to form a separate sovereign state.
• If partition is agreed upon, there should be a joint agreement to safeguard defence, commerce, and communications. The effectiveness of these terms is contingent upon England transferring full powers to India.

Desai-Liaquat Pact

• It was an attempt to break the deadlock between Congress and the Muslim League.
• Leaders Involved: Bhulabhai Desai (Congress) and Liaqat Ali Khan (Muslim League).
• Interim Government Proposal: Equal representation from Congress and League in the central legislature for an interim government and 20% reserved seats for minorities.
• No agreement was reached on these terms. Congress and Muslim League came on parity.

Wavell Plan (1945) and Shimla Conference

• Lord Wavell, the viceroy, was given permission to initiate negotiations with Indian leaders.
• Indian Majority in Executive Council: All members, except the governor-general and commander-in-chief, to be Indians.
• Equal Representation for Caste Hindus and Muslims.
• The reconstructed council to function as an interim government within the 1935 Act's framework.
• Governor General's Veto: Governor-general to exercise veto based on ministerial advice.
• Joint Party Representation: Representatives from different parties to submit a joint or separate list for council nominations.
• Post-war negotiations possibilities on a new constitution have been kept open.

3. Subhas Chandra Bose and the Indian National Army (INA)

Subhas Chandra Bose's Early Activities

• Initially secured the fourth position in the Indian Civil Services examination but resigned in 1921 to join the freedom struggle.
• He served as the mayor of Calcutta in 1923. His political guru was Chittaranjan Das.
• Bose convened an Anti-Compromise Conference at Ramgarh in March 1940.
• It was resolved to launch a worldwide struggle on April 6, 1940, coinciding with the National Week, against imperialist war, urging people not to support the Imperialist War with resources.
• He met Hitler using the pseudonym Orlando Mazzotta and formed the 'Freedom Army' (Mukti Sena) with Indian prisoners of war captured by Germany and Italy.
• Dresden, Germany, became the headquarters of the Freedom Army.
• Bose came to be called 'Netaji' by the people of Germany.
• He gave the famous slogan, 'Jai Hind' from the Free India Centre, Germany.
• Started regular broadcasts from Berlin radio in January 1942.
• He travelled via German and Japanese submarines, to reach Japan and then Singapore by July 1943.

Indian National Army (INA)

• The first division of the INA was formed with 16,300 men in September 1942.
• Mohan Singh, with the support of the Japanese, formed the Indian National Army (INA) by recruiting Indian prisoners of war (POWs).
• A conference in Bangkok decided to place the INA under the Indian Independence League, chaired by Rashbehari Bose.
• He founded the League in Tokyo in 1942. The Japanese sought Subhas Bose to lead the INA.
• In July 1943, Bose met Rashbehari Bose in Singapore, who willingly transferred control of the Indian Independence League and the INA to him.
• Subhas Bose became the Supreme Commander of the INA on August 25.
• On October 21, 1943, Subhas Bose formed the Provisional Government for Free India in Singapore with H.C. Chatterjee (Finance portfolio), M.A. Aiyar (Broadcasting), and Lakshmi Swaminathan (Women Department).
• The famous slogan, "Give me blood, I will give you freedom," was coined in Malaya.
• A women's regiment, named Rani Jhansi Regiment, was formed.
• The INA headquarters moved to Rangoon (Burma) in January 1944, and the army recruits were to march with the war cry "Chalo Delhi!".
• On November 6, 1943, the Japanese army handed over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the INA.
• On July 6, 1944, Bose addressed Gandhi as the 'Father of the Nation' from the Azad Hind Radio, marking the first use of this term.
• The Azad Hind Fauz entered Indian soil on March 18, 1944, after crossing the Burma border.
• On April 14, 1944, Colonel Malik raised the INA flag at Moirang, Manipur. This marked the first hoisting of the INA flag on the Indian mainland.
• INA carried out military administration duties at Moirang for three months. Allied forces reclaimed the territory, leading to the withdrawal of INA brigades on July 18, 1944.
• On August 18, 1945, Subhas Bose reportedly died in a mysterious air crash in Taipei, Taiwan.
• INA POWs were brought back to India after the war for court-martial.

INA Trials

• Public trials were held for hundreds of INA prisoners. Mass pressure against INA trials led to a decisive shift in government policy.
• The first INA trial took place in November 1945 at the Red Fort in Delhi, with Prem Kumar Sehgal, a Hindu, Shah Nawaz Khan, a Muslim, and Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon, a Sikh. This acted as a common denominator for all Indians.
• Bhulabhai Desai, Tej Bahadur Sapru, Kailash Nath Katju, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Asaf Ali organized the defence for INA prisoners in court. INA Relief and Enquiry Committee helped the affected persons.

4. Summary: Key Events and Personalities