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Vocab Capsule 9th October 2017

Daily English Vocab

Relevance of Quit India

Lord Linlithgow, as Governor-General, had attributed the failure of the Cripps Mission (March 1942) to the inflexible attitude of the Congress.

In India, there was no consensus on the responsibility for the failure, but the Congress blamed the British government for what it called its hypocrisy, lack of sincerity and for following Machiavellian tactics.

The popular resentment against the Raj intensified as never before. To end the impasse and in view of the general resentment, Mahatma Gandhi wanted swaraj immediately, asserting that British rule had forfeited any claim to legitimacy. In response to the argument that compared to the British, the Japanese were a greater evil, he refused to accept any difference between the two imperialist powers. He dismissed the fear of a Japanese takeover of India.

He was confident that the country would be able to deal with it effectively through nonviolence and by scattering the population in the villages.

Significantly, Gandhi also redefined the role of non-violence in the struggle for freedom. Non-violence, he argued, was the best possible form of political behaviour, but he hastened to argue that violence was preferable to cowardice in the midst of perpetual (never ending or changing.) slavery. Making a fundamental departure from his earlier position, he endorsed violence as a mechanism of defensive struggle. It would not be a negation of non-violence. He could perceive that strict adherence to non-violence was not conducive at a time of unprecedented global conflict, when the demand for swaraj had mass support.

The Quit India resolution, indeed the new Gandhian strategy was in July 1942 placed for approval at the Working Committee meeting of the Congress at Wardha. It resolved that the British should relinquish political power immediately, and this would enable India to play a pivotal role in the war and save the world from the clutches of “Nazism, Fascism, militarism and other forms of imperialism”. But it also emphasised that even after the British departure from India, there would be no disruption in war efforts and more significantly, the British forces would not have to leave immediately.

From the Congress perspective, this proposal was very reasonable and just, but it simultaneously reminded the British that rejection would compel the party to mobilise its accumulated strength of non-violence that it had acquired since 1920, and this would be used to secure swaraj. A meeting of the All India Congress Committee was scheduled to be held in Bombay in early August to approve this new strategy.

The Raj rejected the demand and the Congress was compelled to chalk out (to explain something carefully to someone,) its own plank for civil disobedience. On 7 August 1942, the Quit India resolution was accepted, in the face of stiff opposition from the Communists. It remains inexplicable, at a time when Stalin was fighting the war for saving the fatherland, what prompted the Communists to stay aloof from the national upsurge. Nehru moved the resolution and mentioned the fact that the Quit India resolution should not be regarded as a threat, but an olive branch (an offer of reconciliation.) of cooperation.

He also added that “there is clear indication that certain consequences will follow if certain events do not happen”. But Gandhi was more strident and without mincing (cutting up) words remarked: “We shall get our freedom by fighting. It cannot fall from the skies”.

To the question that such a statement violated Gandhi’s own philosophy of non-violence, his reply was that such acts were defensible by the doctrine of self-defence. Gandhi, in defence of his thesis of self defence, also said, “if a man holds me by the neck and wants to drown me, may I not struggle to free myself directly?”

Extending this argument, he asked every single Indian to act freely. But in spite of such militancy, the Mahatma made it clear that the Congress would not act without discussing the matter with the Viceroy. But instead of opening a channel with the Congress, the British started an offensive against the party. This plan to initiate decisive action was decided before the Quit India resolution in June. Immediately after the Bombay meeting, without allowing Gandhi to move forward, all the national leaders of the Congress, including the top brass, Gandhi, Azad, Nehru, Patel and Prasad were arrested (8 August 1942).

The Working Committee of the AICC and the provincial Congress committees ~ except those in the frontier province ~ were declared illegal. The party’s offices were sealed, its funds frozen, and all its publications stopped.

The government justified the action by claiming that the Congress was planning unlawful and violent activities with plans to interrupt communication and public utility services, even to disrupt defence operations, including recruitment. All these charges were baseless and fabricated, but were played up by the British authorities to pre-empt (take action in order to prevent (an anticipated event) happening) and force the Congress into submission. But subsequent events came as a shock.

The Intelligence network of the Raj overlooked the fact that the Congress had made an elaborate plan of resistance, if its leaders were arrested. The party started recruiting volunteers for civil disobedience and all the provincial committees were instructed to draw up a plan of action. It was stipulated that non-violent methods were to be strictly followed, but with the rider that if Gandhi were to be arrested, the people would be free to use both non-violent and violent means, to counter the violence unleashed by the Government.

The spontaneous outburst (a sudden occurrence of a particular activity.) surprised both the Government and the Congress leadership. For several weeks in August and September, large-scale violence convulsed(throw (a country) into violent social or political upheaval.) several provinces There were extensive protests against the arrest of Congress leaders, pre-eminently Mahatma Gandhi. The police tried to stop such open mass defiance, but the people resorted to stone-pelting, attacks on Europeans, attempts to destroy communication networks and government buildings. The brutal police action, legitimised by the draconian ((of laws or their application) excessively harsh and severe.) Police Act of 1861, which was enacted to forestall a possible rebellion after 1857, intensified protests.

Attempts at sabotage spread from cities to remote villages. In many places, the British lost total control, however temporarily. The nerve-centre of the revolt was Bihar and the situation became so volatile that the British planned the evacuation of all Europeans from the province.

To bring it under control, military contingents (a group of people sharing a common feature, forming part of a larger group.) from other areas had to be brought in, and for the first time the Air Force was mobilised to destroy enemy positions. It was only in October that the British administration could re-establish its authority after arresting 27,000 people in Bihar. There were large-scale disturbances in UP and Bombay Presidency as well.

The people’s anger was no less manifest in the Central Provinces, Madras, Bengal, Assam, Orissa and even in the seat of central power, Delhi. Isolated incidents took place in the frontier, Sind and Punjab as well.

The August Rebellion had erupted with the slogan of “Do or Die”. It had certain specific features ~ (a) targeting of government outfits was pre-meditated with the objective of destroying the symbols of the British Raj; (b) it was also emphasised that private property ought not to be damaged or destroyed; (c) there was a well-planned move both by Indian industrialists and workers to subvert (undermine the power and authority of (an established system or institution).) the economy; (d) the Muslims did not participate in the rebellion reaffirming the cleavage between the two communities.

This underscored the fact that the Muslims never believed that the Congress represented their interest. They consolidated themselves as a separate force; (e) the British never expected such a massive rebellion and at the beginning the effort was to underplay its impact. However, the Viceroy subsequently admitted that the Quit India movement was “by far the most serious rebellion since 1857”.

The massive use of extralegal methods and strict censorship had crippled the rebellion by mid-September 1942. This enabled the Raj to recover almost all the areas which had been liberated by the rebels.

But a well-organised underground resistance continued. It demonstrated that Indians were capable not only of bravery and sacrifice, but also possessed a remarkable capacity to function as a secret military force with excellent coordination, radio stations and use of trained fighters and firearms. The leadership was provided by the socialists, preeminently Jayprakash Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia, Achyut Patwardhan, and Aruna Asaf Ali. This underground activity continued till early 1944.

Though the August rebellion could not win India’s freedom, yet in advancing the cause of Independence, it had enormous significance. It demonstrated the people’s will to attain independence and that the people were ready for any sacrifice to achieve it.

The British also realised that it would not be possible to rule India for long even with the use of the repressive forces that it commanded. It preceded the revolt of the Indian ratings just before Independence and the tremendous popular support for the INA trials.

The British perception, expressed by Seeley at the end of the nineteenth century, that Indians lacked a sense of nationalism and the empire can be maintained at nominal cost was shattered. The most serious outcome was the total removal of the Congress and Gandhi from the political scene and the refusal of the British administration to enter into any discussion with the party.

The Congress denied the charge that it was responsible for the violence. Yet it refused to withdraw the Quit India resolution. The absence of the Congress enabled the Muslim League to spread its wings all over India. It consolidated its hold over the Muslims and this paved the way for Pakistan. It also set up a Muslim National Guard.

The increasing prominence and domination of Jinnah became apparent when the Gandhi-Jinnah talks were held in September 1944, to evolve a settlement ~ an effort that failed. In Nepal, given the repressive rule of the Ranas, political dissidence (protest against official policy.) windfall (sudden gain) shifted to India and the two future Prime Ministers, BP Koirala, and MP Koirala, joined the civil disobedience and Quit India movement.

Prof Jayanta Kumar Ray has observed that the absence of the Congress from the political scene created awindfall (sudden gain) for Jinnah and he “successfully promoted the idea of Partition”. He adds that “Gandhi and his followers could be accused of lack of foresight and vision”. Particularly puzzling was the fact that Gandhi’s present action was a total reversal of his earlier stand. Indians were unprepared for any kind of passive resistance against the empire.

In June 1942, Ambedkar was nominated to the Viceroy’s Executive Council and at the same time, the Quit India movement was conceived and his opposition to the Congress grew. The Communists opposed it because after the German invasion of the Soviet Union, the imperialist war became a people’s war. C Rajagopalachari, one of the most respected Congress leaders, opposed the Quit India movement with an alternative plank to find ways and means of finding common ground with the British.

His estrangement from the Congress became total when he pleaded (present and argue for (a position))for a rapproachment (an establishment or resumption of harmonious relations.) with Jinnah. His warning that the Quit India movement would further alienate the Congress from the Muslims and the British was prophetic (accurately predicting what will happen in the future.). In retrospect, what was the net gain for us from the Quit India movement?

The government did not initiate any discussion and even the possibility of Gandhi’s death did not alter its stand. Undoubtedly, the Muslim League and Jinnah increased their strength by consolidating their position in Punjab and Bengal. As Ramachandra Guha has remarked: “Jinnah demanded and obtained a further parity, of himself with Gandhi”.

The Communists, even after opposing the Quit India movement, increased their strength and contact with people specially in Bengal and Andhra Pradesh. The Hindu Mahasabha also enhanced its influence and support base, MN Roy and his followers also opposed the Quit India movement but their influence and impact continued to be marginal.

However, the Mahatma’s blunder was not to call for the Quit India Movement but to accept Jinnah as the sole leader of the Muslim League in 1944. As Maulana Azad wrote in his India wins Freedom, the supremacy that Jinnah enjoyed was a gift of Gandhi. “Large sections of the Indian Muslims were doubtful about Mr Jinnah and his policy but when they found that Gandhiji was continually running after him and entreating him, many of them developed a new respect for Jinnah”.

Clement Atlee, the Labour Prime Minister, when asked in 1959, about the impact of the Quit India movement on the British decision to leave India, replied that it was minimal. This was a gross understatement as a letter of Anthony Eden to Winston Chruchill revealed his confession that the “biggest challenge” for Britain was to keep India within the Commonwealth for the next ten years.

Eden added: “Next to winning the war, keeping India in the Empire, should be the supreme goal of British policy”.

The historical importance of such epochal (highly significant or important) events cannot be gauged by some of its immediate and unexpected outcomes. The explosive situation created by the failure of the Cripps Mission and the Quit India movement fuelled the anger and frustration of the entire nation.

The subsequent floods and the Bengal famine also disillusioned the people, for which Gandhi cannot be blamed. Though the British did suppress the rebellion by force, in the long run the suppression was counter-productive.

The subsequent victory of the Congress in all the elections was enough to prove that the immense sacrifice of so many ordinary Indians was not in vain.

Courtesy: The Statesman (General Studies)

1. Chalk out (phrasal verb): (To explain something carefully to someone,) (रूपरेखा प्रस्तुत करना/समझाना (विस्तृत रूप से)

Synonyms: Adumbrate, Explain, Outline, Sketch Out.

Antonyms: Misinterpret, Tangle.

Example: Before the attacks, the commander chalked out the plan to his soldiers.

Verb forms: Chalk out, Chalked out, Chalked out.

2. Outburst (noun): (A sudden occurrence of a particular activity.) (प्रस्फुटन)

Synonyms: Eruption, Outbreak, Flare-Up, Blow-Up, Blaze, Spasm.

Antonyms: Calm, Peace, Harmony.

Example: When Sally revealed her selection in IAS to her family, an outburst of joy could be heard by the neighbors next door.

3. Draconian (adjective): ((Of laws or their application) excessively harsh and severe.)  (कठोर/कडा)

Synonyms: Harsh, Severe, Strict, Extreme, Rigorous, Stringent

Antonyms: Amenable, Gentle, Mild, Temperate.

Example: Under draconian law, even the smallest offenses are punished with harsh consequences.

Related words:

Draconic (adjective) – सख़्त

4. Sabotage (verb):  Deliberately destroy, damage, or obstruct (something), especially for political or military advantage. (नुक़सान पहुंचाना/नुक़सान पहुंचाना)

Synonyms: Destroy, Obstruct, Disrupt, Cripple, Impair, Incapacitate

Antonyms: Aid, Assist, Help.

Example: The enemy agent used a bomb to sabotage the factory and halt production.

Verb forms: Sabotage, Sabotaged, Sabotaged

Related words:

Sabotage (noun) – A deliberate damage

Origin: From French saboter ‘kick with sabots, wilfully destroy’

5. Contingent (noun): (A group of people sharing a common feature, forming part of a larger group.) (दल/दस्ता)

Synonyms: Group, Party, Body, Band, Unit, Squadron, Section.

Antonyms: Singleness.

Example: A contingent of students was selected when an MNC visited the college campus.

Related words:

Contingent (adjective) - Subject to chance.

6. Dissidence (noun): (The holding or expression of opinions at variance with authority) (मतभेद /विचार-विभिन्नता)

Synonyms: Disagreement, Dissent, Discord, Discontent, Disapproval.

Antonyms: Agreement, Concurrence, Harmony.

Example: For almost two centuries the Indians were dissident against the British Raj because of their oppressive policies.

Related words:

Dissident (adjective) - A person who opposes the current political structure, group or laws; one who disagrees

Origin: from Latin dissidentia, - ‘sitting apart’

7. Windfall (noun): (A sudden gain) (अप्रत्याशित लाभ)

Synonyms: Bonanza, Gifts from the gods, Jackpot, Pennies from heaven, Godsend.

Example: With her lottery windfall, Gail eliminated all her financial debt.

Origin: Derived from logical sense of falling something favorable to someone needy.

8. Plead (verb): Present and argue for (a position), especially in court or in another public context. (तर्क के रूप में प्रस्तुत करना)

Synonyms: Claim, Assert, Argue, State, Present, Put Forward

Example: If the defendant decides to plead legitimately, he may receive a lighter consequence from the judge.

Verb forms: Plead, Pleaded, Pleaded.

Related words:

Pleadings (noun) - वाद-विवाद/ तर्क

Pleadingly (adverb) - निवेदित रूप से

9. Prophetic (adjective): (Accurately predicting what will happen in the future.) (पूर्वकथित/भविष्यसूचक)

Synonyms: Prescient, Predictive, Far-Seeing, Prognostic.

Antonyms: Ignorant, Neglectful.

Example: Because the people in the town believed the child had prophetic talents, they constantly questioned him about their fates.

Verb forms: Prophesy, Prophesied, Prophesied.

Related words:

Prophesy (verb) - Say that (a specified thing) will happen in the future.

Prophet (noun) – भावीवक्ता

10. Epochal (adjective): (Highly significant or important/ of great significance) (महत्त्वपूर्ण)

Synonyms: Significant, Decisive, Paramount, Momentous. 

Antonyms: Trivial, Insignificant.

Example: Virat Kohli has achieved an epochal niche in Cricket.

Origin: Epoch (Noun): A particular period of time in history or a person's life