Summary
Highlights
The Simon Commission's arrival in 1927 to review the Government of India Act 1919 faced opposition. The Government of India Act 1935 was established based on their recommendations.
The Kisan Sabha movement, starting in 1929, arose due to farmers' exploitation under British policies like the zamindari, malwari, and ratwari systems. Swami Sahajanand Saraswati founded the movement in Bihar, which then spread across other states.
The British sowed the seeds of communalism, dividing Hindus and Muslims. Organizations like RSS (founded in 1925 by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar) and the Muslim League (founded by Nawab Samiullah Khan) emerged, representing Hindu and Muslim interests respectively, further exacerbating religious tensions.
The Government of India Act aimed to provide a federal structure, dividing power between the center (controlled by the British) and the provinces. Elections in 1937 led to Congress gaining significant power, causing friction with other parties like the Muslim League.
During World War II, the British offered the August Offer and later the Cripps Mission to gain Indian support, promising self-governance after the war. Both were rejected. The Quit India Movement launched in 1942 advocated for the British to leave India, leading to mass arrests and suppression.
Subhas Chandra Bose became Congress President in 1938 and 1939. After resigning, he formed the Forward Bloc party in 1939. He sought international support, eventually forming the Indian National Army (INA) with Captain Mohan Singh, receiving support from Japan, and even temporarily liberating parts of India.
With Britain weakened after World War II, Prime Minister Clement Attlee favored Indian independence. The Cabinet Mission's plans failed, leading to the Mountbatten Plan, which proposed the partition of India into India and Pakistan. Despite communal riots, the plan was accepted to avoid further bloodshed, leading to India's independence on August 15, 1947.