British WW2 propaganda leaflet featuring a statement issued by Mahatma Gandhi in 1943.
This is extracted from ‘Interview to Preston Grover’, reading which has value for us.
Gandhiji gives the following points among others :
- He wants end of British rule in India (urgently).
- The allied armies (especially American) can/should stay in ‘Independent India’.
Gandhiji gives the following points among others :
- He wants end of British rule in India (urgently).
- The allied armies (especially American) can/should stay in ‘Independent India’.
The immediate reason for giving India freedom, Gandhiji says, is dual
a. British occupation of India is wrong.
b. Free India can help the Allies in their war effort.
Here only he mentions, “I want India to oppose Japan to a man. If India was free she would do it...”
a. British occupation of India is wrong.
b. Free India can help the Allies in their war effort.
Here only he mentions, “I want India to oppose Japan to a man. If India was free she would do it...”
The justification of keeping the allied troops in India, he says, is to protect India from he probable Japanese agression.
“I cannot...insist on [withdrawal of Allied forces], because I want to resist with all my might the charge of inviting Japan to India.”
“I cannot...insist on [withdrawal of Allied forces], because I want to resist with all my might the charge of inviting Japan to India.”
V.D. Savarkar justifying his opposition to the Quit India movement opposes this point & says that leaving the British and American forces in India would be fatal & that it (with other reasons) would lead to vivisection of Indian integrity.
If the allied forces remained in India after Independence, during WW2, India would've become a war front, and it’ld have suffered large scale civilian casualties.
But Gandhiji's concern for future of India, given the chances of Japanese (Axis) agression were also legitimate.
But Gandhiji's concern for future of India, given the chances of Japanese (Axis) agression were also legitimate.
The answer to this was, as Savarkar envisaged, Hindu Militarization.
Rather than leaving the British (& American) army in India under their control, it'ld be better to infiltrate the army, & have self-sufficient defence for India in case the British left.
Rather than leaving the British (& American) army in India under their control, it'ld be better to infiltrate the army, & have self-sufficient defence for India in case the British left.
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