Beginning late 1943, Mahatma Gandhi wrote to Viceroy Linlithgow, explaining his position over August 1942 movement, which had turned violent after his arrest. Govt blamed Gandhi for obstructing the war efforts. Gandhiji in his response to the Viceroy, clarified:
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[1]. It was not the Quit India resolution but the action of Government which led to the acts of violence. It was the Government which "goaded the people to the point of madness". That is the people who took part in Quit India movement.
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[2]. The aim of "Quit India" resolution was to bring about conditions under which India could effectively participate in the war efforts of the Allies. Which would for most part mean the running over of Japan.
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[3]. The Congress had no plan for any big movement. The only person authorized to start civil disobedience (Gandhiji) was arrested before he could issue any instructions.
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Further correspondence with the Government brought forth the following:
i. Gandhiji had not asked for the physical withdrawal of the British from India. What he had asked for was the withdrawal of British power, not of individual Englishmen.
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i. Gandhiji had not asked for the physical withdrawal of the British from India. What he had asked for was the withdrawal of British power, not of individual Englishmen.
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Later, Subhas Bose's nephew and freedom fighter Dwijendra accused Gandhiji and others of "rubbing their noses on the floor" before the British and washing their hands off the Quit India movement. "This is not our movement. This is all violence going on," he taunted.
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In official records of that period, Mahatma Gandhi's explanation to Govt has been characterised as an "apologia". Historian Dr RC Majumdar wrote that it was an apology.
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