Quit India Movement: A Case Study of Meerut District (U.P.)

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The failure of Cripps Mission created for Gandhiji a moral crisis of a high order. Cripps shattered his appraisal and falsified his expectations. The British Government was not willing to part with power. On the other hand, the Indian people were filled with distrust and hostility towards the British. On August 8,1942 the Quit India Resolution was passed at the Bombay session of the All India Congress Committee at Gowalia tank Bombay. Gandhiji told Indians to follow non-violent civil disobedience. He told the masses to act as an independent nation. By this movement Gandhiji anticipated to bring the British government to the negotiable table.

Although the congress had not made any actual preparations, the Government decided to strike immediately. As there was no definite organization and a complete lack of leadership, violent riots and assaults and sporadic disorders, such as cutting of telephone lines, damaging railway tracks, stations etc. occurred on the large scale in different parts of India. It is certain that new generation had been motivated as it never had before to claim as a non-negotiable goal, and every act of defiance and rebellion only reinforced the nationalist sentiment.

This book illuminates various important events of this movement. It is the History of contribution and sacrifices of the Indians, as may be students, peasants, and every Indian who took the passion of patriotism. The present book is focused on the Quit India Movement and describes how Meerut had risen for the Quit India Movement. It had proved that Meerut played a very significant role in this movement.

Dr. Sushil Kumar completed his Graduation, Post Graduation, M.Phil and Ph.D. degree from Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut. He is specialized in Modern Indian History. He is presently an Associate Professor of History in the M.L.B. Govt. College of Excellence, Gwalior (Higher Education Department, Government of Madhya Pradesh). He has completed a Research Project sponsored by U.G.C. Being an academician, he has been closely associated with several universities/ institutions/ organizations. Dr. Sushil Kumar has also contributed scholarly papers to prestigious national and international journals and attended a number of Seminars/Conferences. He is also guiding Ph.D. scholars. Two students are awarded Ph.D. degree under his guidance.

From the very beginning of the struggle for independence, Meerut had been an active centre and had always inspired and aided the cause of freedom. Quit India Movement is one of the most important events of the freedom struggle in India. It quickly spread all over the country. Meerut district responded to the call of the nation, and played a very significant role.

To the best of my knowledge, no work has so far been done on Quit India Movement in Meerut District. This has prompted me to study this Movement in Meerut. This study will explode the myth that Meerut District tended to keep away from the 1942 Rebellion. The study will be a part of the chain of the studies on freedom struggle in general and Quit India Movement in particular.

As soon as the Quit India Resolution was passed at Wardha, the Goverment took precautionary step to check the revolutionary activities throughout the India. In Meerut also so as to stop the revolutionary activities, as precautionary step ten leaders were arrested in early morning of August 9,1942. To protest against these arrests, students both boys and girls arranged public meetings. Students were arrested. In this movement the late Ch. Charan Singh worked underground and prepared the villages for the movement. C.M.A (Controller of Military Accounts) Bomb Case is famous case in which an attempt was made to burn the records of the office to create confusion and disturbances, so that the payment of the salary and allowances to army personnel may be delayed. Attempts were made to set on fire the building of Ghaziabad Munsif's Court. On August 12,1942 Murad Nagar Railway Station was set on fire.

Besides these disturbances four persons killed in police firing in Hapur. In the firing incident at Mawana a person was martyred. In Bhamauri Golikand, five persons were killed in police firing. To commemorate Mahatma Gandhi's historic fast of 21 days which ended on March 3, 1943, a Banyan tree was planted and Akhand Havan for 194 hours was also performed at Meerut College Meerut. Peasants carried on No Tax, No Rent Campaign in this region. This Movement was crushed ruthlessly with heavy atrocities inflicted upon the innocent mob.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages