Skip to main content

'Flawed' argument: Gandhi had minimal role, naval mutinies alone led to Independence

Counterview Desk
Reacting to a Counterview story, "Rewiring history? Bose, not Gandhi, was real Father of Nation: British PM Attlee 'cited'" (January 26, 2016), an avid reader has forwarded reaction in the form of a link, which carries the article "Did Atlee say Gandhi had minimal role in Independence? #FactCheck", published in the site satyagrahis.in.
The satyagraha.in article seeks to debunk the view, reported in the Counterview story, taken by retired army officer GD Bakshi in his book, “Bose: An Indian Samurai”, which claims that Gandhiji had a minimal role to play in India's freedom struggle, and that it was Netaji who played the crucial role. We reproduce the satyagraha.in article here.

Text:

Nowadays it is said by many MK Gandhi critics that Clement Atlee made a statement in which he said Gandhi has ‘minimal’ role in India's independence and gave credit to naval mutinies and with this statement, they concluded the whole freedom struggle. This is one of the most flawed arguments put by his critics.
Let’s know the reality of this so-called statement.
CONTEXT
G.D. Bakshi (retired Indian army officer) [1] claimed in his book ‘Bose: An Indian Samurai’ that when former Governor of West Bengal Justice PB Chakraborty [2] asked Clement Attlee (in a private chat) what was the main reason for the British exit from India, Attlee gave the credit to INA and Subhash Chandra Bose, and gave minimal credit to Gandhi, this has been mentioned by G.D Bakshi.
But this story is ‘apocryphal’ (a story or statement of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being true or completely true).
Let’s understand the whole story and rebuttal GD Bakshi’s argument.
Following is the excerpt from GD Bakshi’s book ‘Bose: The Indian Samurai’ [3] :
In 1956, Atlee had visited India and stayed in Kolkata as the guest of the then Governor of West Bengal, Justice P. B. Chakraborty. They had a most remarkable conversation on how India had won her freedom. Justice Chakraborty remarked that the Quit India movement launched by the Congress in 1942 had been completely crushed and had petered out entirely by 1944. Why then did the British leave India in such a tearing hurry aer the war? Atlee replied that it was because of the INA of Subhash Bose and the mutinies it had triggered in the British Indian Armed Forces. Chakraborty then pointedly asked “What then was the role of Mahatma Gandhi’s Quit India Movement in the grant of India’s Independence?” He said and I quote ‘Atlee’s face twisted into a sarcastic smile as he spelt out the word “minimal”.
Let’s understand the reference or background of this story.
Now GD Bakshi’s claim’s reference is: Ranjan Bora, writing in The Journal of Historical Review Vol No 3,1982 article titled “Subhash Bose, the INA and the War of Indian liberation” [4]
Following is the excerpt of Ranjan Bora’s article (or GD Bakshi’s reference):
Chief justice P.B. Chakrabarty of Calcutta High Court, who had also served as the acting Governor of West Bengal in India, disclosed the following in a letter addressed to the publisher of Dr. R.C. Majumdar's book A History of Bengal. The Chief Justice wrote: "You have fulfilled a noble task by persuading Dr. Majumdar to write this history of Bengal and publishing it … In the preface of the book Dr. Majumdar has written that he could not accept the thesis that Indian independence was brought about solely, or predominantly by the non-violent civil disobedience movement of Gandhi. When I was the acting Governor, Lord Atlee, who had given us independence by withdrawing the British rule from India, spent two days in the Governor's palace at Calcutta during his tour of India. At that time I had a prolonged discussion with him regarding the real factors that had led the British to quit India. My direct question to him was that since Gandhi's "Quit India" movement had tapered off quite some time ago and in 1947 no such new compelling situation had arisen that would necessitate a hasty British departure, why did they have to leave? In his reply Atlee cited several reasons, the principal among them being the erosion of loyalty to the British Crown among the Indian army and navy personnel as a result of the military activities of Netaji. Toward the end of our discussion I asked Atlee what was the extent of Gandhi's influence upon the British decision to quit India. Hearing this question, Atlee's lips became twisted in a sarcastic smile as he slowly chewed out the word, "m-i-n-i-m-a-l!"
  1. Okay, so Ranjan Bora used RC Majumdar’s autobiography as a reference. Ranjan Bora’s reference to this story is a letter written in Bengali (translated into English) by [a Bengali] PB Chakraborty to the publisher of [Bengali] historian R.C. Majumdar's book (publisher of the book, not RC Majumdar) ‘Bangla Desher Itihas’ or ‘A History of Bengal’ (Vol. IV).
  2. The facsimile of the letter was published in the appendix of Majumdar’s autobiographical book in Bengali Jibaner Smritideep (The light of my life’s memories) published in 1978 for the first time. R.C Majumdar’s reference is not a peer-reviewed history source, only a reminiscence. And no reliable secondary source has paid attention to Chakraborty’s claims.

Critical Background Check Of This Story:

  1. First of all clear one thing which many people fail to understand this so-called remarkable conversation was a ‘private chat’ (maybe at the dinner table), not any public talk.
  2. Now the letter addresses Attlee’s title incorrectly, Attlee was knighted, but was an Earl, instead of a Lord in 1955-56.
  3. As per the list of Governors of West Bengal, there was a gap between Harendra Coomar Mookerjee’s death on 7 August 1956, and Padmaja Naidu’s tenure starting on 3 November 1956. PB Chakraborty was indeed the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court during 1952-58. The Raj Bhavan of Calcutta does not record acting governors in its list – It would be slightly strange for an “acting governor” of less than 3 months to have actually bothered to move into Raj Bhavan.
  4. It is also established that Attlee indeed travelled to India during Oct 1956, and after spending 5 days in Madras, visited Calcutta, where he met Nehru at the Raj Bhavan. And the former British Premier, Earl Attlee, met Prime Minister Nehru at the Raj Bhavan in Calcutta on October 22 and had an informal discussion with him for about half an hour. Earlier, he called on the Chief Minister, Dr. B.C. Roy.
  5. This letter by PB Chakraborty was written on 30 March 1976 to Majumdar, nine years after Attlee's death and 20 years after the incident (or private chat) with Atlee. RC Majumdar himself was 88 years old then (He died in 1980).
  6. This letter was published in the appendix of Majumdar’s autobiographical book in Bengali R.C Majumdar’s reference is not a peer-reviewed history source, only a reminiscence. No reliable secondary source has paid attention to Chakraborty’s claims.
Now, before we take this story as a historical fact, it is important to note these points
This was such a bombshell story, why did Mr Chakraborty wait 20 years to tell it?
  1. Even RC Majumdar, a renowned historian, but a fierce critic of Gandhiji, waited for two years, and only used this remark in just one place, in a non-academic work (his autobiographical book in Bengali), not in any of his published academic work, books and papers.
  2. Neither there’s any corroboration of this private chat nor reference is peer-reviewed which is used to conclude history or say so-called ‘most remarkable conversation on how India had won her freedom’ by ultra-minded people like GD Bakshi.
  3. These alleged remarks made by Attlee are very strong and extraordinary as claimed. So it, therefore, is noteworthy, that nowhere else in all his speeches and writings in his entire life, till his death in 1967, did Attlee utter any words to this effect anywhere, apart from this claimed conversation with Mr PB Chakraborty.
CONTRADICTIONS:
(The other circumstantial and chronological evidence also challenge this story) 
1. Atlee and his Labour party are the ones who were in the favour of India’s independence. In the 1945 election in Britain, India’s freedom had been a campaign promise of the Labour party, its manifesto pledging “the advancement of India to responsible self-government.”[5] From 1945 Labour Party Election Manifesto:
2. Atlee In his speech at the Blackpool Conference on 23 May, 1945, Attlee clearly said that 'they would strive earnestly to enable India to get full self-government’. An excerpt from RC Majumdar’s book 'History of the freedom movement in India', Vol.3, 1963, page no. 743:
3. Attlee considered Indian Independence his 'finest achievement'. [6]
India found its mentions in the 1950 Labour manifesto too: “The selfish and cowardly bungling of the Conservative Government landed us in a war which collective security could have prevented and for which the Government had not prepared. The Colonies were shamefully neglected and the democratic aspirations of the Indian people met with continuous frustration and delay.” [7]
4. “Oh and btw, India’s independence was for all practical purposes decided well before the INA trials [Simla Conference]. Only a few sticky items like Dominion status vs. full sovereignty were discussed.”
To back this statement “India’s independence was for all practical purposes decided well before the INA trials”, I would like to quote Churchill and British King's conversation.
In July, King George VI write in his diary wrote, “He [Churchill] surprised me by saying that all his associates and all the three parties of Parliament are ready to leave India in the hands of Indians after the war.” (Source: Viceroy to Prime Minister, 24 February 1946, Transfer of Power Documents, Vol.6, p. 1055)
5. Viceroy Wavell blamed Congress leaders’ speeches’ for the mutiny uprising.
Then Viceroy of India — Lord Wavell had no doubt that the primary cause of the REN “mutiny” was the “speeches of Congress leaders since September last” which he said in a letter to PM Attlee. [8]
6. In fact, the Punjab CID authorities warned the Director of the Intelligence Bureau of the “considerable danger,” while dealing with the Communists, “of putting the cart before the horse and of failing to recognize Congress as the main enemy.” [9]
7. The Home Department’s provincial level enquiry into the causes of these “disturbances”, came to the conclusion that they were the outcome of the “inflammatory atmosphere created by the intemperate speeches of Congress leaders in the last three months.” [10]
8. In 1948, the British branded the Mutiny as a larger communist conspiracy raging from the Middle East to the Far East against the British crown. [11]
British Prime Minister Clement Attlee then blamed the Communists for the 1946 Royal Naval Mutiny. ( Source: San Bernardino Sun newspaper on 23rd Feb 1946)
9. An argument is the attribution of the sending of Cabinet Mission (which spoke of Indian independence coming soon) is that it was because of the impact of the RIN revolt.
But if we see chronology, on February 18 the Bombay Naval strike began. And on 19 February, Attlee in the House of Commons announced the decision to despatch the Cabinet Mission. This is obviously untenable. The decision to send out the Mission was taken by the British Cabinet on 22 January 1946 and even its announcement on 19 February 1946 had been slated a week earlier.

Last But Not Least:

Even if anyone finds that quote true then Mountbatten also has something to say:
“It had always been the British policy not to yield anything to force but Mahatma's non - violence had won. We decided to quit as a result of India's non violent struggle.”
— Lord Mountbatten
(Source: CWMG, Vol 94 Pp.209 published by IB Ministry, Gol)
“A divinely inspired saint I know that I am expressing the views of the British people in offering to his fellow countrymen our deep sympathy in the loss of their greatest citizen. Mahatma Gandhi, as he was known in India, was one of the outstanding figures in the world today, but he seemed to belong to a different period of history.
Living a life of extreme asceticism, he was revered as a divinely inspired saint by millions of his fellow countrymen. His influence extended beyond the range of his co-religionists.
For a quarter of a century, this one man has been the major factor in every consideration of the Indian problem. He had become the expression of the aspirations of the Indian people for independence, but he was not just a nationalist. His most distinctive doctrine was that of non-violence. He believed in a method of passive resistance to those forces which he considered wrong. The sincerity and devotion with which he pursued his objectives are beyond all doubt.
The hand of the murderer has struck him down and a voice which pleaded for peace and brotherhood has been silenced, but I am certain that his spirit will continue to animate his fellow countrymen and will plead for peace and concord.” [13]

— Lord Clement Attlee
(Source: https://www.gandhiheritageportal.org/tribute-detail/MTEx/OTM=)
This one is the actual quote.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] G. D. BAKSHI - WIKIPEDIA
[2] PHANI BHUSAN CHAKRAVARTTI - WIKIPEDIA
[3] BOSE
[4] SUBHAS CHANDRA BOSE, THE INDIAN NATIONAL ARMY, AND THE WAR OF INDIA'S LIBERATION
[5] 1945 LABOUR PARTY MANIFESTO -
[6] THE BRITISH PM WHO OVERSAW INDIA'S INDEPENDENCE
[7] 1950 LABOUR PARTY MANIFESTO -
[8] THE TRANSFER OF POWER 1942-7; : FREE DOWNLOAD, BORROW, AND STREAMING : INTERNET ARCHIVE
[9] INDIA'S STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE
[10] INDIA'S STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE
[11] CPI (M) ON TWITTER
[12] GANDHI HERITAGE PORTAL: REPOSITORY OF AUTHENTIC INFORMATION ON THE LIFE AND THOUGHTS OF MAHATMA GANDHI

Comments

Unknown said…
If Britishers would have humanity and peace loving people they would have not at the first place tried to conquer and rule or shall have destroyed other cultures of other nations.
Even today Britishers are not self made warriors they are dependent on some strong etcs for their existence.
That day bose ,this day modi.
If Britishers are born warriors let them challenge India alone, history shall be the other way.
Long live subhash chandra bose .
Anonymous said…
Long live Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose (the person who had a Gandhi brigade in the INA and was the one who called Gandhiji "Mahatma").
Anonymous said…
Loved this thank you cleared all my confusion
CHARLES DARWIN said…
Nice try to support Gandhiji and undermine Netaji but taking British documents to undermine the Navy revolt went too low
Anonymous said…
I m actually confused, why are you disregarding the British documents Charles Darwin ?
Kums nabam said…
Thankyou for clearing the doubts.... Nowadays BJP it cells all are just trying to change the history just to make look gandhi bad .... That's is the reason they follow the murderer nathuram gotse ideology ... Bless India and save from this hatred ideology by bjp people
ChutiyaAuthorOfPost said…
So as per the writer,
1. Dont trust indian documents, why after 20 years, why not then .. blah blah blah
2. Use the documents of the oppressor and try to prove that britishers always wanted to give independece. We indians were chutiya not taking it
3. And at the end he use Lord Mountbatten to prove gandhi was great and he got us independence. Lord Mountbatten and gandhi were in same team you peanut size brain.

TRENDING

Reducing emission? India among top nations whose coal as energy source going up

By NS Venkataraman*  The State of the Global Climate report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirmed that the year 2023 was the warmest year on record, with the global temperature of 1.4 degree celsius above pre-industrial 1850-1900 base line.

Lockdown 'total failure' of science more than of politics: Open letter on 4th anniversary

Counterview Desk  In an open letter to fellow academicians, scientists and medical practitioners in India, marking the fourth anniversary of India's lockdown (25 March 2024), the Managing Committee* of the Universal Health Organisation (UHO) has insisted on the need to "repair two years of immense damage to science".

Insider plot to kill Deendayal Upadhyay? What RSS pracharak Balraj Madhok said

By Shamsul Islam*  Balraj Madhok's died on May 2, 2016 ending an era of old guards of Hindutva politics. A senior RSS pracharak till his death was paid handsome tributes by the RSS leaders including PM Modi, himself a senior pracharak, for being a "stalwart leader of Jan Sangh. Balraj Madhok ji's ideological commitment was strong and clarity of thought immense. He was selflessly devoted to the nation and society. I had the good fortune of interacting with Balraj Madhok ji on many occasions". The RSS also issued a formal condolence message signed by the Supremo Mohan Bhagwat on behalf of all swayamsevaks, referring to his contribution of commitment to nation and society. He was a leading RSS pracharak on whom his organization relied for initiating prominent Hindutva projects. But today nobody in the RSS-BJP top hierarchy remembers/talks about Madhok as he was an insider chronicler of the immense degeneration which was spreading as an epidemic in the high echelons of th

Magnetic, stunning, Protima Bedi 'exposed' malice of sexual repression in society

By Harsh Thakor*  Protima Bedi was born to a baniya businessman and a Bengali mother as Protima Gupta in Delhi in 1949. Her father was a small-time trader, who was thrown out of his family for marrying a dark Bengali women. The theme of her early life was to rebel against traditional bondage. It was extraordinary how Protima underwent a metamorphosis from a conventional convent-educated girl into a freak. On October 12th was her 75th birthday; earlier this year, on August 18th it was her 25th death anniversary.

Savarkar 'criminally betrayed' Netaji and his INA by siding with the British rulers

By Shamsul Islam* RSS-BJP rulers of India have been trying to show off as great fans of Netaji. But Indians must know what role ideological parents of today's RSS/BJP played against Netaji and Indian National Army (INA). The Hindu Mahasabha and RSS which always had prominent lawyers on their rolls made no attempt to defend the INA accused at Red Fort trials.

'Wrong direction': Paris NGO regrets MNC ArcelorMittal still using coal-based steel

By Rajiv Shah  A new report by Paris-based non-governmental research and campaigning organization, Reclaim Finance, has blamed the MNC ArcelorMittal – formed in 2006 following the takeover and merger of the western European steel maker Arcelor (Spain, France, and Luxembourg) by Indian-owned Mittal Steel – for using use “climate destructive” metallurgical coal for its projects in India.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah*   The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual. 

Attack on foreign students: Gujarat varsity's reputation, ranking at stake, say academics

Counterview Desk  Expressing anguish over the attack on international students in Gujarat University hostels, a letter claimed to have been signed by 122 current and former academics has asked the Gujarat Vice Chancellor, Dr Neerja Gupta, to provide emotional support to the attacked students and to ensure their physical safety.  

As double engine takes backseat in Odisha, BJP is pitted against 'firmly rooted' BJD

By Sudhansu R Das  BJP has got 25 years to build its party base in Odisha. After 25 years, it felt helpless and insecure to fight elections on its own strength. The party was almost crazy to have an alliance with the ruling BJD in Odisha.  Looking for alliance at the time of election shows that the party has not groomed its grassroots level workers into potential leaders.  The state BJP leaders woke up and convinced the Central leaders that they are capable of going solo; the alliance was stillborn. The question is can BJP defeat BJD which is firmly rooted in Odisha after launching piles of populist programs in the state.