Sri Kshitish Roy Choudhury, M.A., B.L., presently in his eighties, is an eminent Freedom Fighter, Gandhian and Sarvodaya Leader of international repute, a class associate of Acharya Vinoba Bhabe and Jaya Prakash Narayan, and a brilliant intellectual and social and constructive worker of high merit. An expert educatio-nist, he was the Principal of the first Post Graduate Basic Training College in this part of the country and was invited to address many international seminars in Europe and the United States. He is presently President or Chairman of several Gandhian and Social action-cum-science research organi-sations or institutions. He lives mainly at Balarampur, Midnapur. West Bengal, where he experiments with Gandhian ideals and concepts for human, moral, social and rural developments. A prolific writer, he contri-butes often to various local, national and international journals.
Quit India Movement was in fact the culmination of the series of National struggles which led to political freedom of India in August, 1947. A historical struggle with a historical end, it delivered one-fifth of humanity from the shackles of the British Raj. The role of Gandhi in this context, who strode over the political firmament of India like a colossus for over four decades, his novel technique of Satyagraha, his truth and non-violence, his emphasis on means to achieve end, are his-torically too near for proper judgement and assessment. Never-theless, it is undeniable that he was the chief architect in the process of building up a new horizon for the freedom of India. Since his advent in the Indian scene he added new dimension to the freedom movement of India and innovated his way to attain the goal. He steered clear of both the millitant youths indulging in terrorist activities as well as the moderates who made appeals and prayers by constitutional means, without any mass support behind them. Gandhi, the man of the mas-ses, who could read their pulse instinctively, came forward with his dual programme of constructive work and non-violent mass struggles, and made them fearless, bold and defiant against injustice, exploitation and oppression.
The 1942 Movement was thus the final denouement of a tremendous mass upheaval creating compulsion for the Imperial Raj to yield. India succeeded in its immediate objective but the realisation of Gandhi's dream of restructuring the social order remained as distant as ever.
Gandhi's trusted comrades, except Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan, differed with him on issues like partition, mode of transfer of power, etc. Gandhi felt he was left alone, forlorn. In fact, his comrades were more interested in his political leadership which was essential to rouse the masses to sacrifice, suffer and even defy death for the cause of freedom than in his polity and reconstruction of new social order. Gandhi was ready for another struggle against the Raj, to achieve his dual objectives in tune with means and ends. The leaders were probably too tired to venture another risk. They were unlike their non-attached leader Gandhi, a perpetual revolutionary, in their fibres of strength.
If Gandhi could persuade his colleagues to his point of view the course of history probably might have taken a new turn. Gandhi might have lived his full span of 125 years engaged in the services of mankind for the reconstruction of a better world. But destiny ordained otherwise.
In conclusion, the writer owes his debt for varied help he received from Supriya Munshi, the Secretary and Director, Gandhi Museum, Barrackpur. But for his help the story could not have seen the light of the day. He frequently goaded the writer to speed up the work. He carefully looked into the manuscript, corrected wherever he found discrepancies and made it ready in the present form. The presentation is both narrative and critical.
I shall feel amply rewarded if the readers find it interesting enough to be motivated for a deeper study of the last phase of the national freedom struggle.
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