After the rejection of the August Offer (1940), the Congress under Gandhi decided to launch a limited movement to protest India’s forced involvement in the Second World War without Indian consent. Instead of a mass struggle, Gandhi opted for Individual Satyagraha to keep the movement peaceful and controlled.
Objectives
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To affirm Indians’ right to free speech and oppose the war without India’s consent.
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To show that Congress did not support Nazism or Fascism, but opposed British imperialism.
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To avoid a mass confrontation during wartime while still maintaining nationalist pressure.
Launch of the Movement
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Started in October 1940 under Gandhi’s leadership.
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The first satyagrahi was Vinoba Bhave, followed by Jawaharlal Nehru and Brahma Datt.
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Satyagrahis would deliver anti-war speeches, declare their right to freedom of expression, and court arrest peacefully.
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In total, around 25,000 satyagrahis were arrested by the British.
Nature of Protest
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It was an individual, not mass, movement, aimed at testing people’s commitment and keeping the movement non-violent.
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Protestors openly defied repressive wartime restrictions and accepted imprisonment.
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The movement continued in phases until December 1941, when it was suspended following Britain’s involvement in the war against Japan after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Significance
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Kept the spirit of nationalist resistance alive during wartime.
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Demonstrated Congress’s opposition to imperialism while distancing itself from fascist powers.
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Marked a prelude to the Quit India Movement (1942), as it highlighted the limits of British concessions.
Key Takeaway
The Individual Satyagraha (1940–41) was a symbolic protest that kept the Congress politically active during the Second World War. Though limited in scope, it prepared the ground for the Quit India Movement, the next major mass struggle.