Structure:

1.  Introduction: A brief note on quit India movement (why now- reasons)
2. Body: How it started in Karnataka and what were the Also mention in brief about Issur incident. (100 words)
3. Conclusion: How it put Karnataka in the centre of freedom struggle in India

Content:

The Quit India Movement:

In September the Second World War broke out and in November 1939, the Congress ministries resigned as a protest against the British Indian government involving India in the war without the consent of its people. The Congress had earlier demanded the government to clarify its war aims and spell out its proposal for India’s future. When talks broke down the Congress, launched the Individual Sathyagraha in October 1940.

The rapid advancement of Japan in the eastern front the congress On 8^th August 1942, met at Bombay and passed a resolution asking the British to quit India. The action of the government was swift. On the eve hours of Sunday August 9^th, Gandhiji was arrested followed by all the members of the Congress Working Committee. The banning of all Congress Committees and jailing of almost all Congressmen of importance surprised and shocked people all over India. These measures naturally provoked an immediate reaction. Demonstrations, processions, picketing and acts of disobedience and defiance followed all over the country. While the masses turned their wrath against the government by destructing public and government property, the government retaliated severely with the aid of police and the army. Mobs were dispersed with batons, by firing and occasionally with machine gun from air. People were mercilessly flogged and beaten, under trials were tortured-not allowed to sleep, kept hungry and thirsty, women were stripped, assaulted and raped. In villages numerous houses were razed to the ground and burnt. People were tied to trees and whipped and large numbers of them were sent to jail without trial.

Quit India Movement in Karnataka:

 It has been popularly known as Karnataka method in Quit India movement

• Soon after the launching of the Quit India movement by Gandhiji, an action committee with J.Ambali as president and R.R.Diwakar as secretary was appointed by the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee to carry out the agitation in Karnataka.
• In Belgaum and Dharwad districts, a number of village offices were burnt including revenue records
• Telegraph wires were cut, railway lines removed and railway stations and government offices were damaged
• European military had to be deployed in Belgaum and Dharwad districts to suppress the movement
• In old Mysore, labourers at Bangalore, Bhadhravathi, K.G.F., Davangere and other places went on strike in protest against the arrest of Gandhiji and other leaders
• Students too participated by boycotting their Government timber depots, sub-registrar’s office, railway station, post-office and police station were set on fire at many places.
• At least 15,000 people were jailed in Karnataka in 1942-43 and more than 30 died due to police firing

THE ISSUR TRAGEDY IN SHIMOGA DISTRICT

• The incident, that took place in Issur, in the Mysore princely state, was a significant one during the Quit India Movement. This movement was more rigorous in Issur in Shimoga district, than compared to the other parts of Mysore State.
• The people of Issur joined the Movement and responded to the call “Do or Die” given by Mahatma Gandhi
• On September 25^th when the revenue officials went to the village to collect land revenue, boys and girls shouting patriotic slogans mobbed them and seized their record books
• The following day the village declared itself independent and established a parallel govt. A ten- year old boy, Jayappa was appointed as the Amildar and Mallappa, a twelve-year old boy was appointed as the Dictator.
• A new law was declared by which everyone had a wear a khadi cap
• The youths wore the Gandhi caps hoisted the tricolour flag on the Veerabhadreshwar temple.
• On September 28^th the government Amildar and his men entered the village and were surrounded by the people of the village and asked them to wear khadi This enraged the police officer accompanying the Amildar and ordered the policemen to control the mob.
• Lathi charge was followed by firing and the mob become violent. Among the casualties were the Amildar and the police officer
• Soon after the incident, the men folks of the village fled their homes fearing retaliation by the police, which turned out to be true. The Mysore police and military forces descended upon the village a let a reign of Innocent were tortured, women molested and houses looted.
• Charges were filed against many and about five patriots, Gurappa, Mallappa, Suryanarayanachari, Halappa and Sankarappa were hanged in March 1943

The movement continued for further two years, although it had stopped in other parts of India.