It was is 1930 that Iqbal suggested the union of the Frontier Province, Baluchistan, Sindh and Kashmir as Muslim state within the federations. This proved to be a creative idea which germinated during the early thirties to burst into vigorous life with the advent of the new reforms. The idealist Chaudhry Rehmat Ali developed this conception at Cambridge, where he inspired a group of young Muslims and invented the term ‘Pakstan’ (later 'Pakistan') in 1935. His ideas seemed visionary during that time, but within 7 years they turned into a political programme by Jinnah with the new name as its slogan or banner. The ideology of Iqbal, the vision of Rehamat Ali, and the fears of Muslims were thus united by the practical genius of Jinnah to blind Muslim together as never before during the British period and ultimately led to the vivisection of India and creation of Pakistan. Pakistan Resolution was an important landmark in this context. The Lahore session of the Muslim League, held on March 24,1940, passed Pakistan Resolution and rejected the Federal scheme as envisaged in the government of India Act, 1935.
On Aug. 8, 1940, the Viceroy Linlithgow came out with certain proposals, known as August Offer declaring that the goal of British Government was to establish Dominion Status in India. It accepted that framing of a new constitution would be the responsibility of the Indians. It also laid down that full weight would be given to the views of minorities in the constitution. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad President of the Congress, rejected the August Offer which aimed at bringing the Congress in the ongoing world war The Muslim League, however welcomed the offer as it ensured that no further constitution would be adopted without the prior approval of Muslims. The League declared that the most difficult problem of India's future constitution could be solved only by the partition of India. In brief, the August Offer failed in gaining Indian s co-operation for war and, in fact, further widened the gulf between the Congress and the Britishers as well as between the Congress and the Muslim League.
The Congress Working Committee decided to start individual civil disobedience on Oct. 17, 1940. Vinoba Bhave was the first Satyagrahi who was arrested on Oct. 21, followed soon by many more including Nehru and Patel But the movement created little enthusiasms and Gandhi suspended it.
In 1942, the British Government realized that it could not ignore the Indian problems any more. As a result of the World War, the situation worsened for the British with Japanese advance towards Man borders. By March 7,1942, Rangoon fell and Japan occupied the entire South¬East Asia. The British government, with a view of getting cooperation from Indians, sent Sir Stafford Cripps, a member of the British cabinet to India to settle terms with Indian leaders who were forthwith released. Cripps proposed Dominion Status after the war but his proposal was rejected by all the political leaders. As no party agreed to accept these proposals, the Cripps Mission ended in failure. Regarding the Cripps Mission proposals Mahatma Gandhi remarks 'A post-dated cheque on a crumbling bank'.
On Aug. 8, 1942, the Congress in its meeting at Gowaliya Tank, Bombay passed a resolution known as 'Quit India' resolution, whereby Gandhi ji asked the British to quit India and gave a call for ‘Do or did (We shall either free India or die in the attempt) to his countrymen. On Aug. 9,1942 all the prominent leaders like Gandhi, Nehru, Patel etc. were arrested but the rest most of (J.P., Lohiya, Aruna Ashaf Ali, Usha Mehta etc.) continued the revolutionary struggle. Violence spread throughout the country, several government offices were destroyed and damaged, the telegraph wires were cut and communication paralyzed. Parallel government were established in some places viz. 1. Baliat U.P. (by Chittu Pandeya)-first Parallel govt. 2. Tamulak Midnapur Distt., Bengal (by Satis Samant) 3. Satara, Maharashtra (by Y. B. Chahvan and Nana Patil) - the longest (term) parallel govt. 4. Talchar, Orissa. The movement was, however, crushed by the government.
Gandhiji undertook a 21-day fast in jail. His condition deteriorated after 13 days and all hopes of his survival were given up. However, as a result of his moral strength and spiritual stamina, he survived and completed the 21-day fast. This was his answer to the government which had been constantly exhorting him to condemn the violence of the people in the Quit India Movement. Gandhi not only refused to condemn people resorting to violence but unequivocally held the government responsible for it