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GS Paper: GS1

  • India ratifies Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol

    The Union Cabinet has given its approval for ratification of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer for phase down of Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) by India.

    What is Montreal Protocol?

    • The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is an international agreement made in 1987.
    • It was designed to stop the production and import of ozone-depleting substances and reduce their concentration in the atmosphere to help protect the earth’s ozone layer.
    • It sits under the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer.

    Objectives

    • The convention was adopted in 1985 and has highlighted the adverse effect of human activity on ozone levels in the stratosphere and the discovery of the ‘ozone hole’.
    • Its objectives are to promote cooperation on the adverse effects of human activities on the ozone layer.
    • It has since undergone nine revisions, in 1990 (London), 1991 (Nairobi), 1992 (Copenhagen), 1993 (Bangkok), 1995 (Vienna), 1997 (Montreal), 1998 (Australia), 1999 (Beijing) and 2016 (Kigali).

    India and the Protocol

    • India became a Party to the Protocol on 19 June 1992 and since then has ratified the amendments.

    What is the Kigali Amendment?

    • It is an international agreement to gradually reduce the consumption and production of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
    • It is a legally binding agreement designed to create rights and obligations in international law.
    • While HFCs do not deplete the stratospheric ozone layer, they have high global warming potential ranging from 12 to 14,000, which has an adverse impact on climate.

    What are the Ozone Depleting Substances?

    Ozone-depleting substances are chemicals that destroy the earth’s protective ozone layer. They include:

    • chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
    • halons
    • carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)
    • methyl chloroform (CH3CCl3)
    • hydro Bromo fluorocarbons (HBFCs)
    • hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs)
    • methyl bromide (CH3Br)
    • bromochloromethane (CH2BrCl)

    Where are they used?

    The main uses of ozone-depleting substances include:

    • CFCs and HCFCs in refrigerators and air conditioners,
    • HCFCs and halons in fire extinguishers,
    • CFCs and HCFCs in foam,
    • CFCs and HCFCs as aerosol propellants, and
    • Methyl bromide for fumigation of soil, structures and goods to be imported or exported.

    Now answer this PYQ:

    Q.Consider the following statements:

    Chlorofluorocarbons, known as ozone-depleting substances are used:

    1. In the production of plastic foams
    2. In the production of tubeless tyres
    3. In cleaning certain electronic components
    4. As pressurizing agents in aerosol cans

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (CSP 2012)

    (a) 1, 2 and 3 only

    (b) 4 only

    (c) 1, 3 and 4 only

    (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

    [wpdiscuz-feedback id=”1wrtcabaix” question=”Please leave a feedback on this” opened=”1″]Post your answers here.[/wpdiscuz-feedback]

    Why phase them out?

    Implementation strategy and targets:

    • India will complete its phase-down of HFCs in 4 steps from 2032 onwards with a cumulative reduction of 10% in 2032, 20% in 2037, 30% in 2042, and 80% in 2047.

    Major Impact

    • HFCs phasedown is expected to prevent the emission of up to 105 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent of GHGs, helping to avoid up to 0.5 degrees Celsius of global temperature rise by 2100, while continuing to protect the ozone layer.
    • It will achieve energy efficiency gains^ and carbon dioxide emissions reduction – a “climate co-benefit,”
    • HFCs phrase-down implementation will involve synergies to maximize the economic arid social co-benefits, besides environmental gains.
    • There would be scope for domestic manufacturing of equipment as well as alternative non-HFC and low-global warming potential chemicals to enable the industry to transition to the low global warming potential alternatives as per the agreed HFC phase-down schedule.
    • In addition, there would be opportunities to promote domestic innovation for new generation alternative refrigerants and related technologies.

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  • Water shortage in Colorado River Basin

    The federal government in the US has declared a water shortage for the Colorado river basin due to a historic drought.

    Try this PYQ

    Q. Consider the following pairs

    River – Flows into

    1. Mekong — Andaman Sea
    2. Thames — Irish Sea
    3. Volga — Caspian Sea
    4. Zambezi — Indian Ocean

    Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?(CSP 2020)

    (a) 1 and 2 only

    (b) 3 only

    (c) 3 and 4 only

    (d) 1, 2 and 4 only

     

    [wpdiscuz-feedback id=”4q08sbziii” question=”Please leave a feedback on this” opened=”1″]Post your answers here (you need to sign-in for that).[/wpdiscuz-feedback]

    Colorado River

    • The Colorado River flows from the Rocky Mountains into the southwestern US and into Mexico.
    • The river is fed by snowmelt from the Rocky and Wasatch mountains and flows a distance of over 2,250 km (river Ganga flows through a distance of roughly 2,500 km) across seven states and into Mexico.
    • The Colorado River Basin is divided into the Upper (Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and northern Arizona) and Lower Basins (parts of Nevada, Arizona, California, southwestern Utah and western New Mexico).
    • In the Lower Basin, the Hoover Dam controls floods and regulates water delivery and storage.
    • Apart from the Hoover dam, there is the Davis Dam, Parker Dam and the Imperial Dam that regulate the release of water from the Hoover Dam.

    Major lakes in its basin

    • Lake Mead is the largest reservoir in the US in terms of volume and was formed in the 1930s by the Hoover Dam in Southern Nevada.
    • Its main source of water is obtained from the Rocky Mountain snowmelt and runoff.
    • The other is Lake Powell, the reservoir created by the Glen Canyon Dam in Arizona.

    Reasons for shortage

    • Since the year 2000, this river basin has been experiencing a prolonged drought.
    • This persistent drought has led to a lowering down of the water levels in the basin’s reservoirs to meet the demand over the years.
    • But even with great water storing capacity, over the years the demand for water from the basin has increased whereas supply is restricted.

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  • Person in news: Maharaja Ranjit Singh

    A bronze statue of the first ruler of the Sikh Empire, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, was vandalized in Pakistan.

    Who was Maharaja Ranjit Singh?

    • Maharaja Ranjit Singh (13 November 1780 – 27 June 1839), popularly known as Sher-e-Punjab or “Lion of Punjab”, was the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire.
    • He survived smallpox in infancy but lost sight in his left eye.
    • Prior to his rise, the Punjab region had numerous warring misls (confederacies), twelve of which were under Sikh rulers and one Muslim.
    • Ranjit Singh successfully absorbed and united the Sikh misls and took over other local kingdoms to create the Sikh Empire.
    • He repeatedly defeated invasions by outside armies, particularly those arriving from Afghanistan, and established friendly relations with the British.

    Empirical expansion

    • Ranjit Singh’s trans-regional empire spread over several states. His empire included the former Mughal provinces of Lahore and Multan besides part of Kabul and the entire Peshawar.
    • The boundaries of his state went up to Ladakh — Zorawar Singh, a general from Jammu, had conquered Ladakh in Ranjit Singh’s name — in the northeast.
    • His empire extended till Khyber pass in the northwest, and up to Panjnad in the south where the five rivers of Punjab fell into the Indus.
    • During his regime, Punjab was a land of six rivers, the sixth being the Indus.

    His legacy

    • Ranjit Singh’s reign introduced reforms, modernization, investment into infrastructure, and general prosperity.
    • His Khalsa army and government included Sikhs, Hindus, Muslims, and Europeans.
    • His legacy includes a period of Sikh cultural and artistic renaissance, including the rebuilding of the Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar, Takht Sri Patna Sahib, Bihar, and Hazur Sahib Nanded, Maharashtra under his sponsorship.

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  • Arunachal Pradesh ST List

    The Parliament has passed a bill that seeks to amend the nomenclature of certain tribes from Arunachal Pradesh mentioned in the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950.

    What does the Bill amend?

    • The Bill seeks to modify Part-XVIII of the Schedule to the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950.
    • Part-XVIII lists 16 tribes of Arunachal, in order: Abor, Aka, Apatani, Nyishi, Galong, Khampti, Khowa, Mishmi [Idu, Taroon], Momba, Any Naga tribes, Sherdukpen, Singpho, Hrusso, Tagin, Khamba, and Adi.
    • The Bill corrects the names of tribes spelled incorrectly and adds names of a few tribes that were either named ambiguously or had their parent group named only.

    Why is it significant?

    • Self-identification: It is an essence for much-needed respect for small indigenous communities in the Northeast.
    • Indigenous nomenclature of tribes: This has been a long-standing demand in Arunachal Pradesh for two reasons: for the recognition of individual identity and to do away with the ambiguity as a result of errors in their names.
    • Identity assertion: For long, communities — whether civil society members or student leaders — have demanded that they must be known by their respective names.

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  • Karez System of Irrigation

    The Taliban are set to seize Kabul, but some expert believes they will spare the age-old Karez system of underground aqueducts in the country given its importance.

    What is a Qanat / Karez?

    • This system of underground vertical shafts in a gently sloping tunnel that is built from an upland aquifer to ground level.
    • Some historians and archaeologists have attributed people in the southeast Arabian Peninsula as the first developers. Others, however, ascribe it to the ancient Persians.
    • The Qanat / Karez system, wherever it was developed, soon spread to many Persian, Arab and Turkic lands.
    • It even came to the Indian Subcontinent during the 800-year-old Islamic Period.

    Karez in India

    • The system was brought in the Indian Subcontinent during the Bahamani Sultanate, founded by Alaudin Bahman Shah.
    • It later broke into five other Sultantates: Bijapur, Golconda, Ahmadnagar, Bidar and Berar.
    • The Bahamani Sultanate was Persianate in nature and encouraged many things Persian, among them, the Karez.
    • They was built in the city of Bidar during the reign of Bahamani Sultan Ahmad Shah Wali (1422-1436), who shifted the capital from Gulbarga to Bidar.
    • By the 15th century, Bijapur city had a network of pipelines. Everyone got 24×7 supply of water.
    • It also worked as confidence-building measure between the Sultan and his subjects since the Karez was built the state.

    Try answering this PYQ:

    With reference to the economic history of medieval India, the term Araghatta’ refers to:

    (CSP 2016)

    (a) bonded labour

    (b) land grants made to military officers

    (c) waterwheel used in the irrigation of land

    (d) wastel and converted to cultivated land

     

    [wpdiscuz-feedback id=”gc5xdagqcc” question=”Please leave a feedback on this” opened=”1″]Post your answers here.[/wpdiscuz-feedback]

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  • Quality of Life for Elderly Index

    Quality of Life for Elderly Index was released by the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM).

    Quality of Life for Elderly Index

    The Index has been created by the Institute for Competitiveness at the request of EAC-PM and it sheds light on an issue often not mentioned- problems faced by the elderly.

    • The report identifies the regional patterns of ageing across the Indian States and assesses the overall ageing situation in India.
    • The report presents a deeper insight into how well India is doing to support the well-being of its ageing population.
    • The Index framework includes four pillars:
    1. Financial Well-being
    2. Social Well-being
    3. Health System and
    4. Income Security
    • It has eight sub-pillars: Economic Empowerment, Educational Attainment & Employment, Social Status, Physical Security, Basic Health, Psychological Wellbeing, Social Security and Enabling Environment.

    Features of the index

    • This index broadens the way we understand the needs and opportunities of the elderly population in India.
    • It goes far beyond the adequacy of pensions and other forms of income support, which, though critical, often narrows policy thinking and debate about the needs of this age group.
    • The index highlights that the best way to improve the lives of the current and future generations of older people is by investing in health, education and employment for young people today.

    Why need such an index?

    • India is often portrayed as a young society, with a consequent demographic dividend.
    • But, as with every country that goes through a fast process of demographic transition, India also has greying cum aging problem.
    • Without a proper diagnostic tool to understand the implications of its ageing population, planning for the elderly can become a challenge for policymakers.

    Key Highlights from the Report:

    • The Health System pillar observes the highest national average, 66.97 at an all-India level, followed by 62.34 in Social Well-being.
    • Financial Well-being observes a score of 44.7, which is lowered by the low performance of 21 States across the Education Attainment & Employment pillar, which showcases scope for improvement
    • States have performed particularly worse in the Income Security pillar because over half of the States have a score below the national average, i.e., 33.03 in Income Security, which is the lowest across all pillars.

    Performance of the states

    • Among all the states, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh are top-scoring regions in the aged states and relatively aged states categories.
    • Rajasthan has a score of 54.61 in the aged states category while Himachal Pradesh has a score of 61.04 in relatively aged states.
    • Mizoram has a score of 59.79 among northeastern states while Chandigarh scored 63.78 among the Union Territories.
    • Jammu and Kashmir scored the lowest 46.16 among Union Territories.
    • Arunachal Pradesh, among the northeastern states, scored the lowest score with 46.16.
    • In the aged states and relatively aged states categories, Telangana and Gujarat scored the lowest with 38.19 and 49.00, respectively.

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  • Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC)

    According to the IPCC’s Report (AR6), the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), is losing its stability.

    What is AMOC?

    • The AMOC is a large system of ocean currents.
    • It is the Atlantic branch of the ocean conveyor belt or Thermohaline circulation (THC), and distributes heat and nutrients throughout the world’s ocean basins.
    • AMOC carries warm surface waters from the tropics towards the Northern Hemisphere, where it cools and sinks.
    • It then returns to the tropics and then to the South Atlantic as a bottom current. From there it is distributed to all ocean basins via the Antarctic circumpolar current.
    • Gulf Stream, a part of the AMOC, is a warm current responsible for mild climate at the Eastern coast of North America as well as Europe.

    What happens if AMOC collapses?

    • Colder Europe: Without a proper AMOC and Gulf Stream, Europe will be very cold.
    • Rainfall decline: Modelling studies have shown that an AMOC shutdown would cool the northern hemisphere and decrease rainfall over Europe.
    • El-Nino trigger: It can also have an effect on the El Nino.
    • Cooling of Atlantic: AMOC collapse could bring about large, markedly different climate responses: a prominent cooling over the northern North Atlantic and neighboring areas.
    • Weaker thermohaline: Freshwater from melting Greenland ice sheets and the Arctic region can make circulation weaker as it is not as dense as salt water and doesn’t sink to the bottom.

    Has the AMOC weakened before?

    • AMOC and THC strength has always been fluctuating, mainly if you look at the late Pleistocene time period (last 1 million years).
    • The extreme glacial stages have seen weaker circulation and slowdown in AMOC, while the glacial terminations have shown a stronger AMOC and circulation.
    • AMOC has been relatively stable until the late 19th century.
    • With the end of the little ice age in about 1850, the ocean currents began to decline, with a second, more drastic decline following since the mid-20th century.

    Why is the AMOC slowing down?

    • Climate models have long predicted that global warming can cause a weakening of the major ocean systems of the world.
    • Last month researchers noted that a part of the Arctic’s ice called “Last Ice Area” has also melted.
    • The freshwater from the melting ice reduces the salinity and density of the water. Now, the water is unable to sink as it used to and weakens the AMOC flow.

    Influence of Indian Ocean

    • Another study suggested that the Indian Ocean may also be helping the slowing down of AMOC.
    • As the Indian Ocean warms faster and faster, it generates additional precipitation.
    • With so much precipitation in the Indian Ocean, there will be less precipitation in the Atlantic Ocean, leading to higher salinity in the waters of the tropical portion of the Atlantic.
    • This saltier water in the Atlantic, as it comes north via AMOC, will get cold much quicker than usual and sink faster.
    • This acts as a jump start for AMOC, intensifying the circulation.

    Now try this:

    Q.With reference to Ocean Mean Temperature (OMT), which of the following statements is/are correct? (CSP 2020)

    1. OMT is measured up to a depth of 26ºC isotherm which is 129 meters in the south-western Indian Ocean during January-March.
    2. OMT collected during January-March can be used in assessing whether the amount of rainfall in monsoon will be less or more than a certain long-term mean.

    Select the correct answer using the code given below:

    (a) 1 only

    (b) 2 only

    (c) Both 1 and 2

    (d) Neither 1 nor 2

    [wpdiscuz-feedback id=”t9bjw2xexz” question=”Please leave a feedback on this” opened=”1″]Post your answers here:[/wpdiscuz-feedback]

    Back2Basics:  Ocean Currents

  • [pib] Definition of Minority

    The Ministry of Minority Affairs has provided some useful information about various initiatives for minorities.

    A very interesting fact found in the article is that Minorities are identified by the States and not the Centre!

    Defining a minority community

    • The Central has notified minority communities at the national level in consultation with various stakeholders under Section 2 (c) of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM), Act,
    • The six communities notified as minority communities under Section 2(c) of the NCM Act, 1992 are Christians, Sikhs, Muslims, Buddhists, Parsis, and Jains.
    • Notification of any community-specific to a State as a minority community within a State comes under the purview of the State
    • Article 29 and 30 of the Constitution provide for the protection of interest of minorities which includes linguistic minorities also.

    Who are linguistic minorities?

    • Linguistic Minorities are group or collectivities of individuals residing in the territory of India or any part thereof having a distinct language or script of their own.
    • The language of the minority group need not be one of the twenty-two languages mentioned in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
    • In other words, linguistic minorities at the State level mean any group or groups of people whose mother tongues are different from the principal language of the State, and at the district and taluka/tehsil levels, different from the principal language of the district or taluka/tehsil concerned.
    • The linguistic minorities are therefore identified by the respective States/UTs.
    • The State/UT wise, broad linguistic profile is available in the 52nd Report of the Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities(CLM).

    National Commission for Minorities

    • The Government has already enacted the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) Act, 1992 to constitute a National Commission for Minorities.
    • The NCM receives petitions/grievances from the aggrieved persons and the said petitions/grievances being received by Commission.
    • They are dealt with by calling for reports from the concerned authorities under the Union and State Governments.
    • On receipt of the reports, the Commission makes appropriate recommendations to the respective authorities for redressal of the grievances.

  • IPCC’s Climate Assessment Report

    The Geneva-based Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) will release the first part of its Sixth Assessment Report, the periodic status check that has now become the most widely accepted scientific view of the state of the Earth’s climate.

    What is IPCC?

    • The IPCC, an intergovernmental body was established in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
    • It was later endorsed by the UN General Assembly. Membership is open to all members of the WMO and UN.
    • The IPCC produces reports that contribute to the work of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the main international treaty on climate change.
    • The objective of the UNFCCC is to “stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic (human-induced) interference with the climate system.”
    • The IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report was a critical scientific input into the UNFCCC’s Paris Agreement in 2015.

    What are IPCC reports?

    • IPCC reports cover the scientific, technical and socioeconomic information relevant to understanding the scientific basis of risk of human-induced climate change, its potential impacts and options for adaptation and mitigation.
    • The IPCC does not carry out original research, nor does it monitor climate or related phenomena itself.
    • Rather, it assesses published literature, including peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed sources.
    • However, the IPCC can be said to stimulate research in climate science.

    The Assessment Reports

    • The five previous assessment reports that have come out since the IPCC was established in 1988 have formed the basis of international climate change negotiations, and the actions of the governments.
    • Their value has been globally acknowledged, and the fourth assessment report, which came out in 2007, won the IPCC the Nobel Peace Prize.
    • Each of these voluminous reports, the last couple of them running into thousands of pages, have built upon the previous ones with updated knowledge and understanding of the climate system.
    • The reports have presented projections for temperature rise till 2100 under different scenarios and the kind of impacts that can be expected under each of these pathways.

    Key projections of the 6th Report

    Apart from incorporating the latest available scientific evidence, the Sixth Assessment Report is also attempting to provide more actionable information to help governments take policy decisions.

    • REGIONAL FOCUS: It is expected that this report would likely state what the scenarios for sea-level rise in the Bay of Bengal region is, not just what the average sea-level rise across the world is likely to be.
    • EXTREME EVENTS: There is expected to be bigger focus on extreme weather events, like the ones we have seen in the last few weeks.
    • CITIES: Densely populated mega-cities are supposed to be among the most vulnerable to impacts of climate change. The report is expected to present specific scenarios the climate change impacts on cities and large urban populations, and also implications for key infrastructure.
    • SYNERGIES: IPCC is expected to present a more integrated understanding of the situation, cross-link evidence and discuss trade-offs between different options or pathways, and also likely to cover social implications of climate change action by countries.

    Why it matters?

    • The IPCC assessment reports have been extremely influential in directing the dialogue and action on climate change.
    • The First Assessment Report led to the setting up of the UNFCCC, the umbrella agreement under which international negotiations on climate change take place every year.
    • The Second Assessment Report was the basis for the 1997 Kyoto Protocol that ran till last year, and the Fifth Assessment Report, which came out in 2014, guided the Paris Agreement.
    • The global climate architecture is now governed by the Paris Agreement, which replaced the Kyoto Protocol from this year.
    • There have been enough indications to suggest that global action was far below what was needed to keep the temperatures below 2°C, as mandated under the Paris Agreement.
    • In the immediate future, the IPCC report could serve as the most important warning towards the rapidly closing window of opportunity.

    Try this PYQ now:

    Q.The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is an international treaty drawn at:

    (a) United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, Stockholm,1972

    (b) UN Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro, 1992

    (c) World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg, 2002

    (d) UN Climate Change Conference, Copenhagen, 2009

    [wpdiscuz-feedback id=”9729137kxt” question=”Please leave a feedback on this” opened=”1″]Post your answers here: [/wpdiscuz-feedback]

    Back2Basics: UNFCCC

    • The UNFCCC established an international environmental treaty to combat “dangerous human interference with the climate system”, in part by stabilizing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere.
    • It was signed by 154 states at the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), informally known as the Earth Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro from 3 to 14 June 1992.

  • [pib] Quit India Movement

    The Prime Minister has greeted the nation on the eve of the anniversary of Quit India Movement Day.

    Before proceeding, answer this PYQ:

    Q. Quit India Movement was launched in response to:

    (a) Cabinet Mission Plan

    (b) Cripps Proposals

    (c) Simon Commission Report

    (d) Wavell Plan

    [wpdiscuz-feedback id=”g2gx8acc0a” question=”Please leave a feedback on this” opened=”1″]Post your answers here: [/wpdiscuz-feedback]

    About the day

    • The Quit India Movement is also known as the Bharat Chhodo Andolan was launched by Mahatma Gandhi on August 8, 1942, at the Bombay session of the All India Congress Committee (AICC).
    • The movement demanded an end to British rule in India.
    • Since the protest was held in August, it also went on to be known as August Kranti or August Movement.
    • The ‘Do or Die’ speech was etched in the hearts of Indians, and many faced the consequences of the movement.
    • Every year, the day is celebrated by paying tribute to freedom fighters who laid their lives for the country.

    Quit India Movement

    • The movement began on August 8, 1942, with its foundations being laid back in 1939 when the Governor-general of India was Lord Lilingthow.
    • In 1942, Staford Cripps was sent to India by the British Establishment to negotiate with the leaders of the All India Congress Committee for gaining their support in exchange for their freedom.
    • July 1942- The Quit India Movement Resolution was passed at the Wardha Conference of All India Congress Committee.

    Series of events

    • Mahatma Gandhi delivered his speech at Mumbai’s Gowalia Tank Maidan, also called August Kranti Maidan, on 08th August 1942.
    • Gandhi Ji was arrested and jailed at Pune’s Aga Khan Palace and his wife Kasturba Gandhi, Sarojini Naidu and secretary Mahadev Desai.
    • Many other senior members of the Indian National Congress were also arrested, including Jawaharlal Nehru and Abul Kalam Azad, and were kept in the Yerwada Jail.
    • The British Government banned the Congress Committee declaring it an unlawful association.
    • Aruna Asaf Ali, popularly known as the ‘Grand Old Lady’ of the Independence Movement, hoisted the National Flag at Mumbai’s Gowalia Tank Maidan.
    • This event was followed by an uproar among the people and the emergence of several young leaders such as Ram Manohar Lohia, JP Narayan, SM Joshi, and others who continued to fuel the fire of the movement throughout India during the period of World War II.

    Causes of the Movement

    • Involvement of India in World War II without prior consultation with the leaders: The Indian Nationalists were disgruntled with the Governor-General of India, Lord Linlithgow, as he brought India to the verge of World War II without consulting them.
    • Failure of Cripps Mission: The British sent Stafford Cripps to India to gain the cooperation of India, which failed because the Cripps Mission offered India not complete freedom but the Dominion Status to India, along with the partition. After the failure of Cripps Mission, the Indian Nationalist Leaders knew that the Britishers were in no mood to amend the Constitution before the end of World War II.
    • Shortage of essential commodities: There was widespread discontent due to the shortage of essential commodities and rising prices of salt, rice, etc., and commandeering of boats in Bengal and Orissa. There were fears that the Britishers would follow a scorched earth policy in Assam, Bengal, and Orissa in reaction to the advancement of the Japanese. The Economy also shattered as a result of World War II.
    • Prevalence of anti-British sentiment: The sentiments were widely anti-British, and the masses were demanding complete independence from the British Government.
    • Centralization of many small movements: The Ground for the movement was already prepared by various associated and affiliated bodies of the Congress, like Forward Bloc, All India Kisan Sabha, and others. They were leading the mass movements on a much more radical level for more than two decades. The also channelized many militant outbursts, which were happening at several places in the country.

    Phases of Quit India Movement

    The Quit India Movement can be viewed in three phases from its inception to end. The phases are as follows:

    1. First phase: The first phase or the inception of the movement had no violence. It began with civil disobedience, boycotts, strikes that the British Government quickly suppressed. Almost all members of the Congress Committee, including Gandhiji, were arrested and kept in Jail till 1945 without any trial.
    2. Second phase: In its second phase, the movement shifted to the countryside. The second phase of the movement took a violent and aggressive turn. Any building or offices which were the symbol of the colonial authority was attacked and distracted. Communication systems, railway stations & tracks, telegraph poles and wires were also targeted.
    3. Third and last phase: In the last phase of the movement, there was the formation of many independent national or parallel governments in the isolated pockets of the country, such as Ballia, Satara, Tamluk, etc.

    Successes

    • Women empowerment: Aruna Asif Ali hoisted the national flag on the Gowalia tank maidan; Usha Mehta, on the other hand, helped set up the underground radio station to spread awareness about the movement.
    • Rise of future leaders : This movement also gave some future prominent leaders such as Biku Patnaik, Aruna Asif Ali, Ram Manohar Lohia, Sucheta Kriplani, J.P. Narayan, etc. These leaders were helping the movement through underground activities.
    • Rise of nationalism: A greater sense of unity and brotherhood emerged due to the Quit India Movement. Many students dropped out of schools and colleges, people gave up their jobs and withdrew money from the banks.

    Failure of the movement

    The movement did not have the support of many organizations of the country itself.

    • The Britishers were supported by the Princely States, British Indian Army, Indian Civil Services, Viceroy’s Council (which had Indians in the majority), All India Muslim League, Indian Imperial Police.
    • The Hindu Mahasabha, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) & Muslim League also opposed the Quit India Movement.
    • Many Congress members like C Rajagopalachari resigned from the provincial legislature as they did not favor Mahatma Gandhi’s idea.