Gandhi’s Fast and the Famine of 1943
Modern History › Quit India Movement, Demand for Pakistan and the INA · Topic 23.3
In February 1943 Gandhi fasted in answer to the government's call to condemn violence, directing the fast against the violence of the State; it raised morale, exposed official high-handedness, and three members of the Viceroy's Executive Council resigned. The Bengal famine of 1943, a largely man-made disaster, killed an estimated 1.5 to 3 million people, through starvation and epidemic disease.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · History · Quit India Movement, Demand for Pakistan and the INA
At a Glance
- Fast February 1943, against State violence
- Resignations Three members of the Viceroy’s Executive Council
- Pakistan Day Observed on 23 March 1943
- Famine 1943; an estimated 1.5 to 3 million died
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Modern History: Quit India Movement, Demand for Pakistan and the INA
Where Does It Fit?
This is the third topic of the category on the Quit India Movement, the demand for Pakistan and the INA. The previous topic covered the spread of the movement and the repression. This topic covers Gandhi’s fast and the famine of 1943. The next topic covers the Simla Deputation; Muslim League founded After 1937 League turned to extreme…">two-nation theory accepted Desai-Liaqat Equal…">Rajagopalachari Formula and the Desai-Liaqat Pact. Previous topic: Spread of the Quit India Movement and Government Repression.
Why Did Gandhi Fast in 1943?
In February 1943 Gandhi started a fast as an answer to the government’s exhortation to condemn violence. The fast was directed against the violence of the State. The movement behind it is described in Spread of the Quit India Movement and Government Repression.
What Was the Response?
The popular response to the news of the fast was immediate and overwhelming. Protests were organised at home and abroad through hartals, demonstrations and strikes. Three members of the Viceroy’s Executive Council resigned.
| Result of the fast | Detail |
|---|---|
| Morale | Public morale was raised |
| Feeling | Anti-British feeling was heightened |
| Political activity | An opportunity for political activity was provided |
| Government | Its high-handedness was exposed |
| Outcome | Gandhi got the better of his opponents and refused to oblige by dying |
On 23 March 1943 Pakistan Day was observed, by the Muslim League.
What Was the Famine of 1943?
The horror and inconvenience of the war were increased by the famine of 1943. The worst-affected areas were south-west Bengal, comprising the Tamluk-Contai-Diamond Harbour region, and Dacca, Faridpur, Tippera and Noakhali. Around 1.5 to 3 million people perished in this basically man-made famine, through epidemics (malaria, cholera and smallpox), malnutrition and starvation. The figure is an estimate and sources differ on the toll. Tamluk was also the seat of a parallel government, described in Spread of the Quit India Movement and Government Repression.
How Did the Two Events Connect to the Wider Political Situation?
Both events took place while the Congress leadership was in jail after the arrests of 9 August 1942, so the political field was open to others: the government held the initiative in repression, and the Muslim League used the period to organise its campaign, which included the observance of Pakistan Day. The fast was one of the few ways in which Gandhi could still influence public opinion from detention, and it showed the Congress was still able to move people even without its leaders at liberty.
The famine, for its part, struck regions that were also centres of the Quit India Movement, such as the Tamluk area of Midnapore, which meant that a population already facing repression also faced hunger. As an analytical point, the combination of repression and scarcity helps to explain the depth of anti-British feeling in the last years of the war, and it is part of the background to the post-war upsurge covered in Red Fort, Delhi,…">Post-War Upsurge and the INA Trials.
What Were the Causes?
| Cause | Detail |
|---|---|
| 1 | The need to feed a vast Army diverted foodstuffs |
| 2 | Rice imports from Burma and South-East Asia had stopped |
| 3 | The famine was aggravated by gross mismanagement and deliberate profiteering; rationing methods were belated and confined to big cities |
As an analytical point, the famine is described as man-made because the grain existed in the country but was diverted, hoarded or not distributed, which shows that the failure was in management and distribution and not in a shortfall alone. It deepened discontent with British rule at a time when the nationalist leaders were in jail. The political efforts that continued during these years are in Rajagopalachari Formula and the Desai-Liaqat Pact.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Gandhi’s fast A stock fact about wartime politics
- Famine causes The man-made nature is a common Mains point
- Pakistan Day Links with the growing League campaign
What Came Next?
The next topic describes the Rajagopalachari Formula and the Desai-Liaqat Pact. Next topic: Rajagopalachari Formula and the Desai-Liaqat Pact.
Key People and Terms
- Man-made famine A famine caused mainly by policy and management failures
- Pakistan Day Observed by the League on 23 March 1943
- Rationing A system of controlled distribution of food
- Profiteering Selling at excessive prices in scarcity
- Executive Council The Viceroy’s council, three of whose members resigned
- Epidemics Malaria, cholera and smallpox
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Gandhi’s fast: February 1943.
- Three Executive Council members resigned.
- Pakistan Day: 23 March 1943.
- Famine killed an estimated 1.5 to 3 million.
- Hit: Tamluk-Contai-Diamond Harbour, Dacca, Faridpur, Tippera, Noakhali.
Do Not Confuse With
- Gandhi’s fast of 1943 and the Poona fast of 1932 1943 against State violence; 1932 over separate electorates
- Famine causes Army needs, lost imports, mismanagement and profiteering
- Pakistan Day and Independence Day League’s observance versus Congress’s observance
Memory Hook
A fast against the State and a famine made by the system.
Mains Angle
Questions ask about wartime hardship and the famine. These points add depth.
- Fast Effect on morale and the Executive Council
- Famine Causes and areas
- Politics Discontent with British rule
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Why is the Bengal famine of 1943 described as man-made, and what was the significance of Gandhi’s fast in 1943?”
How to Answer
- Fast Aim and effects.
- Famine Areas and numbers.
- Causes Diversion, lost imports and mismanagement.
- Conclude Political impact.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Gandhi fast in February 1943?
Gandhi fasted in February 1943 in answer to the government's call to condemn violence. The fast was directed against the violence of the State, and it drew an immediate and overwhelming popular response, including protests at home and abroad.
What did Gandhi's fast of 1943 achieve?
It raised public morale, heightened anti-British feeling, gave an opportunity for political activity and exposed the government's high-handedness. Three members of the Viceroy's Executive Council resigned, and Gandhi got the better of his opponents by refusing to die.
What was the Bengal famine of 1943?
It was a largely man-made famine in which an estimated 1.5 to 3 million people died of starvation, malnutrition and epidemics of malaria, cholera and smallpox. The worst-affected areas included south-west Bengal, Dacca, Faridpur, Tippera and Noakhali.
What were the causes of the famine of 1943?
The need to feed a vast Army diverted foodstuffs, rice imports from Burma and South-East Asia had stopped, and the famine was made worse by gross mismanagement, deliberate profiteering, and rationing that came late and was limited to big cities.
What was observed on 23 March 1943?
Pakistan Day was observed on 23 March 1943, three years after the League's Lahore resolution of March 1940, as part of the League's campaign for a separate Pakistan during the war years, while Congress leaders were in jail.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 Gandhi started a fast in February 1943 against the violence of the State.
Three members of the Viceroy's council resigned.
2 The Bengal famine of 1943 is described as basically man-made.
Army needs and mismanagement were among the causes.
3 Rationing in 1943 was introduced early and covered the whole countryside.
It was belated and confined to big cities.
4 Pakistan Day was observed on 23 March 1943.
The League observed it.
5 Rice imports from Burma continued normally during the famine.
They had been stopped.
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