Quit India Draft Resolution (first draft)This was the first draft of the "Quit India" anticolonial campaign. It was written by Gandhi at Sevagram Ashram, and then shared with other politicians who had gathered at Sevagram Ashram in the summer of 1942 for their deliberation. Sevagram July 9, 1942

Events happening from day to day and the experience that the people of India are passing through confirm the opinion of the CongressmenCongressmen = members of the Indian National Congress political party that British rule must end immediately, not merely because foreign domination, even at its best, is an evil in itself, but because India in bondage can play no effective part in affecting the fortunes of the war that is desolating men and their possessions; that is to say not merely in the interests of India, but for the safety of the world and for the destruction of Nazism, Fascism and whatever other 'ism' Japan stands for. Ever since the outbreak of the warthe war = World War II the Congress has studiedly pursued the policy of non-embarrassment. Even at the risk of making its satyagrahasatyagraha = nonviolent civil disobedience ineffective it deliberately gave it a symbolic character, in the hope that this policy of non-embarrassment carried to its extreme limit would be duly appreciated, and that enough real power would be transferred to the popular representatives so as to enable the nation to make its fullest contribution towards the realization of human freedom throughout the world, which is in danger of being crushed. It had also hoped that negatively nothing would be done which was calculated to tighten Britain's stranglehold on India. These hopes have however been dashed to pieces. The abortive Cripps proposalsThe 1942 Cripps Mission, led by Sir Stafford Cripps, was a failed British attempt to secure Indian cooperation for World War II by promising India self-governing dominion status within the British Empire and a Constituent Assembly after the war concluded. showed in the clearest possible manner that there was no change in the British attitude towards India and that the British hold on India was in no way to be relaxed. It has also been observed that the ill-will against the British is rapidly increasing and people openly wish success to the Japanese arms. The Congress would like to avoid the experience of Singapore, Malaya and Burma and turn ill-will into goodwill and make India a willing partner in their trial and troubles. This is possible only if India feels the glow of freedom from foreign domination.

The Congress is convinced that the only cure for this intolerable state of affairs is that the British rule in India should end forthwith. The Congress representatives tried their utmost to come to a settlement. But this has been made impossible by reason of the presence of the foreign power whose history has been to follow relentlessly the policy of divide and rule. Only after withdrawal of the British power can the wise men and women of the country put their heads together and evolve a scheme whereby a Constituent Assembly can be convened in order to prepare a constitution for the Government of India. When the British power is withdrawn the present unreality will give place to reality and the prince and the peasant will stand on a par, the present political parties formed chiefly with an eye to the attention of the British power will probably be dissolved. For the first time in India's history realization will come home that Princes, jagirdarsJagirdar = a type of landlord who collects rent and taxes from the land's tenants, zamindarsZamindar = a type of landlord who collects rent and taxes from the land's tenants, particularly tenant farmers, propertied and monied classes derive their wealth and property from the workers in the fields or factories to whom alone all power and authority must belong. In making the proposal for withdrawal the Congress has no desire whatsoever to embarrass Great Britain or the Allied powers in their prosecution of the War. The proposed withdrawal therefore should not in any way be interpreted as an invitation to Japan or the other members of the Axis to attack India and thus immediately to suffocate China. Nor does the Congress intend to jeopardize the defensive capacity of the Allied powers. Therefore the Congress would be reconciled, if the Allies regard it to be necessary, to the presence at their own expense of their troops in India in order to ward off Japanese or other aggression and to protect and help China.

The proposal of withdrawal was never intended to mean the physical withdrawal of all Britishers from India, certainly not of those who would make India their home and live there as citizens and as equals with the others. If the withdrawal takes place with goodwill, it is highly likely that there would be little difficulty in establishing a stable provisional government in India. The Congress however is not unmindful of the possibility of a temporary breakdown of the ordered machinery of government. Anarchy may set in and instead of different parties coming together for the common good they may compete with one another in establishing their own authority. It is a risk which has got to be run in any country in order to achieve freedom. The Congress therefore wishes to take no hasty step but would bespeak the help of the Allies in securing British acceptance of its demand.

Should however the appeal fail, the Congress will be reluctantly compelled to utilize all the non-violent strength it might have gathered since 1920 when it adopted non-violence as part of its policy for the vindication of political rights and liberty. The struggle this time would have to resolve itself into a mass movement on the widest scale possible involving voluntary strikes, voluntary non-co-operation on the part of all those who are in Government employ or in departments connected with Government in any shape or form and it may involve also nonpayment of land revenue and taxes.

For the regulation and quick development of the mass movement the Working CommitteeWorking Committee = the Working Committee of the Indian National Congress authorize Gandhiji to take charge of it and regulate it in the manner he may think advisable. In order that adequate time may be given to the Allied powers to consider and respond to the Congress appeal, as also to educate public opinion and to let the A.I.C.C.A.I.C.C. = the All India Congress Committee share the responsibility with the Working Committee for the tremendous step contemplated, the Committee fixes ...Gandhi left the date and location of this meeting blank in this draft resolution, to be filled in by the members of the Working Committee for the meeting of the A. I. C. C. at ...Gandhi left the date and location of this meeting blank in this draft resolution, to be filled in by the members of the Working Committee until which time the resolution should remain suspended.