The setbacks of world war showed its impact on British politics too. Prime Minister Chamberlain resigned fearing the landslide victory of Germany. Churchil became the new Prime Minister and in his ministry Armri was appointed minister for India.
Now Congress hoped that very new ministry will have a positive attitude towards India.
Gandhiji showed sympathy towards England—“We do not want freedom in lieu of Britain’s destruction.”
Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru also seconded this thoughts.
Congress working committee held a meeting in first week of July in Delhi, in which Rajendra Babu was also present. Congress had already passed a resolution, in which it was explained that the problem which are being faced by the India and Britain, there is only one solution for that i.e. Britain should accept India’s demand for integral freedom. In aforesaid meeting of Congress Working Committee it was demanded that govt. is supposed to establish an interim govt.
During the same period some noticeable misunderstandings arise. Opinion of some people was that coopensing the govt. is a roll back. But Gandhiji, Babu Rajendra Prasad, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Acharya Kripalani were not agree with it.
A meeting of Congress Working Committee was held in Pune in the last week of July, in which Delhi decision was ascertained appropriate. Rajendra Babu was also present in this meeting, although he remained neutral.
On other side after holding the post of Prime Minister of England Churchil declared—“I have not become Prime Minister of Britain to make it insolvent.”
After sometime attending a meeting in Pune Rajendra Babu fell ill. Pneumonia attacked him. After meeting he reached Wardha, recovering a bit.
There on advice of Seth Jamna Lal Bajaj he went to Jaipur alongwith him. Later he went to Sikar. There he started writing his biography.
In the meantime Viceroy Lord Linlithgo’s agreed for a colonial self govt. His statement indirectly encouraged the demand of separate state for Muslims. Just after it Muslim League started demanding Pakistan directly. By his statement Viceroy paved the way of a self govt. in India, but he did not make it clear when India will achieve colonial homerule.
This statement of Linlithgo was according to the policies of British.
During this period Rajendra Babu stayed with Gandhiji at Wardha. Later on his advice he left for Mysore to attend a political congregation. After that he went to visit ancient Hindu and Jain temples. From there he returned back to Patna.
demand for Pakistan by
Muslim League
Gandhiji always thought that Hindu-Muslim problem is an internal affair of India. His firm belief was that when British leave India this problem will solved automatically.
But Muslim League had changed his attitude. They had started to follow hindrance policy. For retrospection of all allegations of Muslim League Rajendra Babu wrote to Jinnah that he can get it ascertained by Chief Justice Mauris Gwayer. Keeping in view those allegations Muslim League promulgated as salvation day when Congress ministries resigned.
That made its desire clear demanding formation of Pakistan by affiliating Muslim majority states in the Lahore session in March 1940. After that Pakistan was the only aim of Muslim League.
The then Congress president Subhash Bose write a letter to Jinnah on April 19, 1941—
“Will the communal problem be solved automatically with the formation of Pakistan? Has this problem been solved in countries like Turkey and Iran?”
The command attitude of Muslim League had created communal hatred throughout the country.
After sometime when Rajendra Babu reached Bihar, he received a call from Gandhiji to reach Wardha once again.
As he reached Wardha the riots broke out in Bihar Sharif. At once Gandhiji sent him back. But before he reached there his personal secretary Mathura Prasad and secretary of Bihar state Congress Shah Mohd. had reached Bihar Sharif. Besides it several officers of Bihar also reached there, but the riots was still out of control.
Dr. Sachchidanand Sinha sent a telegram to Rajendra Babu requested him to reach Bihar Sharif. Rajendra Babu reached Patna. After receiving the telegram, he alongwith Abdul Bari, some teachers and students of Bihar Vidyapeeth reached Bihar Sharif.
After reaching there he appointed pace committees.
Gandhiji made an appeal to Bihari people to maintain peace and harmony. Rajendra Babu talked to S.M. Ismail of Muslim League in Bihar Sharif. Afterwards both were returned back to Patna and made an appeal to maintain peace and harmony.
On May 29 under the Presidentship of Maulana Hafizurrahman a meeting of Azad Muslim Conference was held at Bagha (Motihari). Rajendra Babu also participated in this meeting and made an appeal to the people to adopt the path of peace and harmony.
A same kind of meeting was also held at Islampur (Purnia) after the arrival of some representatives of N.W. Frontier Province.
Thus by participating in numerous meetings Rajendra Babu reached Wardha on June, 13. After that riots broke out at several place where Gandhiji sent only Rajendra Babu as his representative and Babuji got success everywhere in controlling the riots.
