During Jawaharlal’s absence in Europe he had been re-elected President of the Congress in 1936. On the other, world was changing fastly. Europe was facing with a threat of war and there was an indication of second world war. Japan had attacked China. In March 1938, Hitler had captured Austria. Soon Britain had been dragged into the war.
Jawaharlal faced another blow, when his mother died in 1938. At the time of death Jawaharlal and his two sister were close to their mother. This is the year when Jawaharlal had established newspaper, ‘The Herald’ in September.
The whole world was under the dreadful sight of war. Although Britain jumped into war, so its effect on India was but natural because firstly India was dependent on him and secondly Japan had captured Burma.
Jawaharlal was watching all these developments. Thousands of youth were recruited in army and forced to die. Now Jawaharlal had finally made up his mind that India has to be free at any cost. He plunged himself into austerity more energetically than ever.
Do or die
The tempo of the war had been imported to events in India and the temper in the Congress was mounting. Gandhiji was publishing fiery articles in ‘Harijan’. ‘Quit India’ was his slogan. There could be no compromise. To save herself and to save the world, India had to see that the British left immediately. Gandhiji was clearer in his mind than ever, indomitable in spirit, hard and unyielding. It was to be ‘Do or Die’ for him, every Indian a master of his fate.
The All-India Congress Committee held its session in Bombay in August amidst great tension. Strong speeches were made by Gandhi, Jawaharlal and others. But hardly had the session ended, when the government struck and made wholesale arrests. Gandhiji was taken to Aga Khan Palace. Jawaharlal and other leaders were also arrested. They had been taken to Ahmednagar Fort. Maulana Azad, Asaf Ali, Narendra Dev accompanied Jawaharlal. The people had been roused and struck back with greater vigour than ever. More and more people had taken Do or Die to heat. After the revolt of 1857, it was the second biggest revolt, India had ever shown against the British rule.
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