World War-II

In the later half of the decade of the thirties of last century (20th) clouds of war hung over Europe. It was inevitable that the Allies were going to a decisive war against Hitler’s Germany and its friends. In those circumstance G.D. Birla wrote a letter to then British prime minister Winston Churchill—’If our prayers are true then the war would end in the form of victory of Allied Forces’.
G.D. Birla had thought India would cooperate with the Allied Forces and he hoped after the war England would decisively change its attitude positively in the case of India.
But the Viceroy declared war against Germany on behalf of India without taking Indian leaders into confidence or seeking their approval. In India freedom movement was on. Indian leaders were hoping that for Indian cooperation in the war with England the British would offer to free India after the end of war. The Congress made it clear that without the approval of Indian leaders India won’t take part in war.
Congress demanded its inclusion in the Central Government. The British outrightly rejected the demand and ended all hopes of cooperation. G.D. Birla contacted the British authorities tried to break the impasse or deadlock in the name of Gandhiji. But the British were adamant and Winston Churchill even talked of letting the naked fakir (Gandhiji) die of hunger strike if he so liked. But Birla did not give up and continued his efforts without success. Gandhiji’s Satyagraha continued and so did British repression. Gandhiji had revived his Civil Disobedience Movement and authorities suspected that Birla was funding it. It hurt Birla and in anguish he wrote to Mahadev Desai—
‘The Viceroy should have understood that I was getting the British thinking to the Indian leaders in a selfless spirit. If the Viceroy thinks overtly I am playing his friend and covertly hurting the British cause then I think I must not waste time in this exercise’.
In the following years Congress and Gandhiji fought a long battle. In 1942 Gandhiji gave ‘Quit India’ call to British. Gandhiji was arrested and put in jail. It ended the role of G.D. Birla who was trying to serve as a bridge between the British and Gandhiji. G.D. Birla, Brijmohan and other Marwari businessman decided that secretly they would keep funding the freedom leaders in their fight against the alien rulers. Jaiprakash Narain was provided fund for his political battle. J.P. and Ram Manohar Lohia were socialist leaders but they thought the role of big industries must be viewed in the context of their usefulness in national interest. This change in their thinking was brought about as then trade and industry had cooperated with them considering it their prime national duty.
World War-II and Economies
The war had greatly influenced the Indian trade and industry. The financial system of England was in negative impact. Its financial needs were being supported by Indian industries. G.D. Birla had the similar expectations that in war time economic situation British would have to ask for cooperation of Indian industrialists. Imports had stopped. All the goods were required to be produced indigenously. The industrial scene was changing. Iron and steel industry got a great boost. Tatas had monopoly in that field. In the war time economic situation a great many opportunities came up and industrial sector of India earned a huge profit and benefit. Birlas set up five sugar mills and a paper mill. The production and profits went up three to five fold.

Close association with Gandhiji

The cunning British knew that Indian businessmen and industrialists were making money and they expected the beneficiaries to help British Raj. The government was sending message to the industrialist that it had provided reliefs and facilities for the development of the industries. In January 1940 British
government imposed Excess Profit Tax on big industries. It was like a ransom collection. The industries earning profits above 36,000 rupees were made to part with 50% of the earnings.
G.D. Birla strongly opposed it and termed it as British hit on Indian industrial world. On February 19, 1940 big industrialists held a meeting in Mumbai. Through Chamber of Commence the new tax was decried. Because of the EPT British government and Indian industrialists were at logger heads. G.D. Birla aroused people against the repressive policies of British. Now Indian businessmen clearly understood and realised that as colonial subordinates of alien rulers they will never be able to rise on the world stage.
In this way the repressive and plunderous policies of the British government made the realisation dawn on Indian industrialists that their dreams could come true only in an independent nation of India. The British had managed to turn friends into foes. By the end of the World War all the big players of Indian industry were contributing to the freedom struggle in one way or other.

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