The Concept of Motherland as Divine Mother in the 1942 Quit India Movement in Midnapore

Abstract

The present work explores the ideological environment of the 1942 Quit India Movement in Midnapore, revealing the pivotal role of the concept of Motherland as Divine Mother. The aim of this paper is twofold: first, it deals with the Quite India movement as it developed in Midnapore; secondly, it focuses on the crucial role of the concept of Motherland as Divine Mother which was frequently evoked through Biblabi, a Bengali bulletin, published regularly from Tamluk. Drawing their inspiration from this concept, the participants determined to oust the British rulers for freeing their Motherland. This radical group violently confronted the British and ultimately established the Jatiya Sarkar in 1942. Thus, within the Gandhian movement, a militant movement emerged, defying the non-violent principles of Mahatma Gandhi.