Indian Independence Day

Indian Independence Day is celebrated every year on August 15 to commemorate the nation’s independence from the United Kingdom. But independence did not come without struggle and costs.

This article will give details about the immediate background of  Indian Independence Day within the context of the IAS Exam.

Latest Context on Indian Independence Day –

1. India on August 15th 2021 will commemorate 75 years of Independence.
2. PM Modi launched ‘Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav’ on March 12th 2021 in Gujarat from the Sabarmati Ashram to commemorate 75 years of India’s Independence and the glorious history of it’s people, culture and achievements.
3. The Prime Minister also flagged off a 21-day long ‘Dandi March‘ from Sabarmati Ashram, which was home to Mahatma Gandhi during India’s freedom struggle.
4. “Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav” in Gujarat pays tributes to Mahatma Gandhi and other freedom fighters who lost their lives fighting for the country’s independence before flagging off the event.
5. The official journey of “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav” commences on 12th March, 2021 which starts a 75 week countdown to our 75th anniversary of Independence and will end post a year on 15th August, 2023.
6. “Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav means the “elixir of the energy of freedom,” “It means the nectar of inspiration from freedom fighters, the nectar of new ideas, the nectar of new resolutions and the nectar of self-reliance”.
7. This Mahotsav is dedicated to the people of India who have not only been instrumental in bringing India thus far in it’s evolutionary journey but also hold within them the power and potential to enable Prime Minister Modi’s vision of activating India 2.0, fuelled by the spirit of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
8. The Government of India is planning to celebrate “Amrut Mahotsav” as a “people’s movement”. The Modi government has already started preparations for the 75th-anniversary celebrations and intends to organise several events to commemorate the historic event. The events will be managed by a national implementation committee which will be headed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
9. He also stressed on the National Handloom Day, which is coming up on 7th August and urged citizens to support local artists.
10. The National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) would be renovated and reorganised as a part of the commemoration of the 75th Independence Day.
    • After the completion of the renovation and reorganisation works, the new look of the NGMA will be rededicated to the nation.
    • A large number of paintings and artworks will be collected from different parts of the country to be displayed at the gallery and this collection will remain available for the future generations of the country.

Background of Indian Independence Day

After the Second World War, Lord Clement Atlee made a historic declaration that India would be allowed to design its own constitution. Subsequently, a cabinet mission of which, Patrick Lawrence, Sir Stafford Cripps and AV Alexander who acted as the members, were sent to India. This popularly came to be known as the cabinet mission of 1946. The cabinet mission suggested certain changes with respect to the constitution of India

Provisions of Cabinet Mission were accepted by both the Indian National Congress and the Muslim League. As per the provisions, elections were held for the formation of the constituent assembly. Congress won 205 out of 214 seats, Muslim league won 73 out of 78 states. An interim government was set up under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru (Born on November 14, 1889). Though initially apprehensive about being a party to the plan, Muslim league was convinced to join the government by Wavell.

According to the Mountbatten plan, August 15th 1947 was planned as the day for handing over the powers to India and Pakistan. With effect from the same day, the country would be divided into two independent dominions, India and Pakistan. Princely states would get the liberty to join either of the unions or remain independent. On the 15th of August 1947 at the stroke of midnight, India got freedom from the despotic rule of the British.

On 29^th of July 1946, the Muslim League decided to withdraw from the Cabinet Mission Plan. It passed the ‘Direct Action’ resolution. Meanwhile, Dr Rajendra Prasad was elected as the president of the constituent assembly. On the 3^rd of June, Mountbatten put forward his plan which gave out recommendations to resolve the political problems in India. A formal approval was given to the Mountbatten plan by enactment of India Independence Act.

Partition of India

Millions of Muslim, Sikh and Hindu refugees trekked the newly drawn borders in the months surrounding independence. It was one of the darkest moments of the Partition of India. In Punjab, where the borders divided the Sikh regions in halves, massive bloodshed followed; in Bengal and Bihar, where Mahatma Gandhi’s presence assuaged communal tempers, the violence was mitigated. In all, between 250,000 and 1,000,000 people on both sides of the new borders died in the violence. While the entire nation was celebrating the Independence Day, Gandhi stayed in Calcutta in an attempt to stem the carnage.On 14 August 1947, the Independence Day of Pakistan, the new Dominion of Pakistan came into being; Muhammad Ali Jinnah was sworn in as its first Governor General in Karachi.

The Constituent Assembly of India met for its fifth session at 11 pm on 14 August in the Constitution Hall in New Delhi. The session was chaired by the president Rajendra Prasad (Death on February 28, 1963). In this session, Jawaharlal Nehru delivered the Tryst with Destiny speech proclaiming India’s independence.

The members of the Assembly formally took the pledge of being in the service of the country. A group of women, representing the women of India, formally presented the national flag to the assembly.

Provisions of India Independence Act

The India Independence Act, 1947 had the following provisions

• The country would be divided into India and Pakistan
• British government would give away all their powers to the two newly formed nations
• Radcliff line was decided upon, demarcating India from Pakistan.

Post-Independence, Mohammad Ali Jinnah became the first Governor-General of Pakistan and Lord Mount Batten become the first Governor-General of Independent India.

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The information provided in this article can be used in the Independence Day essay also.