CBSE Class 8 Answered

Many factors contributed in independence of India. At the beginning of the late 19 and the 20^th century, the feeling of nationalism began to emerge among the people in the country. The Moderates played an important role in creating an awareness of the economic plunder of the country by the British. The Assertive nationalists like Bal, Pal and Pal played an important role in fuelling nationalist feelings among the countrymen. In 1915 Gandhi returned to India. The period from 1919 onwards is known as ‘the Gandhian Era’. Gandhi launched three mass movements- the Non Cooperation, Civil Disobedience and the Quit India Movement. He was able to unite and draw masses into the freedom struggle. At this time, the British were persuasively following the policy of ‘Divide and Rule’. The Muslim League demanded the creation of a separate state of ‘Pakistan’. So while people were fighting against the British, there were some groups which were fighting for the creation of a separate state. It was under this background that the British after the Second World War, decided to quit India as they felt that it was no longer possible for them to rule the country. India became independent on 15 August, 1947. But its independence was marred by the partition of the country in which millions of people were killed and displaced from their homes in violent activities.