The name is G-A-N-D-H-I. Not Ghandi..
. Comeon, don't tell me you found out the real name from some obscure internet site now..If you noticed, I said that I'd be the last one to attribute India's independence to him alone. Unfortunately, being Indians, we have to give credit to some Indians for the event. The most vociferous anti-Gandhis would give it to someone else like Bhagat Singh or Bose. It suited Congress politics post independence that that person was Gandhi. Again, note that it suited Congress and not Gandhi. Gandhi was the one who wanted Congress to disband itself after independence, but the Congressmen didn't agree. My understanding is that the biggest factor was geo-politics. Britain was bankrupt post World War 2 and couldn't afford to have an empire. America emerged as numero uno and they didn't want any British empire. And then Labour won power in Britain and they were not flag bearing imperialists. Conservatives won't have given it away that easily. And then there was the factor that India was becoming increasingly ungovernable because of anti-British movement. Gandhi was the leader of the dominant national movement under Congress banner. There was also Muslim League, Hindu Mahasabha, Forward Bloc, Unionist Party and Ambedkar- each with their own agenda. But as far as freedom from Britishers went, Congress was at the forefront. Bose was a threat for a while, but not after the Japanese defeat in WW2. Though the trials of Azad Hind Fauj soldiers did evoke many Indians and also serving armymen and navymen.
As for Atlee, he may or may not have said it. The comment is from a reported conversation between him and a former CJ of Bengal in some other Bong's book. It doesn't surprise me if Atlee said it. I don't expect a British to say that they got scared of Gandhi and left. And as I said, I don't believe that myself. I won't be surprised if Atlee didn't actually say that- Bongs are known to be very sentimental about Bose and hence their dislike of Gandhi is not surprising.
I didn't understand this.
