Coimbatore Working Class in Quit India Movement 1942

Summary

The Quit India Movement of 1942 saw significant participation from the Coimbatore working class, led by Gandhian N.G. Ramasamy. After the Congress Working Committee's decision to launch the movement, prominent national and regional leaders were arrested, triggering widespread protests. In Coimbatore, processions and a defiant mass meeting at V.O.C. Park were held, with leaders like K.P. Thiruvengadam and P.S. Chinnadurai mobilizing the masses. Despite differences, Congress and Communist leaders united, with Ramasamy accepting the Communists' action plan. The arrest of key figures, including Tiruppur Subramanya Avinashilingam Chettiar and Ramasamy on August 13, 1942, intensified the movement, leading to strikes, rail derailments, and attacks on colonial infrastructure. Mill workers in Singanallur and Peelamedu struck, while attempts to target the Pykara Hydro Electric Power Station and Sulur Military Airport were thwarted. The British government's harsh repression, including mass arrests and forced mill reopenings, resulted in violent clashes, notably at Pankaj Mills, where two workers died. Ramasamy's imprisonment and transfer to Vellore severely impacted the movement, leading to his health decline and eventual death in February 1943. The movement, though unsuccessful in achieving immediate independence, raised political awareness among workers, with many leaders emerging from the mill workforce. The collaboration between Congress and Communist leaders marked a significant feature of the movement in Coimbatore.