Consider the following : ‘India would be far more reliable as a base for operations. Moreover the prospect of a settlement will be greatly enhanced by the disappearance of Gandhi, who had for years torpedoed every attempt at a settlement.’ The above statement was made by the British in the context of :

The statement was made by the British authorities, specifically reflecting the views of the Viceroy Lord Linlithgow and the British Cabinet, in the context of the Quit India Movement (1942). During World War II, the British viewed India as a critical 'base for operations' against Japanese advances [1]. The failure of the Cripps Mission in 1942 led Gandhi to launch the 'Quit India' campaign, demanding an immediate British withdrawal [3]. The British administration, frustrated by Gandhi's consistent rejection of their wartime offers and his insistence on immediate independence, viewed him as a 'torpedo' to any settlement [4]. Consequently, they believed that his 'disappearance' from the political scene—achieved through his immediate arrest on August 9, 1942—would facilitate a more reliable base for military operations and a settlement more favorable to British interests [1].

Sources

1. [1] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 23: Quit India Movement, Demand for Pakistan, and the INA > The 'Quit India' Resolution > p. 448
2. [3] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 19: Civil Disobedience Movement and Round Table Conferences > Civil Disobedience Movement the Salt Satyagraha and Other Upsurges > p. 390
3. [4] THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART III, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 11: MAHATMA GANDHI AND THE NATIONALIST MOVEMENT > 4. Quit India > p. 303