The Communist Party of India (CPI) supported the British colonial rulers during the Second World War

 The Communist Party of India (CPI) supported the British colonial rulers during the Second World War after initially opposing them. This shift in stance was primarily due to the influence of the Soviet Union and the British Communist Party (CPGB). Here’s a detailed analysis:

Initial Opposition (1939–1941)

• When World War II began in 1939, the CPI initially denounced it as an "imperialist war" and opposed British rule.
• This position aligned with the Soviet Union's stance, which had signed the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact (1939) with Nazi Germany, seeing the war as a conflict between capitalist powers.

Policy Shift After 1941

• The Soviet Union was invaded by Nazi Germany in June 1941 (Operation Barbarossa). This led to a complete change in the global Communist stance.
• The Soviet Union now characterized the war as a "People's War" against fascism, and Comintern (Communist International) directed all Communist parties to support the Allied war effort.
• The CPI, following Comintern’s orders, changed its position and began supporting the British war effort. This was despite the fact that India was still under colonial rule.

Role of the British Communist Party (CPGB)

• The Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) played a key role in influencing the CPI’s stance. The CPGB had a close relationship with both the Soviet Union and the CPI.
• The CPGB's general secretary at the time was Harry Pollitt. He initially opposed British involvement in the war but, after 1941, fully backed the war effort as a fight against fascism.
• The CPGB pressured the CPI to support the British, aligning with the Soviet Union’s new stance.

Key Indian Communist Leaders Involved

• P.C. Joshi, then General Secretary of CPI, was a strong advocate of the pro-British stance after 1941.
• Under his leadership, the CPI took a pro-war, anti-Quit India Movement stance, calling Mahatma Gandhi’s 1942 struggle "fascist" and "pro-Japanese."
• This put CPI in direct conflict with the mainstream nationalist movement led by the Indian National Congress.

Conclusion

• The shift in CPI’s position was largely due to Comintern’s orders, which in turn were dictated by Soviet interests.
• The CPGB, under Harry Pollitt, played an intermediary role in transmitting Comintern’s directives to the CPI.
• This controversial decision led to the CPI being labeled as "British agents" by Indian nationalists, and it significantly weakened its popularity in the long run.

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