Correct Option (c):
The Quit India Movement was initiated by Mahatma Gandhi on August 8, 1942, at the Bombay session of the All-India Congress Committee. On the eve of this movement, Gandhi issued specific directives to various sections of Indian society.
Statement 3 is correct: Mahatma Gandhi called upon the Princes of the Princely states to accept the sovereignty of their own people. He urged them to act as trustees of their subjects and to align themselves with the national independence movement, thereby supporting the aspirations for self-rule.
Incorrect Options:
Statement 1 is incorrect: Mahatma Gandhi did not ask government servants to resign from their posts. Instead, he advised them to declare their allegiance to the Indian National Congress and to act according to their conscience, without necessarily abandoning their duties. This strategy aimed to foster sympathy for the movement within the administrative structure.
Statement 2 is incorrect: Mahatma Gandhi did not instruct Indian soldiers to leave their posts. His appeal to them was to refrain from firing upon their own countrymen and to adhere to the principles of non-violence. He emphasized their national identity and urged them not to act against the interests of their people.
Given that statements 1 and 2 are incorrect, options (a), (b), and (d) are therefore incorrect. Only statement 3 accurately reflects Mahatma Gandhi's specific call during the Quit India Movement.