I call your attention to the Bengal famine in WW2: UK increased rice prices to unaffordable levels, as people can't revolt on an empty stomach. Ghandi & his supporters didn't rock the boat because British promised them an independent India after WW2. Carl
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sejarah-Melayu/message/265
In 1944, the Bengal famine, the worst in Indian history, led to
four million deaths in a horrific mismanagement by the Raj. But
the Raj, instead of accepting blame, or even censuring anyone,
blamed the Indian shopkeeper for hoarding. Bengal never recovered
and between 1945 and 1947 did indeed became ungovernable. It led
to terrible riots between Hindus and Muslims, which finally
convinced the Indian politicians that partition was inevitable.
By then, the British had also conceded that they could not hold
on to India; they no longer had the required support from the
Indian collaborators who had sustained the Raj.