Quit India Movement

 8 August Quit India Movement

Every year on August 8, celebrated quit India movement in all over India.It is believed that this was the last largest  of  Indian independence movement, in which all Indians participated together on a large scale. Parallel governments were also formed in many places, freedom fighters fought underground.

This movement started at a time when World War II was continuing. The citizens of the colonial countries were becoming aware of freedom and in many countries the movements against imperialism and colonialism were intensifying.

About the movement

On 14 July 1942, the Executive Committee of Congress passed the resolution of 'British Quit India Movement' in Wardha and Tilak Day was celebrated in Allahabad (Prayagraj) on 1 August before its public announcement. On 8 August 1942, the All India Congress met at the Gwalia Tank Grounds in Bombay (Mumbai) and the proposal of 'Quit India Movement' was approved. In this proposal, it was announced that the immediate end of British rule in India has become extremely necessary for the establishment of freedom and democracy in India.

Quit India movement is also known as 'August Revolution'. The goal of this movement was to end the British Empire from India. This movement started simultaneously throughout the country on August 9, 1942, on the call of Gandhiji, just seventeen years after the Kakori incident during the Indian freedom struggle.

Movement background

The Second World War had begun and the Allies were losing in this. At one time it was also believed that Japan would attack India. Allied countries, America, Russia and China were continuously pressurizing Britain to try to get the support of Indians. For this purpose, he sent Stafford Cripps to India in March 1942. The demand of Indians was Purna Swaraj, while the British Government did not want to give Purna Swaraj to India. She wanted to keep India's security in her own hands and was also in favor of retaining the right of veto of the Governor General. Indian delegates rejected the proposal of the Cripps Mission.

After the failure of the Cripps Mission, the 'National Congress Committee of India' met on 8 August 1942 in Bombay. It was decided that India would protect itself and continue to oppose imperialism and fascism.

After this, Congress brought the proposal of Quit India Movement which said that after independence, India with all its resources will join the war on behalf of the countries fighting against the fascist and imperialist forces. In this resolution, the approval of the beginning of the non-violence mass movement for the independence of the country was approved.

Activities during the movement

After the resolution of Quit India Movement was passed, Gandhiji said at Gwalia Tank Ground that,

“There is a small mantra that I give you. Write it in your heart and express it in your every breath. This mantra is "do or die". In this effort, we will either get freedom or we will die. ”

In this way, during the Quit India movement, 'British Quit India' and 'Do or Die' became the slogan of Indians.

Under the Operation Zero Hour at 12 o'clock at night, all the big leaders were arrested by the British government and they were imprisoned in different parts of the country. Gandhiji was kept in the Aga Khan Palace in Pune and the other members were kept in the Ahmednagar fort. At the same time, Congress was declared a non-constitutional body and it was banned. In protest, strikes and demonstrations were organized in every part of the country.

Leadership emerged from the public in the absence of leadership after key leaders went to jail. On August 9, 1942, Aruna Asaf Ali gave momentum to the movement by hoisting the tricolor at Gwalia Tank Ground, while Jayaprakash Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia, Achyut Patwardhan, etc., led the movement underground. Usha Mehta along with her colleagues broadcast Bombayse Congress Radio. Firing, lathicharge and arrests were carried out across the country by the British government.

In response to the British government's violent actions, people's anger also turned into violent activities. People attacked government properties, uprooted railway tracks, disrupted postal and telegraph systems and hoisted the tricolor on government buildings. Seven young students were killed while hoisting the tricolor at the Secretariat in Patna, Bihar. Violent clashes also took place between the police and the public in many places. The British government prohibited the publication of news related to the movement. Many newspapers closed the newspaper instead of accepting these restrictions.

In many parts of the country, such as Ballia in the United Provinces (Uttar Pradesh), Tamluk in Bengal, Satara in Maharashtra, Dharwad in Karnataka and Talcher and Balasore in Orissa, a temporary government was established by the people. The first provisional government was formed under the leadership of Chittu Pandey in Ballia. The rebellion in Satara was led by Y.V. Chauhan and Nana Patil did it.

By the end of 1942, about 60,000 people were imprisoned and several thousand people were killed, including women and children. 73-year-old Matangini Hazra in Tamluk, Bengal, 13-year-old Kanaklata Barua in Gohpur, Assam, seven young students and hundreds of people were shot dead during a demonstration in Patna, Bihar. Jai Prakash Narayan, Aruna Asaf Ali, SM Joshi, Ram Manohar Lohia and many other leaders organized revolutionary activities during almost the entire war period.

The years of war were days of great struggle for the people. Meanwhile, due to poverty, there was a severe famine in Bengal, in which about three million people died. The government showed little interest in providing relief to the starving people.

Importance

This movement indicates the final stage of independence. It challenged the British government from village to city. This increased confidence in the Indian public and encouraged the formation of parallel governments. Women took part in it and the public took leadership in their hands. Which informs the mature phase of the national movement. During this movement, for the first time kings were asked to accept the sovereignty of the people. It is known that the Communist Party and the Muslim League did not participate in the Quit India Movement.