Quit India Movement Day (77th
anniversary) is observed on 8 August which is also known as August Kranti. It is considered as an important
movement in the freedom struggle where masses also participate and took charge
itself. Let us read more about Quit India Movement.
In April 1942, the Cripps mission
failed. Within less than four months, the third great mass struggle of the
Indian people for freedom started. This struggle is known as the Quit India
movement. On 8 August, 1942 at the Bombay session of All India Congress
Committee by Mahatma Gandhi during World War II passed a resolution of Quit
India Movement.
This resolution declared that the
immediate ending of the British rule in India was an urgent necessity for the
sake of India and for the success of the cause of freedom and democracy, for
which the countries of the United Nations were fighting against fascist
Germany, Italy and Japan. The resolution called for the withdrawal of the
British power from India. Once free, it said, India with all her resources
would join the war on the side of those countries who were struggling against
fascist and imperialist aggression.
Quit India Movement resolution
The resolution approved the
starting of mass struggle on non-violent lines on the widest possible scale for
the independence of the country. “Quit India” and “Do or Die” became the battle
cries of the Indian people during the Quit India movement.
In the early hours of the morning
of 9 August 1942, most of the leaders of the congress were arrested. They were
lodged in prisons in different parts of the country. The congress was banned.
There were hartals and processions in
every part of the country. The government let loose a reign of terror and there
were firings, lathi charges and arrests throughout the country. People in their
anger also took to violent activities.
The war years were a period of
terrible suffering for the people of India. There was a terrible famine in
Bengal in which lakhs of people died. The government showed little interest in
providing relief to the starving people.
There is no doubt that "Quit India Movement", united the Indian people against British rule. By the end of World War II, Britain's position in the world had changed dramatically and the demand for independence could no longer be ignored.