Quit India Movement Completes 75 Years Today

It is 75 years today on the 8th of August that Mahatma Gandhi and the Indian Congress Leaders started the Quit India Movement. On 9th August many Congress leaders including Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru were arrested by the British Govenment. Pandemonium broke out across India after these arrests. Thousands died in the ensuing violence.

Quit India Movement 8th August 1942 Source: Wikimedia/Dore charkravarty CC BY-SA 2.5

By the middle of 1942 pressure was mounting on Britain about the future status of India before the end of the Second World War.

 

In March 1942, the British Prime Minister sent Sir Stafford Cripps, to India to discuss the British Government's Draft Declaration. The Congress Working Committee rejected it. The failure of the Cripps Mission created a greater rift between the Congress and the British Government.

 

On 14th July 1942 the Congress Working Committee had a meeting in Wardha and decided to go ahead with a Non Violent Mass Movement with Gandhi as their leader.

Source: Wikimedia/Dore charkravarty CC BY-SA 2.5

On 8th August 1942, the All India Congress Committee met in Bombay and agreed on the 'Quit India' resolution. Gandhi called for 'Do or Die'. "Karo ya Maro." The main leaders were arrested.

 

These arrests lead to violence and mass demonstrations throughout India. The British Government prohibited The assembly of public meetings. There was a public outrage! people demonstrated in the streets and were brutally supressed. Thousands died and thousands were injured in the ensuing violence and police atrocities.

 

Gandhi ji was released in 1944 but he continued his resistance with a 21-day fast. The World was changing after the Second World War, Britain's power had fallen. Freedom was not far away for India!