Quit India Movement

Introduction

The Quit India Movement (Bharat Chhodo Andolan) was launched on 8 August 1942 by Mahatma Gandhi at Gowalia Tank Maidan in Bombay. With the slogan Do or Die, Gandhi and the Indian National Congress demanded an immediate end to British colonial rule in India. Within hours, top leaders including Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Maulana Azad, and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel were arrested. Despite this, mass protests erupted across the country.

Public Participation and Resistance

Even without leadership, people all over India joined the movement spontaneously. There were strikes, protests, sabotage of railway lines, and attacks on British offices. Students, peasants, workers, and women took part in large numbers. Underground leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan and Ram Manohar Lohia carried forward the movement in secret. Aruna Asaf Ali hoisted the national flag at the protest ground, and Usha Mehta ran a secret radio station. Protesters were lathi-charged, arrested, and fired upon by colonial police forces.

British Repression

The British government launched a harsh crackdown. Over 100,000 people were arrested. Newspapers were banned, public gatherings prohibited, and entire villages punished. More than 1,000 people were killed during the crackdown. Despite being suppressed, the movement demonstrated that British rule could not continue without Indian cooperation.

Legacy

The Quit India Movement became a crucial turning point in India’s freedom struggle. It created intense international pressure on Britain and showcased the Indian people’s readiness to achieve full independence. Though India became independent five years later in 1947, the 1942 movement is still remembered as one of the strongest expressions of resistance. Every year, 8 August is commemorated as August Kranti Diwas in memory of this bold national uprising.

See Also

• Indian National Congress
• Indian Independence Movement
• Mahatma Gandhi
• August Kranti Diwas
• British Raj
• Indian Independence Act 1947