QUIT INDIA MOVEMENT
Introduction: The Quit India Movement, also known as ‘August Kranti’, was a freedom movement led by Mahatma Gandhi.
It began on 8th August, 1942 and turned out to be one of the most popular and powerful mass movements for independence.
Causes: The Second World War began in 1939. This War made the situation somewhat favourable for the Indian national struggle. The British were under heavy pressure in the early years of the war. Japanese attacks threatened the British. There was a possibility of British defeat. Gandhiji and other leaders feared that the Japanese might invade India. And if they did so, the country would be ruined.
It was thought the Japanese attack on India could be avoided only if the British left India. For, Japan would attack not the Indians but the British Government. So, the British should be asked to quit India and India should now be ruled by the Indians themselves.
‘Quit India’ and ‘Do or Die’ slogan: But the British showed no desire to leave India.
Gandhi jee made a clarion call in Bombay on 8th August 1942 asking Britishers to leave India with the famous Quit India slogan.
The ‘Quit India’ slogan was coined by Dr. Yusuf Meher Ali and it was accepted by all.
It was decided that the British would be asked to leave India. And if they did not leave, a protracted struggle would begin and continue until they left India.
Gandhiji gave his call of ‘Do or Die’ and the decision was taken on 8thAugust 1942 known widely as the “Quit India Resolution”.
Excerpts from the Historic Speech by Gandhi jee on August 8, 1942 at Gowalia Tank Maidan in Bombay“I am not going to be satisfied with anything short of complete freedom. May be, he (the Viceroy) will propose the abolition of salt tax, the drink evil. But I will say nothing less than freedom”.
Gandhi jee then followed up with the now famous exhortation Do or Die. “Here is a Mantra, a short one that I give you. You may imprint it on your hearts and let every breath of yours give expression to it. The mantra is Do or Die. We shall either free India or die in the attempt; we shall not live to see the perpetuation of slavery”.
"Let every Indian consider himself to be a free man."
“Ours is not a drive for power, but purely a non-violent fight for India’s independence.
“I believe that in the history of the world, there has not been a more genuinely democratic struggle for freedom than ours.”
“In the democracy which I have envisaged, a democracy established by non-violence, there will be equal freedom for all.”
“Everybody will be his own master. It is to join a struggle for such democracy that I invite you today. Once you realize this you will forget the differences between the Hindus and Muslims, and think of yourselves as Indians only, engaged in the common struggle for independence”.
Gandhi gave a call to all sections of the people, the princes, the Jagirdars, the Zamindars, the propertied and moneyed classes, who derive their wealth and property from the workers in the fields and factories and elsewhere, to whom eventually power and authority belong.
However the very next day on August 9, 1942, Gandhiji and several other leaders were arrested by the British Government. This led to spontaneous outburst of mass anger against the arrest of leaders. There was mass upsurge all over the country for six or seven weeks after the unexpected event of August 9, 1942.
It was during this time that the second generation of leadership comprising of great men like Dr. Lohia, Jaiprakash Narain played a leading and pivotal role.
Spread of Movement
Outcome: The Quit India Movement was mainly a non-violent movement. However, it became violent at some places. Rails were uprooted, post offices were set on fire and offices were destroyed.
However the British government suppressed the movement with its brutality.
Gandhi jee who was arrested in the early hours of 9 August, began his fast on 10th February by declaring that the fast would last for 21 days.
A striking feature was Gandhi jee’s refused to condemn the violence of the masses and he held the government responsible for this violence.
All over the country people responded positively and actively towards the fast of Gandhi.
Gandhi jee was released on 6th May, 1944 on medical grounds.
The spontaneous participation of the masses in the Quit India movement made it one of the most popular mass movements.
This historic movement placed the demand for independence on the immediate agenda of the national movement.
The spirit unleashed was carried further by Indian National Army of Subhas Chandra Bose.
After ‘Quit India’ there could be no retreat. Independence was no longer a matter of bargain. It accelerated and sustained the urge for freedom and enabled India to achieve freedom in 1947.
Parallel Governments formed during the Quit India MovementThe movement had a local impact in some areas, especially at Satara in Maharashtra, Talcher in Odisha, and Midnapore.
In Tamluk and Contai subdivisions of Midnapore in West Bengal, the local populace were successful in establishing parallel governments, which continued to function, until Gandhi jee personally requested the leaders to disband in 1944.
A minor uprising took place in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh. People overthrew the district administration, broke open the jail, released the arrested leaders and established their own independent rule.It took weeks before the British could re-establish their writ in the district.
In Saurashtra, the role of the region's 'baharvatiya' tradition (i.e. going outside the law) gained prominence which abetted the sabotage activities of the movement there. In rural west Bengal, the Quit India Movement was fuelled by peasants' resentment against the new war taxes and the forced rice exports. There was open resistance to the point of rebellion in 1942 until the great famine of 1943 suspended the movement.
Source: PIB
Introduction: The Quit India Movement, also known as ‘August Kranti’, was a freedom movement led by Mahatma Gandhi.It began on 8th August, 1942 and turned out to be one of the most popular and powerful mass movements for independence.
Causes: The Second World War began in 1939. This War made the situation somewhat favourable for the Indian national struggle. The British were under heavy pressure in the early years of the war. Japanese attacks threatened the British. There was a possibility of British defeat. Gandhiji and other leaders feared that the Japanese might invade India. And if they did so, the country would be ruined.
It was thought the Japanese attack on India could be avoided only if the British left India. For, Japan would attack not the Indians but the British Government. So, the British should be asked to quit India and India should now be ruled by the Indians themselves.
‘Quit India’ and ‘Do or Die’ slogan: But the British showed no desire to leave India.
Gandhi jee made a clarion call in Bombay on 8th August 1942 asking Britishers to leave India with the famous Quit India slogan.
The ‘Quit India’ slogan was coined by Dr. Yusuf Meher Ali and it was accepted by all.
It was decided that the British would be asked to leave India. And if they did not leave, a protracted struggle would begin and continue until they left India.
Gandhiji gave his call of ‘Do or Die’ and the decision was taken on 8thAugust 1942 known widely as the “Quit India Resolution”.
Excerpts from the Historic Speech by Gandhi jee on August 8, 1942 at Gowalia Tank Maidan in Bombay“I am not going to be satisfied with anything short of complete freedom. May be, he (the Viceroy) will propose the abolition of salt tax, the drink evil. But I will say nothing less than freedom”.
Gandhi jee then followed up with the now famous exhortation Do or Die. “Here is a Mantra, a short one that I give you. You may imprint it on your hearts and let every breath of yours give expression to it. The mantra is Do or Die. We shall either free India or die in the attempt; we shall not live to see the perpetuation of slavery”.
"Let every Indian consider himself to be a free man."
“Ours is not a drive for power, but purely a non-violent fight for India’s independence.
“I believe that in the history of the world, there has not been a more genuinely democratic struggle for freedom than ours.”
“In the democracy which I have envisaged, a democracy established by non-violence, there will be equal freedom for all.”
“Everybody will be his own master. It is to join a struggle for such democracy that I invite you today. Once you realize this you will forget the differences between the Hindus and Muslims, and think of yourselves as Indians only, engaged in the common struggle for independence”.
Gandhi gave a call to all sections of the people, the princes, the Jagirdars, the Zamindars, the propertied and moneyed classes, who derive their wealth and property from the workers in the fields and factories and elsewhere, to whom eventually power and authority belong.
However the very next day on August 9, 1942, Gandhiji and several other leaders were arrested by the British Government. This led to spontaneous outburst of mass anger against the arrest of leaders. There was mass upsurge all over the country for six or seven weeks after the unexpected event of August 9, 1942.
It was during this time that the second generation of leadership comprising of great men like Dr. Lohia, Jaiprakash Narain played a leading and pivotal role.
Spread of Movement
- Matangini Hazra, Satish Samanta, Jayaprakash Narayan and Ram Manohar Lohia became famous for their heroic roles in the movement.
- The news of these arrested soon got known and the whole nation was angry.
- Angry crowds everywhere demanded the leaders to be freed.
- Shops were closed for days together.
- Students, peasants, workers, shopkeepers and political workers expressed their anger on streets.
- Hundreds of people lost their lives in police firing during the first few days.
- Everywhere the slogan of “Quit India’ was heard.
- National flags were forcibly hoisted on public buildings in defiance of the police.
- In Bengal, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in particular the movement was more aggressive.
Outcome: The Quit India Movement was mainly a non-violent movement. However, it became violent at some places. Rails were uprooted, post offices were set on fire and offices were destroyed.
However the British government suppressed the movement with its brutality.
Gandhi jee who was arrested in the early hours of 9 August, began his fast on 10th February by declaring that the fast would last for 21 days.
A striking feature was Gandhi jee’s refused to condemn the violence of the masses and he held the government responsible for this violence.
All over the country people responded positively and actively towards the fast of Gandhi.
Gandhi jee was released on 6th May, 1944 on medical grounds.
The spontaneous participation of the masses in the Quit India movement made it one of the most popular mass movements.
This historic movement placed the demand for independence on the immediate agenda of the national movement.
The spirit unleashed was carried further by Indian National Army of Subhas Chandra Bose.
After ‘Quit India’ there could be no retreat. Independence was no longer a matter of bargain. It accelerated and sustained the urge for freedom and enabled India to achieve freedom in 1947.
Parallel Governments formed during the Quit India MovementThe movement had a local impact in some areas, especially at Satara in Maharashtra, Talcher in Odisha, and Midnapore.
In Tamluk and Contai subdivisions of Midnapore in West Bengal, the local populace were successful in establishing parallel governments, which continued to function, until Gandhi jee personally requested the leaders to disband in 1944.
A minor uprising took place in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh. People overthrew the district administration, broke open the jail, released the arrested leaders and established their own independent rule.It took weeks before the British could re-establish their writ in the district.
In Saurashtra, the role of the region's 'baharvatiya' tradition (i.e. going outside the law) gained prominence which abetted the sabotage activities of the movement there. In rural west Bengal, the Quit India Movement was fuelled by peasants' resentment against the new war taxes and the forced rice exports. There was open resistance to the point of rebellion in 1942 until the great famine of 1943 suspended the movement.
Source: PIB
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