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Introduction about Quit India Movement
The Quit India Movement was an important episode in India’s struggle for freedom from British rule. Launched on August 8, 1942, by the Indian National Congress under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, it aimed to demand an end to British colonial rule in India.
The Quit India Movement led to widespread disruptions across the country, with strikes, protests, and acts of sabotage targeting British institutions and infrastructure. Though the movement faced considerable challenges and was suppressed by the British authorities within months, it left a lasting impact on India’s struggle for independence, hastening the process toward freedom in 1947.
Background of Quit India Movement
- Immediate Cause: Failure of the Cripps Mission.
- The failure of the Cripps Mission played an important role in Gandhi’s call for the Quit India Movement.
- On 22 March 1942, the British government sent Sir Stafford Cripps to negotiate terms with Indian political parties to secure their support for Britain’s war efforts.
- The Draft Declaration presented by Cripps included provisions such as-
- establishment of a Dominion,
- the formation of a Constituent Assembly,
- and granting the provinces the right to formulate separate constitutions.
- These would be granted after the end of the Second World War.
- According to the Congress, this Declaration only offered India a promise that was to be fulfilled in the future.
- Gandhi said it “a postdated cheque on a crashing bank”.
- Failure of Cripps’ Mission (March 1942) and the threat of Japanese invasion of India are the factors in Gandhi’s call for The Quit India Movement.
Timeline Of Quit India Movement
- The Congress Working Committee meeting at Wardha (14 July 1942) passed the Quit India Resolution demanding complete independence from the British government.
- Gandhiji believed that the presence of the British in India was an invitation to Japan to invade India.
- The All India Congress Committee met in Bombay on 8th August 1942 and proposed to start a non-violent mass movement demanding an end to British rule in India.
- Gandhiji told the British ‘to leave India in God’s hand’.
- During the Quit India Movement, Gandhi gave the slogan of ‘Do or Die‘.
- The Historic August meeting took place at Gowalia Tank in Bombay and this place is now known as the August Kranti Maidan.
- The Quit India Movement got a massive response from the people of Bombay, Andhra, Bihar, Gujarat, Orissa, Assam, Bengal, Karnataka, etc. but the responses in Punjab, Sind, NWFP, etc. were weak.
- A parallel government was established in Satara (Maharashtra), and Tamluk in Midnapore district (Bengal). The longest-running parallel government was run by Chittu Pandey in Balia (Uttar Pradesh).
- Congress was declared illegal.
- Hindu Mahasabha, Muslim League, the Communist Party of India, and princely states opposed the call for the Quit India Movement and boycotted it officially.
- In 1992, the Reserve Bank of India issued a 1 rupee coin to mark the Golden Jubilee of the Quit India Movement.