Quit India Movement: History, significance, Mahatma Gandhi’s famous call
Today (August 8) marks the 80th anniversary of the ‘Quit India Movement’, which was started by Mahatma Gandhi in 1942 during the Second World War.
Gandhi started Bharat Chhodo Andolan or Quit India Movement demanding an end to British rule in India.
On the evening of August 8, 1942, the “Quit India” resolution was passed by the All India Congress Committee (AICC).
Also read: Mamata likens fight against Narendra Modi with Quit India movement
Gandhi said, “We must look the world in the face with calm and clear eyes, even though the eyes of the world are bloodshot today.”
He told his countrymen and women to go ahead and offer themselves on the altar of ultimate sacrifice to win freedom for India.
A non-violent soldier of freedom will covet nothing for himself, he fights only for the freedom of his country: #MahtmaGandhi while delivering his speech at August Kranti Maidan on 8 August 1942
Here’s some rare actual footage of the #QuitIndiaMovement
Courtesy: @FilmsDivision pic.twitter.com/N2ty8Zs8zH
— PIB India (@PIB_India) August 8, 2022
On August 8, 1942, the AICC held its meeting in Bombay (now Mumbai) and after giving due consideration to all points of view endorsed the Working Committee’s resolution. The operative part of the AICC resolution said, “The Committee resolves, therefore, to sanction for the vindication of India’s right to freedom and independence, the starting of a mass struggle on non-violent lines on the non-violent strength it has gathered during the last 22 years of peaceful struggle. Such a struggle must inevitably be under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi.”
Gandhi’s mantra during Quit India Movement was “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,” he said.
Quit India Movement is significant especially because it brought home to the British that it would not be possible to continue to govern India and forced them to think of ways they could exit the country.
The movement was accompanied by a mass protest on non-violent lines by which Gandhi called for “an orderly British withdrawal; from India.” Through his speeches, Gandhi moved people by proclaiming that “every Indian who desires freedom and strives for it must be his own guide…”
On Monday (August 8), Lok Sabha paid tributes to martyrs and freedom fighters of the Independence movement on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Quit India Movement.
