Quit India Movement 1942, Phases, Causes, Impact and Outcomes_1.1

Quit India Movement 1942, Phases, Causes, Impact and Outcomes

Quit India Movement started in year 1942 which was led by Mahatma Gandhi, to get freedom from British Government. Get here Quit India Movement Anniversary 2023 related information.

Quit India Movement

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The Quit India Movement started on August 8, 1942, also known as the August Kranti Movement, calling for the end of British rule in India at the All India Congress Committee’s session in Bombay.

It is an important topic of the UPSC History Syllabus and an important event of the Indian Freedom Struggle for Independence . UPSC aspirants should know the complete details about Quit India Movements for Prelims and Mains. 

Quit India Movement 

  • Quit India Movement is observed annually on August 8, 1942. Quit India Movement Day is a day to remember the sacrifices made by the Indian freedom fighters and people in their fight for independence.
  • At the meeting of the All-India Congress Committee in Mumbai, Mahatma Gandhi demanded the end of British rule and launched the Quit India Movement. In his address at the Gowalia Tank Maidan, now referred to as August Kranti Maidan, Mahatma Gandhi urged listeners to “Do or Die”.
  • The Indian flag was raised at the Gowalia Tank Maidan in Mumbai during the Quit India Movement by Aruna Asaf Ali, also referred to as the “ Grand Old Lady ” of the Independence Movement. Yusuf Meherally, a socialist and trade unionist who served as Mayor of Mumbai, is the author of the phrase “Quit India.”

Quit India Movement Causes

  • Failed Cripps mission: Indian leaders reject limited British concessions.
  • Dissatisfaction with British rule: Indians suffered from economic exploitation, discrimination and lack of political representation.
  • Impact of World War II: Indians opposed the decision of the British to include India in the war without consultation.
  • Growing nationalism: Growing nationalist sentiments inspired by leaders like Gandhi and Nehru fueled the demand for independence.
  • Pressure from global movements: The success of anti-colonial movements around the world inspired Indian nationalism.
  • Gandhi’s leadership: Gandhi’s call for non-violent civil disobedience united Indians against British rule.
  • Suppression of civil liberties: British suppression of dissent, including the arrest of leaders, provoked anger and resentment.

Quit India Movement Phases

Quit India Movement Phases are categorised into three phases that are described below in detail. Quit India Movement Day is commemorated every year on 8 August in India.

Strikes, boycotts, and picketing (protesting) were all part of the urban uprising’s first phase, which was promptly put an end to.

Workers supported the protests by staying away from the factories during the nationwide strikes and demonstrations.

The focus shifted to the countryside, where there was a significant peasant uprising that was characterized by the destruction of communication infrastructure, including railroad tracks and stations.
In the final stage, national governments or parallel governments in discrete areas came into being (Ballia, Tamluk, Satara, etc.)

Quit India Movement of 1942 Impacts

The Quit India Movement of 1942, also known as the August Movement or Bharat Chhodo Andolan, was a civil disobedience movement that was a major turning point in India’s freedom struggle. The movement had many effects, including:

  • New leaders: Aruna Asaf Ali became president of the Indian National Congress, and other new leaders emerged, including Ram Manohar Lohia, JP Narayan, and Usha Mehta.
  • Political changes: Organizations like the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh, Hindu Mahasabha, and Muslim League gained popularity.
  • Arrests: The government arrested nearly 100,000 people, including women and children, and kept them imprisoned until 1945. The government also declared the INC illegal and banned it.
  • Complete freedom: India gained complete freedom on August 15, 1947.

Quit India Movement Importance

  • The government used harsh repression tactics, but the populace was unmoved and kept up their fight.
  • Even though the government claimed that independence could only be granted when the war ended, the movement emphasized that Indians must be involved in governance for it to work.
  • The movement prioritized calling for total independence as the main goal of the freedom movement. Public spirit and anti-British feelings were raised.
  • Underground activities were carried out by figures who eventually became well-known leaders such as Ram Manohar Lohia, J.P. Narayan, Aruna Asaf Ali, Sucheta Kriplani, and Biju Patnaik.
  • Women participated actively in the movement.
  • Usha Mehta, among other female activists, contributed to the establishment of an underground radio station, which sparked awareness of the movement.
  • The Quit India Movement has strengthened the sense of brotherhood and unity among people.
  • Many high school and college kids dropped out, while lots of adults quit their jobs and took money out of the banks.
  • The costs of World War II led the British to come to the important conclusion that India was unmanageable in the long run, even though the Quit India movement collapsed in 1944 as a result of their insistence that independence could only take place when the war was over and their refusal to grant it immediately.
  • The character of political negotiations with the British was altered, ultimately leading to India’s independence.

Quit India Movement UPSC

The Violence that wasn’t planned happened in certain places during the Quit India movement. The British forcefully put an end to the movement; people were shot, and lathi-charged, villages were set on fire, and huge fines were imposed. To suppress the unrest, the authorities used brutality and detained more than 100,000 individuals.

Many parties and collaborations like the Hindu Mahasabha, the Communist Party of India, and the Muslim League opposed this movement . The movement was also not supported by the Indian bureaucracy. The League opposed the British leaving India without first dividing the nation. Since the British were associated with the Soviet Union, the Communist Party supported them.

The Hindu Mahasabha publicly rejected the Quit India Movement’s appeal and boycotted it out of concern that it would lead to internal unrest and threaten internal security during the war. Subhas Chandra Bose organized the Azad Hind administration and the Indian National Army while operating from outside. Because they opposed Mahatma Gandhi’s concept, many Congress members, including C Rajagopalachari, resigned from the provincial legislature.

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Quit India Movement FAQs

What are the main points of the quit india movement.

An end to British dominion over India right now. A declaration of free India’s determination to fight off all forms of imperialism and fascism. Formation of India’s interim government following the exit of the British. During a movement of civil disobedience against British rule.

Who started Quit India Movement?

 At a meeting of the All-India Congress Committee in Bombay on August 8, 1942, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi announced the start of the “Quit India” movement. The British government detained Gandhi, Nehru, and many other Indian National Congress leaders the following day.

Why did Gandhi launch Quit India Movement?

To get the British to leave India, Mahatma Gandhi started the Quit India movement in 1942. During this agitation, several Indian National Congress (INC) members were detained.

Who gave the Quit India slogan?

The Quit India Movement, also known as the Bharat Chhodo Andolan, was introduced by Mahatma Gandhi on August 8, 1942.

Who is the lady leader of the Quit India Movement?

Aruna Asaf Ali was a publisher, political activist, and educator from India. She was an ardent member of the campaign for Indian independence, and she is well-known for raising the Indian National flag at the Gowalia Tank Maidan in Bombay in 1942, during the Quit India Movement.

Who is the hero of the Quit India Movement?

Hero of the Quit India Movement are:

        Mahatma Gandhi         Jawaharlal Nehru         Subhash Chandra Bose         Jaiprakash Narain

When Quit India Movement ended?

The British came to the crucial conclusion that India was ungovernable in the long run as a result of the costs of World War II, even though the Quit India campaign was crushed in 1944 as a result of their refusal to grant immediate independence and instead insisting that it could only happen after the war had ended.

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Home » Modern Indian History » Freedom to Partition (1939 – 1947) » Quit India Movement

  • The failure of Cripps Mission
  • The arrival of Japanese armies on Indian borders
  • The rising prices and shortages in food supplies
  • The different opinion within the congress
  • The resolution was rejected, but it showed the intent of Congress
  • If they did not agree, he would launch a Civil Disobedience movement.
  • Eventually, he decided in favour of launching the movement.
  • On 8th August 1942, the AICC passed the Quit India Resolution

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Introduction

  • The Quit India Movement has rightly been described as the most massive antiimperialist struggle on the eve of Partition and Independence.
  • 1942, the year that the movement was launched and the next five years witnessed unparalleled and tumultuous events in the political history of India
  • Sharp increase in popular nationalism, large-scale deprivation and death due to widespread famine conditions particularly the Bengal Famine of 1943, heightened Japanese aggression in Burma and Malaya, hopes of a military deliverance through the onward march of the ‘Azad Hind Fauj’ of Subhas Chandra Bose, and widening of the communal divide leading to the vivisection of the political fabric of the country were some of these developments

The Movement

  • The Congress gave the call for ousting British but it did not give any concrete line of action to be adopted by the people.
  • Everyone is free to go the fullest length under Ahimisa to complete deadlock by strikes and other non-violent means. Satyagrahis must go out to die not to live. They must seek and face death. It is only when individuals go out to die that the nation will survive, Karenge Ya/Marenge (do or die).
  • There were, hartals, demonstrations and processions in cities and towns. The Congress leadership gave the call, but it was the people who launched the Movement .
  • The assembly of public meetings was prohibited under rule 56 of the Defence of India Rules.
  • Since all the recognised leaders-central, provincial or local-had been arrested, the young and more militant cadres-particularly students with socialist leanings took over as leaders at local levels in their areas.
  • Later, it was the repressive policy of the government which provoked the people to violence.
  • attacks on government buildings, police stations and post offices,
  • attacks on railway stations, and sabotaging rail lines,
  • cutting off the telegraph wires, telephones and electric power lines,
  • disrupting road traffic by destroying bridges, and
  • workers going on strike, etc.
  • In Maharashtra , a parallel government was established in Satara which continued to function for a long time.
  • In Bengal, Tamluk Jatiya Sarkar functioned for a long time in Midnapore district. This national government had various departments like Law and Order, Health, Education, Agriculture, etc., along with a postal system of its own and arbitration courts.
  • People established Swaraj in Talacher in Orissa.
  • In this essence, the movement got a massive response from people of Bombay, Andhra, UP, Bihar, Gujarat, Orissa, Karnataka, Bengal, etc.
  • But the responses in Punjab, Sindh, NWFP, etc, were weak.
  • This was another trend in the movement, besides mass action.
  • The participants in these activities were the Socialists, Forward Bloc members, Gandhi ashramites, revolutionary nationalists and local organisations
  • The main personalities taking up underground activity were Rammanohar Lohia, Jayaprakash Narayan, Aruna Asaf Ali, Usha Mehta, Biju Patnaik, Chhotubhai Puranik, Achyut Patwardhan, Sucheta Kripalani and R.P. Goenka
  • This phase of underground activity was meant to keep up popular morale by continuing to provide a line of command and guidance to distribute arms and ammunition

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The British Government’s reaction

  • The Government had geared all its forces to suppress the popular upsurge.
  • Arrests, detentions, police firings, burning of Congress offices, etc. were the methods adopted by the Government.
  • The press was muzzled. The military took over many cities; police and secret service reigned supreme.
  • Rebellious villages were fined heavily and in many villages, mass flogging was done.

Significance of Quit India Movement

  • The Quit India Movement failed to end British rule in India. Yet, this was one movement that demonstrated the will and reserve of diverse communities of Indians to withstand both the highhandedness of imperial authorities and the elitism of the Indian Political class.
  • The Quit India Movement stands apart from the earlier movements in terms of the spirit and enthusiasm that it infused in ordinary people to support indigenous institutions and structures of power.
  • The parallel governments that such efforts produced indicate the basic difference between the 1942 movement and the earlier movements
  • Loyalty to government suffered considerable erosion. This also showed how deep nationalism had reached.
  • The movement established the truth that it was no longer possible to rule India without the wishes of Indians.
  • The great significance was that the movement placed the demand for independence on the immediate agenda of the national movement. After Quit India, there could be no retreat.
  • Also, in this struggle, the common people displayed unparalleled heroism and militancy . The repression they faced was the most brutal, and the circumstances under which resistance was offered were most adverse.

On the whole, the Quit India movement collapsed, but not without demonstrating the determination of the masses to do away with British rule. The Congress leadership did not condemn the deviation by the people from the principle of non-violence, but at the same time disowned any responsibility for the violent acts of the people. Eventually, by 1945 the Congress was moving in the direction of focusing its attention and energies on the 1946 elections.

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Women's Participation in the Quit India Movement in Ludhiana

On 8 August, 1942, the All India Congress Committee passed the Quit India Resolution and Gandhiji gave the clarion call to the nation to “Do or Die” in a quest to free India. On 9 August, Gandhiji and all the Congress leaders were arrested. An unprecedented people’s movement ensued and women in Ludhiana, and all across Punjab played a vital role in the saga. In Ludhiana, they participated in anti-Government meetings and hartals. Defying state prohibitory orders against seditious meetings they organised conferences, processions, distributed pamphlets, boycotted schools and colleges and took to constructive social reconstruction programmes. Subhadra Joshi, Savitri Devi, Lajjyavati, Satyavati, Parbati Kamalia, Rameshwari Nehru and Rajkumari Amrit Kaur played crucial roles. The processions led by Rajkumari Kaur were subject to lathi charge fifteen times, while Subhadra Joshi was arrested for editing the secret anti-state paper Hamara Sangram. Women courted arrests and police brutality much like their male counter-parts. India was thus awakened to a new revolutionary zeal and at the forefront of this struggle were countless brave women from all walks of life.

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Quit India Movement - 1942 (Modern Indian History NCERT Notes)

Mumbai’s Gowalia Tank Maidan also known as August Kranti Maidan is the place where the quit India movement was launched by Mahatma Gandhi. He along with other leaders gathered here on August 8 and 9, 1942.

The outcome of the movement was that Congress was declared an unlawful association and its offices all over the country were raided. The leaders were arrested and there rose a chaotic moment with this incident.

 This article gives you the Quit India Movement summary, factors responsible for Quit India Movement and other notes relevant for UPSC and other government exams .

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Candidates can also download Quit India Movement notes PDF from the link provided below.

Quit India Movement (UPSC Notes):- Download PDF Here

Aspirants can also read important topics related to Indian Freedom Struggle linked below:

 

Quit India Movement Facts for UPSC

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  • Also known as the India August Movement or August Kranti.
  • It was officially launched by the Indian National Congress (INC) led by Mahatma Gandhi on 8 August 1942. (knowindia.gov.in mentions August 1942 as Quit India Movement month/year.)
  • The movement gave the slogans ‘Quit India’ or ‘Bharat Chodo’. Gandhi gave the slogan to the people – ‘Do or die’.
  • In line with the Congress ideology, it was supposed to be a peaceful non-violent movement aimed at urging the British to grant India independence.
  • The Quit India Resolution was passed by the Congress Working Committee on 8 August 1942 in Bombay. Gandhi was named the movement’s leader.
  • An immediate end to British rule over India.
  • Declaration of the commitment of free India to defend itself against all kinds of imperialism and fascism.
  • Formation of a provisional government of India after British withdrawal.
  • Sanctioning a civil disobedience movement against British rule.
  • Government servants : do not resign your job but proclaim loyalty to the INC.
  • Soldiers : be with the army but refrain from firing on compatriots.
  • Peasants: pay the agreed-upon rent if the landlords/Zamindars are anti-government; if they are pro-government, do not pay the rent.
  • Students: can leave studies if they are confident enough.
  • Princes: support the people and accept the sovereignty of them.
  • People of the princely states: support the ruler only if he is anti-government; declare themselves as part of the Indian nation.

Causes of Quit India Movement – Why was it launched?

  • The Second World War had started in 1939 and Japan, which was part of the Axis Powers that were opposed to the British in the war were gaining onto the north-eastern frontiers of India.
  • The British had abandoned their territories in South-East Asia and had left their population in the lurch. This act did not garner much faith among the Indian population who had doubts about the British ability to defend India against Axis aggression.
  • Gandhi also believed that if the British left India, Japan would not have enough reason to invade India.
  • Apart from hearing news about British setbacks in the war, the war-time difficulties such as high prices of essential commodities fostered resentment against the British government.
  • The failure of the Cripps Mission to guarantee any kind of a constitutional remedy to India’s problems also led to the INC calling for a mass civil disobedience movement.

Read about the allied, axis and central powers from below:

  •   Difference Between Axis and Allied Powers 
  • Difference Between Axis and Central Powers

Response to Quit India Movement

  • The British government responded to the call of Gandhi by arresting all major Congress leaders the very next day. Gandhi, Nehru, Patel, etc. were all arrested. This left the movement in the hands of the younger leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan and Ram Manohar Lohia. New leaders like Aruna Asaf Ali emerged out of the vacuum of leadership.
  • Over 100000 people were arrested in connection with this movement. The government resorted to violence in order to quell the agitation. They were mass floggings and lathi charges. Even women and children were not spared. About 10000 people died in police firing in total.
  • There was no communal violence.
  • The INC was banned. Its leaders were jailed for almost the whole of the war. Gandhi was released on health grounds in 1944.
  • The people responded to Gandhi’s call in a major way. However, in the absence of leadership, there were stray incidences of violence and damage to government property. Many buildings were set on fire, electricity lines were cut and communication and transport lines were broken.
  • Some parties did not support the movement. There was opposition from the Muslim League , the Communist Party of India (the government revoked the ban on the party then) and the Hindu Mahasabha.
  • The League was not in favour of the British leaving India without partitioning the country first. In fact, Jinnah asked more Muslims to enlist in the army to fight the war.
  • The Communist party supported the war waged by the British since they were allied with the Soviet Union.
  • Subhas Chandra Bose, was by this time, organizing the Indian National Army and the Azad Hind government from outside the country.
  • C Rajagopalachari, resigned from the INC since he was not in favour of complete independence.
  • In general, the Indian bureaucracy did not support the Quit India Movement.
  • There were strikes and demonstrations all over the country. Despite the communist group’s lack of support to the movement, workers provided support by not working in the factories.
  • In some places, parallel governments were also set up. Example: Ballia, Tamluk, Satara.
  • The chief areas of the movement were UP Bihar, Maharashtra, Midnapore, and Karnataka. The movement lasted till 1944.

Importance of Quit India Movement – Significance/What it achieved?

  • Despite heavy-handed suppression by the government, the people were unfazed and continued their struggle.
  • Even though the government said that independence could be granted only after the end of the war, the movement drove home the point that India could not be governed without the support of the Indians.
  • The movement placed the demand for complete independence at the top agenda of the freedom movement.
  • Public morale and anti-British sentiment were enhanced.

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  • Introduction

Historical background

Preparations for protest, protests and reprisals, conclusion and repercussions.

Beohar Rammanohar Sinha: Quit India Movement

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Quit India Movement

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Beohar Rammanohar Sinha: Quit India Movement

Quit India Movement , mass protest movement during 1942–43 against the colonial British raj ’s political and military control of India . The movement, which took place against the backdrop of World War II , was initially planned by Mahatma Gandhi and his followers in the Indian National Congress (Congress Party) as a nonviolent action. However, attempts by the British authorities to prevent the protests by arresting the Congress leaders backfired and triggered an escalation of violence that, by the end of the turmoil, resulted in the deaths of at least 1,000 Indians, as well as the arrests of roughly 60,000 by the end of 1943. Though the movement was unsuccessful in its goal of forcing the immediate decolonization of India, it served as an important demonstration of anti-colonial sentiment in Indian society directed toward the British raj. Moreover, the desire of British authorities to avoid a repetition of the chaos caused by the Quit India Movement lent urgency to the decolonization of India in the postwar period.

essay on quit india movement in punjabi

The Quit India Movement was not the first mass protest movement in India against British colonialism. The Indian Mutiny of 1857–59 saw Indian soldiers turn on their British army leaders, and the fighting resulted in the replacement of British East Indian Company control with direct colonial rule under the British crown beginning in 1858. Additionally, nonviolent protests for independence led by Gandhi included the noncooperation movement of 1920–22 and other acts of nonviolent civil disobedience such as the Salt March in 1930. The Quit India Movement was Gandhi’s last attempt at a satyagraha campaign against British colonial rule prior to India’s independence in 1947.

The Quit India Movement was instigated by Britain’s unilateral declaration of war on the Axis powers in 1939. In conjunction with that declaration, on September 3, 1939, Viceroy of India Linlithgow (1936–43) proclaimed that India was also at war with Germany, thereby drawing the Indian population into the conflict. With the declaration of war, Britain reinstated the Defense of India Act (1915) and essentially declared martial law in the colony. The involvement of India in the war outraged many Indian political leaders, who, despite a range of opinions on the just nature of the war, thought it was morally wrong for the British to force their subjects into the fighting (by the war’s end 2.5 million Indians had served in the British armed forces, though the majority were volunteers) without consulting Indian leadership and to use Indian resources for the effort.

As the war continued and Japanese armies swept through Britain’s Southeast Asian colonies— Singapore , Malaya (now Malaysia ), and Burma (now Myanmar )—a faction of the Congress Party began to call for India to gain immediate independence from Britain in order to avoid a Japanese invasion. This faction was led by Gandhi, who was concerned that British presence in India would invite Japanese aggression. He argued that India should be allowed to make its own peace treaty with Japan and that, in the event of an invasion by Japan, Indians should resist only through nonviolent means rather than be forced by the British into military conflict.

Wanting to prevent unrest during the war, the British government sent Sir Stafford Cripps to India in March 1942 to suggest a compromise known as the “Cripps Offer,” under which Indian politicians would cooperate with the colonial government for the duration of the war and then be given dominion status—alongside Canada , Australia , and other former British colonies—and increased autonomy afterward. The offer included an “opt-out” clause allowing certain provinces to choose not to be a part of a united India—a provision that was received positively by Mohammed Ali Jinnah , whose Muslim League desired the creation of a separate Muslim-majority nation to be called Pakistan , but was viewed negatively by Gandhi and Congress, who vehemently opposed any potential partition of India. The offer was swiftly rejected by most leaders of the Indian independence movement, and Gandhi irately called the offer “a post-dated cheque on a bank that was failing.”

The perception that Britain did not take their demands seriously hardened the position of some Congress politicians and strengthened calls to engage in action toward independence. In the shadow of the growing military presence of British and American troops in India, and with the increasing food shortages in India due to the war effort, Indians continued to suffer. Japanese forces moved into the Bay of Bengal , attacked British ships, and bombed the east coast ports of Visakhapatnam and Kakinada , thus making the threat of full-scale war on Indian soil seem imminent . Gandhi became more adamant about the departure of the British colonists and less concerned about internal squabbles among Indian leadership. He notably demanded of the British in his magazine Harijan on May 24, 1942: “Leave India to God. If that is too much leave her to anarchy.”

On July 14, 1942, the Congress Party passed its “Quit India” resolution calling for an immediate end to British rule in India and authorizing Gandhi to lead a mass nonviolent protest movement if independence was not granted. The slogan “Quit India” was coined by mayor of Bombay (now Mumbai) Yusuf Meherally. When the British government failed to meet its demands, the Congress Party met in Bombay and voted on August 8 for the initiation of the Quit India Movement. During that meeting, Gandhi delivered his “Do or Die” speech, in which he famously declared: “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 our slavery.” Despite earlier disagreements within the party, only a small number of delegates at the meeting opposed implementing the Quit India resolution.

Others within the independence movement outside of Congress opposed the decision to engage in a widespread mass protest, notably B.R. Ambedkar and Mohammed Ali Jinnah . They viewed the Quit India resolution as a hasty power play by Gandhi to achieve Indian independence and keep the Congress Party in charge. From their perspective, independence on these terms would leave India without sufficient safeguards in place for the protection of the Dalits , Ambedkar’s constituency , and the Muslims, for whom Jinnah’s Muslim League advocated.

The morning after the Quit India resolution was agreed upon in Bombay, British authorities invoked the Defense of India Act , which permitted detention without a trial, to arrest Gandhi and dozens of other leaders of the Congress Party, including Jawaharlal Nehru , Abdul Kalam Azad , and Vallabhbhai Patel . Concern for Gandhi’s age and fear of worldwide condemnation convinced the British not to jail Gandhi, and instead they confined him in the Aga Khan ’s summer palace in Pune along with his wife, Kasturba , his secretary, and some followers. The British authorities erroneously hoped they could stifle the movement by imprisoning its leaders. Meetings of Congress Party committees were forbidden, and strict press censorship prevented news of both the Quit India Movement’s approval by the Congress Party on August 8 and the arrests of August 9 from being reported in the press.

The British authorities were, however, misguided. With the leaders of the Congress Party in jail, younger, more militant forces turned the movement in a more incendiary direction. News of the arrests leaked out in Bombay by the end of the day, and protests—both violent and nonviolent—quickly spread throughout the north of the country, particularly within the Bombay Presidency (later Maharashtra state), Bihar , and the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh (now in Uttar Pradesh state). Underground presses and radio stations launched across the country, spreading word of the mass demonstration. Nonviolent actions included marches, strikes (many of which hit war industries), and even the creation of Indian-led local government bodies.

The British government, particularly Secretary of State Leopold Amery in a radio address, further fanned the flames by justifying the arrests of the Congress leaders as a means of preventing mass violence. Amery’s description of the movement’s disruptive tactics might have inadvertently given voice and legitimacy to those very actions among more militant protesters. Also partly due to the lack of Congress leaders emphasizing nonviolence, many demonstrations turned into attacks on the British themselves and parts of the British raj’s infrastructure . Telegraph lines and railroads were destroyed, and hundreds of railway stations, post offices, and police stations were burned down or damaged.

The British response to these protests was often brutal. The military, already present in India in larger than usual numbers for the war effort, was deployed to disperse rioters, and in a few cases airplanes were instructed to fire their machine guns on the crowds from the air. Parts of the United Provinces, Bihar, the North-West Frontier, and Bengal (now West Bengal state and Bangladesh ) were bombed and strafed by pilots as the British raj resolved to crush all Indian resistance as swiftly as possible. Thousands of people were killed or wounded, and roughly 60,000 arrests were made in the first few months. Most of those arrested, along with the leaders of the Congress Party, were imprisoned for the duration of World War II to prevent further protests, although Gandhi was released on May 6, 1944, because of his failing health.

Since the Quit India Movement grew organically in a variety of locations and, in some places, turned into local guerrilla warfare that lasted long after its initial upsurge and suppression, it did not have a precise ending. Protests continued to spring up for months, but had largely died down by the end of 1942. By March 1943 the Quit India Movement was definitively over.

While the movement failed to achieve its stated aim of gaining India’s immediate independence from British rule, most historians argue it should not be viewed as a complete failure. The Quit India Movement demonstrated the willingness of ordinary Indians to take action to advance their independence and proved to the British government the necessity of decolonization after World War II. Global, and especially American, sentiment after the war favored Indian independence, and the British rulers thought it would be impossible, both logistically and in the court of public opinion , to quell further uprisings if they occurred during peacetime.

essay on quit india movement in punjabi

Another key outcome of the Quit India Movement was the strengthening of Muhammad Ali Jinnah , the Muslim League , and their efforts to create a Muslim-majority nation of Pakistan on the Indian subcontinent after British decolonization. While Congress Party leaders were in jail and membership was effectively frozen during the war, the Muslim League grew from about 100,000 members in 1941 to over 2,000,000 in 1944. With Congress inactive and their party members unable to run for local political offices, the Muslim League also took control in provinces such as Bengal and the North-West Frontier Province , which later became part of Bangladesh and Pakistan, respectively. Furthermore, by maintaining loyalty to the British and cooperating with them during wartime, Jinnah earned additional goodwill and support from the colonial authorities for the creation of a separate Muslim state. Thus, some historians consider the 1947 partition of India to have been, in part, a consequence of the Quit India Movement.

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Quit India Movement - Causes, Impact, Limitations, Significance

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Mains : Modern Indian History from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues.

Quit India Movement was a massive anti-colonial struggle in India, launched on August 8, 1942 , under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, who gave the mantra of “Do or Die” during this Movement. Projected initially as the civil disobedience movement, this ‘third great wave’ of India’s struggle for freedom soon took a violent turn with the aim of ‘fight to the finish’ of the colonial empire. Gandhi, understanding the mood of the nation and the importance of individual liberties, was even prepared for riots and violence caused by the Quit India Movement as he thought it morally correct to defend against the state’s organised violence.

Also known as the “ August Kranti Movement,” Quit India Movement was more a rejection of British rule than a traditional Satyagraha and also influenced the unprecedented and tumultuous events for the next five years in Indian history.

Causes of Quit India Movement

The Quit India Movement was the culmination of years of Indian disillusionment with British rule, with the immediate causes being the failure of Cripps mission , hardships caused during World War II and the Japanese knocking at the doors of Indian borders. Some of the major causes of the Quit India Movement are as follows:

  • The Indian people had grown increasingly disillusioned with the British government's failure to fulfil its promises regarding India's self-rule.
  • The British, although they gained Indian support in World War II, did not want to transfer the power easily.
  • The August offer and Cripps mission failed to satisfy the demands of the nationalists.
  • Further, the British support to the demand of Pakistan by the Muslim League was making the Indian nationalists (particularly Gandhi) infuriated.
  • By 1942, India's struggle for independence had been ongoing for several decades. The nationalistic sentiments were at its peak, and people grew increasingly impatient with British rule.
  • The extent and activities of the people during the Quit India Movement also reflect this sentiment.
  • They had participated wholeheartedly in the Individual Satyagraha movements of 1940. Further, along with the Kisan Sabha movements, it had prepared the ground for the final battle against the imperialist forces.
  • They already had tasted the sweetness of self-rule through the Congress rule in the period of 1937-39.
  • Therefore, now the people wanted to drive out the British from India.
  • India's participation in World War II placed significant economic burdens and restrictions on the country.
  • The war effort led to rising prices, shortages of essential goods, and increased taxation, causing immense hardships for the Indian population.
  • The shortage of supply of essential goods and the export of rice caused large-scale deprivation and death, ultimately resulting in the Bengal Famine of 1943.
  • Reverses suffered by the British in Southeast Asia and the advancement of Japanese troops towards the borders of India increased the popular discontent among the people.
  • The retreat of the British troops from Burma further enhanced this fear.
  • The British attitude towards Indian subjects also exposed the racial discrimination policy of the British.
  • Indians thought they were on their own. Thus there was the utmost need of a nationalist government to defend its borders.
  • And in this situation, the failure of the Cripps Mission led Gandhi and Congress to launch the final strike against the British.

Launch of the Quit India Movement

Congress Working Committee of the Indian National Congress met at Wardha on July 14, 1942, and decided to launch a mass civil disobedience movement under the leadership of Gandhi.

  • Formal launch: The All India Congress Committee met at Gowalia Tank, Bombay, on 8 August 1942 and passed the famous Quit India Resolution. Gandhi sloganed his 'Do or Die' call on the same day.
  • Demands: It demanded an end to British rule in India with immediate effect, the formation of a provisional government after the war and the declaration of free India.
  • Mahatma Gandhi was imprisoned in Poona.
  • Jawaharlal Nehru, Abul Kalam Azad, and other leaders were imprisoned in the Ahmednagar Fort.

Nature of the Quit India Movement

Although the Movement was initially started as a civil disobedience movement, it differed from other movements launched by Gandhi.

  • Different from earlier movements:
  • The NCM of 1920-22 and the CDM of 1930-34 were conceived as the peaceful resistance to British rule, and the social base expanded slowly to accommodate wider participation of people.
  • On the contrary, the Quit India Movement was a massive uprising from the very beginning to compel the British to quit India.
  • The British’ attitude towards Indians and their endorsement to Jinnah’s communal polity frustrated Gandhi.
  • Knowing the mood of the Indians, especially in the limited but symbolic Individual Satyagrahas, he even believed that the masses could adopt a violent path in self-defence against a well-equipped and strong aggressor. It was reflected in his article in ‘the Harijan’ in March 1942.
  • He opined that every individual must consider himself free and should act for himself to attain freedom.
  • Thus, he was more concerned for the ends (freedom) than the means (methods). 
  • Clear goal and objectives: The 1942 Movement’s goal was less ambiguous in its objectives as it was launched to make the complete withdrawal of the British from India. It has four main features:
  • Accommodative of violence against the state,
  • Aimed at destroying the British rule involving anybody believing in complete independence instead of trained satyagrahis,
  • Students were called to play the major role and should lead the Movement after the arrest of senior Congress leaders and
  • Total defiance of government authority.
  • Once the main leaders were arrested on 9 August, the Movement took a radical turn, often cited as the most ‘un-Gandhian’ method of the freedom movement. 
  • As Gandhi had already sanctioned violence and the role of younger generations, the movement developed at the grassroots level.
  • Purpose: The purpose of such underground activities was to maintain popular morale, establish a line of command, provide guidance, and distribute arms and ammunition.
  • Key personalities: Rammanohar Lohia, Jayaprakash Narayan, Aruna Asaf Ali, Usha Mehta, Biju Patnaik, Chhotubhai Puranik, Achyut Patwardhan, Sucheta Kripalani, and R.P. Goenka. Usha Mehta established an underground radio station in Bombay.
  • Parallel governments: The movement also saw the emergence of parallel governments in certain parts of India.
Chittu Pandey- Released many Congress leaders
Satish Chandra Samanta

undertook cyclone relief work.

- Sanctioned grants to schools.

- The rich supplied paddy to the poor.

- Organised (electricity units).

Y.B. Chavan, Nana Patil, etc.

- Named (Parallel Government).

- Organised (justice forums).

- Carried out prohibition campaigns.

- Organised (marriages following Gandhi's principles).

Spread of the Quit India Movement

Quit India Movement had two phases: themass movement phase (August to September 1942), and the quasi-guerrilla insurgency phase (afterwards). The people started burning and destroying anything that symbolised British authority, such as post offices, police stations, government buildings, Railways and telegraph lines. The scale of participation in Bihar and eastern UP was unparalleled.

Regional Participation in the Quit India Movement

  • Students, peasants, and workers were actively involved in the Quit India Movement. The underground activities were strong there, which practically broke the law and order. 
  • Severe organisations and dacoit gangs were active, having links with Jayprakash Narayan and other members of the Congress Socialist Party.
  • JP Narayan and Rammanohar Lohia formed a parallel government based on the Nepal border till 1944.
  • The socialist group Azad Dastas carried out underground activities in Bihar.
  • Armed villagers targeted police posts and local courts and engaged in looting.
  • There were strikes in Kanpur, Lucknow and Nagpur and violent clashes with striking millworkers in Delhi.
  • The Quit India Movement primarily occurred in towns and cities , where protests, acts of sabotage, and damage to essential services took place.
  •  In many parts of Bengal, the worker, tribal and peasant movements picked up momentum by linking up with the Quit India movement.
  • In districts such as East Khandesh, Satara, Broach, and Surat large numbers of peasants took part in guerrilla-style attacks on government property, lines of communication, and people known to be sympathetic to British rule.
  • In Gujarat, a parallel government called the "Azad Government" was established in Ahmedabad, replicating the existing administrative structure.
  • Bombay was inspired by inciting underground publications such as the Bombay Provincial Bulletin, Do or Die News-sheet, Free India, War of India Bulletin, Free State of India Gazette and the Congress Gazette.
  • South India: K.T. Bhashyam, a Bangalore-based Congress leader who was active in trade unions and organised strikes.

Social Base

  • Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh witnessed the unprecedented participation of the students.
  • Militant students of Patna and Benares played a significant role in this movement.
  • Peasants: The extent of the peasants’ participation was limited as the Quit India Movement was focused more on nationalism than anything else. Still, in Bihar and Eastern UP, they were more active.
  • Tribals: In Bengal and Orissa, they participated in the struggle.
  • Government officials: Government employees, particularly those from lower ranks of the police and administration, took part, which decreased people's devotion to the government. Some government officials , including police, passed on secret information to the activists.
  • Women: Women's participation was remarkable during the Quit India Movement. They actively took part in protests, strikes, and demonstrations and played a significant role in organising and mobilising local communities.

Limitations of the Quit India Movement

While the Quit India Movement played a crucial role in India's struggle for independence, it also had several limitations that affected its overall impact:

  • Failed to meet its objectives: The movement did not immediately lead to freedom , and it took more years of struggle and negotiations before independence was achieved.
  • Lack of central leadership: The lack of central leadership hindered effective coordination and decision-making, leading to confusion and fragmentation within the movement.
  • Muslim League, Communist Party of India, and Hindu Mahasabha were against the Movement.
  • Bureaucracy was also against the Movement.
  • B. R. Ambedkar and Periyar were also against the Movement.
  • Communal divide:
  • Muslim participation in the movement was even lower than the CDM. Jinnah appealed to Muslims to join the armed forces.
  • Muslim League used this time period to mobilise masses that helped it in the next elections of 1945-46, which strengthened its demand of a separate state, ultimately resulting in the Partition .
  • Further, there were some areas of communal violence during the Movement.
  • Neglected by historians:
  • This is due to the absence of the major political parties and the leaders playing the central role in the Quit India Movement.

Significance of the Quit India Movement

The Quit India Movement was active until 1944 when the British ruthlessly crushed it. Although it failed to oust the British from India, which was its objective, the Movement was a significant phase of India’s quest for self-rule.

  • In terms of spirit and enthusiasm, this Movement beat all the other earlier movements.
  • NCM was urban-based, and CDM was wider, but the QIM was the most violent and radical, supported mainly by the poor and labour class, the hardest hit by wartime inflation.
  • Despite the lack of central leadership, the role played by the younger generations, peasants, tribals, and women was unparalleled.
  • The mass participation, especially in some parts of India, was unprecedented.
  • It was a movement of the subaltern classes of India with a bottom-up approach from the grassroots level.
  • The movement witnessed the central role played by the Congress Socialist Party’s leaders, such as  JP Narayan and Ram Manohar Lohia.
  • Further, it also gave birth to some young generation leaders, like Aruna Asaf Ali. 
  • The way for independence: Although it did not immediately achieve its goals, it contributed to the weakening of British rule and set the tone for future protests such as during the INA Trials.

PYQs on Quit India Movement

Q)  With reference to 8th August 1942 in Indian history, which one of the following statements is correct? (UPSC Prelims 2021)

a) The Quit India Resolution was adopted by the AICC.

b) The Viceroy’s Executive Council was expanded to include more Indians.

c) The Congress ministries resigned in seven provinces.

d) Cripps proposed an Indian Union with full Dominion status once the Second World War was over.

Answer: (a)

Q)  With reference to Indian freedom struggle, consider the following events: (UPSC Prelims 2017)

  • Mutiny in Royal Indian Navy
  • Quit India Movement launched
  • Second Round Table Conference

What is the correct chronological sequence of the above events?

a) 1 – 2– 3

b) 2 – 1 – 3

c) 3 – 2 – 1

d) 3 – 1 – 2

Answer: (c)

Q)  Quit India Movement was launched in response to (UPSC Prelims 2013)

a) Cabinet Mission Plan

b) Cripps Proposals

c) Simon Commission Report

d) Wavell Plan

Answer: (b)

FAQs on the Quit India Movement

What was the reason for launching the quit india movement.

The failure of the Cripps Mission was the immediate cause of the Quit India movement . The INC did not provide unconditional support to the British during World War II, as the British assumed. Among the Indian masses, the sense of nationalism and self-rule had grown in popularity.

Who launched the Quit India Movement?

On 8 August 1942, at the All-India Congress Committee session in Bombay, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi launched the 'Quit India movement’. The next day, Gandhi, Nehru and many other leaders of the Indian National Congress were arrested by the British Government.

What was the Quit India Movement's slogan?

The slogan of the Quit India Movement was "Do or Die." This slogan reflected the Indian people's determination to achieve independence from British rule at any cost. As a result, the movement is regarded as a pivotal event in India's struggle for independence from oppressive British rule.

Who was known as the Queen of Quit India Movement?

The prominent female leader known as the "Queen of the Quit India Movement" was Aruna Asaf Ali. She played a significant role in the Indian independence movement and was an influential figure during the Quit India Movement of 1942.

What is the role of Rani Gaidinliu in the Quit India Movement?

Rani Gaidinliu established the Naga Raj movement and rallied support from various Naga tribes to resist British control during the Quit India Movement. In 1944, Rani Gaidinliu was arrested by the British authorities and sentenced to life imprisonment for her involvement in the independence movement. She was released in 1947 following India's independence.

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History of the Quit India Movement

essay on quit india movement in punjabi

On 22nd April, 1942 Mahatma Gandhi gave a clear indication of his thought to Horace Alexander in a letter saying,

“My firm opinion is that the British should leave India now in an orderly manner and not run the risk that they did in Singapore and Malaya and Burma, Britain cannot defend India much less herself on Indian soil with any strength. The best thing she can do is to leave India to her fate.”

He further said that the presence of British in India was a direct invitation of Japan to invade India. So “leave India in God’s hand or in modern parlance of anarchy” he emphatically said.

The repeated failures of attempts, the emphasis of communal discord, and the regular propaganda of the League of Nation all produced a feeling of frustrated desperation in the minds of Gandhi that prompted him to declare the genesis of “Quit India Movement”. Gandhiji asserted “whatever the consequences to India, her real safety and that of Britain too lie in orderly and timely British withdrawal from India. The fiction of majority and minority will vanish like the mist before the morning sun of liberty. The natural leaders of the country will have the wisdom to evolve and honorable solution of India’s difficulties.”

File:Quit India Movement.JPG - Wikimedia Commons

image source: upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/93/Quit_India_Movement.JPG/1280px-Quit_India_Movement.JPG

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Through May and June, 1942 Gandhiji and the Congress leaders expressed their views that the British should immediately withdraw from India since Churchill did not pay any head to any demands. Therefore the leaders thought of a mighty movement to oust them. Only C. Rajgopalachari opposed to such proposal that was in favour of the acceptance of the Cripps’ plan and the principle of Pakistan.

He said that the immediate withdrawal of British would leave India to the mercy of Japanese aggression. Unable to agree the proposals of Gandhiji, Rajaji resigned from the Congress with few others. Under the grim determination the Congress Working Committee met at Wardha and passed a resolution on 14th July demanding the immediate end of the British rule in India. This became famous as the ‘Quit India’ Resolution. The orderly withdrawal of the British as suggested by the British gradually attracted the imagination of the people which resulted in the resolution at Wardha.

It resolved that “If the demand for the British withdrawal was rejected, the Congress would be reluctantly compelled to utilize all the non-violent strength at its Command and to launch a widespread struggle under Mahatma’s leadership.”

The Working Committee resolution was ratified and endorsed by the resolution of the All India Congress Committee at Bombay on 7th and 8th of August 1942 which declared among other things that the Committee was of opinion “that the immediate ending of British rule in India was an urgent necessity, both for the sake of India and for the success of the cause of the United Nations.

The ending of the British rule in this country was thus a vital and immediate issue on which depend the future of the war and the success of the freedom and democracy.” The All India Congress Committee thought of utilizing all the non-violent strength of the nation for a wide-spread struggle under Gandhi’s leadership.

The British Government felt very much disturbed at Gandhiji’s desire for an “open rebellion”. Churchill angrily refused to make any negotiation with Gandhi whom he was afraid of. He said that “He was not going to preside over the liquidation of the British Empire.”

Reacting on this statement Gandhiji proclaimed “I am not going to be satisfied with anything short of complete freedom, we shall do or die. We shall either free India or die in the attempt.” The Government did not wait Gandhiji to meet the Viceroy.

The official machinery had obviously been kept on the ready and moved with lightning speed. Within hours after the meeting of the All India Congress Committee had concluded late on the night of 8th August, Gandhiji and all other members were arrested. Gandhiji was detained in the Agakhan Palace in Poona and other leaders were sent in a special train to Ahmadnagar Fort.

The Congress was declared unlawful and millions of Congress members all over the country were quickly rounded up and thrown into the jail. Against such activities of the Government public opinion was gaining momentum. Public life virtually came to a standstill and business was suspended. Every city and towns observed hartals. Demonstrations and processions were organized by the people spontaneously everywhere.

National songs and slogans demanding the release of the leaders rent the air throughout the country. Naturally it became a leaderless movement of the mass. Un-organised but agitated, unprepared but angry and without any short of guidance the people plunged into the revolution famous as the Quit India Revolution or the August Revolution.

There was no violence. Agitated and excited though they were the crowds remained on the whole peaceful. But there was much tension and the very size of the crowds made the Government nervous. The crowds did not heed the warnings of the police and the police invariably opened fire. In Delhi alone during 11th and 12th August the police used forty-seven rounds of fire on the unarmed mob that resulted in the loss of seventy six lives. The revolt was spearheaded by the students, workers and the peasants.

There were strikes in the factories, colleges and schools. Police stations, Post offices and Railway stations which were considered as the symbols of British authority were attacked set on fire and damaged. Telephone wires were cut and attempts were made to derail trains. Peasants evaded tax payment. Common people worked as their own leader and came out for action in their own way.

At many places they formed action Committees to conduct the movement. Some of the leaders of the Left Wing went underground to guide the revolution from secret places. Students became more active in revolutionary work. Leaders like Jayprakash Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia, Aruna Asaf Ali Surendranath Dwivedy, A.S. Patwardhan and Ram Nandan Mishra tried their best to keep the movement going from underground.

Revolutionary violence occurred on a large scale in many places. The Government made a determined bid to crush the movement as quickly as possible. Beside normal repressive measures, recourse was taken to machine gun and aerial firing. This only increased in people’s funny and led to more, violent and wider disturbances.

In some places like Midnapore in West Bengal and Balia in U.P. even parallel Governments were set up by the people. For Churchill and Linlithgow brutal force was the only method to suppress the revolution. The Muslim League understands and ably denounced the Quit India Movement. So did the leaders of the depressed classes.

The leaders of the Muslim League criticized the Congress decision to “launch an open rebellion”. The league further declared that the movement was not directed for securing the independence of all “but for the establishment of Hindu Raj and to deal a death blow to the Muslim goal of Pakistan”. The Communist party of India after the soviet entry into the Second World War came to regard the war as the “people’s war” against Imperialism and Fascism.

The movement had a widespread effect in villages and towns. Even the people in the Native States joined the movement in towns and organized people’s war in their respective states. The Government reacted quickly and let loose a reign of terror. India was transformed into a police state. The police atrocities did not even spare simple villagers when they gathered in their protest meetings.

At many places houses were burnt by the police, huge amounts of fines were realized from the people. Women and children were assaulted. By November 1942, the official figure revealed 1,028 as killed and 3125 as seriously wounded. The figures no doubt were very less and the real death was much more. There were firings on as many as 538 occasions by the police and the military.

The movement revealed the people’s fighting spirit and their desperate longing for freedom. The courage with which freedom fighters like Matangini Hazra an old lady holding the Congress flag at Midnapur courted death. This movement thus served as an eye-opener to the British Government about India’s attitude to imperialism. The “Quit India Movement” of 1942 gave the death blow to the British Rule.

The August Revolution in India marked the culmination of the Indian Freedom Movement. It was a question of time, the transfer of power and the pattern of Government the country was to have after independence, determining the actual mechanics of the transfer. There remained no doubt for Indians to win freedom any longer.

Rajaji Formula :

C. Rajgopalachari having quitted the Congress was working for a settlement with the League. The change in the Indian and international situation necessitated a change in the Congress policy. The British Government also expressed its willingness to reach in a settlement. Rajaji making a deep study on the situation suggested a basis for settlement which received the approval of Gandhiji. Accordingly Gandhiji-Rajaji-Jinnah negotiation started and continued throughout September 1994 proved futile as Jinnah remained adamant in his demand and did not want to come to a settlement.

According to the terms of the settlement drafted by Rajgopalachari to which Gandhiji agreed are as follows:

(1) The Muslim League was to endorse the demand for independence and co-operate with the Congress in the formation of a provisional interim Government for the transitional period.

(2) After the end of the war a Commission should be appointed for demarcating contiguous distinct in the North-West and East of India where in the Muslim population had an absolute majority.

(3) In such demarcated areas a plebiscite of all the inhabitants should decide the issue of separation from India. If the majority decided in favour of separation the decision should be given effect to without prejudice to the right of the districts on to border to choose to join either state.

(4) In the event of separation mutual agreement safeguarding defence, commerce and communication should be reached. Transfer of population if any should be on an absolutely voluntary basis.

The negotiation failed as Jinnah wanted the whole of six Muslim provinces and the plebiscite to be restricted to Muslims only. The failure of the negotiation was disappointing. The initiative for breaking the dead lock now rested in the British Government. Thus the Rajgopalachari formula in 10th July 1944 provided the basis of the future settlement.

Wavel Plan :

In March 1945 Lord Wavel went to England to consult the British Cabinet. He himself was opposed to the partition and thus tried to convince the Cabinet in that light. True to general expectations he came back with a plan which he announced on 14th June 1945. The statement referred to the Government’s eagerness to break the political deadlock in India on the terms provided in the Cripps offer in 1942.

It further proposed that the Central Executive Council would be reconstituted and it should have balanced representation of the main communities including equal proportion of Muslims and Caste Hindus.” With co-operation at the centre Wavel expressed the hope of the re-establishment of Provincial Legislatures and the scrapping of the Advisory regimes.

These proposals he added were in no way to influence the future permanent Constitution for India. According to the proposal the new Central Executive Council would be an exclusively Indian Council. It would carry on the Government until a permanent Constitution could be agreed upon and come to force.” Making a remark on the proposal the Secretary of State’s S.L. Amery said “We are placing India’s immediate future in Indian hands.”

Simla Conference :

Lord Wavell summoned Conference of Indian political leaders who had been released earlier at Shimla on 25th June 1945 to discuss the new proposal. But the Conference failed on the issue of the reconstitution of the Viceroys Council when Jinnah obstinately demanded that all the Muslim members of the Council must be members of the League. Such a proposition of Jinnah was totally unacceptable to the Congress which insisted on its national character.

The chief spokesman of the Congress in this Conference was Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. He firmly declared that the Congress Cannot possibly be a party to any arrangement, howsoever temporary it may be that prejudices its national character, tends to impair the growth of nationalism and reduces Congress directly or indirectly to a communal body. The Viceroy came in for criticism for allowing Jinnah to wreak the new proposals.

Thus Lord Wavell’s support to Jinnah to veto the constitutional progress on the basis of unity and the refusal of the Congress to meet the rising demands of the Muslim League were the two important factors behind the failure of the Shimla Conference. Jinnah blamed the Hindu India and the deadlock continued.

In the meanwhile the General Election was held in England and the Labour Party was voted to power. The new Prime Minister Clement Attlee and the Secretary of State Lord Pethick Lawrence expressed their keenness to grant independence to India at an early date. The Labour Cabinet had genuine sympathy for Indian aspiration.

The explosive Indian situation and the Post-War Britain’s military power were the objects of consideration. After a brief visit of Wavell to London for consultation, he announced a new policy broadcast on 19th September 1945.

He announced that elections to the Central and Provincial legislatures would be held in the coming winter and responsible ministries would be formed in the provinces. A constitution making body would be convened very quickly after the Viceroys talk with the representatives of major political parties and of Indian states would be completed.

The Government intended to bring an Executive Council into function soon after the elections and thus appealed for Indian co-operation and help in the early “realisation of full self Government in India.” Prime Minister Attle acted swiftly to face the Indian situation. In February 1946, he announced in the House of Commons that “the British Government has decided to send out to India a special Mission of Cabinet Ministers” for discussion with the leaders about the early realisation of self-Government.

Interim Government and Communal Strife :

After the refusal of the Muslim League to join the Interim Government the Viceroy invited Jawaharlal Nehru the President of the Congress to form an Interim Government. This offer was accepted by the Congress Working Committee. The call of Jinnah for ‘Direct Action Day’ on 16th August passed off without much untoward incident in most parts of the country. The province of Bengal was under the Muslim League ministry headed by Saheed Suhrawarthy. He declared the day as the public holiday. He declared to have the parallel Government in the province.

In the capital of the Province the followers of the Muslim League began their Direct Action Day by demonstrations and processions. In no time this led to violence. The Hindus were in overwhelming majority in Calcutta who came out to oppose the violence of the League. The city and the suburbs had a terrible blood bath rightly dubbed as the great Calcutta killing. Large scale murders, mob attacks, arson and pillage went on unchecked for the next few days with the connivance of the League Ministry in Bengal.

Lamented Mahatma Gandhi appealed to the nation to remain calm but it had no reaction. His hopes of communal harmony were shattered to pieces. He could defeat the imperial British Government by his weapon of non-violent but stood shocked to see the communal violence of the Indian people. The Calcutta killing worked like a signal for riots in other parts of the country.

Communal trouble broke out in Bombay, Ahmadabad, Noakhali (East Bengal) and Bihar and in many other places. It began to spread to different parts of the country like a malignant disease. Gandhiji visited the affected areas on peace mission along with many national leaders but he could not put an end to the fratricidal fight through the sanity of the people.

The Interim Government headed by Jawaharlal Nehru was sworn in on 2 September 1946. Shortly afterwards the Viceroy succeeded in persuading the Muslim League to join the Interim Government. But the League and the Congress members in the Government did not work as a team due to the wide divergence in their ideas, views and objectives. Liaquant Ali became the Finance Minister and he either rejected or delayed every proposal put up by the Congress members of the executive council. Smooth running of the Government was thus bound to be affected and the League openly denounced the idea of accepting Nehru as leader and to the idea of collective responsibility of the Ministry.

Communal tension naturally grew up. To the great surprise and dismay of the entire League announced that it would not participate in the Constituent Assembly. The British Government taking advantage of the situation convened a meeting of the political parties of India at London. The outcome of the meeting was negative. The British Government thereafter announced that the Government would not implement any constitution drafted by the Constituent Assembly unrepresented by a large section of the people

The Constituent Assembly met on 9th December without a single member of the Muslim League. The Constituent Assembly under the President-ship of Dr. Rajendra Prasad set on its work in right earnest. The congress demanded the resignation of the League members from the Interim Government in view of their boycotting the Constituent Assembly. Under this grim situation the country was passing through a curious stage of suspense, fear and expectation. The British officers showed no desire to discharge their duty.

Pathetically the Viceroy said “Let them fight it out, friends. Things have gone too far.” On 20th February, Prime Minister Attlee made the historic announcement “His majestys” Government wish to make the necessary steps to effect the transference of power into the responsible Indian hands by a date not later than June 1948. He also announced the appointment of Admiral Viscount Lord Luis Mountbatten as the new Viceroy in place of Lord Wavell to work out the transfer of power as the last Viceroy of India.

This announcement caused great excitement and elation in many parts of India. The Muslim League now sought to strengthen its hold on the Muslim majority provinces. Again the League took recourse to ‘Direct Action’ to vindicate and popularize its demand for Pakistan. The result was an orgy of communal riots throughout the country.

Communal frenzy in the Punjab resulted loss of thousands of lives, properties worth millions of rupees and countless people were rendered homeless destitute. These incidents brought the people face to face with the stark reality. Partition became unavoidable. The Congress finally reconciled to this solution but the Muslim League evoked no favorable response.

Related Articles:

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  • Essay on Quit India Movement (1942)

Cultural India

Non-cooperation movement history: causes, result and importance.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948) entered the Indian political scene as a prominent figure only in 1916 but by 1919 he emerged as one of the most significant national leaders. His unique political thoughts, which arose from his spiritual beliefs, changed Indian politics and went on to play a significant role in awakening the political consciousness of the common masses. Many subsequent movements launched under his leadership centered on his main political ideologies of Satyagraha and Ahimsa, and played an important role in uniting people to fight for India’s independence. The Non-Cooperation Movement was the first of the three most important movements of India’s struggle for Independence – the other two being Civil Disobedience Movement and the Quit India Movement. The Non-cooperation movement or the Asahayaog Andolon was perhaps the biggest event in the history of India’s struggle for independence since the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. The movement was launched as a protest against the Rowlatt Act, the Jallianwallah Bagh Massacre and the Khilafat movement.

Gandhi entered the Indian political arena around 1916 and initially his ideals were aligned towards the fairness of the British rule. Prior to entering the political scene whole-heartedly, he was involved in the quasi-political causes like demand for fair wages for cultivators of Champaran district of Bihar, peasants of the Kheda district in Gujarat and the textile workers of Ahmedabad. In his sense of sympathy towards the Government he even advocated to raise volunteers to be recruited as soldiers to fight on behalf of the English in the First World War. Like other contemporary political minds, he had assumed that, post war, the people of India would move towards self-governance rapidly. His assumptions proved wrong when the the Government promulgated the Rowlatt Act and disregarded the demands put forward by the Khilafat Movement. Closely spaced incidents like mobilization of the Martial Law in Punjab, the Jalianwala Bagh massacre, failure of the Montague-Chelmsford Reforms and the dismemberment of Turkey by the British following the Treaty of Severs in May 1920, incited widespread resentment among all sections of the people of India. In the year 1919, the British Government passed a new rule called Rowlatt Act. Under this Act, the Government had the authority to arrest people and the power to keep them in prisons without any trial if they are suspected of anti-Raj activities. The Government also earned the power to refrain the newspapers from reporting and printing news.

Gandhi not only condemned the Bill out rightly, but also warned the British Government that the nation as such was not going to abide by any act which would deny civil rights. He stated,

“When the Rowlatt Bills were published, I felt that they were so restrictive of human liberty that they must be resisted to the utmost. I observed too that the opposition to them vas universal among Indians. I submit that no State, however despotic, has the right to enact laws which are repugnant to the whole body or the people, much less a Government guided by constitutional usage and precedent such as the Indian Government.”

As a protest against the Rowlatt Act, Gandhi urged the people to observe an All India Hartal on 6th April 1919. The unanimous success of this program led to many more demonstrations and agitations throughout the country. Punjab became the epicenter of violent upheavals with minor riots breaking out and Government taking tough measures to curb the growing unrest. It reached its climax when the British Indian Army troops under the command of Colonel Reginald Dyer, open fired on a crowd of non-violent protesters, along with Baishakhi pilgrims, who had gathered in Jallianwala Bagh, in Amritsar, Punjab, as a consequence of imposition of Martial Law in Punjab. No other single incident in the history of modern India caused as much hostility towards the British Government as the Jallianwalla Bagh tragedy.

The Khilafat movement was another force behind the non-cooperation movement. Although not directly linked to Indian mainstream politics, the purpose of this movement put forward by Indian Muslim leaders was to pressurize the British to retain the Sultan of Turkey as the Khalifa of Islam post World War I, with appropriate dignity and territorial control. The twisted terms of the peace treaty that the British signed with Turkey were interpreted by many Indian Muslim leaders as a betrayal of the promise given by the British to them. The news of the Peace Treaty reached India on the same day as the Hunter Committee’s Report on cause and discourse of the government regarding the massacre in Punjab, was published. Both intensified widespread discontent against the British Government. In a letter to the Viceroy, Gandhi referred to the Khilafat and the Jallianwalla Bagh Massacre, explaining how they have changed his outlook towards the Government’s intentions in India. He wrote,

“The attitude of the Imperial and Your Excellency’s Government on the Punjab question has given me additional cause for grave dissatisfaction……Your Excellency’s light-hearted treatment of the official crime, your exoneration of Sir Michael O’Dwyer, Mr. Montagu’ s dispatch and, above all the shameful ignorance of the Punjab events and callous disregard for the feelings of Indians betrayed by the House of Lords, have filled me with the gravest misgivings regarding the future of the Empire, have estranged me completely from the present Government and have disabled me from tendering, as I have hitherto tendered my loyal Cooperation.”

In September, 1920, a special session of the Congress, presided by Lala Lajpat Rai, convened at Calcutta to address the course of action needed to be taken against such blatant malfeasance of human rights. The British government was criticized and condemned for their inability to protect innocent people in Punjab and for not keeping their promise on the Khilafat issue. Several resolutions were passed by the delegates, and the object of the Indian National Congress was now declared to be attainment of self-rule—Swaraj – by legitimate and peaceful means. Swaraj was taken to mean “self-rule within the Empire if possible, without, if necessary”.

Programs of the Non-cooperation Movement

Right after the commencement of the movement, Gandhi traveled the length and breadth of the country explaining the ideology and programs with an aim to reach people from all levels of the society. He organized rallies and spoke in public gatherings in a bid to gather public support and mobilize his ideals among the masses in favor of the movement. The programs of the movement are outlined as follows:

1. Surrender of all titles.

2. Renouncing honorary offices.

3. Withdrawing of students from government funded schools and colleges.

4. Boycott of British courts by lawyers and litigants.

5. Boycott of civil services, army and police.

6. Non–payment of taxes to the Government.

7. Boycott of council elections.

8. Boycott of foreign goods.

9. Resignation from government nominated seats in local bodies.

Phases of the Non-Cooperation Movement

The non-cooperation movement can be divided into four distinct phases from its beginning in January 1920 till its abrupt end in February 1922.

In the first phase (January–March 1920), Gandhi conducted a nationwide tour along with the Ali brothers to propagate his ideals and resolutions behind the movement. Thousands of students left government schools and colleges. Around 800 national schools and colleges were opened to accommodate the students. The academic boycott was most successful in Bengal. In Punjab, it was headed by Lala Lajpat Rai. Many renowned and established lawyers like Motilal Nehru, C.R. Das, Jawaharlal Nehru, C. Raja Gopalachari, Vallabhbhai Patel, Saifuddin Kitchlew, Asaf Ali, Rajendra Prasad and T. Prakasam gave up their practice. Students, intellectuals and other influential heads of the society were urged to take up the Charka (Spinning Wheel) program, to promote nationalist products.

During the second phase (April–July 1921), subscriptions were collected for the “Tilak Swaraj Fund” in order to finance the movement with a target of one Crore rupees. The common public was encouraged to become members of the Congress. The Fund was oversubscribed and one crore rupees collected, but the target of membership reached only 50 lakhs. The Charka (Spinning Wheel) was distributed among public. The Swadeshi concept became a household word. Khadi and Charka became a symbol of freedom.

In the third phase (July–November 1921), the movement became more radical. Foreign clothes were burnt publicly reducing their imports by half. People resorted to picketing shops selling foreign liquors and toddy shops. The All–India Khilafat conference was held at Karachi on 8 July 1921, where leaders called upon Muslim soldiers in the British Indian army to quit their jobs. Further, Gandhi and other Congress leaders also emphasized that it is the duty of every Indian citizen and soldier to break with the oppressive power. Gandhi called for volunteers to fill the jail. The Khilafat Conference in Malabar incited so much communal feelings among the Muslim peasants (The Moplahs) that it took an anti–Hindu turn in July 1921. This uprising of the Muslims peasants against the Hindu Landlords came to be known as the Moplah Rebellion. The tour of the Duke of Connaught to India was boycotted. In a similar way, in November 1921, mass demonstrations were held against the Prince of Wales during his tour of India. The British government resorted to strong measures of repression. Many leaders were arrested. The Congress and the Khilafat Committees were proclaimed illegal.

The fourth phase and final phase (November 1921–February 1922) of the movement saw citizens choosing not to pay taxes in several regions. In December 1921, the Congress in its annual session at Ahmedabad affirmed its resolve to intensify the movement. On 1 February 1922, in a letter to the Governor General, Gandhi spoke of non–payment of taxes. Gandhi threatened to launch civil disobedience from Bardoli, Gujarat, if the Government doesn’t release political prisoners and lift the press control imposed by the Rowlatt Act.

Barely a few days after this correspondence, the Chauri Chaura incident took place on 5 February 1922. An agitated mob of peasants attacked the police station of Chaura, near Gorakhpur in UP and burnt the establishment killing nearly 22 policemen. This violent event disturbed Gandhi and he ordered for the immediate suspension of the movement. Leaders were unhappy about Gandhi’s sudden decision to adjourn the movement, but accepted it out of respect.

Result of the Non-Cooperation Movement

The Non-Cooperation movement saw definite success despite its abrupt end. The movement and unified the nation in an unprecedented feat of protest against the Government. In the first few weeks of the movements, around 9 thousand students had left government-backed schools and colleges. About 800 national institutions were established across the country to accommodate students under the leadership of Acharya Narendra Dev, C.R. Das, Zakir Hussain, Lala LajpatRai, and Subhash Bose. Renowned institutions like Jamia Millia at Aligarh, Kashi Vidyapeeth, Gujarat Vidyapeeth and Bihar Vidyapeeth were established during this period. The educational boycott was most successful in Bengal followed by the Punjab. Areas of Bihar, Bombay, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh and Assam also saw active participation in the programs. The impact of the movement was also seen in Madras. The boycott of educational institutes was more successful than the boycott of law courts by the lawyers. Many prominent lawyers like, C.R. Das, Motilal Nehru, M.R. Jayakar, V. Patel, A. Khan, Saifuddin Kitchlew and many others gave up their flourishing law practices, which inspired many more to follow suit. Once again, Bengal led by example and that inspired other states like Uttar Pradesh, Andhra, Punjab and Karnataka. The boycott of law courts and educational institutes fared well but the most successful program of the Non-Cooperation was the boycott of foreign clothes. It reduced the value of import of the foreign clothes from 102 crore rupees in 1920-21 to 57 crore rupees in 1921-22.

The Government proclaimed Sections 108 and 144 of the code of criminal procedure at various centers of agitation. The Congress Volunteer Corpse was declared illegal. By December 1921 more than thirty thousand people were arrested from all over India. Except Mohanlal Karamchand Gandhi, most of the prominent leaders were inside jail. In mid-December, Madan Mohan Malaviya initiated a negotiation with the British but that proved futile. The terms and conditions put forward by the British meant sacrificing the Khilafat leaders, which was unacceptable to Gandhi.

Gandhi’s sudden decision to stop the movement was met with discontent by leaders like Subhash Chandra Bose and Jawaharlal Neheru who openly voiced their disappointments. They argued that the movement which had garnered enough enthusiastic participation from the masses against the British government should have been allowed to continue to reach its culmination. They feared that discontentment and protest might shape into violent protests leading to widespread riots in the country. Although their opinion that Gandhi’s decision will push back the freedom movement by several years was justified, one cannot ignore the arguments that Gandhi put forward in lines of morality of the same. He sincerely believed that violence like the Cauri Chaura incident marks a deviation from the ideals behind the whole movement which if allowed would take the movement out of control and would be rendered useless against the powerful military strength the British Government would resort to in order to crush it.

After the movement was suspended, the Government decided to deal with Gandhi strongly. He was immediately arrested on 10th March, 1922. He was sentenced to six years imprisonment and sent to Yaravada Central Jail at Poona.

The Non-Cooperation resolution garnered mixed responses from national leaders. While the likes of Motilal Nehru and Ali Brothers supported Gandhi’s resolution, it received opposition from prominent figures like Annie Besant, Pt. Malaviya and C.R. Das. They feared that large scale mass action against the British government would lead to violence on a wide scale, as occurred during the protest against the Rowlatt Act.

Significance of the Non-Cooperation Movement

Even though the Non-Cooperation movement did not achieve its stated aims but the strategic and leadership role of Mahatma Gandhi gave India’s freedom struggle new dimensions. The biggest gain of the movement was that it gave a new confidence to the common people and taught them to be fearless in their political pursuit. Mahatma Gandhi made the idea and need for Swarajya a more popular notion, which, in turn; created a new wave of patriotic enthusiasm. Satyagraha or protesting through passive resistance became the primary tool of the Indian freedom movement. Promotion of Charkha and Khadi as the symbol of Indian nationalism helped Indian handloom products gain recognition. Native weavers found renewed employment. The most significant contribution of Non-cooperation movement and Gandhi to Indian National movement was the unanimous unification of the entire nation behind a single cause.

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English Summary

Short Essay on Quit India Movement

Table of Contents

Amidst World War-II, on 8 th August 1940, the British Government announced ‘Dominion Status’ to India through its famous ‘August Offer’ which was rejected by the Indians.

The Cripps Mission of 1942 was another step ahead which suggested full ‘Dominion Status’ and also right to part from the British Commonwealth Nations. Thus proposal was rejected by the people of India .

Gandhi, who was not prepared to oppose the Government by a mass upsurge, so far, now changed his mind. He was convinced of the necessity of starting a mass movement again. He raised the slogan of ‘Do or Die’.

Quit India Resolution was passed on August 8, 1942, by the Indian National Congress . The Congress handed over the leadership of the movement entirely in the hands of Gandhi and appealed to the people of India to hold together under the leadership and carried out his instructions as disciplined soldiers of the Indian freedom.

The government became aware of the movement and prepared itself in advance. All the members of the Congress including Gandhi were arrested before they work. Other leaders were also arrested and people were left leaderless.

REAONS FOR THE QUIT INDIA MOVEMENT

Following were the main causes that led to the Quit India Movement.

PHASES OF QUIT INDIA MOVEMENT

Quit India Movement has been popularly divided into three phases:

The first phase started from the day of arrest of Gandhi. The news of Quit India Movement and Gandhi’s arrest took the people unaware but the reaction was spontaneous.

The second phase began from the middle of August when the focus shifted from the centre to the out skirts where the mob began to attack the court buildings. Places like eastern parts of U.P., Bihar, West Bengal , Karnataka, Maharashtra where the mob tried to set up parallel governments though short-lived and unsuccessful.

The large suppressions executed by the government helped the people to organise the third phase of the movement which entered its longest and most formidable phase.

This was characterised by the youth and was directed against communications and police confrontations, occasionally rising to the level of Guerrilla Warfare.

FAILURE OF THE MOVEMENT

Importance of the movement.

The importance of the Quit India Movement can never be undermined. It witnessed nationalistic feelings of the people at the zenith.

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Quit India Movement: Essay and Important Facts

The fourth decade of the twentieth century is of utmost importance in the history of India’s struggle for freedom. This was the period of the Second World War (1939 -1945), which shattered the mighty British Empire to its core. During the Second World War, in 1942, the Allied Powers (the Soviet Union, the United States of America, and the United Kingdom) suffered losses in South East Asia. Being a British Colony, India feared the Japanese attack during the war, and hence Britain wanted Indian support in the war for which Britain sent Cripps Mission to India; however, the Cripps Mission failed to pacify Indian leaders. After the failure of the Cripps Mission, Mahatma Gandhi launched the Quit India Movement at the Bombay session of the All India Congress Committee at the Gowalia Tank Maidan on 8 August 1942; the movement is also known as the August Kranti Movement.

Quit India Resolution

On 14 July 1942, the Congress Working Committee at Wardha adopted a resolution, demanding an end to British rule in India following which a movement called the Quit India Movement started under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. On 8 August 1942, in his Quit India speech at the Gowalia Tank Maidan, Mahatma Gandhi said,

Everyone of you should from this moment onwards consider yourself a free man or women and act as if you are free. I am not going to satisfy with anything short of complete freedom. We shall do or die .We shall either free India or die in the attempt”

While proposing massive civil disobedience, Mahatma Gandhi summoned people from different sections of the society like government servants, soldiers, students, and princes of princely states.

Spread of the movement

On 9 August 1942, all Congress leaders were arrested and taken to some unknown location. The Congress Working Committee, the All India Congress Committee, and the Provincial Congress Committees were declared unlawful associations under the Criminal Law Amendment Act of 1908. Public meetings were strictly prohibited. As the senior leaders were under arrest, the responsibility of spearheading the movement came into the hands of young leaders. Aruna Asif Ali, a relatively unknown figure at that time presided over the Congress Committee session on 9 August 1942.

The arrest of Mahatma Gandhi and others and the underground activity

Mahatma Gandhi and Sarojini Naidu were arrested and kept in Aga Khan Palace in Pune. Dr. Rajendra Prasad and Jayaprakash Narayan were arrested in Patna and kept in Hazaribagh jail, but Jaiprakash Narayan escaped, and he started an underground network. Ram Manohar Lohiya, Jayaprakash Narayan, Aruna Asif Ali, Tushar Mehta, Biju Patnaik, Achyut Patwardhan, Sucheta Kriplani, and RP Goenka were actively involved in these underground activities. Usha Mehta was famous for starting an underground radio in Bombay. The main aim of these underground activities was to keep up the movement alive in the absence of its main leaders.

A newspaper cutting about the arrest of Mahatma Gandhi and others during the Quit India Movement in 1942

Parallel governments across the country

A significant feature of the Quit India Movement was the emergence of parallel governments in some parts of the country. The first such parallel government was set up in Ballia in Eastern UP under Chittu Pandey. He was responsible for the release of many arrested Congress leaders. In Tamluk (Medinipur Bengal), the ‘Jatiya Sarkar’ or Tamluk National Government undertook cyclone relief work, sanctioned grants to schools, and supplied paddy from the rich to the poor. In Satara (Maharashtra), a parallel government called ‘Prati Sarkar’ was organized under the leadership of YB Chavan, Nanaji Patel, etc. Village libraries and Nyayadan Mandals were organized, prohibition campaigns carried out, and ‘Gandhi Marriages’ were organized.

Prati Sarkar, a parallel government in Satara, Maharashtra during the Quit India Movement in 1942

Participation of the masses and the movement gaining momentum

There was wide participation of the people from every section of society. Youth, especially the students of schools and colleges, remained at the forefront. Women, workers, and peasants showed keen interest in participation. Government officials also participated in the movement to some extent. Muslims all across the country helped the movement to gain momentum by providing shelter to the underground leaders, and there was a complete absence of communal clashes during the movement. Contrary to popular sentiments, some organizations did not participate in the movement but rather opposed it. Communists, Muslim League, and Hindu Mahasabha were prominent among these. Many princely states showed a cold response to the movement, and the heads of these princely states were not enthusiastic about the movement.

Participation of masses during the Quit India Movement in 1942

Government’s tactic to suppress the movement

There was heavy repression from the government side. The agitating people were attacked, Lathi charged, and tear-gassed by the police. More than 10,000 people were killed across the country. The military took over many cities. The disobedient villages were fined heavily.

Police teargas demonstrators during the Quit India Movement in 1942

Consequences

Though the government succeeded in suppressing the movement, this movement demonstrated that the Nationalist feeling in the common masses had reached its zenith, and Britishers realized that they would no longer rule India against the wishes of its people. By this time, the immediate agenda of the movement had become ‘complete independence.’ The courage and resistance that the masses showed in this movement were unparalleled. The people wanted to get India free from the shackles of slavery, oppression, and insult. The dawn of freedom was near. In February 1943, Mahatma Gandhi started a fast to condemn the violence that the common people faced during government repression. Meanwhile, the Muslim League demanded a separate state of Pakistan and observed Pakistan Day on 23 March 1943, giving a clear message to the Muslim population that their fate was different from secular India.

Important Facts

  • After the failure of the Cripps Mission in 1942, there was a feeling of frustration among all sections of the people across India.
The presence of British Empire in India is an invitation to Japan to invade.”
  •  In July 1942, a resolution was adopted by the Congress Working Committee, which is generally referred to as the ‘Quit India resolution,’ under which a non-violent movement was started under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. Through individual civil disobedience, organizational revamping, and a consistent propaganda campaign, Mahatma Gandhi was preparing the masses for bigger future agitations against British Raj.
  • On 9th August 1942, the big leaders of the Congress were arrested and taken to an unknown location. Consequently, leadership in the movement was provided by less-known leaders like Aruna Asif Ali.
  • Congress and its associated organizations were declared illegal under the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1908.
  • Many leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan, Aruna Asif Ali, Usha Mehta, etc., went underground and continued disruptive activities to keep the movement alive.
  • An important feature of the Quit India Movement was the formation of parallel governments in many places across India like Ballia, Tamluk, and Satara.
  • There was immense participation in the movement across various activities of society, which included women, youth, workers, government officials, and the Muslim population.
  • Communists, the Muslim League, and the Hindu Mahasabha did not support the movement.
  • The government suppressed the movement with an iron hand, killing more than 10,000 people, and many villages were fined heavily for participating in the movement.
  •  This movement removed fear from the minds of the people against Colonial rule, demanding an end to British rule in India.

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Quit India Movement and Media

Profile image of International Research Journal Commerce arts science

The present article ‘Quit India Movement and Media’ mainly focuses on the role played by the media towards the historic Quit India Movement of 1942-44. The newspaper has its own importance and identity in providing informative as well as current news regarding the freedom struggle to the masses. The Newspapers were printed in many languages play a vital and significant role in our life as well as wonderful gift for human being. Being fair, just and accurate is their inherent characteristics which make them a reliable source of information. They write about each and every aspect of the contemporary society, i.e. new laws, political, social, economic problems as well as they also initiate debates, therefore, they played a pivotal role in creating awareness in the society. The information regarding the freedom struggle from all over India was conveyed through the media. The articles regarding American War of Independence 1776, French Revolution 1789, Chinese Revolution 1911, Russian Revolution 1917, the Unification of Italy and Germany, etc. were written in the newspapers which inspired and encouraged our young generation who sacrificed their lives in participating in freedom struggle leaving their job as well as their education.

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Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh (Hum)

Mohammad Golam Rabbani

The Quit India Movement of 1942 was the ever-biggest mass movement spear headed by the Indian National Congress and was characterized by spontaneous and sporadic revolts. It took a violent turn in many urban places across the country. In Bengal, it was intense in Kolkata and in some western districts but fairly moderate in eastern districts as a whole. Nevertheless, a very tangible evidence of public mobilization into this movement in some eastern districts is accessible. But over the long period of time as of today, the public history sources on the Quit India movement in Eastern Bengal are rare. Newspaper reports are also scanty. The archival documents contain only few police reports on public agitations versus police actions. However, the historiography of Quit India Movement has remained aloof towards what happened in the eastern districts of Bengal, so far. In this backdrop, this paper attempts to shed light on the media discourse and mass mobilization of the Quit India Movement in Eastern Bengal.

essay on quit india movement in punjabi

International Res Jour Managt Socio Human

India got independence from the British rule after a long struggle. Uncountable Indians lost their life and there was destruction of property also to a great extent, in the struggle of freedom movement. After more than seven decades of India"s independence, the martyrs were remembered only on occasions like Independence Day, Republic Day, Gandhi Jayanti, etc. National journalism played a significant role in the freedom movement of India. There are innumerable facts on the contribution of journalism and mass media for the freedom movement which were stated in the paper. Despite of the strict regulations and restrictions imposed by the alien government, the freedom fighters used national journalism as a sharp weapon to cut the roots of the British government from India. A SWOT analysis has been done on the mass media during the freedom movement. There were social and economic problems in the country which were tried to tackle through the national journalism during the pre-independence era. National journalism gave a new dimension in the British India to the Indians. The non commercial aspect of mass media during the pre-independence era was also studied.

Canadian Journal of Communication

Manjunath Pendakur

Business History Review

Paula Chakravartty

Prof Mira K Desai

This paper, based on a very brief review of the history of Indian newspapers during 1780—2011, argues that the face of journalism in India is changing. The Indian press represented agitation against authority — be it East India Company or British government— since its inception. But twenty-first century Indian journalism has business and financial alliances with advertisers in the public sector (government) and private corporations. Today, journalism means giving visibility to brands and creating image rather than agitating against corrupt power structures. The journey of newspapers is a story of changing ownership, role, organizational structures, content, and regulation narratives over 200+ years. It is concluded that in the 21st century, newspapers in India do not stand for political mobilization, nation building or the creation of public awareness about vital matters. Their ‘mission’ is money. News media are ‘on sale’, for ‘paid news and private treaties’. Commoditization of newspapers is becoming the norm of media business. Journalism as ‘information for public good’ has become a ‘vehicle of business and trade communication’ and profiteering is its priority.

Charu Gupta

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)

shyamali banerjee

India has always advocated importance of free press, since it became independent, except for the brief experience of censorship under emergency regulations of 1975-76. Yet it suffers from many inadequacies like caste and religious affiliations, which still exercise a powerful influence on journalist as any member of society. Journalists claim to be objective but the slant becomes obvious when it is reporting of foreign affairs, sensitive issues that bother their funding agencies and government. The present paper focuses on the history, importance and working attitudes of journalists and their effect on readers.

Taberez A Neyazi

Shamsul Islam

This August 8, 2016, we are commemorating the 74th anniversary of the Quit India Movement [QIM]. QIM also known as ‘August Kranti'(August Revolution) was a nation-wide Civil Disobedience Movement for which a call was given on August 7, 1942 by the Bombay session of the All-India Congress Committee. It began on August 8, with Gandhi making a call to Do or Die in his Quit India speech delivered in Mumbai at the Gowalia Tank Maidan. The British swiftly responded with mass detentions. Over 100,000 arrests were made, mass fines were levied and demonstrators were subjected to public flogging. Hundreds of civilians were killed in violence many shot by the police army. Many national leaders went underground and continued their struggle by broadcasting messages over clandestine radio stations, distributing pamphlets and establishing parallel governments. Most of us know that the then Communist Party of India opposed the QIM thus betraying a great phase of mass upsurge in the history of the freedom struggle. However, what role the then Hindutva camp—consisting of the Hindu Mahasabha and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh —played in the QIM is under wraps for reasons unknown. The Hindutva camp not only opposed QIM but also provided multi-faceted and multi-dimensional support to the British rulers in suppressing this historic mass upsurge. In this connection shocking documents are available; these should be read to be believed.

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essay on quit india movement in punjabi

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Essay on Quit India Movement

Essay on Quit India Movement

Mahatma Gandhi started the Quit India movement at Mumbai's Gowalia Tank Maidan, also called August Kranti Maidan. On August 8 and 9, 1942, he and other commanders assembled in this location. As a result of the effort, Congress' offices nationwide were searched and it was deemed an illegal group. The leaders were taken into custody, and this incident caused a chaotic situation.

The most well-known and effective mass movement in the series of agitations organised by Gandhi during the war for freedom was the movement to leave India, also known as the Revolt of 1942 or the "August Revolution" of 1942.  The Second World War had already begun when this massive migration was organised, and the sky was already dark and overcast due to the Japanese invasion of India.

The Cripps Mission's efforts were in vain, and prices for necessities were skyrocketing. However, the day of liberation from British imperialism does not seem far off. Gandhi frequently encouraged the British to "Leave India to God or to anarchy" and said, "This orderly disciplined anarchy should go, and if as a result there is complete lawlessness I would risk it." According to Sumit Sarkar, “The summer of 1942 found Gandhi in a strange and uniquely militant mood.”The man who 'promised' Swaraj within a year is restless and keen to see that his aim of securing freedom for India is quickly realised, as seen by his words made in May 1942. Though the need for non-violence was constantly emphasised, Gandhi's motto of "Do or Die" best captures his combative demeanour, as Sumit Sarkar notes.

Quit India Movement3

The Congress initially agreed to a fight when the working committee met at Wardha on July 14, 1942. This decision to enter the conflict was approved by the All India Congress Committee at its meeting in Bombay in August. Gandhi made it quite clear in his address that he would not settle for anything less than total freedom. It's possible that the Viceroy will suggest eliminating the salt tax and drink evil. But I'll say it's freedom or nothing. Gandhi then gave his now-famous call to action, "Do or Die." "I give you this Mantra, which is a brief one. You can let it get ingrained in your souls and be expressed through every breath you take. Do or Die is the credo. We won't live to witness the continuation of slavery; we must either free India or perish trying.

Gandhi also issued a call to action to all groups of people, including the princes, Jagirdars, and Zamindars, as well as the wealthy and affluent classes, who draw their income and possessions from the workers in the fields, industries, and other places, to whom power and authority ultimately belong. Sumit Sarkar believes that Gandhi's aforementioned statement demonstrates his social radicalism and shift in the Congress's philosophical outlook. At this point, supporters of socialism and communism have joined the broad-based Congress organisation, and the British were equally determined to put an end to any movement of the Congress.

In a letter dated 8 August 1946, the then Viceroy Linlithgow made it very clear that he had made up his mind: "I feel very strongly that, in the present circumstances, the only possible response to a declaration of war by any section of Congress must be a declared determination to crush the organisation as a whole." Since both sides were prepared to act, the government detained all of the Congress' leading officials in a single sweep in the early hours of August 9, 1942, even before the movement had officially begun. Mass rage against the arrest of leaders erupted as a result of this. Following the unforeseen incident of August 9, 1942, there was a widespread upswing that lasted for six or seven weeks across the nation.

Quit India Movement2

In certain locations, large crowds attacked police stations, post offices, courts, train stations, and other symbols of governmental authority, according to Bipan Chandra's writing. In defiance of the police, national flags were forcibly flown on public buildings. Cities, towns, and villages everywhere saw the anger of the populace. Peasants, labourers, and students all took part in the demonstrations to express their anger at the administration. The authorities repressed the movement by employing severe methods. Gandhi, who was taken into custody in the wee hours of August 9th, announced on February 10th that he would begin a 21-day fast.

Gandhi's failure to denounce the mass violence and hold the administration accountable for it is another aspect that should be noted in this context. People around the nation gave the Gandhi fast an enthusiastic and energetic response. On May 6, 1944, Gandhi was discharged for medical reasons. It should be highlighted that, in contrast to prior non-cooperation and civil disobedience activities, the Quit India movement saw the spontaneous participation of the whole public. According to Bipan Chandra, "the great significance of this historic event was that it immediately prioritised the demand for independence inside the national movement. After "Quit India," there was no turning back. Freedom was no longer up for negotiation. And after the war, this became very evident.

Subhas Chandra Bose's Indian National Army carried the spirit released further. Understanding the long-drawn-out dynamics of the leaders of this movement's approach is revealed by an understanding of the process of India's struggle for independence. The Gandhian phase of "struggle-truce-struggle" was one of maintaining the tempo of the movement through the stages of non-cooperation followed by civil disobedience, followed by the Quit India movement, whereas the pre-Gandhian phase was one of increasing conscious awareness of the evils of the colonial and imperialist among the masses.

Quit India Movement1

Along with Gandhi's nonviolent philosophy and Satyagraha technique, it was the tactic of struggle-truce-struggle that fueled and sustained the freedom movement and helped India become independent in 1947. During Gandhi's time, we saw a steady and sluggish change from a small minority of freedom seekers to a mass organisation of these individuals. Gandhi's most notable contribution was the effective staged strategy of struggle-truce-struggle to maintain the momentum of the movement. Gandhi undoubtedly had a key role in the mass political mobilisation of the 20th century, which was driven by the desire for the masses to rule themselves more peacefully.

Author One

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