Quit India Movement Day 2023

About Quit India Movement Day

• Every year Quit India Day is observed on August 8 to commemorate the occasion.
• This year marks the 81st anniversary of the event.

What is the Quit India Movement?

• The Quit India Movement, also known as the August Movement or Bharat Chodo Andolan, was a significant civil disobedience movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi and the Indian National Congress on August 8, 1942 at Gowalia Tank Maidan also known as August Kranti Maidan in Bombay.
• On this day, August 8th, in 1942, Gandhi gave the famous “Do or Die” speech, urging the Indian people to act decisively and nonviolently against British rule.
• Reasons:
  • While factors leading to such a movement had been building up, matters came to a head with the failure of the Cripps Mission.
  • The failure of the Cripps Mission made Gandhi realise that freedom would come only if Indians fought tooth and nail for it.
  • The movement aimed to demand an end to British colonial rule in India and achieve full independence.
• Mass Protests:
  • The movement saw widespread protests, strikes and acts of civil disobedience across the country.
  • People participated in marches, demonstrations, and various forms of nonviolent resistance.
  • Women played a vital role in the Quit India Movement, displaying immense courage and leadership.
  • During the movement, parallel governments were set up in Ballia (Uttar Pradesh), Satara (Maharashtra), Tamluk (West Bengal), and Talcher (Odisha).
  • Numerous arrests were made following the protest. Many top leaders of Congress, including Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, were also arrested.

Q1) What is the Cripps Mission?

The Cripps Mission refers to a diplomatic initiative sent by the British government to India in March 1942, during World War II. The mission was led by Sir Stafford Cripps, a senior British politician and government minister. The primary objective of the Cripps Mission was to secure India’s support for the British war effort in exchange for self-governance and political concessions.

Source: Quit India Movement: History, significance and interesting facts

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