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.

 

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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