Context: The Chairman of the Rajya Sabha made a solemn reference in Parliament to commemorate the 84th Anniversary of the Quit India Movement.
About The Quit India Movement:
What It Is?
- The Quit India Movement (Bharat Chhod Aandolan), also known as the August Kranti, was a mass civil disobedience movement launched by the Indian National Congress (INC) demanding an immediate end to British colonial rule in India.
Launch Details:
- Launch Date: August 8–9, 1942.
- Location: Gowalia Tank Maidan (now August Kranti Maidan), Bombay (now Mumbai).
- Key Leadership: Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, and Aruna Asaf Ali.
- Clarion Call: Do or Die (Karo ya Maro).
Historical Background:
- World War II Threat: Following Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor (December 1941) and swift advance through Southeast Asia (falling of Singapore and Rangoon), the war reached India’s doorstep.
- Failure of the Cripps Mission (March 1942): Sent by British PM Winston Churchill, Sir Stafford Cripps offered post-war Dominion Status rather than immediate self-government, which failed to satisfy Indian national leadership.
- Frustration & Impatience: The failure of negotiations created widespread frustration, leading Mahatma Gandhi to conclude that the immediate withdrawal of British power was vital to defend India against foreign aggression.
- Wardha CWC & Bombay AICC Resolutions: The Congress Working Committee met at Wardha in July 1942 to pass the Quit India draft, which was formally ratified at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) session in Bombay on August 8, 1942.
Key Events During the Movement:
- Wholesale Leadership Arrests: At 5:00 AM on August 9, 1942, British authorities launched Operation Zero Hour, arresting Gandhi, Nehru, Patel, Azad, and all top leaders before the movement could be formally organized.
- Spontaneous Mass Uprising: The sudden leadership vacuum triggered an unprecedented, leaderless popular revolt across major industrial and rural hubs (Bombay, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Bihar, Bengal, Karnataka, and UP).
- Parallel Governments (Prati Sarkar): Nationalists established independent parallel administrations in several regions, including:
- Tamluk (Midnapore, Bengal): Tamluk Jatiya Sarkar.
- Satara (Maharashtra): Prati Sarkar led by Nana Patil.
- Balia (Uttar Pradesh): Led by Chittu Pandey.
- Underground Resistance & Radio: Underground networks maintained communication; Aruna Asaf Ali hoisted the national flag at Gowalia Tank Maidan, while Usha Mehta operated the secret Congress Radio.
- Severe Colonial Repression: The British government unleashed harsh measures—deploying police firings, mass arrests (over 100,000 individuals imprisoned), and heavy fines.
Outcomes:
- Paralyzed Colonial Machinery: Mass strikes, sabotage of rail tracks, disruption of telegraph lines, and local boycotts temporarily halted British governance across multiple provinces.
- Irreversible Loss of British Authority: Demonstrated to the British Empire that governing India without consent was no longer sustainable, even with heavy military presence.
- Decisive Transition to Independence: Fast-tracked post-war constitutional negotiations, making Indian independence inevitable by 1947.
