Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid homage to those who participated in the Quit India movement, describing it as a watershed moment in the freedom struggle.

The movement had begun in August 1942 a day after Mahatma Gandhi called for the British rulers to quit India and asked countrymen to resolve to “do or die” in their pursuit of an independent India.

The British arrested Gandhiji and other prominent leaders of the Congress but the movement grew organically and hastened the departure of the British after the end of World War II.

Quit India Movement

• Failure of August offer and Cripps Mission has left Indians with little choice and government has also shown repressive tendencies as witnessed in individual satyagraha. Government was also adamant with its lame proposal of Dominion Status. There was a general price rise and hardship for common man in wake of war. 

• News of reversals suffered by the British in War and expectations of its imminent collapse as the Imperial Japanese Army advanced closer to India with the conquest of Burma, Indians perceived an inability upon the part of the British to defend Indian soil.

• When the British remained unresponsive, Gandhiji and the Congress began planning a major public revolt, the Quit India movement – the first truly pan Indian mass movement. This period concurred with the rise of the Indian National Army, led by Subhas Chandra Bose. 

• The British response to the Quit India movement was to throw most of the Congress leadership in jail. 

• Jinnah took a separate line and instead supported British and League even participated in provincial elections.

• During the Bombay session on August 8, Congress passed the Quit India resolution at Gowalia Tank and its draft was prepared by Jawaharlal Nehru and seconded by Patel. Gandhiji called for a ‘do or die’ and gave slogans of ‘Quit India’ and ‘Bharat Chodo’.

• Very next day of the Gowalia Tank meet, major leaders were arrested under ‘Operation Thunderbolt’ launched by the British.

• Common people showed unprecedented heroism, but they also faced unprecedented repression. In the name of war, government had armed itself with draconian provisions and laws.

• There were other events like forcing people in Bengal and Odisha to restrict the use of their boats in fear of Japanese capture and use against British. News from South East were that British only evacuated white natives when Japanese attacked and thus leaving locals on their fate.

• This led to anger and confusion and people came on roads, protests ensued and clashes happened. 

• Underground activities started and even parallel governments were formed like the one in Satara. 

• A new underground leadership emerged led by Achyut Patwardhan, R.M. Lohia, Sucheta Kriplani, Chhotubhai Puranik, R.P. Goenka and J.P.  Narayan.

• A new event happened in 1943, when Gandhiji announced a 10-day fast in jail in response to British government’s exhortation to condemn the violence committed by people. Instead of condemning the violence, Gandhiji fasted on. It raised public anger many fold. 

He issued specific instructions to various groups:

i) Government servants – Don’t resign, but declare your allegiance to the Congress.

ii) Soldiers – Don’t leave the army, but don’t fire at your compatriots.

iii) Students – If confident, leave the studies.

iv) Peasants – If Zamindars are pro-government, don’t pay the rent. If they are anti-government, pay.

v) Princes – Support the masses and accept the sovereignty of people.

Significance

• The movement was short lived, but significant as it marked a new high in mass participation and made it amply clear to British that it will no longer be possible to suppress the masses. 

• Students and the peasantry served as the backbone, middle class and bureaucracy sided government.

• Sardar Vallabhai Patel was the most fervent supporter of Gandhiji’s proposal for an all-out campaign of civil disobedience during Quit India Movement. 

• He participated in Gandhiji’s call for individual disobedience, and was arrested in 1940 and imprisoned for nine months. He also opposed the proposals of the Cripps’ mission in 1942.

Features of Quit India Movement:

• It was a spontaneous movement.

• It was not non-violent like earlier movements of Gandhiji. There were many incidences of violence.

• It didn’t attract the labour class in general.

Phases of Quit India Movement:

• Urban Phase – Lasted for only one week.

• Rural Phase – Sabotage of government communication lines and transportation. It lasted for a few months around 3-4 months.

• Underground movement – it was the most violent and long lasting. All India Congress Radio was operated by Usha Mehta. Asaf Ali and Aruna Asaf Ali trained everyone to operate multiple centers.

Parallel Governments

Various parallel governments were formed:

i) Balia, UP – Under Chittu Pandey.

ii) Tamluk, Bengal – Tamralipta National Government of Tamluk was different as it set up separate police, and revenue system. It also carried out relief work, supplied paddy from rich to poor. They also had an active women’s wing ‘Bidyut Vahini’. Its major leaders were Ajoy Kumar Mukharjee, Matangini Hazara, Satish Chandra Samanta, Sushil Kumar Dhara.

iii) Satara, Maharashtra – Under Achyut Patwardhan, Y.B. Chavan, Nana Patil, etc. Village libraries were formed and Nyayadan Mandals were organized, prohibition campaigns were organized.

• Quit India repression was one of the most violent repressions since repression of 1857. Around 10,000 people lost their lives.

• It made in a way final assertion of the will of people who were determined now not to be held back by any false promises.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)