๐ Topic 03 of 6 ยท Chapter 15 ยท Gandhian Era & Independence
Quit India Movement (1942) โ Do or Die
August 8, 1942, “Do or Die”, Gowalia Tank Bombay, Aruna Asaf Ali, underground movement, Cripps Mission failure.
๐๏ธ Background โ Cripps Mission (1942)
- British sent Sir Stafford Cripps to India in March 1942 โ to seek Indian cooperation in World War II
- Cripps offered Dominion Status after the war
- Gandhi called it a “post-dated cheque on a failing bank”
- Congress rejected the offer โ demanded immediate independence
- Failure of Cripps Mission led to the Quit India Movement
โ Quit India Movement (August 8, 1942)
- Launched on August 8, 1942 at Gowalia Tank (August Kranti Maidan), Bombay
- Gandhi gave the call: “Do or Die” โ either free India or die in the attempt
- All Congress leaders arrested on August 9, 1942
- Gandhi imprisoned at Aga Khan Palace, Pune
- Nehru, Patel, and other leaders imprisoned
๐ฅ Underground Movement
- Despite mass arrests, the movement continued underground
- Aruna Asaf Ali โ hoisted Congress flag at Gowalia Tank; led underground movement; called “Grand Old Lady of Independence”
- Ram Manohar Lohia โ ran underground radio station
- Jayaprakash Narayan โ escaped from Hazaribagh jail; led underground movement
- Sucheta Kripalani โ led underground activities
- Parallel governments established in some areas โ Satara (Maharashtra), Ballia (UP), Midnapore (Bengal)
โญ Significance of Quit India Movement: The Quit India Movement was the most intense mass movement in India’s freedom struggle. It showed the British that India could not be held by force. ~90,000 people were arrested. The movement demonstrated the depth of anti-British sentiment. It convinced the British that they would have to leave India after the war.
๐ Suppression
- British suppressed the movement with great force
- ~90,000 people arrested; hundreds killed in police firing
- Movement was largely suppressed by 1943
- Gandhi released in May 1944 due to ill health
- Kasturba Gandhi (Gandhi’s wife) died in prison (February 1944)
๐ Exam Tip:
โข Quit India Movement = August 8, 1942 = Gowalia Tank, Bombay
โข Gandhi’s call = “Do or Die”
โข Aruna Asaf Ali = hoisted Congress flag = led underground movement
โข Cripps Mission = 1942 = Dominion Status after war = Gandhi = “post-dated cheque”
โข Parallel governments = Satara, Ballia, Midnapore
โข Quit India Movement = August 8, 1942 = Gowalia Tank, Bombay
โข Gandhi’s call = “Do or Die”
โข Aruna Asaf Ali = hoisted Congress flag = led underground movement
โข Cripps Mission = 1942 = Dominion Status after war = Gandhi = “post-dated cheque”
โข Parallel governments = Satara, Ballia, Midnapore