Quit India Movement Day 2023: Date, History, Significance, Facts, Mahatma Gandhi's Speech And More About Bharat Chhodo Andolan
The Quit India Movement, also known as the August Movement, was a significant civil disobedience movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi and the Indian National Congress in August 1942 with the aim to end British colonial rule in India.
The year 2023 marks the 81st anniversary of the Quit India movement. In this article, we delve into the historical backdrop, and the significance of the Quit India Movement, and delve into lesser-known yet fascinating facts surrounding this momentous chapter.
Quit India Movement Day 2023 Overview
Event | Quit India Movement Day, August Movement or August Kranti, or Bharat Chhodo Andolan |
Quit India Movement start date | August 8, 1942 |
| Place | August Kranti Maidan in Bombay (now called Mumbai) |
When Quit India Movement end? | in 1944 |
When observed in 2023? | Tuesday, August 8, 2023 |
Purpose | The event is observed annually to pay tribute to the efforts and dedication of freedom fighters of India who participated in the Quit India Movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi on August 8, 1942. |
When is Quit India Movement Day 2023? Quit India Movement Day date 2023
Quit India Movement Day is observed annually on August 8th. In 2023, Quit India Movement Day will observed be on Tuesday, August 8th. Quit India Movement Day is a day to remember the sacrifices made by the Indian people in their fight for independence.
Quit India Movement Day date from 2023 to 2028
| Event | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| Quit India Movement Day 2023 | 8 August 2023 | |
| Quit India Movement Day 2024 | 8 August 2024 | |
| Quit India Movement Day 2025 | 8 August 2025 | |
| Quit India Movement Day 2026 | 8 August 2026 | |
| Quit India Movement Day 2027 | 8 August 2027 |
History of the Quit India Movement
The Quit India Movement, also known as the ‘Bharat Chodo Andolan’, 'August Movement', or 'August Kranti', unfolded during the height of World War II on August 8, 1942. The movement was launched by the Indian National Congress (INC) at Gowalia Tank Maidan also known as August Kranti Maidan in Bombay (now called Mumbai) Under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, India embarked on a journey of civil disobedience against the British colonial rule.
The movement called for "an orderly British withdrawal" from India, and its slogan was "Do or Die." Gandhi's call for the British to "Quit India" and leave the governance of the country to Indians gained massive support from across the country. However, the British colonial government responded with a swift crackdown and started 'Operation Zero Hour' to arrest the leaders of the Quit India Movement and arrested many Congress leaders and activists, and also all the Congress's offices across the country were raided. According to serval reports, about 100,000 people were arrested and imprisoned for long periods of time, around 1000 people were killed, and over 2,500 reported injuries during the Quit India Movement.
The outcome of the Quit India Movement was a mix of immediate repression and long-term impact. The British authorities quickly suppressed the movement, imprisoning leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and other prominent Congress members. The movement's violent suppression resulted in numerous deaths and arrests.
After the long struggle, the Quit India Movement played a very crucial role in accelerating the process of India's freedom. It signaled a growing sense of unity and determination among Indians to free themselves from British rule. The movement also contributed to the weakening of the British Empire's hold on India, as well as highlighting the need for a post-war reevaluation of colonial policies.
The end of World War II in 1945 and the subsequent political changes on the global stage further hastened the decolonisation process. The Quit India Movement's resilience and the sacrifices made by freedom fighters added to the momentum of the broader Indian freedom struggle, eventually leading to India's independence on August 15, 1947.
Significance of the Quit India Movement
The Quit India Movement also called the 'August Movement' or 'August Kranti' played a crucial role in India's struggle for independence, representing a turning point in the nation's history. This movement was a declaration of India's unwavering determination to an immediate end to British rule in India and for the British to "Quit India." It sparked widespread civil disobedience, non-cooperation, and acts of defiance against British authorities. The movement saw a mass mobilisation of Indians from all walks of life across the country, in the fight for independence, which culminated in the nation's independence on August 15, 1947.
The Quit India Movement did not achieve its immediate goal of forcing the British to leave India. However, it did have a significant impact on the course of India's independence struggle. The movement helped to galvanize Indian public opinion in favor of independence, and it showed the British that the Indian people were determined to achieve their freedom.
The Quit India Movement was a significant and watershed moment in the struggle for freedom from British colonialism and it had a lasting impact on Indian politics and society.
Here are some of the key significances of the Quit India Movement:
- The Movement united the Indian people in their fight against British rule.
- The Movement showed the British that the Indian people were determined to achieve their freedom.
- The Movement led to the emergence of a new generation of leaders who would go on to play a key role in India's independence.
- The Movement helped to galvanize Indian public opinion in favor of independence.
- The Movement showed growing discontent and impatience with British promises of self-rule.
- The movement inspired a sense of national unity and played a crucial role in India's path to independence.
Unveiling Lesser-Known Facts about Quit India Movement
1. Gandhi's Call for Quit India
On August 8, 1942, During the Bombay session of the All-India Congress Committee (INC), Mahatma Gandhi delivered his famous "Do or Die" speech, setting the stage for the Quit India Movement. His words galvanised the entire nation, encouraging them to rise up against British colonial oppression.
2. Massive Civil Disobedience
The movement saw widespread participation across the country from students, laborers, farmers, and professionals, all of whom protested through peaceful means. The people of India united under a common goal, proving the potency of nonviolent resistance.
3. Repression and Sacrifice
The British colonial authorities responded with brutal force, arresting thousands of protestors, including prominent leaders like Gandhi himself. Many activists were subjected to inhumane treatment and torture. The sacrifices made during this movement serve as a poignant reminder of the lengths people were willing to go for freedom.
4. Role of Women
Women played a vital role in the Quit India Movement, displaying immense courage and leadership. The movement's emphasis on nonviolence and inclusivity allowed women to participate actively, fostering a more equitable society in the process.
5. Global Impact
The Quit India Movement resonated beyond India's borders, garnering international attention and support. It highlighted the moral bankruptcy of colonialism and bolstered the global movement against oppression and imperialism.
6. Educational and Cultural Upliftment
The movement emphasized the importance of education and culture in shaping the nation's identity. Several educational institutions and cultural centers were established during this period to promote Indian heritage and values.
Quit India Movement Day 2023: Mahatma Gandhi's speech that altered Indian history
We at Indiatimes share with you, with the utmost respect, the words of the Mahatma which still inspire us to 'do all that we can for our country'. This is the speech that made it clear to every Indian that it was now or never; it was 'Do or Die'.
"Before you discuss the resolution, let me place before you one or two things, I want you to understand two things very clearly and to consider them from the same point of view from which I am placing them before you. I ask you to consider it from my point of view, because if you approve of it, you will be enjoined to carry out all I say. It will be a great responsibility. There are people who ask me whether I am the same man that I was in 1920, or whether there has been any change in me. You are right in asking that question.
Let me, however, hasten to assure that I am the same Gandhi as I was in 1920. I have not changed in any fundamental respect. I attach the same importance to non-violence that I did then. If at all, my emphasis on it has grown stronger. There is no real contradiction between the present resolution and my previous writings and utterances.
Occasions like the present do not occur in everybody’s and but rarely in anybody’s life. I want you to know and feel that there is nothing but purest Ahimsa in all that I am saying and doing today. The draft resolution of the Working Committee is based on Ahimsa, the contemplated struggle similarly has its roots in Ahimsa. If, therefore, there is any among you who has lost faith in Ahimsa or is wearied of it, let him not vote for this resolution. Let me explain my position clearly. God has vouchsafed to me a priceless gift in the weapon of Ahimsa. I and my Ahimsa are on our trail today. If in the present crisis, when the earth is being scorched by the flames of Himsa and crying for deliverance, I failed to make use of the God given talent, God will not forgive me and I shall be judged unworthy of the great gift. I must act now. I may not hesitate and merely look on, when Russia and China are threatened.
Ours is not a drive for power, but purely a non-violent fight for India’s independence. In a violent struggle, a successful general has been often known to effect a military coup and to set up a dictatorship. But under the Congress scheme of things, essentially non-violent as it is, there can be no room for dictatorship. A non-violent soldier of freedom will covet nothing for himself, he fights only for the freedom of his country. The Congress is unconcerned as to who will rule, when freedom is attained. The power, when it comes, will belong to the people of India, and it will be for them to decide to whom it placed in the entrusted. May be that the reins will be placed in the hands of the Parsis, for instance-as I would love to see happen-or they may be handed to some others whose names are not heard in the Congress today. It will not be for you then to object saying, “This community is microscopic. That party did not play its due part in the freedom’s struggle; why should it have all the power?” Ever since its inception the Congress has kept itself meticulously free of the communal taint. It has thought always in terms of the whole nation and has acted accordingly. . . I know how imperfect our Ahimsa is and how far away we are still from the ideal, but in Ahimsa there is no final failure or defeat. I have faith, therefore, that if, in spite of our shortcomings, the big thing does happen, it will be because God wanted to help us by crowning with success our silent, unremitting Sadhana for the last twenty-two years.
I believe that in the history of the world, there has not been a more genuinely democratic struggle for freedom than ours. I read Carlyle’s French Revolution while I was in prison, and Pandit Jawaharlal has told me something about the Russian revolution. But it is my conviction that inasmuch as these struggles were fought with the weapon of violence they failed to realize the democratic ideal. In the democracy which I have envisaged, a democracy established by non-violence, there will be equal freedom for all. Everybody will be his own master. It is to join a struggle for such democracy that I invite you today. Once you realize this you will forget the differences between the Hindus and Muslims, and think of yourselves as Indians only, engaged in the common struggle for independence.
Then, there is the question of your attitude towards the British. I have noticed that there is hatred towards the British among the people. The people say they are disgusted with their behaviour. The people make no distinction between British imperialism and the British people. To them, the two are one. This hatred would even make them welcome the Japanese. It is most dangerous. It means that they will exchange one slavery for another. We must get rid of this feeling. Our quarrel is not with the British people, we fight their imperialism. The proposal for the withdrawal of British power did not come out of anger. It came to enable India to play its due part at the present critical juncture It is not a happy position for a big country like India to be merely helping with money and material obtained willy-nilly from her while the United Nations are conducting the war. We cannot evoke the true spirit of sacrifice and velour, so long as we are not free. I know the British Government will not be able to withhold freedom from us, when we have made enough self-sacrifice. We must, therefore, purge ourselves of hatred. Speaking for myself, I can say that I have never felt any hatred. As a matter of fact, I feel myself to be a greater friend of the British now than ever before. One reason is that they are today in distress. My very friendship, therefore, demands that I should try to save them from their mistakes. As I view the situation, they are on the brink of an abyss. It, therefore, becomes my duty to warn them of their danger even though it may, for the time being, anger them to the point of cutting off the friendly hand that is stretched out to help them. People may laugh, nevertheless that is my claim. At a time when I may have to launch the biggest struggle of my life, I may not harbor hatred against anybody."
The Quit India Movement of 1942 stands as a beacon of hope, courage, and unity in India's journey toward independence. Its echoes continue to reverberate in modern India, inspiring generations to uphold the principles of freedom, justice, and equality. As we commemorate the 2023 anniversary of this historic event, let us remember the sacrifices of those who fought for our nation's liberation and strive to uphold their legacy.
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