August 8 holds a great significance in history as India’s anti-colonial nationalist leader Mahatma Gandhi launched the Quit India Movement in 1942, seeking the complete withdrawal of British rule. During a gathering of the All India Congress Committee at Bombay’s Gowalia Tank Maidan, Mahatma Gandhi gave a ‘Do or Die’ call, directly challenging the British authority.
All the political leaders of India unanimously made a final and might push to throw out Britishers, who had been ruling India for more than 200 years.
How was Quit India Movement launched?
In the crucial meeting held at Wardha on 14 July 1942, the Congress Working Committee resolved to launch a widespread civil disobedience movement. This decision culminated in the adoption of the Quit India Resolution on 8 August 1942, during which Mahatma Gandhi gave a stirring call to action: “We shall either free India or die in the attempt.”
The British administration reacted swiftly, arresting all prominent Congress leaders and declaring the party illegal within hours.
Why is it called August Kranti?
The movement, known as the August Kranti, took its name from the month in which it began. It came to symbolise a bold and unambiguous rejection of British colonial rule.
The movement witnessed several protests, public meetings and attacks on British institutions in August and September. Secret radio broadcasts and guerrilla-style activities were also held during this bid.
Farmers, students and political leaders participated in this in large numbers. More than 1 lakh people were arrested, while thousands lost their lives.
London Agreement
The Quit India Movement and the London Agreement are connected as significant milestones in India's journey from colonial rule to sovereign statehood. The London Agreement was signed in 1949, after India’s independence, which recognised India as a member of the Commonwealth of Nations as a republic, without recognising the British monarch as its head of state.
While the Quit India Movement was about rejecting British control, the London Agreement reflected a shift toward a diplomatic and equal relationship with Britain and other former colonies.
