Write about the Quit India Movement of 1942 – (a) Mumbai Session (b) Appeal by Mahatma Gandhi (c) Its impact

Answer: After the failure of the Cripps Mission (1942) and with Japan advancing towards India, the Congress decided to demand the immediate end of British rule.

(a) Mumbai Session: The All India Congress Committee met at Gowalia Tank Maidan (August Kranti Maidan), Mumbai, and on 8 August 1942 passed the ‘Quit India’ resolution demanding that the British leave India at once, and resolved to start a mass struggle on non-violent lines under Gandhiji.

(b) Appeal by Mahatma Gandhi: Gandhiji gave the mantra ‘Do or Die’ — ‘We shall either free India or die in the attempt.’ He appealed to every Indian to consider himself free and act as a free person; students, peasants, workers, government servants and princes were all asked to join the struggle.

(c) Its impact: On 9 August 1942 Gandhiji and all major leaders were arrested. The people rose in revolt everywhere: strikes, hartals, attacks on police stations, railway lines and post offices took place. Leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan, Aruna Asaf Ali, Ram Manohar Lohia and Usha Mehta (secret Congress radio) led the movement underground, and parallel governments were set up at Satara (Nana Patil), Ballia and Tamluk. The British crushed it harshly, but the movement showed that Indians would not accept British rule any longer, and it hastened India's independence.