The 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement was  commemorated on August 9. It was the last mass agitation before India became Independent on August 15, 1947. A day before i.e. on August 14 India was divided and a new nation Pakistan came into existence. On August 8, at Mumbai’s Gowalia Tank, Mahatma Gandhi gave a call for ‘Do or Die’ in his speech. The call for Quit India galvanized the people of the country. British imperialists arrested thousands of Indians. Gowalia Tank is now called August Kranti Maidan. The month of August is significant as far as India’s Independence is concerned. On August 1, 1920, non-cooperation movement against imperialist Britain was launched. The historic session of AICC began on August 7 and concluded after mid-night of August 8-9. Mahatma Gandhi wanted a catchy slogan, which can give a clear message to Britishers to leave India. C Rajagopalachari proposed ‘withdraw’ some others suggested ‘Get Out’. Gandhi did not like either. Yusuf Meherally, a socialist and trade unionist, suggested ‘Quit India’. Gandhi liked it instantly. The resolution was approved. It was also known as Quit India Resolution. The slogan touched the country. The two words carried a categorical political message and electrified the country.

The situtaion

At that time the Second World War (1939-45) was on. Indian leadership demanded Independence before it supported Britain in the war. But, the British declined to accept demands made by Indian leaders. India refused to cooperate with Britain. Conservative Winston Churchill became the Prime Minister of Britain and continued until the end of the war. He was hawkish and was against the India and Indian leadership.He abused Mahatma Gandhi by calling him ‘half-naked fakir’. Churchill also used to refer Gandhi as a ‘fanatic’. He was against India becoming independent. He said, “I have not become His Majesty’s First Minister to preside over liquidation of Empire.” Shockingly, he blamed Indians for the worst Bengal famine of 1943. In March 1942, Britain sent Sir Stafford Cripps to India with a proposal of a new constitution. Congress and Muslim League both rejected the British plan.

When Congress forwarded Quit India , there were others who did not support Quit India movement.

Opposition to the Quit India Movement

During this period , in the light of then existing circumstances , several political groups active during the Indian Independence Movement were opposed to the Quit India Movement. These included the Muslim League, the Hindu Mahasabha, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the Communist Party of India and the princely states as below:

Firstly, the Muslim League opposed the Quit India Movement as it was of the view that if the British left India in its current state, Muslims as a minority would be oppressed by the Hindu majority. The Muslim League gained large numbers of new members. Congress members heeding Gandhi's call resigned from provincial legislatures, enabling the Muslim League, in alliance with the Hindu Mahasabha, to take control in Sindh, Bengal and Northwest Frontier.

Secondly, Hindu Mahasabha openly opposed the call for the Quit India Movement and boycotted it officially. Savarkar even went to the extent of writing a letter titled "Stick to your Posts", in which he instructed Hindu Sabhaites who happened to be "members of municipalities, local bodies, legislatures or those serving in the army...to stick to their posts" across the country, and not to join the Quit India Movement at any cost. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, leader of the Hindu Mahasabha in Bengal, (which was a part of the ruling coalition in Bengal led by Krishak Praja Party of Fazlul Haq), wrote a letter to the British Government as to how they should respond, if the Congress gave a call to the British rulers to Quit India. According to Indian historian R.C. Majumdar , "Shyam Prasad ended the letter with a discussion of the mass movement organised by the Congress. He expressed the apprehension that the movement would create internal disorder and will endanger internal security during the war.

Thirdly, The Communist Party of India was banned at that time by the British government. In order to get the ban lifted, as well as to assist the Soviet Union in its war against Nazi Germany, it supported the British war effort, despite support for Quit India by many industrial workers. In response the British lifted the ban on the party.

Fourthly, The movement had less support in the princely states, as the princes were strongly opposed and funded the opposition.

Fifthly, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) kept aloof from the Congress-led anti-British Indian independence movement since its founding by K.B. Hedgewar in 1925. In 1942, the RSS, under M.S. Golwalkar refused to join in the Quit India Movement. The Bombay government appreciated the RSS position by noting that, "the Sangh has scrupulously kept itself within the law, and in particular, has refrained from taking part in the disturbances that broke out in August 1942".". Such a non-committal attitude during the Indian freedom movement also led to the Sangh being viewed with distrust and anger, both by the general Indian public, as well as certain members of the organization itself.

Finally , The Indian nationalists had very little international support. They knew that the United States strongly supported Indian independence, in principle, and believed the U.S. was an ally. However, after Churchill threatened to resign if pushed too hard, the U.S. quietly supported him while bombarding Indians with propaganda designed to strengthen public support of the war effort. The poorly run American operation annoyed both the British and the Indians.

British opposition was quite manifest . The entire Congress leadership including Gandhi, Nehru, Patel, Azad were arrested and put behind bars. Young Aruna Asaf Ali suddenly came forward, showed tremendous courage and unfurled a tri-colour at the Gowalia Tank. Gandhi was arrested and kept at Aga Khan Palace in Pune. His wife Kasturba and secretary Mahadev Desai died in the Aga Khan Palace. Finally, he was released in May 1944.The movement became leaderless. The atmosphere was charged. The whole country was on the road. Violent incidents took place at many places. Police lathi-charged and fired at the people at many places. Many died.