The year was 1942. Monsoon winds from the Indian Ocean had already arrived. With them the news of vigorous naval battles also came. World had become bipolar, India too was on the boil, waiting to unshackle the chains of age old slavery. At this juncture Sir Stafford Cripps came with an offer of dominion status in return of India’s support for the war. The British offered allegiance to Queen in lieu of self-rule but did not realize the likes of Bhagat Singh & Chandra Shekhar Azad hadn’t sacrificed their lives for dominion status. Demand of freedom fighters across the country was unanimous and it was for ‘Poorna Swaraj’, total independence. Therefore, on the eve of 8th August, 1942 Gandhi ji gave a clarion call to the nation. He said, “Here is a mantra, a short one that I give you. You may imprint it on your hearts and let every breath of yours give expression to it. The mantra is: ‘Karo ya Maro’, ‘Do or Die’. The Quit India Movement gained support from leaders from all over the country. However, the Communist Party of India, the Hindu Mahasabha and the India Muslim league did not support the movement. The Communist Party did not support the mission because of the deep-rooted association of communism with the then Soviet Union and hence the inherent support towards World War II. The Hindu Mahasabha did not support the movement for fear of the nation’s safety and security during such a dire situation. The Muslim League did not support the movement, as it wished for the formation of a separate country before India got complete freedom. Some important leaders of the Quit India Movement were Mahatma Gandhi, Jawahar Lal Nehru, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Subhash Chandra Bose, Biju Patnaik, Aruna Asaf Ali, Ram Manohar Lohia, Usha Mehta, Sucheta Kriplani and Jai Prakash Narain. Subhash Chandra Bose formed the Indian National Army and fought for absolute freedom during this time. Subhash Chandra Bose contributed from outside the country. Failure of the Cripps Mission, refusal of unconditional support by the Indian National Congress and nationwide enthusiasm for complete freedom were some factors that triggered this movement. Sir Stafford Cripps, who was a member of World War II, War Cabinet, tried to gather the contribution of Indian soldiers for the United Kingdom’s cause. Cripps came to India to get the approval of Indian leaders and to explain the reasoning for India’s joining the British in World War II. Cripps’s agenda was to meet with Indian leaders and gather support for the British government’s Draft Declaration. After the war, the declaration also conferred India Dominion Status. Congress refused to discuss any agreements unless complete freedom was on the table. From this point on, the demand for complete freedom gained popularity among the revolutionaries and the public. World War II, the spark of complete freedom and the struggling Indian economy culminated in the Quit India Movement. The Quit India Movement was the culmination of years of Indian disillusionment with British rule, with the immediate causes being the failure of Cripps mission, hardships caused during World War II and the Japanese knocking at the doors of Indian borders. The Indian people had grown increasingly disillusioned with the British government's failure to fulfil its promises regarding India's self-rule. The British, although they gained Indian support in World War II, did not want to transfer the power easily. The August offer and Cripps mission failed to satisfy the demands of the nationalists. Further, the British support to the demand of Pakistan by the Muslim League was making the Indian nationalists (particularly Gandhi) infuriated. The Quit India Movement brought about many drastic changes in India’s socio-political landscape. The emergence of new leaders. Aruna Asaf Ali became president of the Indian National Congress, as the majority of the leadership was in jail. Change in the political scenario. Organizations such as Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh, Hindu Mahasabha and Muslim League gained popularity, as most of the prominent leaders of the Indian National Congress were behind bars. The prevailing political situation of violence, unrest and arrests enabled these other parties to gain prominence. Their criticism of Gandhi also helped further their cause. Even the political negotiation scenario between the Indian political leadership and the British changed significantly after the movement. The Indian National Congress and its associate organizations were declared unlawful associations. Besides prominent leaders of the movement, the public also courted arrests in large numbers. Close to one lakh people were imprisoned during the movement. The Quit India Movement ignited the desire for complete freedom among Indians. Furthermore, Britain’s changing power equation in world politics post World War II and the increased cost of managing India eventually led to the complete freedom of India on August 15, 1947.
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