Every year Quit India day is observed on 9th of August to mark the anniversary of Quit India movement ("Bharat Chhodo Andolan"). On this day various speeches are held at schools and colleges and the significance of the day is highlighted. The entire country feels a sense of patriotism and pays tributes to martyrs of the freedom struggle and the political leaders lay wreaths on the memorial. On 9th of August, 1942 the Quit India Movement began which later triggered the British to leave the country. This movement was launched by Mahatma Gandhiji for freedom from British rule in Mumbai (then Bombay). Few years later of this national movement India attained independence on August 15, 1947. Quit India Movement no doubt was a turning point in India's struggle for freedom. Father of the nation, Gandhiji urged people to raise their voice against the British and asked them to quit India. This movement is also known as the August Movement and was a Civil Disobedience Movement launched by Gandhi for independence. All India Congress Committee passed a resolution on 8 August 1942 in Bombay and declared a demand for an immediate end of British rule. The Congress decided to organize a mass struggle on non-violent lines on the widest possible scale. "Let every Indian consider himself to be a free man", Gandhiji declared in his fiery "Do or Die" speech the day the Quit India Movement was declared. Every Indian began dreaming of an individual of free India. Following the rejection of the demands made by the Congress and the large scale dissatisfaction that was prevailing across the country, Gandhiji decided to launch the Civil Disobedience Movement.
The failure of Cripps Mission played a significant role in Gandhiji call for the Quick India Movement. On 22nd of March, 1942 the British government sent Sir Stafford Cripps to negotiate with the Indian political parties and secure their support in Britain's war efforts. A Draft Declaration of the British Government was offered to India, which includes the establishment of a dominion, a constituent assembly, and the rights of provinces to make separate constitutions. All this would be granted at the end of the war. The Congress was not happy with the future promises. Other reasons which led to the Quit India Movement was the fear of Japan attacking India, terror in the East Bengal and India realized that the British would not defend the country anymore.
The British government's response to the movement was quick. The Congress was banned and most of its leaders were arrested. Most of them spent the next three years in jail, until World War II ended. Apart from filling up jails with rebellious leaders, the British also abolished civil rights, freedom of speech and freedom of press. The people were unstoppable. There were strikes and demonstrations across the nation. The people attacked all symbols of the British government such as railway stations, law courts, police stations etc. People damaged the railway and telegraph lines. At some places, people set up their independent government. The movement was most widely spread in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Bengal, Bombay, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. Places like Satara, Talcher, Ballia, Tamluk, Dharwar and Balasore were freed from British rule and own governments were formed by the people.
Most of the students were drawn towards Subhas Chandra Bose who was in exile and the only support Indian got from outside the country was from American President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who compelled the then British Prime Minister Winston Churchill to agree to the demands of the Indians. The British refused to do so and said that this would only be possible after World War II. The British wanted to crush the Quit India Movement. Despite some flaws in the Quit India Movement it was very significant because it was during this movement that the British realized that they would not be able to govern India successfully in the long run and began to think of ways they could exit the country in a dignified manner. Important political changes were taking place in England. Churchill became the Prime Minister and he was not moved by the demands of the Indians.
1939 saw the outbreak of World War II, following which Britain went to war with Germany. Since India was an important part of the British Empire. On 10th October 1939 the Congress Working Committee s showed the unhappiness regarding the hostile activities taking place in Germany and announced that India would not be a part of the war because it was against fascism. On 17th October 1939 the Viceroy released a statement in which he announced that the reason Britain was waging a war was to restore peace in the world. He also promised that once the war ended the government would amend the Act of 1935 which included a provision of the establishment of a "Federation of India" which would be made up of British India and some or all of the princely states. The British dismayed by the Japanese Army advancing towards the Indian-Burma border arrested Gandhiji and all members of the party's working committee. The Congress Party was again banned by the British. People protested across the country. Despite Gandhi's mantra of non-violence all protests were not peaceful, bombs were exploded and government offices were burned.
The British responded this movement by mass arrests and public flogging. The army was called out to assist the police. There were lathi-charges and firing at the unarmed demonstrators. Many innocent people including children and old men were died in this violence and the Congress leadership was cut off from the rest of the world. Protestors were arrested and tortured and their homes raided and devastated. By December 1942, over sixty thousand people were jailed. Many national leaders continued their struggle by broadcasting messages over clandestine radio stations, distributing pamphlets and establishing parallel governments. The British sense of crisis was strong enough that a battleship was specifically set aside to take Gandhiji and the Congress leaders out of India, possibly to South Africa or Yemen but ultimately did not take that step out of fear of intensifying the revolt. Despite ill health and the sad demise of his wife, Gandhiji who was in prison, took on a 21 day fast and continued with his resolution. The British released Gandhiji due to his ill health, but he continued his opposition and asked for the release of the Congress leaders who were in prison. By 1944, although the Congress leaders had not been released but the peace was restored across the nation. Many nationalists were disappointed that the Quit India Movement had failed. Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the leader of the All India Muslim League and the Communist Party criticised the Congress Party due to the failure of the movement. Quit India Movement kept the Congress Party united all through these challenging times.