Question

The Quit India Resolution in 1942, was one of the final calls given by Gandhi for the British to leave India. Moving towards Independence, Lord Mountbatten’s Plan was significant. In this context, answer the following:
State two reasons for launching of the Quit India Movement.

Answer 1

Hint: Quit India Movement was also known as the August Kranti or the India August Movement. Gandhi Ji gave slogans like “Quit India” or “ Bharat chodo”. The slogan quit India was coined by Yusuf Meherally.

Complete answer:
After the failure of the Cripps mission headed by Sir Stafford Cripps, the British Government tried to garner the full support of the Indians in World war II. Mahatma Gandhi, a nationalist leader, in his speech on 8 August 1942 at Bombay, called to “ Do or Die” and the Quit India Resolution was passed under which an immediate end to British rule over India was demanded. The British were backed by Hindu Maha sabha, Muslim League, British Indian Army; as the majority of the Indian businessmen did not support the Quit India Movement as they were benefited from heavy wartime spending.

The response to quit India by British was stringent as they banned the Indian National Congress and nearly arrested all their prominent leaders along with Mahatma Gandhi. There were lathi charges and flogging of the supporters of the movement.

Note: Despite the retaliation faced by the British government, the Indians continued their struggle as it deepened the anti-British sentiment among the Indians.