This write-up is contributed by Mr. Sugato Roy.

This year 2022 is very important for all of us. Indians in any part of the globe are all geared up to celebrate “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav — 75 years of Independence ” as well as eighty years of the Quit India Movement. The 1942 Quit India Movement was one of the last major movements on our soil before our Independence. The political and economic scenarios that prevailed during that phase were miles away from normalcy by any standard. The Great War, World War II had broken out and anarchy and turmoil prevailed everywhere in Europe specific and the world in general. We as a nation were under British imperialism then and Great Britain was one of the main pillars of the Allied forces. The ill effects of the war had started crippling our economy in the most shattering way. Uncertainty and insecurity were everywhere. Tumultuous condition, mayhem and disarray were the orders of the day.
The immediate cause of the Quit India Movement as historians believe was the failure of the Cripps Mission led by Sir Stafford Cripps. The then all-powerful British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill briefed Sir Cripps to make it successful to which he failed with utter wretchedness. Essential commodities were far shorter in supplies. The inflation rate was spiralling, people were getting twitchy and agitated. The hoarders were having a field day. Patience was running out. Anti-British sentiments amongst the Indians were swelling. People were becoming restive.
On top of that, there were reports that the Japanese army being one of the major Axis powers, was advancing toward India and people feared that the colonial government might follow a scorched earth policy toward the Eastern parts of the country. This also added fuel to fire for Quit India Movement.
People were impatient and they yearned for freedom at any cost.
The Time Line —-
On the 7th and 8th of August, 1942, the AICC met in Mumbai to ratify the Quit India Resolution. On the 8th a huge crowd had assembled at the Gowalia Tank Maidan, now known as August Kranti Maidan to listen to Mahatma Gandhi. The battle cry for the Quit India Movement given by Gandhiji was Karenge Yah Marange —- Do or Die.
On 9th August the police took Gandhiji under their custody along with almost all members of the Congress Working Committee. The authorities declared the Wardha Committee, the four provincial committees under the AICC unlawful under the Criminal Law Amendment Act of 1908. The police arrested all important leaders of the Quit India Movement under the iniquitous Defence of India Rule and prohibited all public gatherings.
People in larger numbers came out on the streets and demonstrated against British rule after the news of the arrests spread like wildfire. The police arrested the demonstrators. Demonstrations spread all over India. People defied prohibitory orders in Bombay, Pune, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Kanpur, Patna, Lucknow, Gaya, Bhagalpur, Gorakhpur, Purnea, Benaras and last but not least Tamluk. In many places, police opened fire killing protestors. In Tamluk, police shot Matangini Hazra, revered as Gandhi Buri even today. She succumbed to the bullet injuries. Even students, old people and hapless women fell to the bullets during the Quit India Movement.
Agitators caused extensive damage to railway stations, police stations, railway lines and telegraph poles. The Quit India Movement which was to be non-violent was turning out to be a hostile one.
By December 1942, the police took into custody almost 100000 people and booked at least 18000 people under the dreaded Defence of India Rule.
The Faces —
The AICC had commended Gandhiji to lead the Quit India movement but it was remarkable to note that many new leaders came up who led the general masses during the various phases of the epoch-making movement. More prominent among them were our very own Gandhi Buri, the most revered Matangini Hazra, Jayaprakash Narayan, Aruna Asaf Ali, Sucheta Kripalani who later on became the first woman Chief Minister of India, Biju Patnaik, Ram Manohar Lohia, Achyut Patwardhan, C Puranik and others. Another leader, Usha Mehta ran the Congress Radio with skill and deftness.
The movement imbibed amongst the Indians a new sense of hope and confidence. Tryst with Destiny was not far.

GRADUATE FROM ST XAVIER’S COLLEGE AND POST GRADUATE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF CALCUTTA, SPECIALIZING IN MARKETING MANAGEMENT AND ADVERTISING MANAGEMENT.  PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE OF 24 YEARS IN VARIOUS CAPACITIES IN ADVERTISING AND PUBLISHING INDUSTRY.  HAS BEEN AWARDED FOR  LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN ADVERTISING AND PUBLICITY MANAGEMENT.