73rd anniversary of Quit India Movement

     On its 73rd Anniversary, both the houses of Parliament paid homage to the martyrs of the Quit India Movement.

• In Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari mentioned that August 9 would mark the 73rd anniversary of the historical call given by Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi for the British rulers to Quit India in 1942.
• In the Lok Sabha, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said, “on this occasion, we pay our homage to the Father of the nation and to all martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of our motherland and rededicate the high ideals for which they stood.’
• Both the houses reaffirmed its commitment to uphold the sovereignty, integrity, unity and economic well being of the country. As a mark of respect they also observed a few minutes of silence.

History

• On August 8, 1942 Mahatma Gandhi launched a mass protest demanding what he called “an orderly British withdrawal” from India. Gandhiji gave a slogan of ‘Do or Die’.
• “There is a mantra that I give you, you imprint it on your heart and let every breath of yours give an expression to it. The mantra is Do or Die.”
• Almost the entire Indian National Congress leadership was sent to jail without trial within hours after Gandhiji’s speech. The Quit India Movement created an electrifying atmosphere in the country and culminated in achievement of Independence after five years in 1947.