The Quit India Movement, also known as the August Movement, was launched by the Indian National Congress on 8th August 1942 in Bombay. It was a mass protest demanding an end to British rule in India. The call for the movement was made by Mahatma Gandhi, who famously declared “Do or Die” in his speech.

This movement came after the failure of the Cripps Mission, which offered post-war dominion status but no immediate transfer of power. Congress rejected the proposal and launched a civil disobedience campaign aimed at forcing the British to leave India.

The British reacted swiftly by arresting major Congress leaders, including Gandhi, Nehru, and Patel. This led to widespread protests, strikes, and sabotage across the country. Despite lacking centralized leadership due to the arrests, the movement witnessed massive public participation.

The Muslim League, led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, did not support the Quit India Movement, as it feared that a British withdrawal without a separate Muslim state would result in Hindu dominance. The movement was eventually suppressed by British force, but it marked a critical phase in India’s freedom struggle by exposing colonial vulnerability and increasing the urgency for British withdrawal.