CM Yogi pays tribute on Quit India Movement anniversary
Synopsis
On the 84th anniversary of the Quit India Movement, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath paid tribute to freedom fighters who answered Gandhi's 'Do or Die' call in 1942, calling their sacrifice an eternal inspiration for every Indian as Independence Day approaches.
Key Takeaways
UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath posted a tribute on 9 August 2026 , the anniversary of the Quit India Movement .
The Quit India Movement was launched on 8 August 1942 by the Indian National Congress, demanding immediate British withdrawal from India.
Mahatma Gandhi 's 'Do or Die' slogan galvanised mass participation and is widely seen as a turning point in the independence struggle.
CM Yogi honoured all freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives, calling their dedication an 'eternal source of inspiration' for Indians.
The tribute is part of a recurring BJP pattern of August commemorations building toward Independence Day on 15 August .
Eighty-four years after Mahatma Gandhi electrified a nation with two words — 'Do or Die' — the anniversary of the Quit India Movement arrived on Sunday, 9 August 2026, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath marked it with a solemn salute to every freedom fighter who gave everything to break the chains of colonial rule.
In his post, CM Yogi offered a humble tribute — 'विनम्र श्रद्धांजलि' ('humble homage') — to all those who sacrificed their all for माँ भारती ('Mother India'). He invoked the iconic 'करो या मरो' ('Do or Die') call, crediting the movement's heroes with awakening national consciousness and giving the freedom struggle its decisive direction. Their dedication and self-respect, he wrote, would remain 'an eternal source of inspiration for every Indian.'
'Do or Die': the moment that shook an empire
The Quit India Movement was launched on 8 August 1942 by the Indian National Congress at the Gowalia Tank Maidan in Bombay, with Gandhi's thunderous demand for immediate British withdrawal from India. The slogan 'Do or Die' was not rhetoric — it was a national ultimatum, and thousands answered it with imprisonment, beatings, and in many cases their lives. The British response was swift and brutal: mass arrests, including Gandhi himself, and a crackdown that swept across the subcontinent.
Yet the movement cracked something irreversible in the architecture of colonial confidence. The scale of popular defiance — from students and farmers to urban workers — signalled that British rule in India was no longer sustainable. Historians mark August 1942 as the moment the independence struggle shifted from petition to ultimatum.
August anniversaries and the BJP's nationalist calendar
CM Yogi's tribute follows a well-established pattern among BJP leaders of using August's cluster of independence-era anniversaries to reinforce themes of national pride and sacrifice — a cadence that builds deliberately toward Independence Day on 15 August. The Quit India anniversary sits at the heart of that calendar, linking the colonial-era 'Do or Die' spirit to contemporary calls for national self-reliance and pride. Commemorative events and official speeches are expected across Uttar Pradesh and nationally in the days leading up to Independence Day.
Point of View
Implicitly connecting colonial-era defiance to the current government's self-reliance narrative. Such posts cost little politically and carry broad appeal, making them reliable fixtures in the BJP's August communication calendar. The real signal to watch is how these themes translate into Independence Day speeches and state-level commemorative programming.
NationPress
9 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Quit India Movement and when was it launched?
The Quit India Movement was launched on 8 August 1942 by the Indian National Congress, led by Mahatma Gandhi , demanding that Britain immediately withdraw from India. Gandhi's rallying cry was 'Do or Die' — करो या मरो .
Why did Yogi Adityanath post a tribute on 9 August 2026?
9 August marks the anniversary of the Quit India Movement, also called August Kranti Diwas . CM Yogi Adityanath posted a tribute honouring freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives during the 1942 uprising.
What does 'Do or Die' mean in the context of the Quit India Movement?
'Do or Die' — करो या मरो — was the slogan issued by Mahatma Gandhi on 8 August 1942, calling on Indians to either win independence or die in the attempt. It became the defining call of the movement.
What events are expected around Quit India Movement anniversary 2026?
Commemorative events and official speeches are expected across Uttar Pradesh and nationally in the days leading to Independence Day on 15 August 2026 , with BJP leaders using the occasion to highlight nationalist themes.
What is August Kranti Diwas?
August Kranti Diwas (August Revolution Day) is observed on 9 August every year to commemorate the launch of the Quit India Movement in 1942, one of the most significant mass movements in India's independence struggle.
