Khattar pays tribute on August Kranti Divas, recalls Gandhi's 'Do or Die'
Synopsis
Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar marked August Kranti Divas on August 9 with a heartfelt tribute to the freedom fighters of the 1942 Quit India Movement, recalling Mahatma Gandhi's iconic 'Do or Die' call that shook British colonial rule to its foundations.
Key Takeaways
August 9 is observed annually as August Kranti Divas , marking the launch of the Quit India Movement in 1942 .
Mahatma Gandhi issued the 'Do or Die' (Karo ya maro) call on 8 August 1942 , triggering a mass uprising against British rule.
Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar offered koti-koti naman — reverence to all freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives for India's independence.
The movement saw widespread arrests, protests, and civil defiance across India, from Bengal to Bombay and Bihar to Uttar Pradesh.
August Kranti Divas commemorations form part of the annual national calendar leading up to Independence Day on August 15 .
On August 9 — August Kranti Divas — Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar invoked the fire of 1942, saluting every freedom fighter who gave everything so India could breathe free.
In a post marking the anniversary, Khattar described August Kranti as 'bharत की आजादी के इतिहास का एक स्वर्णिम अध्याय' — 'a golden chapter in the history of India's freedom' — and offered his deepest respects to all those who sacrificed their all for Maa Bharati.
The day Gandhi said 'Do or Die'
Eighty-four years ago, on 8 August 1942, Mahatma Gandhi stood before the All India Congress Committee in Bombay and delivered one of the most electrifying calls in modern history: 'Karo ya maro' — 'Do or Die.' The Quit India Movement was born that night, demanding the immediate end of British colonial rule. By morning, the British administration had arrested Gandhi and most of the Congress leadership. It did not matter. The movement had already lit a fuse across the country — strikes, protests, and acts of civil defiance erupted from Bengal to Bombay, from Bihar to Uttar Pradesh.Why August 9 still echoes
The Quit India Movement is remembered not just as a political campaign but as proof that a colonised people could shake an empire with bare hands and moral conviction. Thousands were arrested, hundreds killed, and countless unnamed activists carried the torch when their leaders were behind bars. It is those unsung fighters — the village organiser, the student who printed pamphlets, the woman who marched — that Khattar's tribute specifically honours with the phrase 'koti-koti naman', meaning reverence offered a hundred million times over. Indian leaders across the political spectrum mark August 9 each year as part of the national calendar that builds toward Independence Day on August 15. The commemoration serves as a reminder that freedom was not granted — it was wrested, at enormous human cost.Point of View
When political leaders across India reaffirm their connection to the independence movement ahead of August 15. For a senior BJP leader and former Chief Minister of Haryana, invoking Gandhi's 'Do or Die' also signals the party's effort to claim a broad nationalist inheritance that transcends factional history. The framing of August Kranti as a 'golden chapter' — rather than a specific political victory — keeps the tribute inclusive and above partisan contestation. It is, at its core, a reminder that the legitimacy of every Indian government traces back to the sacrifices of 1942.
NationPress
9 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is August Kranti Divas and why is it celebrated on August 9?
August Kranti Divas is observed on August 9 each year to mark the anniversary of the launch of the Quit India Movement in 1942 , when Mahatma Gandhi gave the 'Do or Die' call demanding immediate British withdrawal from India.
What was Gandhi's 'Do or Die' call in 1942?
On 8 August 1942 , Mahatma Gandhi addressed the All India Congress Committee in Bombay and declared 'Karo ya maro' — 'Do or Die' — urging Indians to either win freedom or die in the attempt. It formally launched the Quit India Movement .
What did Manohar Lal Khattar say on August Kranti Divas?
Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar described August Kranti as a golden chapter in India's freedom history and offered koti-koti naman — deepest reverence — to all freedom fighters who sacrificed everything for India's independence.
What was the impact of the Quit India Movement?
The Quit India Movement of 1942 triggered mass protests, strikes, and civil disobedience across India. The British arrested Gandhi and most Congress leaders immediately, but the uprising spread organically, demonstrating the depth of anti-colonial sentiment nationwide.
How does India officially commemorate August 9?
August 9 is observed as August Kranti Divas across India, with tributes from political leaders, official events, and remembrance programmes that form part of the national calendar building toward Independence Day on August 15 .
