Commemorative Stamps on 1942 Freedom Movement – 9th August 2017.

The Quit India Movement or the India August Movement, was a movement launched at the Bombay session of the All-India Congress Committee by Mahatma Gandhi on 8 August 1942, during, demanding an end to British Rule of India. The Cripps Mission had failed, and on 8 August 1942, Mahatma Gandhi made a call to Do or Die in his Quit India speech delivered in Bombay at the Gowalia Tank Maidan. The All-India Congress Committee launched a mass protest demanding what Gandhiji called "An Orderly British Withdrawal" from India. Even though it was wartime, the British were prepared to act. Almost the entire leadership of the INC was imprisoned without trial within hours of Gandhiji's speech. Most spent the rest of the war in prison and out of contact with the masses. The British had the support of the Viceroy's Council, of the All India Muslim League, the princely states, the Indian Imperial Police, the British Indian Army and the Indian Civil Service. The outside support came from the Americans, as President Franklin D. Roosevelt pressured PrimeMinister Winston Churchill to give in to some of the Indian demands. The Quit India campaign was effectively crushed. The British refused to grant immediate independence, saying it could happen only after the war had ended.

To commemorate 75 years of 1942 Quit India Movement a set of 8 Commemorative Stamps and a Miniature Sheet was released by The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on 9th August, 2017. The Vice President, Shri M. Hamid Ansari, the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi and the Minister of State for Communications (Independent Charge) and Railways, Shri Manoj Sinha and Shri Ananta Narayan Nanda, Secretary, Department of Posts & Chairperson, Postal Services Board were also present on the occasion.

Set of 8 Stamps depicts Mahatma Gandhi drafting historical speech for All India Congress Committee meeting, Bombay 1942, Huge Crowd gathered outside the historic AICC meeting at Gowalia Tank Maidan, Mahatama Gandhi addressing the historic session of AICC at Gowalia Tank Maidan, Press report on the AICC meeting and the adoption of Quit Inda Resolution, Agakhan Palace where Mahatma Gandhi lost Mahadev Desai and Kasturba Gandhi, Mass uprising and demonstrations with women's participation in large numbers during the Quit India movement, Campaigners during the Quit India Movement, Demonstrators fearlessly confronting police during Quit India Movement.