This day, 62 years ago, with its leadership behind bars – ordinary Indians rose up to tell the British – go home. Quit India. Bharat Chodo – was the battle cry taken up in the cause of freedom. The previous day – August 8th 1942 – Gandhi had issued a war cry:

“Here is a mantra a short one that I give you. You may imprint it on your hearts and let every breath of yours give expression to it. The mantra is “Do or Die”. We shall either free India or die in the attempt. We shall not live to see the perpetuation of our slavery.”

That night Gandhi and the entire Congress Leadership was arrested and put behind bars. The next morning India rose up. Ordinary Indians revolted against the British Empire. And, while most of the the Quit India movement was non-violent, some of it was very violent – probably demonstrating to an already shaky British Empire, what would be the outcome if they decided not to Quit India.

This morning, in class, I asked my students if they knew what today was. The first answer was 9th, the second was Monday, the third was Hiroshima Day. Not one student knew or remembered the Quit India Movement – yet all of them have studied it for atleast 3 years in school. I don’t see too much in the media about this day 62 years ago.

I suppose that all of us have become so cynical – that it is difficult for us to comprehend that ordinary people, unnamed people, could stand up and stare down an oppressive Government. It is a lesson that we, ordinary citizens, will do well to remember.

55 years after Independence, when we seem to taken liberty for granted, and blame the lack of leadership for our woes, it might do us all good to dust out the history books and read about this day 62 years ago. When ordinary Indians rose up to challenge the might of the most powerful empire on earth.

If I were paranoid, I would say that – that is probably the reason why we have forgotten today