A commemorative postage stamp on Resolution for Immediate Independence, passed at Congress Working Committee meeting at Wardha in 1942 [a part of the series ‘India’s Struggle for Freedom‘] :

Issued by India

Issued on Aug 9, 1983

Issued for : The present set of three stamps, on the themes of ‘Quit India Resolution‘, ‘Mahadev Desai‘ and ‘Meera Behn‘ is the first issue in the proposed series. This set, thus, marks the beginning of an ambitious project under which about 4-6 stamps will be issued, every year, till 1997 – the 50^th year of India‘s independence, to complete the story of the struggle through stamps

Description of Designs : The stamp on ‘Quit India Resolution’, designed by C. R. Pakrashi, shows Gandhi and Nehru alongwith other leaders discussing the resolution at the AICC session held at Gowalia Tank Maidan, Bombay on 8 August, 1942.

The other two stamps have been designed by India Security Press. First day cover depicts the scene at Gowalia Tank Maidan, Bombay on 9 August, 1942 after the Police resorted to firing of tear gas shells. Both the first day cover and the cancellation have also been designed by C. R. Pakrashi.

Type : Stamps, Postal Used

Colour : Multi colour

Denomination : 50 Paise

Overall size : 4.8 x 3.6 cms.

Printing size : 4.35 x 3.15 cms.

Perforation : 14½ x 14

Paper : Unwatermarked Gummed paper

Number printed : 20,00,000

Number per issue sheet : 20

Printing process : Photogravure

Printed at : India Security Press

About : 

• India’s Freedom Struggle records some of the most glorious episodes in the annals of the country’s recent past. The story of this struggle has been told and retold through various media. A large number of postage stamps have been issued to honour the personalities and to commemorate the events connected with the Freedom Struggle. These stamps, however, do not narrate the complete story of the long drawn out struggle for Independence. An attempt is, therefore, being made, now to fill in the gaps through the issue of a series to depict the major landmarks in India‘s Struggle for Freedom.
• Quit India Resolution
  • On August 8, 1942, the All-India Congress Committee adopted a resolution sanctioning “the starting of mass struggle on non-violent lines on the widest possible scale under the leadership of Gandhi”. The committee demanded the complete withdrawal of the British power from India so that the war could, indeed, become a people’s war in which millions of free Indians could participate with zeal. Gandhi said, “I am not going to be satisfied with anything short of complete freedom ….. we shall do or die. We shall either free India or die in the attempt“.
  • The British Government of India could not afford to ignore this open challenge to its authority. On August 9, at early dawn, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabh Bhai Patel, Abul Kalam Azad and other members of the Congress Working Committee were arrested.
  • Within a week, almost every important functionary of the Congress in every part of India was put behind the bars. The number of persons arrested totalled more than 60,000, according to official information. The real figures were probably much higher. According to non-official estimates, the number of those killed alone had reached about 10,000.
  • The resolution started a historical phase in India‘s Struggle for Freedom and is an important milestone in the journey towards independence.

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