Yusuf Meher ali

Yusuf Meherally Merchant
Born(1903-09-23)23 September 1903
Died2 July 1950(1950-07-02) (aged 47)
Movement

Yusuf Meherally Merchant (23 September 1903 – 2 July 1950) was an Indian freedom fighter and socialist leader. He was elected Mayor of Bombay[1] in 1942 to 1943 while he was imprisoned in Yerawada Central Prison.[2]

He was the founder of the National Militia, Bombay Youth League and the Congress Socialist Party[3] and played a role in several peasant and trade union movements. He coined the term 'Simon Go Back'.[4]

He was a part of the Quit India Movement along with Mahatma Gandhi for India's last nationwide campaign for independence from the British Empire. He was a participant of underground movement and was in forefront of Quit India Movement.[5] He coined the term "Quit India" which found the approval of Mahatma Gandhi.[6] In his book Gandhi and Bombay, K Gopalaswami describes how “Quit India” came to be adopted as the slogan amidst other contenders. Shantikumar Morarji noted that during a meeting in Bombay, Gandhi and his colleagues discussed slogans for independence. Suggestions like “Get out” and “Retreat” were rejected by Gandhi as they sounded impolite. Finally, Yusuf Meherali proposed “Quit India,” for which Gandhi said in approval, “Amen.”[7]

  1. ^ "Welcome to Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai, India". www.mcgm.gov.in.
  2. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 10 October 2012. Retrieved 14 September 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 10 October 2012. Retrieved 14 September 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. ^ Nauriya, Anil (31 October 2003). "'Simon Go Back' — 75 years after". The Tribune. Chandigarh, India. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  5. ^ Wickenden, T. (1976). Quit India Movement: British Secret Report. Thomson Press (India). p. 246. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  6. ^ "Unsung Heroes Detail Paying tribute to India's freedom fighters Yusuf Meherally". Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
  7. ^ Johari, Aarefa (8 August 2017). "The man who coined the slogan 'Quit India': Remembering Yusuf Meherally". Scroll.in. Retrieved 8 October 2024.