Quit India movement launched in the early hours of August 9, Gandhi and all other senior leaders of the Congress were arrested. The news of these arrests spread like wild fire all over India, and disorders broke out all over India in no time. 

Violence could not be contained. The people were up I arms and the government faced this violence with more violence as writers put it later. 

The government charged that Gandhi was responsible for the violence and terror, and answering this charge Gandhi wrote to the government explaining the positions and situation. And typical of him, he entered into another bout of fasting, which lasted for more than three weeks. 

His health soon deteriorated and the fear was that Gandhi would not survive. But he did, though it proved to be a period of extreme tension, pain and disappointment for him. 

First it was the demise of Mahadev Desai, his secretary for more than 24 years, and then Kastur Bai Gandhi popularly known as Kasturba, his wife fell ill and she too died. And Gandhi had to live a life without his wife. 

Gandhi himself was attacked by malaria and his condition gave rise to anxiety even for the doctors attending on him. People were in an agitated mood and the government became panicky. 

Gandhi was released from prison unconditionally. But it took a long time and a long period of observing silence for him to regain his health.