NATIONALISM IN INDIA

Q. 1. Why Gandhiji wanted 1920 movement as broad based movement ?

Q. 2. What was 'The Rowlatt Act, 1919' ?

Q. 3. Why did Gandhiji perceived salt as a powerful symbol that can unites the nation ?

Q. 4. What was the new economic situation created in India by the First World War ?

Q. 5. What were the three proposals regarding Non Co-operation Movement, as suggested by Mahatma Gandhi ?

Q. 6. What was the Impact of the Rowlatt Act on political situation in India ?

Q. 7. What was the Impact of Non-Cooperation Movement in the economic field ?

Q. 8. What was The incident of Jallianwala Bagh and what were its Reactions ?

Q. 9. What was the movement led by Baba Ram Chandra in Awadh against the Taluqdars and Landlords ?

Q. 10. What were the efforts made by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar ?

Q. 11. What was Khilafat Agitation ?

Q. 12. What were the main aspects of the Indian National Movement between 1920–1935 ?

Q. 13. What were the effects of the First World War on the National Movement of India ?

Q. 14. How did Mahatma Gandhi successfully organized Satyagraha Movement in various places After arriving in India ?

Q. 15. What is the the difference between the Civil Disobedience Movement and the Non-Co-operation Movement ?

Q.16. What was the Treatment to untouchables :

Q. 17. How was the Andhra Tribal were Exploited under the British rules ?

Q. 18. Why did the industrialists supported the movement ?

Q. 19. What were the Five Points about Gandhiji’s idea of ‘Satyagraha’ ?

Q. 20. How did the Non-Co-operation became a movement ?

Q. 21. What were the Limitations of Civil Disobedience Movement ?

AnswersAns. 1. Gandhiji wanted 1920 movement as broad based movement because : (a) He wanted to bring Muslims under the umbrella of unifi ed National Movement. (b) He was against the unjust laws of bruisers. (c) He wanted co-operation from supporters and opponents of nationalist movement

(Nagpur session of INC).

Ans. 2. The Rowlatt Act, 1919 : (a) It gave enormous powers to the British government to repress political activities. (b) Allowed detention of political prisoners without trial. (c) It was passed by imperial legislative assembly despite the strong opposition of the

Indian members.

Ans. 3. Gandhiji perceived salt as a powerful symbol that unites the nation because : (a) Salt was something consumed by the rich and the poor alike. (b) It was the most essential items of food. (c) The tax on salt and the government monopoly over its production revealed the

most oppressive face of the British rule.

Ans. 4. The new economic situation created in India by the First World War led to : (a) The huge increase in defence expenditure. This was fi nanced by war loans and by

increasing taxes. (b) Custom duties were raised and income tax was introduced to raise extra revenue. (c) Prices of items increased during the war years. Prices got doubled between 1913

and 1918. This added to the sufferings of the common people. (d) Forced recruitment of rural people in the army was another cause of widespread

anger among people. (e) Failure of crops in many parts of India resulted in acute shortage of food. (f) According to 1921 census, about 12 to 13 million people died because of famines

and epidemic.

Ans. 5. The three proposals regarding Non Co-operation Movement, as suggested by Mahatma Gandhi were :

(a) The movement was to be unfolded in stages. (b) It should begin with the surrender of titles awarded by the government and boycott

of civil services, army, police, courts, legislative council, schools and foreign goods. (c) In case the government used repression, a civil-disobedience movement would be

launched.

Ans. 6. Impact of the Rowlatt Act on political situation in India : (a) People organized hartals in cities, railways went on strike. (b) Shops were closed down. (c) Leaders were arrested. (d) At Amritsar police fi red upon a peaceful procession. (e) Martial law was imposed.

Ans. 7. Impact of Non-Cooperation Movement in the economic fi eld : (a) In the cities, thousands of students left government controlled schools and colleges,

head masters and teachers resigned, lawyers gave up their legal practices. (b) Foreign goods were boycotted and liquor shops were picketed. (c) In many places, merchants and traders refused to trade in foreign goods. (d) In the countryside, peasants demanded reduction of revenue, abolition of begar,

social boycott of oppressive landlords. (e) Merchants refused to trade in foreign goods. (f) People started wearing only Indian clothes.

(g) Production of Indian textile mills and handlooms went up.

Ans. 8. The incident of Jallianwala Bagh : On 13th April, 1919, a crowd of villagers had gathered at Jallianwala Bagh who had

come to Amritsar to attend a fare. They were unaware of martial law imposed in Amritsar. Dyer entered the area and blocked the exit points and opened fi re on the unarmed crowd. Hundreds of people were killed.

Reactions : As this news spread out, there were strikes and clashes with the police. Government

buildings were attacked. The government responded with brutal repression by humiliating the people in many ways. As a result non-cooperation movement was started.

Ans. 9. The movement led by Baba Ram Chandra in Awadh against the Taluqdars and Landlords :

(a) Peasant of Awadh were led by Baba Ram Chandra, a sanyasi. The movement was against Talukedars and landlords.

(b) The landlords and Talukedars demanded exorbitantly high rents and other cases. Peasants had to do begar and work at landlord’s farms without any payment.

(c) As tenants the farmers had no security of tenure. The peasant movement demanded reduction of revenue, abolition of begar and social boycott of oppressive landlords.

(d) In many places nai-dhobi bandhs were organized by panchayats to deprive landlords of the services of barbers and washermen.

(e) Oudh Kisan Sabha was set up headed by Jawaharlal Nehru; Baba Ram Chandra and few others. Within a month, over 300 branches were set up in the villages. The peasant developed in forms. In 1921, the houses of Talukedars and merchants were attacked. Bazzars were looted. Grain hoards were taken over.

Ans. 10. The efforts made by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar were : (a) Dr. B.R.Ambedkar organized the ‘dalits’ into the Depressed Classes Association in

1930. (b) He clashed with Mahatma Gandhi at the second Round Table Conference by

demanding separate electorates for Dalits. (c) In 1932, he signed Poona Pact which gave the depressed classes reserved seats in

the provincial and Central Legislative Councils.

Ans. 11. Khilafat Agitation : (a) World War-I had ended with defeat of Ottoman Turks. There were rumours of

harsh treaty on Khilafat. (b) To defend Khilafat’s temporal powers, Khilafat Committee was formed in 1919 as

he was considered as the spiritual head of muslims. Gandhiji supported it because he saw it as an opportunity to bring Muslims under the Umbrella of a Unifi ed National Movement.

Ans. 12. Following are the main aspects of the Indian National Movement between 1920– 1935 :

(a) Beginning of mass movement after Jallianwalla Bagh massacre. (b) Application of Satyagraha to mass movement, new methods to protest, boycott,

picketing, renunciation of titles, non-payment of taxes. (c) People of different sections and parts shared a common bond of resistance – united

in their hatred against the British rule. (d) Industrialists led by Purshottamdas, Thakurdas and G. D. Birla criticized

colonialism.

Ans. 13. The effects of the First World War on the National Movement of India were : (a) The war created a new economic and political situation. (b) It led to huge increase in defence expenditure which was fi nanced by war loans

and increasing taxes, custom duties were raised and income tax was introduced. (c) Prices increased, doubling between 1913-18. This hit the common people. (d) Villagers were asked to supply soldiers even though force recruitment in rural

areas. (e) During 1918-19 crops failed in many parts of India which created shortage of food. (f) Spread of influenza epidemic.

Ans. 14. After arriving in India, Mahatma Gandhi successfully organized Satyagraha Movement in various places :

(a) In 1916, he travelled to Champaran in Bihar to inspire the peasants to struggle against the oppressive plantation of Indigo.

(b) In 1917, he organized a Satyagraha to support the peasants of the Kheda district of Gujarat who were affected by crop failure and plague epidemic and could not pay the revenue.

(c) In 1918, Mahatma Gandhi went to Ahmedabad to organize Satyagraha Movement amongst cotton mill workers.

Ans. 15. The difference between the Civil Disobedience Movement and the Non-Co-operation Movement can be seen as follows :

(a) Non-Cooperation Movement was launched between 1920 to 1922, while the Civil Disobedience Movement continued between 1930 to 1934.

(b) The Non-Cooperation Movement was launched because of the anger of Jallianwala Bagh tragedy and the Civil Disobedience was launched against the arrival of the Simon Commission.

(c) Swaraj or self-government was the aim of the Non-Cooperation Movement but complete independence was the aim of Civil Disobedience Movement.

Ans. 16. Treatment to untouchables : (a) Untouchables were not allowed to enter into temple, access to public wells, tanks,

roads and schools. (b) It was not a right attitude. (c) Gandhiji declared that swaraj would not come for a hundred years if untouchability

was not eliminated. He called the untouchables harijans or children of God, organized satyagraha to secure them enter into temples, access to public wells, tanks, roads and schools. He himself cleaned toilets to dignify the work of the sweeper and persuaded upper castes to change their heart and give up the sin of untouchability.

Ans. 17. Exploitation of Andhra Tribals under the British rules : (a) In the Gudem hills of Andhra Pradesh, as in other forest areas, the colonial

government had closed large forest areas. Their basic rights were denied. They were prevented from entering the forests to graze their cattle or to collect fi rewoods and fruits.

(b) This enraged the hill people. Not only were their livelihoods affected but they felt that their traditional rights were being denied. When the government began forcing them to contribute begar for road building, the hill people revolted.

(c) The Gudem rebels attacked police stations attempted to kill British offi cials and carried on guerrilla warfare for achieving swaraj.

Ans. 18. The industrialists supported the movement because of the following reasons : (a) The arrival of the Simon Commission in 1928. (b) Announcement of Lord Irwin in October 1929 of an offer of dominion status and a

round table conference. (c) The decisions of the Lahore Congress Session. (d) They wanted protection against imports of foreign goods and a rupee–sterling

foreign exchange ratio that would discourage imports.

Ans. 19. Five Points about Gandhiji’s idea of ‘Satyagraha’ : (a) The idea of Satyagraha emphasized the power of truth and the need to search for

truth. (b) It suggested that if the cause was true, if the struggle was against injustice, then

physical force was not necessary to fi ght the oppressor. (c) Without seeking vengeance or being aggressive, a satyagrahi could win the battle

through nonviolence. (d) This could be done by appealing to the conscience of the oppressor. (e) People including the oppressors had to be persuaded to see the truth, instead of

being forced to accept truth through the use of violence. (f) Gandhiji believed that truth was bound to ultimately triumph.

(g) He believed that the dharma of non-violence could unite all Indians.

Ans. 20. Non-Co-operation became a movement because : (a) Mahatma Gandhi thought that British could establish its rule only with the co-

operation of Indians. (b) It would collapse if Indian’s refused co-operation. (c) Gandhiji proposed that it should start in stages—fi rst surrender of titles, second

boycott of civil services, army, police, courts and then a full civil disobedience. Ans. 21. Limitations of Civil Disobedience Movement :

(a) Dalit participation was limited. They began organizing themselves, demanding reserved seats in educational institutions, and a separate electorate. Dr B.R. Ambedkar, who organized the dalits into the Depressed Classes Association in 1930, clashed with Mahatma Gandhi at the Second Round Table Conference by demanding separate electorates for dalits. Ambedkar ultimately accepted Gandhiji’s position and the result was the Poona Pact of September 1932.

(b) Muslim political groups were also lukewarm in their response to the Civil Disobedience Movement. After the decline of the Non-Cooperation-Khilafat movement, large section of Muslims felt alienated from the Congress. When the Civil Disobedience Movement started, there was a atmosphere of suspicion and distrust between communities. Alienated from the Congress, large sections of Muslims could not respond to the call for a united struggle. Many Muslim leaders and intellectuals expressed their concern about the status of Muslims as a minority within India. They feared that the culture and identity of minorities would be submerged under the domination of Hindu majority.