Indian freedom struggle

Question 1

Factors in Growth of modern nationalism?

Answer 1

1. understandg of contradictions in INdian and colonial interests
2. Political, administrative and economic unification of the country incl T&C
3. western thought and education
   
   1. modern concepts of equality and liberty
   2. common language link- English
4. Press and literature: in 1877, abt 170 newspapers in vernacular languages with a circulation of 100000+; also helped spread ideas of democracy, self-govt, rights etc.
5. rediscovery of India’s past: elaborated in next FC
6. socio-religious reform movements brought different sections together
7. rise of middle class intelligentsia: provided leadership to INC initially
8. worldwide upsurge of natinalism and self-determination concepts starting frm French revolution, liberation movements of Greece and Italy and Ireland
9. reactionary policies and Racial arrogance of Rulers: elaborated in next to next FC

Question 2

Factors in Growth of modern nationalism: rediscovery of India’s past?

Answer 2

1. European scholars:
   
   1. Max ueller
   2. Monier Williams
   3. Roth and sassoon
2. indian scholars
   
   1. RG bhandarkar
   2. RL Mitra
   3. Swami vivekananda
3. self-respect and belief in Indian past

Question 3

Factors in Growth of modern nationalism: reactionary policies and Racial arrogance of Rulers?

Answer 3

1. Lytton’s reactionary policies like
   
   1. redn of max age limit fr ICS frm 21->19 (1876)
   2. Grand Delhi Durbar of 1877 whilst India was suffering frm famine
   3. vrnacular Press act, 1878
   4. Arms act 1878
   5. Ilbert Bill controversy: became clear to INdians that justice and fair play cannot be expected of british; also the organised agitation by Europeans to revoke Ilbert Bill also taught nationalists how to agitate fr certain rights and demands

Question 4

Pre-Congress Political Associations in bengal?

Answer 4

1. Bangabhasha Prakasika Sabha
2. Zamindari Association aka Landholders’ Society
3. Bengal british India Society
4. East INdia Association
5. British Indian association
6. INdia League
7. Indiaan Association

Question 5

Bangabhasha Prakasika Sabha?

Answer 5

1. 1836
2. by associates of Raja Ram mohan Roy
3. topics connected with policy and admin
4. used petitions

Question 6

Zamindari association?

Answer 6

1. aka Landholers’ Society
2. founder: Dwarkanath Tagore along with Prasanna Kumar Tagore, Radhakanta Deb, Ramkamal Sen and Bhabani Charan Mitra
3. 1830
4. Calcutta
5. marks th beginning of consti agitation and organised political activity
6. obj:
   
   1. securing a halt to the resumption of rent-free tenures
   2. an extension of the permanent settlement of land all over India
   3. reform of the judiciary, the police and the revenue departments was also on its agenda.

Question 7

British India Society?

Answer 7

1. founded in 1839 in London with the efforts of William Adam, one of the friends of Raja Ram Mohan Roy.
2. other supporters: George Thompson, William Ednis, and Major General Briggs.
3. In 1841, this society started printing a newspaper “British Indian Advocate“

Question 8

Bengal british India Society?

Answer 8

1. 1843
2. obj:
   
   1. The idea was to secure the welfare, and advance the interests of all classes, in pure loyalty to the government of the reigning sovereign of the British dominions.
   2. collection and dissemination of info abt actual conditions of people in british India
   3. use consti menas to secure welfare of all classes
3. founder: George Thomson
4. merged with Landholders’ society in 1851 to frm British Indian Association
5. 2nd political org after Landholders’ society

Question 9

British Indian association?

Answer 9

1. 1851
2. by merger of Landholders’ Society and Bengal British India Society
3. thus, dominated by membrs of landed aristocracy with aim to safeguard their class interests
4. Devendranath Tagore
5. demands sent to british Parliament
   
   1. estab a separate legis of popular chracter
   2. executive-judicial fns separation
   3. reduction in salaries of higher officers
   4. abolition of salt duty, abkari and stammp duties
6. partially accepted when, charter act of 1853, provided fr addition of 6 members fr legislative purposes to Viceroy’s executive council

Question 10

East Indian association?

Answer 10

1. estab by some Indian students in London on 1 October 1866 on initiative of Dadabhai Naoroji.
2. backgrnd: In 19th century, many Indian students needed to go to England to qualify for the bar or the Covenanted Civil Service.
   
   1. Four such students viz. Pherozeshah Mehta, Badruddin Tyabji, W. C. Bonnerjee and Manmohan Ghose had established the London Indian Society in 1865, on advice of dadabhai Naoroji
   2. key activities of the London Indian Society were to
      
      • discuss the Indian political, social and literary subjects
      • formulate the Indian grievances
      • to counter the misrepresentations from India in English press.
   3. The London Indian Society was thus the first Indian organization to cross the border and formed abroad
3. In 1866, it was superseded by East Indian association

Question 11

India League?

Answer 11

1. 1875
2. Sisir Kumara Ghosh and Sambhu Charan Mukherjee
3. to stimulate sense of natinalism among people; political edu

Question 12

Indian association aka Indian National Association?

Answer 12

1. most imp pre-Congress association; first avowed nationalist organization founded in British India
2. superseded the India League
3. 26th July 1876
4. by anand Mohan Bose and surendranath bannerjee
5. originally established as Bharat Sabha and held its first annual conference in Calcutta
6. against the conservative and pro-landlord policies of british India association
7. obj:
   
   1. create a strong public opinion on political questions
   2. involve nt only middle class bt also the masses,thus membership fee kept low
8. branches outside Bengal too
9. objected to redn of min age frm 21 to 19 and organised indian Civil Services Agitation
10. merged with INC in Dec 1886

Question 13

Indian society?

Answer 13

• Anand Mohan Bose
• 1872
• London

Question 14

National indian association?

Answer 14

1. founded in 1870
2. by Mary Carpenter (Biographer of ramMohan roy) in Bristol, with the assistance of Keshub Chunder Sen.
3. The organization’s full name was originally ‘National Indian Association in Aid of Social Progress in India’.
4. initial aim of the association was to encourage female education in India. They also sought to educate and inform the British about Indian affairs

Question 15

Pre-Congress political association in bombay?

Answer 15

1. Bombay Association
2. Bombay Presidency Association
3. Poona Sarvajanik Sabha

Question 16

Bombay Association?

Answer 16

1. on lines of British India Association of Calcutta
2. Aug 1852
3. Jagannath Shankar Seth

Question 17

Bombay Presidency Association?

Answer 17

1. reactionary policies of Lytton and Illbert Bill Controversy led to
2. 1885
3. by the ‘Brothers in law’ representing the 3 chief communities of bombay :
   
   1. Pherozeshah mehta
   2. Badruddin Tyabji
   3. K.T.Telang

Question 18

Poona sarvajank Sabha?

Answer 18

1. at Poona
2. by Just MG Ranade, Ganesh Vasudeo Joshi, S. H. Chiplunkar
3. 1867
4. obj: to serve as bridge betn people and govt
5. worked in collab with Bombay Presidency Association

Question 19

Pre-Congress political association in Madras?

Answer 19

1. Madras Native Association
2. Madras Mahajan Sabha

Question 20

Madras Native Association?

Answer 20

1. set up as branch of Britishh india Association of Calcutta
2. Feb 1852
3. GL chetty
4. very little impact as it was run by officials

Question 21

Madras Mahajan Sabha?

Answer 21

1. by
   
   1. M. viraraghavchari
   2. G. Subramanya Iyer
   3. Ananda Charlu
   4. P Rangayya naidu
2. may 1884
3. demanded expansion of legislative councils with rep fr Indians

Question 22

pre-congress campaign topics?

Answer 22

1. for imposition of import duty on cotton 1875
2. Indianisation of govt services-1878
3. against Lytton’s afghan adventure
4. against Arms act, VPA
5. fr right to join volunteer corps
6. against plntation labor and against inland Emigration act
7. in support of Illbert bill
8. fr an All india fund fr Political agitation
9. campaign in Britain to vote fr pro-India party
10. against redn in max age fr ICS

Question 23

INC: predecessor?

Answer 23

Indian natinal Conference

• set up by Surendranath Bannerjee and Ananda Mohan Bose
• held two sessions in 1883and 1885

Question 24

first session of INC?

Answer 24

1. Bombay
2. WomeshChandra bannerjee
3. 72 delegates

Question 25

Aims and objectives of INC?

Answer 25

1. found a democratic and nationalist movement
2. politicise and politically educate
3. estab hqrs fr a movement
4. promote friendly relations among political workers frm different parts of country
5. propagate anti-colonial nationalist ideology
6. formulate and present popular demands by unifying people over common econ and political prog
7. develop a feeling of national unity
8. promote an nurture Indian nationhood

Question 26

Moderate approach?

Answer 26

1. a british committe of INC was established in London in 1899
2. published ‘india’
3. it was even decided to hold 1892 session of INC in Londonbt didn’t fructify

Question 27

Contributions of Moderate nationalists?

Answer 27

1. economic critique
2. constitutional reforms and propaganda in legislature
3. campaign fr general administrative reforms
4. defence of civil rights

Question 28

Contri of moderate nationalists: economic critique?

Answer 28

1. Dadabhai Nauroji: drain theory in his book “Poverty and UnBritish Rule in India”. Major components of this drain
   
   • salaries and pensions of civil and military officers
   • interest on loans taken by Indian govt frm abroad
   • profits on foreign investment in INdia
   • stores purchased in Britain fr civil and military deptt
   • home charges [charges needed to maintain administration, army, war expense, pensions to returned officers and expense in maintaining the colony]
2. Justice MG Ranade was his contemporary and taught an entire generation of Indians the importance of industrial development
3. RC Dutt, in Economic History of INdia, examined minutely the entire economic impact of colonial rule from 1757
4. GV Joshi, G Subramanium iyer, GK Gokhale, PC Ray were the others.

Question 29

names of nominated INdians to Imperial Legislative Council betn 1861 and 1892?

Answer 29

1. Syed Ahmed Khan
2. Kristodas Pal
3. VN Mandalik
4. KL Nulkar
5. Rashbehari Ghosh

Question 30

Growth of Militant Nationalism: causes?

Answer 30

1. Understanding the real nature of British government: economic miseries of 1890s (famines killed 9mn betn 1896 and 1900) further exposed exploitative character of govt
2. Dissatisfaction over the reforms and laws: further curbs on freedoms; British rule no more progressive, instead suppressed education
3. crease in confidence and growth of self-respect
   
   • Aurobindo Ghosh, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal
   • confidence about the capacity of masses for making sacrifices for attainment of Swaraj.
4. Role of education: increased awareness plus rising unemploymnt
5. International influences:
   
   1. rise of Japan economically and industrial after 1868
   2. 1896 Ethiopia defeated the Italian army
   3. Boer wars (1899- 1902): British loss
   4. Japanese victory against the Russians in 1905
   5. national movements of Ireland, Russia, Turkey, Egypt
6. Reaction to increasing westernization in India: Revivalist and reformist Social reformers plus rediscovery of India’s past
7. Dissatisfaction with ideology, methods and results of moderates i.e. 3 Ps-Prayer, petition and Protest-‘Political mendicancy’
8. policies of Viceroy Lord Curzon
9. rise of militant school leaders:
   
   • Bengal: Raj Narain Bose, Aurobindo Ghosh, Bipin Chndr Pal
   • PJ: lala Lajapt Rai
   • MH: Tilak
   • demanded Swaraj or self-government as their ultimate aim
   • They had faith in the capacity of masses and hence they favored direct actions
10. Emergence of trained leadership: By the beginning of 20th century, trained and experienced political leadership had emerged

Question 31

Growth of Militant Nationalism: causes: further curbs on freedoms?

Answer 31

1. Council Act 1892 was a big disappointment:
   
   • full of official nominees.
   • The government did not fulfill the demands for increasing the number of Indians in the government services, reducing military expenditures etc
2. government brought repressive laws under IPC 124 and 156A
3. arrest of Tilak in 1897 fr his poem titled “Shivaji’s utterances” in Kesari that they claimed led to murder of plague commissioner Paul Rand
4. 1897: natu bros (Damodar and Balkrishna Chaplekar) deported without trial
5. 1899- no. of INdian members in Calcutta corporation reduced
6. 1904: official secrets Act to curb freedom of press
7. 1904: INdian Universities Act increased govt control over uni which it described as ‘factories of producing political revolutionaries’

Question 32

Partition plan fr bengal?

Answer 32

1. decision made public in Dec 1903
2. divison otbo
   
   1. language: in such a way that the ‘new’ Bengal contained more Hindi and Odia speakers than bengali
   2. religion
3. partition announced in July 1905
4. actually came into effect on 16th Oct 1905

Question 33

Anti-partition campaign under Moderates: leaders?

Answer 33

1. Surendranath Bannerjee
2. KK Mitra
3. Prithiwishchandra (PC) ray

Question 34

Anti-partition campaign under Moderates: betn Dec 1903 and July 1905?

Answer 34

used petitions to educate public opinion in india and england

1. Hitabadi (Dwijendranath Tagore)
2. Sanjibani and Bengalee (Surendranath Baneerjee)

Question 35

Anti-partition campaign under Moderates: after July 1905 and before 16th Oct 1905?

Answer 35

1. protest meetings in towns all over Bengal
2. In such a meeting, on Aug 7th 1905, Boycott resolution was passed in Calcutta townhall, and Swadeshi movement was formally proclaimed
3. boycott of Manchester clothes and LIverpool salt
   4.

Question 36

Anti-partition campaign under Moderates: after 16th Oct 1905?

Answer 36

1. day observed as day of fasting; day of mourning
2. bathed in ganga
3. walked barefoot in processions singing Bande matram
4. tied rakhis on each other hands
5. Surendranath Bannerjee and Anand Mohan Bose addressed huge gatherings
6. spread to other parts of country
   
   • Poona and Bombay- Tilak
   • PJ: lala Lajpat rai and Ajit SIngh
   • Delhi: Syed Haider Raza
   • Madras: Chidambaram Pillai

Question 37

Bengal partition: Congress’ response?

Answer 37

1. 1905: Benares; GK Gokhale;
   
   1. condemn partition and rectionary policies of Curzon
   2. support anti-partition and Swadeshi movement
2. Extremist section wanted to take the movement all India and expand boycott to a full fledged mass struggle
3. 1906: calcutta session: under Dadabhai Naoroji
   
   1. goal of INC was ‘swaraj’ like UK or colonies
4. 1907: INC split

Question 38

Anti partition : under extremists?

Answer 38

1. took over after 1905
2. emboldened by 1906 resolution of swaraj
3. gave call fr ‘Passive resistance’ in addition to swadeshi and boycott movement. it included boycott of
   
   1. govt schools-colleges,
   2. govt service,
   3. courts
   4. legislative Councils
   5. municipalities
   6. Govt titles
4. tried to transform i t into a mass struggle: “political freedom is the lifebreath of a nation” declared Aurobindo
5. thus, goal of independence via self-sacrifice was given central place
6. introduced new forms of struggle

Question 39

Anti partition : under extremists: new forms of struggle?

Answer 39

1. boycott and public burning of foreign goods
   
   • refusal by priests to ritualise marriage with exchange of foreign goods
   • refusal by washrmen
2. public meetings and processions
3. Samitis (Corps of volunteers): eg. Swadsh bandhab Samiti by Ashwini Kumar Dutt; sought to generate political consciousness among masses thru magic lantern lectures, songs, phyiscal and moral training, arbitration courts etc
4. use of traditional popular festivals: eg Ganpati and shivaji festivals; traditional folk theatre in Bengal
5. emphasis on ‘atma shakti‘: social reform campaigns and reassertion of national dignity
6. swadeshi edu:
   
   1. Bengal National college, inspired by tagore’s Shantiniketan, with Aurobindo ghosh as its principal
   2. national Council of education set up in Aug 1906 fr literary, scientific and technical education
   3. edu thru vernacular medium
   4. Bengal insti of Tech; funds raised to send students to japan fr advanced learning
7. swadeshi enterprises
8. cultural sphere

Question 40

Anti partition: cultural sphere?

Answer 40

1. songs written by Rabindranath Tagore ( Amar SOnar Bangla), Rajnikant Sen, Dwijendralal Ray, Mukunda das, Syed abu Mohammed
2. painting: Abanindranath tagore broke domination of Victoriannaturalism and took inspirations frm Mughal, Ajanta and Rajput paintings
3. Indian society of Oriental arts, founded in 1907
   
   1. nandlal Bose became first recepient of scholarship offered by it
4. Science: Jagdish Chandra bose; Prafullachandra ray

Question 41

Anti partition: extent of mass participation?

Answer 41

1. students:
2. women: processions and picketing
3. Muslims:
   
   1. some participated like barrister Abdul rasul, Liaquat Hussian, Guznavi, Maulana azad
   2. bt most of upper and middle class muslims stayed away
   3. some supported partition led by Nawab salimullah of Dacca
   4. All INdia Muslim League formed in 1907
4. some zamindars plus lower middle class of cities
5. some attempt also made by workers by strikes in British owned concerns like Eastern Indian Railways bt limited impact coz of reluctance of Muslim peasants

Question 42

Annulment of partition?

Answer 42

1. 1911
2. cause: to curb revolutionary terrorism
3. to appease Muslims, capital shifted to Delhi

Question 43

Calcutta session 1906?

Answer 43

1. Dadabhai Naoroji
2. asa concession to militants, goal of INC was defined as ‘swarajya or self-govt like UK or the colonies’
3. word ‘swaraj’ mentioned fr the first time; bt its connotation nt spelt out, allowing different interpretations
4. also a resolution supporting the programme of swadeshi, boycott and national education was passed

Question 44

Surat split: immediate factors?

Answer 44

1. Extrmists wanted it to be held at Nagpur (Central Provinces) with Tilak or Lajpat Rai as Prez; Moderates wanted it at Surat (Bombay Presidency) to exclude Tilak frm Presidency, and Rasbehari Ghosh (not Bose) as President
2. Extremists also wanted reiteration of swadeshi, boycott and national education resolutions (passed in 1906 session); Moderates sought to drop these resolution, pining their hopes on upcoming Council reforms; Moderates wanted adherence to constitutional methods only

Question 45

Servants of INdia Society?

Answer 45

1. formed in Pune, Maharashtra, on June 12, 1905 by Gopal Krishna Gokhale,who left the Deccan Education Society to form this association
2. other members: NA Dravid, Gopal Krishna Deodhar and Anant Patwardhan
3. organized many campaigns to promote education, sanitation, health care and fight the social evils of untouchability and discrimination, alcoholism, poverty, oppression of women and domestic abuse
4. publication of The Hitavada, the organ of the Society in English from Nagpur commenced in 1911.

Question 46

Laws passed after 1907 split to check anti-govt activity?

Answer 46

1. Seditious Meetings Act, 1907
2. Indian Newspapers (Incitement to Offences) Act, 1908
3. Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1908
4. Indian Press Act, 1910

After 1908, national movement as a whole declined

Question 47

Policy of ‘rallying them’?

Answer 47

1. by John morley- Secy of state
2. aka ‘carrot and stick’
3. after Swadeshi and Boycott movements and emergence of militant nationalists
4. 3-pronged approach of
   
   1. repression: extremists repressed mildly to frighten the Moderates
   2. conciliation: moderates placated thru some concessions and hope given fr further reforms if extremists reigned in
   3. supression: with moderates on their side and extremists isolated, latter would be supressed with full might

Question 48

revolutionary activity: Phase I- before 1st WW: intro?

Answer 48

1. disillusionement with both moderates and extremist leadership
2. didn’t hope fr a violent mass struggle or of subverting army loyalties
3. opted to follow Russian nihilists and Irish nationalists
4. features:
   
   1. individual heroic actions
   2. swadeshi dacoities to raise funds
   3. during 1st WW, organising military conspiracies seeking help frm enemies of british
5. idea was strike terror in hearts of rulers, arouse people and remove fear of authority
6. Extremist leaders failed to ideologically oppose the revolutionaries
7. ultimately this emerged as the most substantial legacy of Swadeshi Bengal
8. overemphasis on Hindu religion kept Muslims aloof; no involvement of masses along with narrow upper caste social base of movement severely limited rev activity and thus was crushed by state m/c

Question 49

revolutionary activity: Phase I- before 1st WW: Bengal?

Answer 49

1. by 1870s, Calcutta’s student community-> many inactive secret societie
2. first revolutinary grps in 1902,
   
   1. in Midnapore, under Jnanendranath Basu
   2. in Calcutta, Anushilan Samiti incl Promotha Mitter (founder), Jatindranath bannerjee, Barindra Kumar Ghosh etc.
   • only giving physical and moral training to members; bt no actions until 1906
3. April 1906: inner circle within Anushilan Samiti, incl barindra Kumar Ghosh and bhupendranath Dutta, started weekly Yugantar and conducted a few ‘abortive’ actions
   
   1. In 1907, attempt made by this grp on life of unpopular British official, Sir Fuller (first Lt, Guv of new province of Eastern bengal and Assam)
   2. Alipore conspiracy case: In 1908, Prafulla Chaki and Khudiram Bose threw abomb at a carriage supposed to be caarrying Judge Kingsford in Muzzafarpur, instead killing 2 ladies; Chaki committed suicide. whole grp was arrested incl Ghosh bros (Aurobindo and barindra) and tried; Khudiram was tried and hanged ; Narindra Gosain, who turned approver, was shot dead
   3. 1908: Barrah dacoity org by Dacca anushilan smiti under Pulin Das
4. by 1905, several newspapers, like Sandhya and Yugantar, started advocating revolutionary violence: “30cr people inhabiting India must raise their 60cr hnads to stop curse of oppression”
5. Rashbehari Bose and Sachin sanyal org a secret society covering even PJ, Delhi and United Provinces; Rashbehari Bose and Sachin sanyal also threw a bomb at Viceroy’s Hardinge entry procession thru Chandi CHowk in Dec 1912
6. some like Hemchandra Kanungo went abroad fr military and political training

Question 50

revolutionary activity: Phase I- before 1st WW: MH?

Answer 50

1. first rev-act: org of Ramosi peasants Force by vasudev balwant Phadke in 1879 to rid country of British by an armed revolt by disrupting communication lines; funds thru dacoities
2. 1890s: Tilak propagated militant nationalism even thru violence by Ganpati and Shivaji festivals and his journals
3. Newspapers like ‘Kal’, journals like ‘Kesari’ and ‘maharatta’
4. his disciples: Chapekar bros murdered Plague commissioner of Poona, Rand and Lt. Ayerst in 1897
5. Savarkar nd his brother organised ‘Mitra mela’, a secret society in 1899
6. Abhinav Bharat superseded Mitra Mela in 1904 (modelled on Mazzini’s Young Italy)
7. 1909: Jackson, DM of Nasik was killed
8. Nasik, Poona and Bombay emrged as Bomb mfg centres

Question 51

revolutionary activity: Phase I- before 1st WW: PJ?

Answer 51

1. fuelled by issues like frequent famines plus rise in land revenues and irrigation taxes, ‘begar’ practices and events in bengal
2. Lala Lajpat rai:
   
   1. Punjabee (motto: self-help at any cost)
3. Ajit SIngh: organised Anjuman-i-Mohisban-i-Watan in Lahore with its journal, bharat Mata; urged non-payment of revenue and water rates amon doab peasants; later turned violent
4. Aga haider; Syed Haider Raza; Bhai Parmanand and radical urdu poet, lalchand Falak
5. rev-act died down here quickly in May 1907 with deporattion of Lala and Ajit SIngh; after this, ajit Singh and associates like Sufi Ambaprasd, lalchand and bhai Parmamand developed into full scale rev.

Question 52

revolutionary activity: Phase I- before 1st WW: Abroad?

Answer 52

EUROPE

1. Shyamji Krishnaverma started ‘India House’- an Indian Home Rule society, in London, as a centre fr Indina students , a scholarship scheme to bring radical youth frm india, and a journal ‘the Sociologist’
2. India House had members like Savarkar and Lala Hardayal and Madanlal Dhingra (who assasinated India Office bureaucrat Curzon Wyllie in 1909)
3. soon London became dangerous fr revs (Savarkar extradited in 1910) and transported fr life in nasik conspiracy case (killing of DM)
4. New centres emerged: paris and Geneva
   
   1. Madam bhikaji cama: bande Mataram
   2. ajit Singh
5. When British=german relations worsened, ​Virendranath Chattopadhyay worked frm berlin

NORTH AMERICA

• Pre-Ghadr rev activities: by
  
  • Ramdas Puri
  • GD Kumar
  • taraknath Das
  • Sohan Singh Bhakna
  • Lal hardayal (arrived in 1911)
• set up
  
  • Swadesh Sevak home at Vancouver
  • United India House at Seattle

Question 53

Who was the only Viceroy of India to be murdered in office?

Answer 53

Lord Mayo

Sher Ali Afridi, also called Shere Ali, is known for killing Lord Mayo, the Viceroy of India, on 8 February 1872. He was a prisoner on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands at the time, sentenced for murder

Question 54

Morley Minto reforms preceded by?

Answer 54

Shimla Deputation

1. Oct 1906
2. grp of Muslim elites led by Sir Aga Khan, met Lord into and demanded separate electorates fr Muslims and rep in excess of their numerical strength in view of the ‘value of their contribution to the defence of British empire.

Question 55

formation of All India Muslim League?

Answer 55

1. formation of a Muslim political party on the national level was seen as essential by 1901
2. first considered at Muhammadan Educational Conference (by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan fr AMU funding and edu among Muslims), Lucknow in September 1906
   
   • In 1886, Sir Syed founded the Muhammadan Educational Conference, but a self-imposed ban prevented it from discussing politics. Its original goal was to advocate for British education, especially science and literature, among India’s Muslims. The conference, in addition to generating funds for Sir Syed’s Aligarh Muslim University, motivated the Muslim upper class to propose an expansion of educational uplift elsewhere, known as the Aligarh Movement.
3. then happened Shimla deputation
4. Finally, at the annual meeting of the All-India Muhammadan Educational Conference,Dec 1906 at Dhaka, formally floated by Nawab Salimullah of Dacca and supported by
   
   1. Nawabs Mohsin ul Mulk
   2. Waqar ul Mulk
   3. Hakim Ajmal Khan
   4. Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar
   5. Zafar Ali Khan
   6. Syed Nabiullah
5. Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah (Aga Khan III) was appointed the first honorary president of the Muslim League, though he did not attend the Dhaka session
6. In 1913, Mohammed Ali Jinnah joined; bt lived most of 1920s in London
7. leadership of the League was taken over by Sir Muhammad Iqbal, who in 1930 first put forward the demand for a separate Muslim state in India though didn’t use the word ‘Pakistan’
8. 1933, Choudhary Rahmat Ali, founder of the Pakistan National Movement, voiced his ideas in the pamphlet entitled “Now or Never;Are We to Live or Perish Forever?” and gave ‘Pakistan’
9. Until 1937, the Muslim League had remained an organisation of elite Indian Muslims, bt after that, under Jinnah’s leadership, its membership increased to millions
10. In Lahore, in 1940, ML formally recommitted itself to creating an independent Muslim state which would be “wholly autonomous and sovereign”; Lahore Resolution, moved by the sitting Chief Minister of Bengal A. K. Fazlul Huq and its principles formed the foundation for Pakistan’s first constitution

Question 56

who raised the issue of plight of indentured labourers and INdian workers in S. Africa in Imperial legislative council?

Answer 56

GK Gokhale

Question 57

Morley Minto reforms: highlights?

Answer 57

1. Number of elected members in the legislative councils, both at centre and provincial level, was increased
2. In the provincial councils non official majority was introduced, but the overall non elected majority remained
3. In the Imperial Legislative Council,
   
   1. total 69 members
   2. 37 officials and 32 non officials
   3. Of the non-officials, 5 nominated and 27 elected
   4. Among 27 elected, 13 general electorate, 8 Muslim separate electorate, 4 reserved for British capitalists and 2 reserved for landlords
   5. i.e. 69=37 (officials)+ 32 (non-officials)
      =27 elected + 5 nominated
      = 13 general electorates + 8 Muslim separate electorates + 4 reserved for British capitaists + 2 reserved for Landlords
4. Elected members indirectly elected. Local bodies elected an electoral college which would elect members of provincial legislature who in turn would elect members of Central legislature
5. Muslim representation:
   
   1. Separate electorate
   2. Representation in excess of the strength of their population
   3. The income qualification for Muslim voters was kept lower than that for Hindus
6. Powers of Legislature,both at the centre and in provinces were enlarged. They could now pass resolutions (which may not be accepted), half questions nd supplementaries and vote separate items in the budget (but not the budget as a whole)
7. One Indian was to be appointed to the viceroy executive Council (Satyendra Sinha was the first to be appointed in 1909)

Question 58

revolutionary activities during 1st WW?

Answer 58

1. North America: Ghadr party
2. Europe: Berlin committee
3. scattered mutinies like in Singapore
4. rev activities in PJ and Bengal

Question 59

revolutionary activities during 1st WW: Ghadr party?

Answer 59

1. weekly newspaper: The Ghadr; hqrs at Sanfrancisco and branches along western US coast; estab in 1913
2. incl mainly ex-soldiers and peasants who migrated frm PJ to USA and canada in search of beeter employment opp
3. leaders:
   
   1. lala hardayal
   2. ramchandra
   3. Bhagwan Singh
   4. karatar SSingh Sarawa
   5. barkatullah
   6. Bhai Parmanand
4. obj:
   
   1. organise assassination of officials
   2. publish revolutionary and anti-imperialist lit
   3. work among Indian troops stationed abroad
   4. procure arms brin abt a simultaneous revolt in all British colonies
5. plans encouraged by
   
   1. 1st WW and
   2. Komagatu maru incident
6. even though failed in armed rebellion coz of lack of a structured and organised leadership, sucess lied in preacing militant nationalism with completely secular ideology

Question 60

Komagatu Maru incident?

Answer 60

1. 370 passengers, Sikh and Muslim Punjabis wud-be immigrants travelling frm singapore to vancouver
2. finally anchored at Calcutta
3. created an explosive situation in PJ

Question 61

revolutionary activities during 1st WW: Ghadrite revolution in India?

Answer 61

1. enraged by Komagata Maru and encoraged by 1st WW, Ghadr leaders decided to launch a violent attack on British state in india
2. Kartar Singh Saraba and raghubar dayal Gupta came to India and in India, Rashbehari Bose and Sachin Sanyal led the movement
3. fr Funds, political dacoities; unique in that raiders targeted moneylenders and debt records along with cash
4. fixed 21st feb 1915 as the D-day fr armed revolt in Ferozepur, Rawalpindi and lahore garrisons
5. foiled at last moment due to treachery; grps disbanded; rashbehari Bose fled to japan while Sachin sanyal was transported fr life; British crushed it with full migt using ‘Defence of India Act 1915’

Question 62

revolutionary activities during 1st WW: revolutionaries in Europe?

Answer 62

1. Berlin committee for Indian independence estab in 1915 by Virendranath Chattopadhyay, Bhupendranath Dutta, lala hardayal along with help of german foreign office under ‘Zimmerman plan’
2. aimed to mobilise Indian settlers abroad to send volunteers and arms to India to incite rebellion among INdian troops and even organise an armed invasion
3. sent missions to Baghdad, Persia, Kabul and Turkey to work among Indian troops and Indian PoWs and to incite anti-british feelings
   
   1. mission under raja mahendra Pratap SIngh Barkatullah and Obaidullah Sindhi went to Kabul to organise a provisonal indian govt there with the help of crown price Amanullah

Question 63

Hindu-german conspiracy?

Answer 63

was a series of plans between 1914 and 1917 by Indian nationalist groups to attempt Pan-Indian rebellion against the British Raj during World War I

Other related events include the

• 1915 Singapore Mutiny,
• the Annie Larsen arms plot,
• the Jugantar–German plot,
• the German mission to Kabul,
• the mutiny of the Connaught Rangers in India, as well as, by some accounts,
• the Black Tom explosion in 1916

Question 64

revolutionary activities during 1st WW: Singapore mutiny?

Answer 64

1. under Jamadar Chisti Khan, Jamadar Abdul Gani and Subehdar Daud Khan
2. crushed after a fierce battle

Question 65

revolutionary activities during 1st WW: rev act in PJ nd Bengal?

Answer 65

1. Ghadrite conspiracy with R. Bose and S. Sanyal
2. most Bengal grps organised under jatin Mukherji (Bagha Jatin) and planned disruption of railway lines, seizure of Fort Williams and landing of German arms; bt failed due to poor plannin and Bagha Jatin died at Balasore, Odisha
3. rev act cooled down after war, as
   
   1. prisoners released
   2. atm of conciliation after Montague’s Aug 1917 statement and talks of consti reforms
   3. emergence of gandhi

Question 66

revolutionary activities died down after 1st WW: causes?

Answer 66

1. prisoners released
2. atm of conciliation after Montague’s Aug 1917 statement and talks of consti reforms
3. emergence of gandhi

Question 67

Home Rule League: intro? factors responsible?

Answer 67

1. a less charged bt more effective response to 1st WW
2. on lines of irish Home Rule Leagues
3. represented a new trend of aggressive politics
4. moderates disillusioned with Morley-Minto reforms
5. burden of wartime miseries
6. naked propaganda of imperialism laid bare
7. Tilak and Besant ready to assume leadership; Tilak toned down and nw wnated a reform of admin and nt an overthrow of Govt and nt in favour of violence.

Question 68

Home Rule League: build up?

Answer 68

1. both Tilak and Besant understood need fr both extremsts and moderts
2. failed at 1914 session; nd decided 2 revive poltical activity on their own
   
   1. 1915: AB launched a campaign to demand a self-govt after the war on lines of white colonies; campaigned thru her newspaper, new India and Coomonwealth.
3. ​1915 sesson: extremists were decided to be admitted to INC; though AB failed to get INC to approve her Home rule league scheme; instead INC committed to a programme of educative propaganda and revival of local level congress-committees; AB decided to launch HRL on her own
4. Tilak and Besant set up their separate leagues to avoid any friction.

Question 69

Home Rule League: Tilak’s league?

Answer 69

1. Apr 1916
2. resticted to MH (excluding Bombay city), KN, Central Provinces and Berar
3. 6 branches
4. demands:
   
   1. swarajya
   2. formation of linguistic states
   3. education in vernacular

Question 70

Home Rule League: Besant’s league?

Answer 70

1. Sept 1916
2. in Madras
3. covered all areas left by Tilak incl bombay city
4. more loosely organised
5. 200 branches
6. George Arundale: org secy
7. also, BW Wadia and CP Ramaswamy Aiyer

Question 71

Home Rule League: other, later members? who stayed away?

Answer 71

• many disillusioned moderate Congressmen and members of Servants of INdia Society

1. Motilal Nehru
2. JL Nehru
3. bhulabhai desai
4. Chittaranjan das
5. mada mohan Malviya
6. Mohammad Ali Jinnah
7. tej Bahadur sapru
8. Lala Lajpat rai

• Anglo-Indians
• most of Muslims
• non-Brahmins frm South

Question 72

Who rejected the title of Knighthood and refused to accept a position in the Council of the Secretary of State of India?

Answer 72

GK Gokhale

said. by accepting such honours he would cease to be Gopal Krishna Gokhale

Question 73

Home rule programme?

Answer 73

1. aimed to convey to common man message of Home rule as self-govt
2. wider appeal; even hitherto ‘politically backward’ regions of GJ and Sindh
3. promote political edu and discussion thru public meetings, libraries and reading rooms, conferences, classes, newspapers, plays, religiou songs
4. organising social work
5. participating in local govt activities

Question 74

Home rule league: Govt response?

Answer 74

1. severe repression
2. Tilak barred frm entering PJ and delhi
3. AB arrested in June 1917-> nationwide protest
   
   1. S. Subramaniya Iyer renounced his knigthood
   2. Tilak advocated a programme of passive resistance
   3. AB finally released in Sept 1917

Question 75

Home rule league: why faded out? positives?

Answer 75

1. faded out by 1919
2. lack of effective org
3. communal riots in 1917-18
4. moderates who pacified by talks of reforms; Montague’s statement
5. Talk of Passive resistance by extremists kept the moderates off frm activity frm Sept 1918 onwards
6. Montague-Chelmsford reforms divided opinions; AB vacillated over her response while Tilak had to go abroad in Sept 1918
7. shift to masses
8. organisational link betn towns and countryside
9. created a genertaion of ardent nationalists
10. prepared masses fr Gandhian style politics
11. influenced Aug 1917 declaration and ensuing reforms
12. reunion of INC

Question 76

Lucknow session,1916?

Answer 76

1. presided by a moderate Ambika Charan Majumdar
2. readmisson of extremists: factors:
   
   1. mellowing out of Tilak
   2. death ofGK Gokhale and Pherozeshah mehta, two oderates most opposed to extremists
3. Lucknow pact betn INC and ML; presentation of common demands to govt:
   
   1. Govt shud declare that it wud confer self-govt on indians at an early date
   2. LCs shud be further expandedwith an elected majorityand shud be given more powers
   3. Half the members of Viceroy’s executive Council shud be indians

Question 77

factors leading to INC-ML unity at Lucknow session?

Answer 77

1. Britain’s refusal to help Turkey in its wars with Balkans (1912-13) and with Italy (1911)
2. annulment of bengal partition
3. refusal to british govt in india to set up a uni at Aligarh with powers to affliate colleges all over india alienated some Musims
4. younger League members more inclined towards nationalistic obj; Calcutta session of ML (1912) committed ML to work with other grps fr a system of self-govt suited to India, provided it didn’t come in; conflict with its basic obj of protection of interests of Indian muslims; leaders like Mohammed Ali, Abul Kalam azad, hakim Ajmal Khan and Hasan Imam took over frm conservative aligarh school
5. infuriated with british repression during war eg. Maulana Azaf’s Al Hilal and Mohammad Ali’s comrade were suppressed
6. Congress accepted separate electorates and ML agreed to present joint consti demands along with Congress
   7.

Question 78

Montague’s statement?

Answer 78

Government’s policy is of an increasing participation of Indians in every branch of Administration and gradual development of self governing Institutions with a view to the progressive realisation of responsible government in India as an integral part of the British Empire

Question 79

Significance of Montague’s statement?

Answer 79

1. nw onwards, demand by nationalists fr self-governance or HOme rule cud nt be termed as seditious since ‘self-govt by Indians’ became a govt policy, unlike Morley’s statement in 1909 that reforms were nt intended to give self-govt to India
2. objections to the statement by India’s leaders:
   
   1. no specific time frame given
   2. Govt was the sole aouthority to decide nature and timing of advance towards responsible govt

Question 80

Congress’ response to Montague Chelmsford reforms?

Answer 80

1. special session in August 1918 at Bombay under Hasan Imam’s presidency
2. “disappointing” and “unsatisfactory” and
   demanded effective self-government instead
3. termed “unworthy and disappointing—a sunless dawn” by Tilak,
4. Annie Besant found them “unworthy of England to offer and India
   to accept”.

Question 81

Causes for Nationalist resurgence near the end of first world war?

Answer 81

1. Post war economic hardship:
   
   1. Industry: first an increase in prices then a recession coupled with increased foreign investment brought many Industries to the brink of closure and loss
   2. workers nd artisans: unemployment and high prices
   3. peasantry: high taxation and poverty
   4. soldiers: shared their experiences from abroad to the rural folk
   5. educated urban classes: unemployment
2. High Expectations of political gains from the government in return for support
3. Nationalist disillusionment with imperialism worldwide: it became clear from the Paris Peace Conference that the imperialist powers had no intentions of losing their hold over the colonies and in fact they went on to divide the colonies of the defeated powers among themselves
4. The world war eroded the myth of the cultural and military superiority of the whites
5. October revolution in Russia brought home the message that immense power leave the people and the masses were capable of challenging the mightiest of tyrants provided they were organised, United and determined
6. Disappointment with Montford reforms
7. jalianwala Bagh massacre and Hunter commission; Rowlatt Act
8. Lucknow pact brought together INC and ML

Question 82

Gandhi in south Africa

Answer 82

1. went there in April 1893; stayed upto 1914
2. moderate phase of struggle : 1894- 1906
3. phase of passive resistance or satyaraha 1906-1914

Question 83

Gandhian struggle in Africa: backgrnd?

Answer 83

three categories—

1. the indentured Indian labour, mainly from south India, who had migrated to South Africa after 1890 to work on sugar plantations;
2. the merchants—mostly Meman Muslims who had followed the labourers; and
3. the ex-indentured labourers who had settled down with their children in South Africa after the expiry of their contracts.

• These Indians were mostly illiterate and had little or no knowledge of English with many disabilities.
• They were denied the right to vote.
• They could reside only in prescribed locations which were insanitary and congested.
• In some colonies, Asians and Africans could not stay out of doors after 9 PM nor could they use public footpaths.

Question 84

Gandhi in SA: moderate phase of struggle?

Answer 84

1894-1906

To unite different sections of Indians, he set up the Natal Indian
Congress and started a paper Indian Opinion.

Question 85

Gandhi in SA: Extremist phase of struggle?

Answer 85

1. Satyagraha against Registration Certificates (1906)
   
   1. formed the Passive Resistance Association
   2. after arresting, authorities used deceit to make these defiant Indians register themselves
   3. publicly burning their registration certificates
   4. compromise settlement
2. Campaign against Restrictions on Indian Migration
3. Campaign against Poll Tax and Invalidation of Indian Marriages
   
   1. poll tax of three pounds was imposed on all ex-indentured Indians; widened the base of the campaign
   2. an insult to the honour of women and many women were drawn into the movement
4. Protest against Transvaal Immigration Act
   
   1. violated it willingly by going frm Natal into Traansval
   2. strikes in mines and plantations
   3. In India, Gokhale toured the whole country mobilising public opinion in support of the Indians in SA.
   4. Even the viceroy, Lord Hardinge, condemned the repression and called for an impartial enquiry
5. through a series of negotiations involving Gandhi, Lord Hardinge, C.F. Andrews and General Smuts, an agreement was reached by which the Government of South Africa conceded the major Indian demands relating to the poll tax, the registration certificates and marriages solemnised according to Indian rites

Question 86

tolstoy farm?

Answer 86

1. founded in 1910 and named as such by Gandhi’s associate, Herman Kallenbach, after the Russian writer and moralist, whom Gandhi admired and corresponded with.
2. Besides being an experiment in education, it was to house the families of the satyagrahis and to give them a way to sustain themselves
3. Similarly, earlier He had set up the Phoenix Farm in 1904 in Natal, inspired by a reading of John Ruskin’s Unto This Last, a critique of capitalism, and a work that extolled the virtues of the simple life of love, labour, and the dignity of human beings
4. highligts:
   
   1. manual work
   2. vocational training
   3. co-ed classes
   4. cooking, scavenging, sandal-making
5. worked until 1913

Question 87

Basic tenets of Gandhi’s satyagraha?

Answer 87

• A satyagrahi was not to submit to what he considered

as wrong, but was to always remain truthful, non-violent and
fearless.
● A satyagrahi works on the principles of withdrawal
of cooperation and boycott.

● Methods of satyagraha include non-payment of taxes,
and declining honours and positions of authority.
● A satyagrahi should be ready to accept suffering in
his struggle against the wrong-doer. This suffering was to be
a part of his love for truth.
● Even while carrying out his struggle against the
wrong-doer, a true satyagrahi would have no ill feeling for
the wrong-doer; hatred would be alien to his nature.
● A true satyagrahi would never bow before the evil,
whatever the consequence.
● Only the brave and strong could practise satyagraha;
it was not for the weak and cowardly. Even violence was
preferred to cowardice. Thought was never to be separated
from practice. In other words, ends could not justify the
means.

Question 88

Gandhiji and Hinduism

OR

Gandhiji and Religion

OR

Gandhi vs Communalism

Answer 88

Gokhale, said Gandhi, “was a Hindu, but of the right type. A Hindu Sannyasi once came to him and made a proposal to push the Hindu political cause in a way which would suppress the Mahommedan and he pressed his proposal with many specious religious reasons. Mr. Gokhale replied to this person in the following words: ‘If to be a Hindu I must do as you wish me to do, please publish it abroad that I am not a Hindu’.”

Like his teacher, Gokhale, he refused the temptation to define India as a Hindu nation. Like Gokhale again, he worked ceaselessly to build bridges between India’s major religious communities, Hindus and Muslims.

Gandhi believed that people of all faiths had equal rights to the country and all that it represented.

In an important booklet he published in 1945 on his party’s Constructive Programme, the first element in was “communal unity”, preceding other subjects such as the abolition of untouchability, the promotion of khadi, the upliftment of women, and the pursuit of economic equality (all of which were also dear to him). In this crucial introductory section, Gandhi wrote that “the first thing essential” for achieving communal unity is “for every Congressman, whatever his religion may be, to represent in his own person Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Zorostrian, Jew, etc., shortly, every Hindu and non-Hindu. He has to feel his identity with every one of the millions of the inhabitants of Hindustan. In order to realize this, every Congressman will cultivate personal friendships with persons representing faiths other than his own. He should have the same regard for the other faiths as he has for his own”

His heroic fasts for communal harmony in Calcutta in September 1947 and in Delhi in January 1948 have been extensively written about

Question 89

Gandhiji on moderate politics and Home rule league?

Answer 89

1. convinced about the limitations of moderate politics
2. was also not in favourof Home Rule agitation which was becoming popular at that time. He thought that it was not the best time to agitate for Home Rule when Britain was in the middle of a war.
3. He was convinced that the only technique capable of meeting the nationalist aims was a non-violent satyagraha. He also said that he would join no political organisation unless it too accepted the creed of non-violent satyagraha.

Question 90

the first three satyagrahas of Gandhiji: intro?

Answer 90

1. Champaran:1917- first Civil disobedience
2. Ahmedabad Mill strike: 1918- First Hunger strike
3. Kheda satyagraha: 1918- First non-coop
4. Satyagraha against Rowlatt act: 1919- First mass strike

Question 91

Champaran satyagraha?

Answer 91

1. tinkathia (3/20th) indigo
2. Rajkumar Shukla
3. MKG joined by Rajendra Prasad, Mazharul- Haq, Mahadeo Desai, Narhari Parekh, and J.B. Kripalani
4. other leaders: Brajkishore Prasad, Anugrah Narayan Sinha, Ramnavmi Prasad, Babu Gaya Prasad and Shambhusharan Varma.
5. later JN Nehru also
6. Gandhi was able to convince the authorities that
   the tinkathia system should be abolished and that the
   peasants should be compensated for the illegal dues extracted
   from them (upto 25%)

Question 92

Ahmedabad Mill Strike?

Answer 92

1. March 1918
2. issue of discontinuation of the plague bonus; The mill owners
   wanted to withdraw the bonus. The workers were demanding
   a rise of 50 per cent in their wages so that they could manage
   in the times of wartime inflation; mill owners ready fr only 20%
3. striking workers being arbitrarily dismissed; weavers brought from Bombay
4. sought help frm Anusuya Sarabhai aka Anusuya Ben, who went to gandhiji
   
   1. also the sister of Ambalal Sarabhai, one of the mill owners and the president of the Ahmedabad Mill Owners Association
   2. was the India’s first female union leader; Ahmedabad Textile
      Labour Association in 1920.
5. Gandhi asked the workers too on a strike and demand a 35 per cent increase in wages instead of 50 per cent.
6. undertook a fast unto death;finally agrred to submit issue to a tribunal; tribunal rewarded 35% raise

Question 93

Kheda satyagraha?

Answer 93

1. According to the Revenue Code, if the yield was less than one-fourth the normal produce, the farmers were entitled to remission
2. Gujarat Sabha, consisting of the peasants, submitted petitions that the revenue assessment for the year 1919 be suspended
3. gandhiji spiritual head
4. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and a group of other devoted
   Gandhians, namely, Narahari Parikh, Mohanlal Pandya and
   Ravi Shankar Vyas,who went around the villages, organised
   the villagers
5. remarkable in that discipline and unity
6. Finally, It agreed to suspend the tax for the year in question, and for the next; reduce the increase in rate; and return all the confiscated property
7. struggle at Kheda brought a new awakening among
   the peasantry. They became aware that they would not be free
   of injustice and exploitation unless and until their country
   achieved complete independence

Question 94

Montford reforms?

Answer 94

Montague-chelmsford reforms

Question 95

Rowlatt act?

Answer 95

1. passed in March 1919 even though every single Indian member (incl Jinnah, MMMalviya and MazharulHaq, who resigned in protest) of Central LC opposed it.
2. officially called “Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act”
3. on the recommendation of Rowlatt Commission, headed by
   the British judge, Sir Sidney Rowlatt, to investigate the
   ‘seditious conspiracy’ of the Indian people
4. objective was to replace the repressive provisions of the wartime Defence of India Act (1915) by a permanent law
5. features:
   
   1. allowed political activists to be tried without juries or even imprisoned without trial
   2. without warrant on the mere suspicion of ‘treason
   3. could be tried in secrecy without recourse to legal help
   4. special cell consisting of three high court judges
      was to try such suspects and there was no court of appeal
      above that panel
   5. could even accept evidence not acceptable under the Indian Evidences Act
   6. even possession of seditious newspapers would be adequate evidence of guilt

Question 96

Rowlatt satyagraha?

Answer 96

1. gandhiji called it ‘Black act’
2. called for a mass protest at all India level
3. organised a Satyagraha Sabha and roped in younger members of Home Rule Leagues and the Pan Islamists
4. method of protest:
   
   1. nationwide hartal (strike) accompanied by
   2. fasting and prayer,
   3. civil disobedience against specific laws, and
   4. courting arrest and imprisonment
5. to be launched on April 6, 1919 but before it could be launched, there were large-scale violent, anti-British demonstrations, esp in PJ, where situation worsened due to wartime repression, forcible
   recruitments and ravages of disease
6. April 1919 saw the biggest and the most violent anti-British upsurge since 1857
7. LG of PJ Sir Michael O’Dwyer, is said to have used aircraft
   strafing against the violent protestors

Question 97

Marcella Sherwood: is related to?

Answer 97

Rowlatt protests and Jallianwala bagh massacre

In PJ riots before rowlatt satyagraha, five Englishmen are reported to have been killed and Marcella Sherwood, an English woman
missionary going on a bicycle, was beaten up.

Question 98

resolutions passed in Jallianwala bagh? massacre impact?

Answer 98

2 resolutions

1. one calling for the repeal of the Rowlatt Act and
2. the other condemning the firing on April 10, had been passed
3. 1650 bellets fired; as per INC, >1000 dead and >1500 injured
4. Rabindranath Tagore renounced his knighthood in protest. Gandhi gave up the title of Kaiser-i-Hind, bestowed by the British for his work during the Boer War.
5. withdrew the movement on April 18, 1919.
6. Gandhi declared that cooperation with a ‘satanic regime’ was now impossible
7. For Bhagat Singh’s Bharat Naujawan Sabha, the massacre was to act as a symbol that would help overcome the apathy that came in the wake of the end of the NCM
8. Udham Singh, who bore the name, Ram Mohammad
   Singh Azad, later assassinated Michael O’Dwyer (LG, nt the one who ordered shooting)
9. hunter committee; three Indians among the members, namely,
   Sir Chimanlal Harilal Setalvad, Pandit Jagat Narayan and ardar Sahibzada Sultan Ahmad Khan; final report, released in
   March 1920, unanimously condemned Dyer’s actions bt didn’t imposeany penal or disciplinary action; also before the commssion proceedings, govt had passed an ‘Indemnity act’ aka white-washing bill
10. marked the decisive moment when Indians were alienated from British rule”

Question 99

Indian National Congress appointed its own non-official
committee on Jallianwala Bagh massacre. members?

Answer 99

Motilal Nehru, C.R. Das, Abbas Tyabji, M.R. Jayakar and Gandhi

criticised Dyer’s act as inhuman and
also said that there was no justification in the introduction
of the martial law in Punjab.

Question 100

1. Khilafat committe?
2. Demands ?
3. progress?
4. COngress’ stand on Khilafat issue?
5. ML stand?

Answer 100

1. under leadership of ali bros (Shaukat Ali and Muhammed ali), Maulanaazad, Azmal Khan and hasrat Mohani; President of all india Khilafat committe was Gandhiji
2. demands:
   
   1. Khalifa’s control over Muslim sacred places shud be retained
   2. Khalifa shud be left with sufficient territories after territorial arrangements
3. initially tried petitions and requests; then in Nov 1919, All india KHilafat conference, called fr boycott of British goods and threatened complete non-coop until demands met
4. though Gandhi was in favour of NCM in support of Khilafat issue, INC was not united on this; Tilak opposed to alliance over a religious issue; NCM was also opposed on provisions like boycott of councils; But finally INC gave approval, seeking to take advantage of this opportune unity
5. ML agreed to give full support to INC and its agitation on political ques

Question 101

Road up to Khilafat and NCM?

Answer 101

1. Feb 1920: joint Hidu Muslim depuattion sent to Viceroy; Gandhi declared that “Khilafat ques has overshadowed PJ wrongs and consti advances”
2. May 1920: Treaty of Sevres with turkey; dismembered
3. June 1920: all party conference at allahabad approved boycott prog and asked Gandhi to lead it
4. Aug 31st 1920: Formal lauch of NCM by Khilafat committee; Tilak died on Aug 1st 1920
5. Sept 1920: special INC session at calcuttaapproved NCM till PJ and Khilafat wrongs were removed and swaraj estab
6. dec 1920: Nagpur session of INC: organisational changes

Question 102

Special Calcutta session of 1920?

Answer 102

approved NCM and described activities in NCM

1. boycott govt schools and colleges
2. law courts; instead panchayat justice
3. LC; thogh some leaders like CR Das weren’t willing fr this by bowed to party discipline; thus, INC boycotted 1920 elections along with majority of voters
4. foreign cloth; instead Khadi with hand spinning
5. no govt honors and titles
6. work for H-M unity and removal of untouchability and adhere to non-violence
7. second phase cud include mass CDM incl resignation frm govt services and non payment of taxes

Question 103

Nagpur session of INC 1920?

Answer 103

1. endorsed NCM
2. nw obj: “attainment of self-governance thru peaceful and legitimate means” unlike “earlier constitutinal means only”
3. CWC of 15 members set up
4. provinvial INC committees set up on linguistic basis
5. ward committees organised
6. entry fee reduced
7. gandhi declared if NCM implemented completely, swaraj within a yr.

Question 104

Other grps response on launch of NCM?

Answer 104

1. ML supported consti demands of INC in return
2. many grps of revolutionary, terrorists pledged support to INC
3. some leaders like MA Jinnah, annie Besant, GS Kharpade and BC Pal left INC as they believed in constitutional and lawful struggle
4. Surendranath bannerjee founded Indian National Liberal Foundation

Question 105

Spread of NCM?

Answer 105

1. 90000 students left schools and colleges; 800 edu insti cropped up incl
   
   1. Jamia Millia at aligarh
   2. Kashi, GJ and BIhar Vidyapeeth
   3. other under leadership of
      
      • Acharya Narendra dev
      • SC Bose: became Principal of National college at calcutta
      • CR Das
      • LLajpat rai
      • Zakir Hussain
2. Lawyers gave up practices like: Nehru (JN and M), CR das, Rajgopalachari, S. Kitchlew, V. Patel, Asaf Ali, T prakasam and Rajendra Prasad
3. burning of foreign clothes; picketing; Tilak swaraj fund
4. Congress Volunteer corps-> parallel police
5. July 1921: ali bros gave call to Muslims to resign frm army; Gandhi supported and asked provincial Cong committees to do the same
6. no-tax mov against union board taxes in Midnapore and Guntur; Congress asked to make it nationwide if people believed to b ready
7. strike in tea plantations and rlys in assam under JM sengupta
8. strikes and demonstrations against visit of Prince of wales in 1921
9. many local struggles like Awadh Kisan mov, Eka mov, Mappila revolt, sikh agitation fr removal of mahants in PJ

Question 106

Last phase of NCM/

Answer 106

1. Ahmedabad session in 1921, presided over by CR Das bt acting pres Hakim Ajmal Khan, appointed Gandhi as sole authority on converting NCM to CDM
2. on Feb 1st 1922, Gnadhiji threatened to launch CDM frm bardoli if
   
   1. political prisoners were not released
   2. press controls were nt removed
3. chauri Chaura incident
4. CWC met at Bardoli in feb 1922 and stopped all NCM acts and instead sought to do constructive work like khadi, national schools, H-M unity, against untouchability
5. March 1922: gandhi arrested and sentenced to 6 yrs

Question 107

Why Gandhi withdrew from the non cooperation movement?

Answer 107

1. Gandhi felt that people had not learnt or fully understood the method of nonviolence. Incidents like chaurichaura could lead to excitement and fervour turning the movement violent
2. A violent movement could be easily suppressed by the colonial regime who would use violence as an excuse to use the armed might of the state against the protesters
3. Movement was also showing signs of fatigue
4. The government seems to be in no mood for negotiation
5. The central theme of the agitation- the Khilafat question- also dissipated soon. November 1922, the people of Turkey Rose under Mustafa kemal Pasha and deprived the Sultan of political power. Turkey was made a secular state and the Khilafat question lost its relevance. In 1924, the caliphate was abolished

Question 108

Evaluation of Khilafat and non cooperation movement?

Answer 108

1. Movement brought the urban Muslims into the National Movement
2. At the same time it also communalised the national politics to an extent
3. The Nationalist sentiments reached every nook and corner of the country and politicized every strata of the population
4. Colonial rule was based on two myths- one, that such a rule was in the interest of Indians and two,that it was Invincible. The first myth had been exploded by the economic critique of moderate Nationalist and the second myth had been challenged by Satyagraha through mass struggle. The masses were freed of the fear of the Colonial rule and its mighty repressive tools

Question 109

Swarajists vs no-changers?

Answer 109

1. Swarajists: enter LCs and ‘end or mend approach’
   
   1. CR Das
   2. Motilal nehru
   3. ajmal Khan
2. No changers: advocated constructive work nd continue NC and boycott
   
   1. Ballabhbhai patel
   2. rajendra Prasad
   3. C Rajgopalachari
   4. MA ansari
3. Swarajists proposal of council entry was defeated in gaya session dec 1922;
4. CR Das and Motilal nehru resigned frm Presidency and secyship of INC and formed ‘Congress-Khilafat Swarajya Party’ in Dec 1922, with CR Das as prez and M. nehru as one of secys
5. compromise reached in Sept 1923, when Swarajists were allowed to contest elections as a grp within INC; thus Swarajists accepted INC programme in all respects save one

Question 110

performance of swarajists?

Answer 110

1. won 42 out of 141 elected seats in Nov 1923 elections and a clear maj in provincial assemblies of Central provinces; joined hands with Liberals and independents like Jinnah and malviya
2. At a meeting on 30 December 1923, the general council of the party demanded the establishment of fully responsible government for India. They demanded that the government start by releasing political prisoners, suspending all repressive laws and orders, and convening a round table conference to negotiate the principles of a constitution for India.
3. After his release from prison in 1924, Gandhi sought to bring back the Swarajists to the Congress and re-unite the party. Gandhi’s supporters were in a vast majority in the Congress, and the Congress still remained India’s largest political party, but Gandhi felt it necessary to heal the divide with the Swarajists, so as to heal the nation’s wounds over the 1922 suspension.
4. The Swarajists sought more representation in the Congress offices, and an end to the mandatory requirement for Congressmen to spin khadi cloth and do social service as a prerequisite for office. This was opposed by Gandhi’s supporters, men like Vallabhbhai Patel, Jawaharlal Nehru and Rajendra Prasad, who became known as the No Changers as opposed to the Swarajist Changers. Gandhi relaxed the rules on spinning and named some Swarajists to important positions in the Congress Party. He also encouraged the Congress to support those Swarajists elected to the councils, so as not to embarrass them and leave them rudderless before the British authorities.
5. in 1924, position weakened due to widespread communal riots, split amog swarajists themselves on communal and ‘responsivists-non-responsivists’ line and death of CR Das in 1925
   
   1. reponsivists: LLajpat rai, MM Malviya and NC Kelkar; advocated coop with Govt and holding of office wherever possiblt to protect Hindu interests
   2. non-responsivists: Motilal Nehru; withdres frm legis in March 1926
6. In 1930, Swarajists finally worked out based on 1929 purna swaraj resolution

Question 111

achievements of swarajists?

Answer 111

1. out voted govt several times
2. powerful speeches
3. Vithalbhai patel elected speaker of central LA in 1925
4. defeat of Public safety bill in 1928:
   
   1. empowered govt to deport undesirable and subversive foreigners (alarmed by socialist and communist leaders)
5. exposed hollowness of Montford scheme
6. demonstrated constructive use of councils

Question 112

New forces that emerged in 1920s?

Answer 112

1. 1920s imp coz:
   
   1. entry of masses
   2. basic crystallisation of diverse political currents on national scene, as a response to (i) Gandhiji’s arrival and (ii) international influence
2. Rise of Marxism and socialism
3. Activism of Indian youth
4. Peasants’ agitation
5. growth of trade unionism
6. caste movements

Question 113

New forces that emerged in 1920s: Marxism and socialism?

Answer 113

1. left wing within INC:
   
   1. Nehru and Bose;
   2. critical of both swarajists and no-changers;
   3. advocated a more consistent anti-imperialist line and slogan fr ‘purna swarajya’;
   4. influenced by international currents
   5. stressed on combining nationalism with anti-imperialism and social justice
2. CPI-1920-Tashkent by MN Roy, Abani Mukherji etc. after second Congress of comintern; formalised at Kanpur in 1925 by Indian communist Conference
3. MN roy also first Indian elected to leadership of comintern
4. 1924: Kanpur Bolshevik case: SA Dange, Nalini GUpta jailed
5. 1931: Meerut conspiracy case
6. many workers’ and peasants’ parties cropped up; all these communist grps worked within the INC

Question 114

New forces that emerged in 1920s: Indian youth?

Answer 114

1. students’ leagues estab and students’ conference held
2. in 1928, Nehru presided over All bengal Students’ Conference

Question 115

New forces that emerged in 1920s: peasants’ agitation?

Answer 115

1. UP: fr revision of tenancy laws incl lower rents, against eviction and relief frm indebtedness
2. Rampa region of andhra
3. Ryotwari areas of Bombay and Madras
4. RJ
5. GJ: Bardoli Satyagraha led by Patel in 1928

Question 116

New forces that emerged in 1920s: trade unionism?

Answer 116

1. AITUC in 1920: LLRai; Dewan Chand; Tilak also one of the moving spirits
2. strikes:
   
   1. Kharagpur rly workshops
   2. Tata Iron and steel, Jamshedpur
   3. Bombay textile mills (1.5 L workers; fr 5 months)
   4. Buckingham Carnatic mills
3. 1923: first May day celebrated in madras

Question 117

New forces that emerged in 1920s: caste movements?

Answer 117

1. These cud be divisive, conservative and at times even radical
2. madras
   
   1. Justice party,
   2. Self-respect movement-1925- under ‘Periyar’ EV Ramaswamy naicker
3. MH:
   
   1. Satyashodhak activists, like Bhaskar rao Jadhav in satara
   2. Mahars under Ambedkar
4. Kerala: Radical Ezhavas under K. Aiyappan and C kesavam
5. Yadavs in Bihar
6. PJ: UNionist party in under Fazl-i-Hussain

Question 118

Justice party?

Answer 118

1. political party in the Madras Presidency
2. established in 1917 by T. M. Nair and P. T Chetty
3. ideology:
   
   1. opposed Brahmins in civil service and politics
   2. opposed Annie Besant and her Home rule movement, because it believed home rule would benefit the Brahmins
   3. campaigned against the non-cooperation movement; fearful of gandhiji coz of his praises fr brahmins
   4. mistrust of the Brahmin dominated Congress
   5. petitioned govt fr reservations for the non-Brahmins through the GoI act of 1919.
   6. did not send representatives to the Central Legislative Assembly even after it won in elections after GoIA 1919
4. achievements:
   
   1. reservations
   2. legislation to allow usage of public places and temple entry
   3. Marriages without Brahmin priests adn inetr-caste marriage
   4. abolition of Devadasi system
   5. vital role in allowing women to contest elections paving way for Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy to become the first woman legislator in India
   6. Initiating the mid-day meal scheme.
5. Drawbacks:
   
   1. mainly rich and upper-caste non-brahmins and not enough dalit rep
   2. rising popularity of INC-Swarajya under C. Rajgopalachari

Question 119

Self-respect movement?

Answer 119

1. started by S. Ramanathan, who invited Naicker to head the movm.
2. extremely influential not just in Madras, but also overseas in countries with large Tamil populations like Singapoe and Malaysia
3. DMK and AIADMK owe their origin to it
4. aim:
   
   1. achieving a society where backward sections have equal human rights, and
   2. encouraging backward sections to have self-respect (​Suyamariyathi iyakkam)

Question 120

EV Ramaswamy Naicker?

Answer 120

1. aka Periyar or Thanthai Periyar; UNESCO called him ‘Socrates of South Asia’; Father of Dravidian movm or Self-respect movm
2. joined INC in 1919; left in 1925 citing brahmanical obj of INC
3. joined Justice party and started ‘Dravidian movm’ in 1916
4. in 1940s, started Dravidar Kazhagam, envisaged an independent Dravida nadu, comprising of Tamil, Malyalam, Telugu and Kannada speakers
5. Women rights:
   
   1. equal rights in marriage, inheritance and civic life
   2. accessible contraceptive methods
6. marriage: ‘Self-respect marriages’ without any religious customs and priest
7. against chaturvarna system; sought communal rep fr non-Brhmin
8. led Self respect mov
9. Vaikom satyagraha (1924-25)
   
   1. non-violent agitation against untouchability and caste discri.
   2. demanded right to use public path infrnt of Vaikom temple
10. publications:
    
    1. kudi arasu (Tamil) to spread self-respect principles
    2. ‘Revolt’- English mag
    3. ‘Puratchi’- mag
    4. ‘Pagutharivu’
    5. Ponmozhigal (Golden sayings)- imprisoned fr it

Question 121

BR Ambedkar?

Answer 121

1. born in Mhow in the Central Provinces to a Marathi Mahar caste (untouchables) family with roots in Ambadawe town of Ratnagiri, MH
2. first Indian to pursue an economics doctorate degree abroad
3. He was part of the Bombay Presidency Committee that worked with the Simon Commission in 1925
4. established the Bahishkrit Hitakarini Sabha to promote education and socio-economic improvements among the Dalits.
5. He started magazines like Mooknayak, Equality Janta and Bahishkrit Bharat.
6. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) was based on the ideas that Ambedkar presented to the Hilton Young Commission.
7. In 1927, he launched active agitation against untouchability. He organised and agitated for the right of Dalits to enter temples and to draw water from public water resources. He condemned Hindu scriptures that he thought propagated caste discrimination.
8. founded the Independent Labour Party (later transformed into the Scheduled Castes Federation) in 1936 and contested in 1937 from Bombay to the Central Legislative Assembly. He also contested from Bombay (north-central) after independence in the country’s first general elections. But he lost both times.
9. also worked as Minister of Labour in the Viceroy’s Executive Council.
10. appointed to the Rajya Sabha in 1952 and remained a member till his death.
11. advocated a free economy with a stable Rupee. He also mooted birth control and equal rights fr women
12. few months before he died, he converted to Buddhism in a public ceremony in Nagpur along with lakhs of Dalitson ‘Dhamma Chakra Pravartan Din’
13. cremated according to Buddhist rites in Dadar and a memorial is constructed there. The place is called Chaitya Bhoomi. His death anniversary is observed as Mahaparinirvan Din
14. suggested the splitting of Bihar and Madhya Pradesh in 1955
15. assisted in reducing working hours in India from 14 to 8 hours
16. designed and outlined, Damodar Valley Project, Hirakud project and Sone River valley project.

Question 122

Revolutionary activity during 1920s: major influences?

Answer 122

1. working class trade unionism after war
2. nearly all participated in NCM bt were disillusioned after withdrawl
3. Russina rev 1917
4. newly sprouting communisn and marxism
5. journals publishing memoirs and articles extolling self-sacrifice of revolutionaries , like Atmasakti, Sarathi and Bijoli
6. Novels and books such as Bandi Jivan by sachin sanyal and Pather Dabi by Sharathchandra chatterji (banned by govt)

Question 123

Revolutionary activity during 1920s: PJ-UP-Bihar?

Answer 123

1. HRA
2. Kakori robbery
3. HSRA
4. saunders’ murder
5. CLA bomb
6. after CLA bombing

Question 124

Revolutionary activity during 1920s: PJ-UP-Bihar: HRA?

Answer 124

1. in Oct 1924
2. by
   
   1. Ramprasad Bismil
   2. Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee
   3. Sachin Sanyal
3. obj: organise an armed rev to overthrow colonial govt and estb Federal republic of United States of India based on adult franchise
4. HRA manifesto (1925):
   
   1. ​“HRA stood fr abolition of all systems which made exploitation of man by man possible”
   2. proposed nationalisation of rlys, other means of transport and heavy ind
   3. decided to start labour and peasant org and work fr organised and armed revolution
5. mouthpiece: Revolutionary

Question 125

Revolutionary activity during 1920s: PJ-UP-Bihar: Kakori robbery?

Answer 125

1. Aug 1925
2. most imp action of HRA
3. Kakori an obscure village near Lucknow
4. looted its official rly cash
5. 4 hanged:
   
   1. Bismil
   2. ashfaqullah
   3. Roshan Singh
   4. Rajendra lahiri
6. kakori was a big setback

Question 126

Revolutionary activity during 1920s: PJ-UP-Bihar: HSRA?

Answer 126

1. HRA reorganised into HSRA at a historic meeting in ruins of Ferozeshah Kotla in Delhi in Sept 1928
2. participants:
   
   1. frm PJ:
      
      1. Bhagat singh
      2. Sukhdev
      3. Bhagwaticharan vohra
   2. frm United Provinces:
      
      1. Bejoy Kumar Sinha
      2. Shiv verma
      3. Jaidev Kapur
3. adopted socialism as its official goal

Question 127

Revolutionary activity during 1920s: PJ-UP-Bihar: saunders’ murder?

Answer 127

Bhagat Singh, Azad and Rajguru shot dead saunders in dec 1928

Question 128

Revolutionary activity during 1920s: PJ-UP-Bihar: CLA bomb?

Answer 128

1. bhagat SIngh and Batukeshwar dutta threw a bomb in CLA on April 8th, 1929
2. against passage of
   
   1. Public safety bill
   2. trade disputes bill
3. bombs made harmless and just to make deaf hear

Question 129

Revolutionary activity during 1920s: PJ-UP-Bihar: post CLA bomb?

Answer 129

1. Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru tried in Lahore conspiracy case
2. protest in jail against horrible conditions fr political prisoners
3. Jatin das became first martyr on 64th day of fast
4. defence of these young revolutionaries was organised by INC leaders
5. AZad was involved in a bid to blow up Lord Irwin’s train near Delhi in Dec 1929
6. Azad died in police encounter in a park in Allahabad in feb 1931.
7. Bhagat singh, sukhdev and rajguru were hanged on March 23rd, 1931

Question 130

Revolutionary activity during 1920s: bengal?

Answer 130

1. after CR Das’ death in 1925, bengal congress broke into
   
   1. grp led by JM Sengupta; Anushilan grp also joined them
   2. grp led by SC Bose; Yugantar grp backed them
2. assassination attempt onCalcutta police commissioner, Charles Tegart by Gopinath Saha in 1924; led to arrests by govt incl of SC Bose
3. Chittagong Grp under Surya Sen
   
   • Surya Sen had participated inNCM
   • “humanism is a special virtue of a revolutionary”
   • organised an armed rebellionalong with Anant Singh, Ganesh Ghosh and Lokenath Baul- to show that it was possible to challenge
   • Surya Sen had muslims like Satar, Mir Ahmed, Fakir Ahmed Mian and Tunu Mian
   • raid conducted on armouries of chittagong by INdian republican army-chittagong branch, as they named themselves
   • raid successful; hoisted flag and proclaimed a revol. govt
   • Surya Sen arrested in 1933 and hanged in 1934

Question 131

Revolutionary activity during 1920s: PJ-UP-Bihar: Bhagat Singh?

Answer 131

• moved away frm belief in violence and individual heroic action to Marxism and belief that only a popular broad based movm is needed
• revoln cud only be ‘by the masses, fr the masses’
• estab ‘Naujawan Bharat Sabha’ in1926 to carry out political work among youth
• BHagat and sukhdev organised lahore Students’ union fr open, legal work amonf students
• fully accpted Marx’s class based approach”exploiters aren’t only the british capitalists bt Indian capitalists too”
• espoused secularism and was one of the objectives in Bharat naujawan sabha; criticised superstition

Question 132

Achievements of Revolutionary phase of 1920s?

Answer 132

1. Many incl Bhagat Singh and Bismil advocated giving up violence and instead asked fr a social movm, focussing on secular unity and socialism
2. large scale participation of women esp under Surya Sen incl
   
   1. Kalpana Dutt: arrested and tried along with Surya sen and given life sentence
   2. Pritilata Waddedar
   3. Santi Ghosh
   4. Suniti Chandheri
   5. school girls of Comilia, who shot dead DM in 1931
   6. Bina das, fired point blank at Guv while receiving her degree in Feb 1932
3. focus on grp action rather than on individual heroism; obj was to set an example fr the youth
4. some of the earlier religious tendedncy was shed; no more rituals like oath-taking which encouraged participation of Muslims. Surya Sen had muslims like Satar, Mir Ahmed, Fakir Ahmed Mian and Tunu Mian

Question 133

Mudiman Commission?

Answer 133

• The Muddiman Committee or the Reforms Enquiry Committee (1924) was a committee lead by Sir Alexander Muddinman,
• obj:
  
  • aid in investigating the diarchy envisaged in GoI 1919
  • to meet the demand of Indian leaders in the context of the Swaraj party’s resolution in early 1920s (At a meeting on 30 December 1923, the general council of the party demanded the establishment of fully responsible government for India. They demanded that the government start by releasing political prisoners, suspending all repressive laws and orders, and convening a round table conference to negotiate the principles of a constitution for India.)
• Sir Alexander Muddinman; Sir Sivaswami Aiyar; Dr. R P Paranjape; Sir Tejbahadur Sapru; Mohammad Ali Jinnah; BC Mahtab
• Majority Report declared by officials that a diarchy had not been established, has not been given a fair trial run, and so only minor changes in non-official Indians were recommended
• Minority Report declared by nonofficials that the Act of 1919 had failed, and that they need a Constitution that has a permanent basis with a provision for automatic progress in the future.
• Recommendations of Muddinman Committee

1. Condemned Diarchy and recommended minor changes in the duties of non- official Indians.
2. Recommended fundamental changes in the structure of the Government of India Act of 1919.
3. formation of a royal commission

Question 134

Linlithgow
Commission was related to?

Answer 134

crisis of indian agri

Question 135

Who was responsible for the
appointment of the Simon Commission.?

Answer 135

Conservative Secretary
of State for India, Lord Birkenhead, who had constantly talked
of the inability of Indians to formulate a concrete scheme
of constitutional reforms which had the support of wide
sections of Indian political opinion

Question 136

Indian response to the Simon Commission?

Answer 136

1. was immediate and nearly unanimous
2. Congress session in Madras (December 1927) meeting
   under the presidency of M.A. Ansari decided to boycott the
   commission “at every stage and in every form”.
   
   • Meanwhile Nehru introduced a snap resolution declaring complete independence as the goal of the Congress. It failed however.
3. Muslim league had two sessions in 1927 – one under Jinnah at Calcutta where it was decided to oppose the SC, and another at Lahore under Muhammad Shafi, who supported the government.
4. Some others, such as the Unionists in Punjab and the Justice Party in the south, decided not to boycott the commission.

Question 137

Dr Ambedkar and the Simon Commission?

Answer 137

1. appointed by the Bombay Legislative Council to work with the Simon Commission. In October 1928, Ambedkar went before the commission
2. argued for
   
   1. ‘universal adult franchise’ for both male and female alike;
   2. for provincial autonomy in the provinces and
   3. dyrarchy at Centre
3. submitted a memorandum on the rights and safeguards he felt were required for the depressed classes. said that there was no link between the depressed classes and the Hindu community, and stated that the depressed classes should be regarded as a distinct and independent minority with reserved seats, if universal franchise was granted; if not then he asked fr separate electorate
   
   • Simon Commission did grant reserved seats to the depressed classes, bt the such candidates wud hv to be declared competent by Guv; not accepted by Ambedkar

Question 138

Name some political grps that came up/prominent in protesting against Simon commission?

Answer 138

1. Punjab Naujawan Bharat Sabha (organnised protests against Simon Commission, in one such protest LL Rai died)
2. Workers’ and Peasants’ Parties and
3. Hindustani Sewa Dal (Karnataka).

Question 139

Simon Commission Recommendations?

Answer 139

1. May 1930
2. Provincial govt:
   
   1. abolition of dyarchy
   2. estab of rep govt in the provinces
   3. should be given autonomy
   4. guv should have discretionary power in relation to internal security and admin powers to protect the diff communities
   5. no. of members of provincial LCs should be increased
3. National govt:
   
   1. rejected parliamentary responsibility at the centre.
   2. The Guv-gen to have complete power to appoint the members of the cabinet.
   3. GoI would have complete control over the HCs
4. recommended that separate communal electorates
   be retained (and extended to other communities) but only until tensions between Hindus and Muslims had died down.
5. There was to be no universal franchise.
6. accepted the idea of federalism but not in the near future instead suggested that a Consultative Council of Greater
   India should be established
7. Sindh should be separated from Bombay, and Burma should be separated from India
8. Indian army should be Indianised though British forces must be retained

Question 140

nehru report: intro?

Answer 140

1. answer to Lord Birkenhead’s challenge
2. All Parties Conference met in February 1928 and appointed a subcommittee under the chairmanship of Motilal Nehru
3. committee included
   
   1. Tej Bahadur Sapru,
   2. Subhash Chandra Bose,
   3. M.S. Aney,
   4. Mangal Singh,
   5. Ali Imam,
   6. Shuab Qureshi and
   7. G.R. Pradhan
4. The report was finalised by August 1928.
5. confined itself to British India; with future link up with princely state on a federal basis
6. recommendations were unanimous except in one respect—while the majority favoured the “dominion status”, a section of it wanted “complete independence” as the basis, with the majority section giving the latter section liberty of action.

Question 141

Nehru report: main recommendations?

Answer 141

1. Dominion status on lines of self-governing dominions
2. Rejection of separate electorates; instead joint electorates with reservation of Muslims at centre and in provinces where they were in minority, in proportion to the Muslim pop there with right to contest additional seats.
3. Linguistic provinces
4. Nineteen FRs including
   
   1. equal rights for women,
   2. right to form unions, and
   3. universal adult suffrage
5. Responsible government at the Centre and in provinces
   
   1. Indian Parliament: 500 member HoRep otbo adult suffrage fr 5yrs
   2. 200 member senate elected by provincial councils; fr 7 yrs
   3. CG headed by Guv-gen, appointed by British govt bt paid on Indian revenues, and acting on advice of central executive council responsible t parliament
   4. Provincial councils (5-yr tenure), headed by a guv acting on the advice of the provincial executive council.
6. Full protection to cultural and religious interests of Muslims.
7. Complete dissociation of State from religion

Question 142

response to Nehru report?

Answer 142

1. Delhi Proposals of Muslim League, Dec 1927
2. Hindu Mahasabha Demands
3. Jinnah’s 3 point proposal at All Parties COnference in Dec 1928
4. Jinnah’s 14 points
5. Sikh communalists unhappy
6. younger section of the Congress led by Jawaharlal Nehru
   and Subhash Bose were also angered

Question 143

Delhi Proposals of Muslim League?

Answer 143

1. response to Nehru report
2. in Dec 1927
3. four proposals (Delhi Proposals) to be incorporated in draft consti
   
   1. joint electorates in place of separate electorates with
      reserved seats for Muslims
   2. one-third representation to Muslims in Central LA
   3. representation to Muslims in Punjab and Bengal (where Muslims were in majority) in proportion to their population
   4. formation of three new Muslim majority provinces—
      Sindh, Baluchistan and North-West Frontier Province
4. accepted by the Madras session of the Congress (December 1927)

Question 144

HIndu Mahasabha demands wrt Nehru Report?

concessions made by INC to them?

Answer 144

1. vehemently opposed to the proposals for creating new Muslim-majority provinces and
2. reservation of seats for Muslims majorities in Punjab and Bengal
3. demanded a strictly unitary structure
4. joint electorates everywhere; Muslims reservation only where in minority
5. Sindh to be detached frm Bombay only after dominion status granted
6. broadly unitary str accepted since residual powers lied with centre

Question 145

Jinnah’s 3 point proposal as response to Nehru report?

Answer 145

At the All Parties Conference held at Calcutta in December
1928 to consider the Nehru Report

1. 1/3rd rep to Musims in CLA
2. reservation to Muslims in PJ and Bengal legis proportional to their pop, till adult suffrage was established
3. residual powers to provinces

Question 146

Jinnah’s 14 point proposal?

Answer 146

• in March 1929
• became the the basis of all future propaganda of the ML
• Govt str:

1. Federal Constitution with residual powers to provinces
2. provincial autonomy
3. No constitutional amendment by the centre without the consent of states of the federation
4. No bill or resolution in any legislature to be passed
   if three-fourths of a minority community consider such a bill
   or resolution to be against their interests.
5. Constitutional reforms in the NWFP and Baluchistan.

• reservation of muslims

1. All legislatures and elected bodies to have adequate
   representation of Muslimsin every provincewithout reducing
   a majorityof Muslims in a province to a minority or equality
2. Adequate representation to Muslims in the services
   and in self-governing bodies
3. One-third Muslim representation in the central
   legislature.
4. In any cabinet at the centre or in the provinces, one third
   to be Muslims
5. Separate electorates.

• rights

1. Full religious freedom to all communities
2. Protection of Muslim rights in religion, culture,
   education and language.

• territorial rearrangement

1. Any territorial redistribution not to affect the Muslim majority in Punjab, Bengal and NWFP.
2. Separation of Sindh from Bombay

Question 147

Run up to CDM?

Answer 147

1. Calcutta session of INC, Dec, 1928: to pacify younger nationalists, Gandhi and M. nehru suggested a 1-yr grace period to be given to govt to accpt the demand fr a dominion status
2. political activity during 1929:
   
   1. Gandhi travelled and prepared people fr direct political action
   2. CWC organised Foreign Cloth Boycott Committee; campaign initiated by Gandhiji in march 1929at Calcutta
   3. Jinnah’s 14 point proposal in March 1929
   4. Meerut conspiracy case- M N Roy, Muzaffar Ahamed, S A Dange, Shaukat Usmani, Nalini Gupta
   5. CLA bomb by Bhagat singh and Batukeshwar Dutt
   6. minority Labor govt (Ramsay Macdonald) came to power
3. Irwin’s declaration on 31st Oct 1929:”…natural issue of India’s constitutional progress as they contemplated is the attainment of Dominion status”.Bt no time-frame mentioned
4. Delhi Manifesto
5. Lahore Session and Purna swaraj
6. Gandhi’s 11 demands- on 30th Jan 1930

Question 148

Delhi manifesto?

Answer 148

1. In Nov 1929, Gandhi along with Motilal Nehru and other political
   leaders issued a ‘Delhi Manifesto’ which put forward certain conditions for attending RTC

• basic principle of dominion status should be immediately accepted and RTC shud be the Constituent assembly
• Congress should have majority representation at the conference
• there should be a general amnesty for political prisoners and a policy of conciliation

1. Viceroy Irwin rejected the demands put forward in the Delhi Manifesto

Question 149

Decisions taken at Lahore 1929 session?

Answer 149

1. RTC to be boycotted
2. Complete independence was declared as the aim of the Congress.
3. CWC was authorised to launch a programme of civil disobedience including non-payment of taxes and all members of legislatures
   were asked to resign their seats.
4. January 26, 1930 was fixed as the first Independence
   (Swarajya) Day, to be celebrated everywhere

Question 150

Gandhi’s 11 demands?

Answer 150

Issues of General Interest

1. Reduce expenditure on Army and civil services by 50 per cent.
2. Introduce total prohibition.
3. Carry out reforms in Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
4. Change Arms Act allowing popular control of issue of firearms licences.
5. Release political prisoners.
6. Accept Postal Reservation Bill.

Specific Bourgeois Demands

1. Reduce rupee-sterling exchange ratio
2. Introduce textile protection
3. Reserve coastal shipping for Indians

Specific Peasant Demands

1. Reduce land revenue by 50 per cent.
2. Abolish salt tax and government’s salt monopoly.

Question 151

CDM: Gandhi’s instructions?

Answer 151

1. Wherever possible civil disobedience of the salt law should be started.
2. Foreign liquor and cloth shops can be picketed.
3. We can refuse to pay taxes if we have the requisite strength.
4. Lawyers can give up practice.
5. Public can boycott law courts by refraining from litigation.
6. Government servants can resign from their posts.
7. All these should be subject to one condition—truth and non-violence as means to attain swaraj should be faithfully adhered to.
8. Local leaders should be obeyed after Gandhi’s arrest.

Question 152

CDM: spread of CDM: overview of regions?

Answer 152

1. TN
2. Malabar
3. Andhra
4. Orissa
5. Assam
6. Bengal
7. Bihar
8. Peshawar and NWFP
9. MH
10. GJ
11. United Provinces
12. NE

Question 153

CDM: spread of CDM: TN?

Answer 153

1. April 1930, C. Rajagopalachari: march from Thiruchirapalli to Vedaranniyam on the Tanjore coast, followed by
   
   • icketing of foreign cloth shops;
   • the anti-liquor campaign
2. violent eruptions of masses and the violent repressions of the police also seen eg. peasants, suffering from falling prices, rioted in Madurai

Question 154

CDM: spread of CDM: Malabar?

Answer 154

1. K. Kelappan, a Nair Congress leader famed for the Vaikom Satyagraha, organised salt marches.
2. P. Krishna Pillai, the future founder of the Kerala Communist
   movement, heroically defended the national flag in the face
   of police lathi-charge on Calicut beach in November 1930.

Question 155

CDM: spread of CDM: Andhra?

Answer 155

1. District salt marches were organised in east and west Godavari, Krishna and Guntur
2. number of sibirams (military style camps) were set up to serve as the headquarters
3. But the mass support like that in the non-cooperation movement (1921-22) was missing in the region.

Question 156

CDM: spread of CDM: Odisha?

Answer 156

Under Gopalbandhu Chaudhuri, a Gandhian
leader, salt satyagraha proved effective in the coastal regions
of Balasore, Cuttack and Puri districts

Question 157

CDM: spread of CDM: Bengal?

Answer 157

1. Bengal Congress, divided into two factions led by Subhas Bose and J.M. Sengupta, was involved in the Calcutta Corporation election. This resulted in alienation of most of Calcutta bhadralok leaders from the rural masses
2. communal riots were seen in Dacca (now Dhakha) and
   Kishoreganj,
3. there was little participation of Muslims in
   the movements
4. Despite this, Bengal provided the largest number of arrests as well as the highest amount of violence
5. powerful movements developed around salt satyagraha and
   chaukidari tax
6. During the same period, Surya Sen’s Chittagong raid

Question 158

CDM: spread of CDM: Bihar?

Answer 158

1. Champaran and Saran were the first two districts to start salt satyagraha
2. salt nt major tool in landlocked Bihar
3. In Patna: Nakhas Pond, under leadership of Ambika Kant Sinha
4. a very powerful nochaukidari tax agitation replaced the salt satyagraha
5. administration collapsed in several parts like the Barhee region of Munger
6. tribal belt of Chhotanagpur (now in Jharkhand), saw instances of lower-class militancy:
   
   • Bonga Majhi and Somra Majhi, influenced by Gandhism, led a movement in Hazaribagh which combined socio-religious reform along ‘sanskritising’ lines, in which followers were asked to give up meat and liquor, and use khadi
   • Santhals took up illegal distillation of liquor on a large scale
     under the banner of Gandhi
7. most big zamindars remained loyal to the government, small landlords and better-off tenants participated in the movement, even though at times discouraged by lower class militancy

Question 159

CDM: spread of CDM: Peshawar?

Answer 159

1. Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan’s educational and social reform work among the Pathans
   
   • KAGK aka Badshah Khan and Frontier Gandhi
   • started the first Pushto political monthly Pukhtoon
   • organised a volunteer brigade ‘Khudai Khidmatgars’, popularly known as the ‘Red-Shirts’, who were
     * *pledged to the freedom struggle and non-violence**
2. ​Peshawar virtually in the hands of the crowds for more than a week
3. In the ensuing repression, a section of Garhwal Rifles soldiers refused to fire on an unarmed crowd

Question 160

CDM: spread of CDM: MH & KN?

Answer 160

1. Sholapur saw the fiercest response to Gandhi’s arrest
   
   • txtil workers went on strike
   • violence
   • a virtual parallel govt estab fr 10 days aftr which martial law
2. MH, KN and Central Provinces saw defiance of forest laws such as grazing and timber restrictions and public sale of illegally acquired forest produce
3. KN: Sanikatta Salt Works

Question 161

CDM: spread of CDM: GJ?

Answer 161

1. Dharasana: On May 21, 1930, Sarojini Naidu, Imam Sahib and Manilal (Gandhi’s son) took up the unfinished task of leading a raid on the Dharasana Salt Works after Gandhiji was arrested fr trying it.
   
   • unarmed and peaceful crowd was met with a brutal lathicharge
2. impact was felt in Anand, Borsad and Nadiad areas in Kheda district, Bardoli in Surat district and Jambusar in Bharuch district
3. A determined no-tax movement was organised here which included refusal to pay land revenue.
4. Villagers crossed the border into neighbouring princely states (such as Baroda) with their families and belongings and camped in the open for months to evade police repression. The police retaliated by destroying their property and confiscating their land

Question 162

CDM: spread of CDM: United Provinces?

Answer 162

1. no-revenue campaign was organised;
2. a call was given to zamindars to refuse to pay revenue to the government.
3. Under a no-rent campaign, a call was given to tenants against zamindars.
4. Since most of the zamindars were loyalists, the campaign became virtually a no rent campaign.
5. The activity picked up speed in October 1930, especially in Agra and Rai Bareilly

Question 163

CDM: spread of CDM: NE?

Answer 163

1. Assam:
   
   1. failed to regain the heights attained in 1921-22 due to divisive issues like Assamse vs Bengalis, Hindus vs Muslims
   2. successful student strike against the Cunningham Circular, which banned students’ participation in politics, was seen in May 1930
   3. Chandraprabha Saikiani, in December 1930, incited the aboriginal Kachari villages to break forest laws, which was however denied by Assam Congress leadership
2. Manipur and Nagaland These areas took a brave part
   
   1. At the young age of thirteen, Rani Gaidinliu, a Naga spiritual leader, and her cousin Haipou Jadonang raised the banner of revolt
   2. She urged the people not to pay taxes or work for British
   3. Rani was imprisoned in Tura hail while her cousin was hanged on charges of treason

Question 164

CDM: spread of CDM: Forms of Mobilisation

Answer 164

prabhat
pheries, vanar senas, manjari senas, secret patrikas and
magic lantern shows.

Question 165

CDM: spread of CDM: Extent of Mass Participation?

Answer 165

1. Women: Gandhi had specially asked women to play leading part; and they did
2. Students Along with women, students and youth played
   the most prominent part in the boycott of foreign cloth and
   liquor.
3. Muslims The Muslim participation was nowhere near
   the 1920-22 level because of appeals by Muslim leaders to
   stay away from the movement and because of active government encouragement to communal dissension, still NWFP saw good participation
4. Merchants and Petty Traders They were very enthusiastic in implementing the boycott esp in TN and PJ
5. Tribals Tribals were active participants in Central Provinces, MH & KN
6. Workers The workers participated in Bombay, Calcutta,
   Madras, Sholapur; Though, No major labour upsurge coincided with the movement, unlike NCM.
7. Peasants were active in the United Provinces, Bihar
   and Gujarat.

Question 166

CDM: govt’s response?

Answer 166

1. July 1930: Lord Irwin, suggested RTC
2. accepted the suggestion that Tej Bahadur Sapru and M.R. Jayakar be allowed to explore the possibility of peace between the Congress and the government
3. Nehrus and Gandhi unequivocally reiterated the demands of:
4. right of secession from Britain;
5. complete national government with control over
   defence and finance; and
6. an independent tribunal to settle Britain’s financial
   claims.
7. Talks broke down at this point.

Question 167

Gandhi-Irwin Pact?

Answer 167

1. in Jan 1931, Gandhi and all other members of CWC were released unconditinally
2. endorsed by INC in Karachi session 1931
3. this pact placed Congress on an equal footing with Govt
4. Irwin and govt agreed on
   
   1. ​immediate release of all political prisoners not convicted of violence
   2. remission of all fines not yet collected
   3. return of all lands not yet sold to third parties
   4. lenient treatment to those government servants who had resigned
   5. right to make salt in coastal villages for personal consumption (not for sale)
   6. right to peaceful and non-aggressive picketing
   7. withdrawal of emergency ordinances.
5. Hwever turnd down 2 demands
   
   1. public inquiry into police excesses
   2. commutation of Bhagat Singh and his comrades’ death sentence to life sentence
6. Gandhiji and INC agreed to Suspend CDM and participate in next RTC

Question 168

Karachi session 1931?

Answer 168

1. 6 days earlier, Bhagat Singh was hanged and Gandhi was black-flagged
2. resolutions:
   
   1. While disapproving of and dissociating itself from
      political violence, the Congress admired the ‘bravery’ and
      ‘sacrifice’ of the three martyrs
   2. Delhi Pact or Gandhi-Irwin Pact was endorsed
   3. goal of purna swaraj was reiterated
   4. Two resolutions were adopted—one on Fundamental
      Rights and the other on National Economic Programme
3. This was the first time the Congress spelt out what
   swaraj would mean for the masses—”in order to end
   exploitation of masses, political freedom must include
   economic freedomof starving millions

Question 169

Karachi session, 1931: FR resolution?

Answer 169

1. free speech and free press; RT frm associations; RT assemble
2. universal adult franchise
3. equal legal rights irrespective of caste, creed and sex
4. neutrality of state in religios matters
5. free and compulsory primary education
6. protection to culture, language, script of minorities
7. and linguistic groups

Question 170

Karachi session, 1931: Resolution on National Economic Programme?

Answer 170

1. substantial reduction in rent and revenue in the case
2. of landholders and peasants
3. exemption from rent for uneconomic holdings
4. relief from agricultural indebtedness
5. control of usury i.e lending monet at exorbitantly high rates
6. better conditions of work including a living wage,
7. limited hours of work and protection of women
8. workers in the industrial sector
9. right to workers and peasants to form unions
10. state ownership and control of key industries, mines
11. and means of transport

Question 171

RTC:

1. Guv Gen? PM?
2. when: 1st, 2ns and 3rd RTC?

Answer 171

1. Lord Irwin (1st), Lord Willingdon (2nd); Ramsay Macdonald
2. RTC:
   
   • 1st: betn Nov 1930 and Jan 1931
   • 2nd: Sept to Dec 1931
   • 3rd: Nov-Dec 1932

Question 172

1st RTC?

Answer 172

1. held in London between November 1930 and January 1931
2. chaired by Ramsay MacDonald
3. first conference arranged between the British and the Indians as equals
4. Congress and some prominent business leaders refused to attend
5. Princely stateslke Bhopal, baroda, J&K, Hyd, etc.
6. ML: Aga Khan III (leader of British India delegation), Jinnah, Muhammad Shafi etc.
7. Hindu Mahasabha: BS Moonje, MR Jayakar and Diwan Narendra Nath
8. Sikhs: Sarda Ujjal Singh and Sardar Sampuran Singh
9. Parsis: C. Jehangir and H. Mody
10. women: Begum Jahanara Shahnawaz and Radhabai Subbarayan
11. liberals: Tej Bahadur Sapru, JN Basu, CH Setalvad
12. Depressed classes: Ambedkar and R. Srinivasan
13. Justice party: AR Mudaliar, Sir AP Patro
14. Labours: NM Joshi and BS Rao
15. also representatives of the landlords and universities, Burma etc.
16. GoI was represened by NN Law, BN Mitra, CP Ramaswamy Iyer and M Ramchandra Rao
17. outcomes: Nothing much; generally agreed that India was to develop into a federation; deptts other than defence and finance to be transferred; bt no actual plan as INC was absent

Question 173

2nd RTC?

Answer 173

1. INC: sole rep Gandhiji; though A. Ramaswamy Aiyanger and MM Malviya also there
2. princely states
3. Muslims: Aga KHan III, Jinnah, Muhammed Iqbal, Muhammed Shafi
4. HIndu grps: MR Jayakar, BS Moonje and Diwan Narendra Nath
5. LIberals: Tej Bahadur sapru, CH Setalvad
6. Justice party: raja of Bobbili, A. Ramaswamy Mudaliar, Sir AP Patro
7. Parsis: C. Jehangir, H. Mody and Pheroze Sethna
8. Industry was represented by Ghanshyam Das Birla, Sir Purshottamdas Thakurdas and Maneckji Dadabhoy
9. Labour: NM Joshi, BS Rao and VV Giri
10. Indian women: Sarojini Naidu, Begum Jahanara Shahnawaz and Radhabai Subbarayan
11. also rep of uni, Burma, and other provinces like Sindh, Assam etc
12. GoI was represened by NN Law, CP Ramaswamy Iyer and M Ramchandra Rao
13. Gandhi’s arguments/demands:
    
    1. that INC alone represented political India which British contested
    2. untouchables were HIndus; no separate electorate
    3. no need fr separate electorate or special safeguards fr Muslims and other minorities: this led to deadlock as Minorities Pact, (Muslims, DEpressed classes, Christians and Anglo-Indians) wanted separate electorates
14. Outcomes:
    
    1. Macdonald announced 2 muslim majority provinces- NWFP and SIndh
    2. settinf up Indian Consultative committee (Federation sbstitute)
    3. set up 3 expert committees on finance, franchise and states
    4. prospect of a unilateral British CommunalAward if Indians failed to agree
       1.

Question 174

3rd RTC?

Answer 174

1. not attended by INC and Gandhi as well as by most other leaders
2. Indian states, Aga KHan III, Ambedkar, NM Joshi, MR Jayakar, Begum Jahanara Shahnawaz, Tej Bahadur Sapru, Sir Purshottamdas Thakurdas etc. did attend
3. little was achieved
4. led to a white paper in March 1933 that finally led to GoI act 1935

Question 175

resumption and final withdrawal of CDM?

Answer 175

1. resumed on 29th Dec 1931
2. this phase coincided with upsurge in two princely states-Kashmir and alwar
3. finally withdrawn in April 1934

Question 176

Communal Award?

Answer 176

1. announced by the British prime minister, Ramsay MacDonald, on August 16, 1932
2. based on the findings of the Indian Franchise Committee (also called the Lothian Committee)
3. separate electorates for Muslims, Europeans, Sikhs, Indian
   Christians, Anglo-Indians, depressed classes, women (3% in all provinces except NWFP) and even to the
   Marathas for some seats in Bombay fr a period of 20 yrs
4. Simon Commission rejected the proposal of separate electorate for the depressed classes; however, it retained the concept of reserving seats
5. Allocation of seats were to be made for labourers, landlords, traders and industrialists

Question 177

Congress’ stand on COmmunal award?

Answer 177

Though opposed to separate electorates, the Congress was
not in favour of changing the Communal Award without the
consent of the minorities. Thus, Congress decided neither to
accept it nor to reject it.

Question 178

players in Poona pact?

Answer 178

1. Gandhiji, ambedkar, MC Rajah and MM Malviya
2. Congress decided neither to accept it nor to reject it.

Question 179

Gandhi’s Harijan campaign?

Answer 179

1. While in jail,
   
   1. he set up the All India Anti-Untouchability League in Sept 1932 and
   2. started the weekly Harijan in January 1933
2. After his release, he shifted to the Satyagraha Ashram in Wardha
3. Starting frm Wardha, he conducted a Harijan tour of the country in the period from November 1933 to July 1934 covering 20,000 km, collecting money for his newly set up Harijan Sevak Sangh
4. called for total eradication of untouchability; and open temples
5. stressed the need for caste Hindus to do ‘penance’ for untold miseries inflicted on Harijans
6. Shastras do not sanction untouchability, and if they did, they should be ignored as it was against human dignity.
7. not in favour of mixing up the issue of removal of untouchability with that of inter-caste marriages and inter-dining
8. distinguished between abolition of untouchability and abolition of caste system as such, unlike ambedkar
9. Gandhi’s Harijan campaign included a programme of
   internal reform by Harijans covering education, cleanliness,
   hygiene, giving up eating of beef and carrion and consumption
   of liquor, and removing untouchability among themselves
10. Gradually, the campaign carried the message of nationalism
    to Harijans who also happened to be the agricultural labourers
    in most parts of the country, leading to their increasing
    participation in the national and peasant movements

Question 180

The two stages of debate after CDM?

Answer 180

1. 1934-35: first stage was on what course the national
   movement should take in the immediate future, i.e., during
   the phase of non-mass struggle
2. second stage, in 1937, considered the question of office acceptance in the context of provincial elections (different frm 1934 Central Legislative Council elections held in 1934, which was the question of first stage debate)

Question 181

First stage debate after CDM?

Answer 181

Three perspectives put forward:

1. constructive work on Gandhian lines
2. constitutional struggle and participation in elections to the Central Legislature (due in 1934): advocated by M.A. Ansari, Asaf Ali, Bhulabhai Desai, S. Satyamurthy and B.C. Roy
3. A strong leftist trend within the Congress, represented by Nehru, was critical of both constructive work and council entry ; this section favoured resumption and continuation of non-constitutionalist mass struggle because the situation was still revolutionary owing to continued economic crisis and the readiness of the masses to fight.

Question 182

Nehru’s vision fr post CDM struggle?

Answer 182

1. basic goal is abolition of capitalism and establishment of socialism
2. considered the withdrawal of the CDM and council entry
   
   • “a spiritual defeat”,
   • “a surrender of ideals” and
   • “a retreat from revolutionary to reformist mentality”
3. He argued fr taking up the economic and class demands of peasants and workers, and landlords and capitalists,
   organising masses in their class organisations—kisan sabhas
   and trade unions.And these class orgs shud be allowed to affliate with INC
4. argued that the Indian national movement had reached a stage, after the Lahore Congress in which there should be a continuous confrontation and conflict (Struggle-Victory strategy) in place of struggle-truce-struggle

Question 183

Final resolution of firststage debate post CDM?

Answer 183

allowed to contest elections

In the elections to the Central Legislative Assembly held in November 1934, the Congress captured 45 out of 75 seats reserved for Indians.

In October 1934, Gandhi announced his resignation from the
Congress to serve it better in thought, word and deed

Question 184

Response of various grps to GoI act 1935?

Answer 184

1. condemned by nearly all sections and unanimously rejected by the Congress. INC demanded, instead, the convening of a Constituent Assembly elected on the basis of adult franchise to frame a constitution for independent India.
2. Hindu Mahasabha and the National Liberal Foundation, however, declared themselves in favour of the working of the 1935 Act in the
   central as well as at the provincial level

Question 185

Second stage debate?

Answer 185

regarding participation in 1937provincial elections under GoI act which was rejected unanimously by INC

1. Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhash Bose, and Congress socialists and communists were opposed to office acceptance asit wud negate rejection of act. It would be like assuming responsibility without
   power
   
   • As a counter-strategy, the leftists proposed entry into
     the councils with an aim to create deadlocks, thus making
     the working of the Act impossible (older Swarajist strategy).
2. proponents of office acceptance argued that they were equally committed to combating the 1935 Act, but work in legislatures was to be only a short-term tactic since option of a mass movement was not available at the time, and mass struggle alone was capable of winning independence
3. Gandhiji: opposed office acceptance initially bt by beginning of 1936, was willing to giv a trial to Congress ministry formation. Evn then, he did not attend a single election meeting
4. Finally, in 1936 Lucknow and 1937 Faizpur sessions, INC decided to fight elections and postpone the decision on office acceptance to the postelection phase

Question 186

INC’s performance in 1937 provincial elections?

Answer 186

1. got a majority in all provinces, except in
   
   • Bengal,
   • Assam,
   • Punjab,
   • Sindh and
   • the NWFP
2. emerged as the largest party in Bengal, Assam and the NWFP

Question 187

INC’s govt after 1937 elections was formed in ?

Answer 187

1. BOmbay
2. Madras
3. Central Provinces
4. Odisha
5. United Provinces
6. Bihar
7. later in NWFP and Assam too

Question 188

Performance of INC’s ministries after 1937 elections?

Answer 188

1. eased curbs on civil liberties
2. Agrarian reforms
3. attitude towards labour
4. social welfare reforms
5. other significant contributions

Question 189

Performance of INC’s ministries after 1937 elections: easing curbs on civil liberties?

Answer 189

1. Laws giving emergency powers were repealed
2. press restrictions, Ban on illegal organisations, such as the Hindustan Seva Dal and Youth Leagues, and on certain books lifted
3. Confiscated arms and arms licences were restored
4. Police powers were curbed and the CID stopped shadowing politicians
5. Political prisoners and revolutionaries were released, and deportation and internment orders were revoked.
6. Pensions of officials associated with CDM restored
7. certain instances also where ministers used their political powers to curb dissent and free speech
   
   • eg. K.M. Munshi, the Bombay home minister, used the CID
     against communists and leftists
   • SS Batliwala and Yusuf Maherally, socialists, were arrested by the Madras gov

Question 190

Performance of INC’s ministries after 1937 elections: Agrarian reforms?

Answer 190

1. could not undertake a complete overhaul of the agrarian structure by completely abolishing zamindari but
2. managed to legislate a number of laws relating to land reforms, debt relief, forest grazing fee, arrears of rent, land tenures, etc
3. most of these benefits went to statutory and
   occupancy tenants while sub-tenants did not gain much

Question 191

Performance of INC’s ministries after 1937 elections: attitude towards labour?

Answer 191

1. basic approach was to advance workers’ interests while promoting industrial peace
2. Congress victory in the elections had aroused the hopes of the industrial working class leading to increased militancy and industrial unrest in Bombay, Gujarat at a time when the Congress was drawn into a closer friendship with Indian capitalists. This resulted in what appeared to be an anti-labour shift in Congress
   attitudes that led to the Bombay Traders Disputes Act, 1938
3. ministries treated militant trade union protests as law and order problems, and acted as mediators
4. though largely successful, bt not in Bombay; then ministries resorted to Sec 144, which displeased both Nehru and Gandhi

Question 192

Performance of INC’s ministries after 1937 elections: social welfare reforms?

Answer 192

1. Prohibition imposed in certain areas
2. Measures for welfare of Harijans taken—temple entry, use of public facilities, scholarships
3. Attention given to primary, technical and higher education and to public health and sanitation
4. Encouragement given to khadi through subsidies
5. Prison reforms
6. Encouragement given to indigenous enterprises
7. Efforts taken to develop planning through National Planning Committee set up under Congress president Subhash
   Bose in 1938.

Question 193

Performance of INC’s ministries after 1937 elections: evaluation?

Answer 193

1. by 1939 internal strifes, opportunism and hunger for power had started surfacing
2. contention that Indian self-government was necessary for radical social transformation got confirmed
3. Congressmen demonstrated that a movement could use state power to further its ends without being co-opted
4. ministries were able to control communal riots
5. morale of the bureaucracy came down
6. Council work helped neutralise many erstwhile hostile elements like landlords
7. Administrative work by Indians further weakened the myth that Indians were not fit to rule.

Question 194

What is ‘Pirpur committee’?

Answer 194

1. ML, annoyed with the Congress for not sharing power with them established the Pirpur Committee in 1938 to prepare a detailed report on the atrocities supposedly committed by the INC ministries.
2. In its report the committee charged the Congresswith
   
   1. interference in the religious rites,
   2. suppression of Urdu in favour of Hindi,
   3. denial of proper representation and
   4. of the oppression of Muslims in the economic sphere.

Question 195

Linlithgow’s statement/ response?

Answer 195

Oct 1939

1. refused to define British war aims beyond resisting aggression
2. as future arrangement, will consuly rep of several communities, parties and intersts in India and the INdian princes as to how 1935 act may be modified
3. eud immediately set up a consultative committee whose advice wud be sought whenevr reqd

Jan 1940 (after INC ministers and legislators resigned)

“dominion status of westminister variety, after the war, is the goal of British policy in india”

Question 196

build up to August declaration?

Answer 196

1. Ramgarh session (March 1940): INC wud resort to CDM as soon as Conress org is considered fit enough or if circumstances precipitate a crisis
2. left grps like Forward Bloc, CSP, CPI etc. sought taking advantage and seeking freedom
3. Bose even proposed a parallel Congress to organise immediate mass struggle if INC leadership was not willing, bt CSP and CPI differed on this
4. Pakistan resolution in March 1940
   
   1. grouping of geog contiguous areas where muslim majority
   2. into indep states
   3. constituent units shall be autonomous and sovereign
   4. adequate safeguards to muslims whe they are in minority
5. hitler’s success and fall of Blgium, Holland and France

Question 197

August offer? response?

Answer 197

1. dominion status as obj fr iNdia
2. expansion of viceroy’s executive council
3. setting up a constituent assembly after war where mainly Indians….subject to fulfillment og govt obligations of govt regarding defence, minority rights, treaties with states and civil services
4. no future consti to be adopted without the consent of minorities

​

INC rejected; ML welcomed and reiterated partitionas the only true solution

Question 198

Individual satyagraha?

Answer 198

1. after failure of August offer plus govt adamant view that consti advance cud be made till congress came to an agreement with ML
2. On Oct 17, 1940, gandhiji chose Vinoda Bhave; second Nehru
3. demand of the satygrahi wud be ‘anti-war declaration’+ DElhi Chalo

Question 199

build up to Cripps mission?

Answer 199

1. individual satygaraha in Oct 1940
2. by May 1941, 25000 convicted fr it
3. June 1941: Germany attackes Russia and Russia joind war
4. Dec 1941: Japan attacks Pearl harbor
5. Dec 1941: Congress leaders released; overrode Gandhi’s and Nehru’s objections and passed a resolution to cooperate if :
   
   1. ​full independence after the war
   2. substance of power transferred immediately

Question 200

Cripps mission?

Answer 200

1. March 1942
2. Stafford Cripp, a left wing laborite, leader of House of commons and a member of British war cabinet, had actively supported Indian national movement
3. proposals:
   
   1. Indian Union with a dominion status
   2. it wud be free to decide its relations with the commonwealth and free to participate in UN and other international bodies
   3. after end of war, a constituent assembly of only Indians to frame a new consti
   4. partly elected by PR and partly nominated by Indian princes
   5. British govt wud accept the consti subject to two conditions:
      
      1. any province not willing to join Union cud hv a separate consti and form a separate union; procedure of accession was also detailed
         
         • reolution in legislature by a 60% majority
         • if <60% majority then, decision to be taken by ap;ebiscite of adult males of that province by a simple majority
      2. new consti making body and BG wud negotiate a treaty to effect the transfer of power and to safeguard racial and religious minorities
   6. In the meantime, defence of INdia wud remain in british hands and Guv-Gen’s powers wud remain intact. however Indians were allowed a larger sahre in the administration in the interim period
      
      • talks broke down on th issue of Vicroy’s veto

Question 201

objections raised by INC against Cripps misison’s proposals?

Answer 201

INC:

1. Offer of Dominion status instead of provision for complete Independence.
2. Representation of the princely states by nominees and not by elected representatives
3. Write two provinces to secede
4. Absence of any plan for immediate transfer of power and absence of any real share in defence
5. Governor general’s Supremacy was retained and the demand for governor general being only the constitutional head was not accepted.

Gandhi described the scheme as “ a post dated cheque”

Question 202

objections raised by ML against Cripps misison’s proposals?

Answer 202

1. Criticised the idea of a single Indian Union
2. Did not like the machinery for the creation of a constituent assembly and the procedure to decide on the accession of provinces to the union
3. Believed that the proposals denied to the Muslims the right to self-determination and the creation of Pakistan

Question 203

Causes for failure of Cripps mission?

Answer 203

Apart from objections raised by INC and ML,

1. The proposals were meant not to supersede the August offer but to clothe the general provisions with precision
2. The incapacity of Cripps to go beyond the draught declaration and the adoption of a rigid “ take it or leave it” attitude added to the deadlock
3. The procedure of accession was problematic. It was weighed against the Hindus in Punjab and Bengal if they wanted accession to the Indian Union
4. It was not clear as to who would implement and interpret the Treaty affecting the transfer of power
5. Churchill, Amery, the secretary of state, linlithgow consistently torpedoed Cripp’s efforts
6. Talks broke down on the question of the viceroy’s veto

Question 204

Factors precipitating Quit India Movement?

Answer 204

1. Failure of cripps mission exposed Britons unchanged attitude on constitutional advance. It was clear that any more silence would be tantamount to accepting the British right to decide the fate of Indians without consulting them
2. Popular discontent because of rising prices and shortage of rice, salt etc.
3. There were fears of Britain following a scorched Earth policy in Assam Bengal and Orissa against possible Japanese advance
4. News of reversal supported by British in Southeast Asia and an eminent British collab enhanced popular willingness to give expression to discontent. Popular faith in the stability of the — rule was so low that people were withdrawing deposits from banks and post offices
5. The manner in which the British evacuated from Southeast Asia leaving the subjects to their fate (black road and White Road for Indian and European Refugee respectively)
6. The route by an Asian power shattered white Prestige and exposed the racist tendencies of the rulers
7. The leadership wanted to condition the masses for a possible Japanese invasion

Question 205

resolution of Quit Indian movement?

Answer 205

1. CWC meeting in Wardha in July 1942 accepted the idea of struggle
2. 8th Aug 1942, QIR was ratified at Gowalia tank
   
   1. demanded an immediate end to British rule in india
   2. declared commitment to free India to defend itself against all types of Fascism and imperialism
   3. form a provisonal govt of India after British left
   4. sanction a CDM against British rule
   5. gandhi named the leader of the movement

Question 206

Gandhiji’s general instructions fr QIM?

Answer 206

were spelt out at Gowalia tank meeting bt nt actually issued

1. Govt servants: do not resign bt declare ur allegiance to INC
2. Soldiers: don’t leave the army bt don’t fire at compatriots
3. students: if confident, leave studies
4. Peasants: if zamindars are anti-govt, pay mutually agreed rent and if zamindars are pro-govt, do not pay rent
5. Princes: support the masses and aceept soveriegnty of ur people
6. Princely states’ people: support the ruler only if he is anti-govt and eclare urselves to be a part of the Indian nation

Question 207

QIM: undergrn activity?

Answer 207

• by socialists, forward blc members, Gandhi ashramites, revolutionary terrorists and local orgs
• in Bombay, Poona, satara, baroda and parts of GJ, KN, Kerala, Andhra, UP, Bihar and Delhi
• by
  
  • Rammanohar Lohia
  • JP narayan
  • Aruna Asaf ali
  • Usha Sharma: satrted an underrn radio
  • Biju Patnaik
  • Chhotubhai Puranik
  • Achyut Patwardhan
  • Sucheta Kriplani
  • RP Goenka

Question 208

QIM: parallel govt?

Answer 208

1. Ballia: Aug 1942 fr a week; under Chittu pandey
2. Tamluk, Midnapore: Dec 1942 to Sept 1944;cyclone relief works, supplied paddy frm rich to the poor and organised Bidyut bahinis
3. Satara:
   
   1. 1943-1945
   2. “Prati sarkar”
   3. YB chavan, Nana Patil
   4. village lib and Nyaydan Mandals
   5. prohibition campaigns
   6. ‘Gandhi marriages’

Question 209

participation of diffsectinos in QIM?

Answer 209

1. workers: strikes in Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Jamshedpur etc.
2. women: esp school and clg girls
3. peasants: along with worker s and students, were heart of the movm; concentratde on symbols of authority; complete absence of anti-zamindar violence; villagers refused to share info with authorities about the underground activists and revolutionaries
4. some zamindars also participated
5. govt officials: esp in lower levels of police and admin did participate: erosion of loyalty; some even aided in passing of information to activists
6. Muslims: no communal clashes during QIM; gave residence and shelter; however, Pakistan day was obsesrved on March 23rd 1943
7. Communists: anti-war line bt still felt the pull of the movm
8. princely states: low key response
9. businessmen: active help provided through donations, shelter and material help
10. students: went on strikes in schools and colleges, participated in processions, wrote and distributed illegal patrikas and acted as couriers for underground networks

Question 210

QIM: features?

Answer 210

1. Mainly concentrated in Eastern UP,, Bihar Midnapore, Maharashtra and Karnataka
2. Students workers and peasants were backbone of the movement while the upper classes and Bureaucracy remained largely loyal
3. Loyalty to Government support considerable erosion showing how deep nationalism had reached
4. Establish the truth that it was no longer possible to rule India without the wishes of Indian
5. Element of spontaneity was higher than before. However a certain ° of popular initiative was sanctioned by the leadership itself. Also the Congress had been ideologically and organizationally preparing for the struggle for a long time
6. The movement place the demand for independence on the immediate agenda of the National Movement. After QIM there could be no retreat
7. Common people displayed unparalleled heroism and militancy. They were also subjected to the most brutal repression

Question 211

Famine of 1943?

Answer 211

Worst affected areas were of South West Bengal- Tamluk-Contai-Diamond Harbour region, Dacca, faridpur, Tippera and Noakhali.

Round 1.5 to 3 million people died due to the famine, the epidemics, malnutrition and starvation

Causes:

• Need to feed a vast Army diverted foodstuff
• Rice import from Burma in Southeast Asia was stopped
• The famine got aggravated by gross mismanagement and deliberate profiteering

Question 212

Gandhi-Jinnah talks?

Answer 212

aka Rajgopalachari formula

• in 1944
• Formula for Congress League cooperation
• Main points:
  
  • ML to endorse Congress demand for independence
  • ML to co-operate with Congress in forming a provisional government at the centre
  • After the end of War, the entire population of Muslim majority areas in the Northwest and Northeast India to decide by a plebiscite, whether or not to form a separate Sovereign state
  • In the case of acceptance of partition, agreement to be made jointly for safeguarding defence, commerce, Communications etc.
  • The above terms to be operative only if England transferred full powers to India
• Thus it was a tacit acceptance of the league’s demand for Pakistan
• Jinnah’s response
  
  • Wanted the Congress to accept the two Nation theory
  • Wanted only the Muslims of north west and north east India to vote in the plebiscite and not the entire population
  • Also opposed the idea of common central government
• The proposal was also criticized by Hindu leaders like Veer Savarkar

Question 213

Desai-Liaquat Pact?

Answer 213

Between Bhulabhai Desai, leader of the Congress party in the central Legislative Assembly, and Deputy leader of the Muslim League in the Assembly, Liaqat Ali Khan

The formation of an interim government at the centre

• Equal Number of persons nominated by the Congress and the league in the central legislature
• 20% reserved seats for minorities

Acknowledgement of a parity between Congress and the league was something that would have long lasting consequence

Question 214

Wavell Plan?

Answer 214

• With the war coming to an end in Europe in May 1945, Lord Wavell was empowered to start negotiations with Indian leaders. Congress leaders were released from jail in June 1945
• Cause for Govt’s initiative

1. Upcoming general election in England: the conservative wanted to be seen as sincere on reaching the solution
2. Pressure from allies to seek further Indian cooperation in the war
3. Government wanted to divert Indian energies into channels more profitable for the British

• plan: the plan was aimed to reconstruct the governor general’s executive Council pending the preparation of a new constitution. Formulated at the Shimla Conference of 1945

1. Accept governor general and commander in chief, all members of the executive Council were to be Indians
2. Caste Hindus and Muslims were to have equal representation
3. The reconstructed Council was to function as an interim government within the framework of the 1935 Act
4. Governor general was to exercise his Veto on the advice of ministers
5. Representatives of different parties were to submit a joint list with the viceroy for nominations to the executive Council. If a joint list was not possible then separate lists to be submitted
6. Negotiation for new constitution once the war was finally won

• Response of ML: ML Wanted all Muslim members to be League Nominees sharing that aims of other minorities will be same as those of the Congress reducing the lead to a one third majority. ML wanted some kind of Veto in the Council with decisions opposed to Muslims needing a two-thirds majority for approval
• Response of Congress: objected to the plan as it attempted to reduce the Congress to the status of a purely caste Hindu party and insisted on its right to include members of all communities among its Nominee
• Wavell announce The breakdown of talks thus giving the ML a virtual Veto. This strengthened the league’s position

Question 215

Features of the post war National upsurge i.e. In the last years of the British rule?

Answer 215

Two basic strands

1. Tortuous negotiation involving government, Congress and Muslim League, orphan accompanied by communal violence and finally culminating in freedom and the partition
2. Sporadic, localised and often extremely militant and United mass action by workers, peasants and States’ people which took the form of a country wide strike wave. These were often precipitated by INA release movement, Royal Indian Navy revolt, tebhaga movement, Warli revolt, Punjab Kisan Morchas, Travancore people’s struggle and the Telangana peasant revolt

Question 216

Causes for change in governments attitude post war?

Answer 216

1. Change in balance of global power- USA and USSR emerged as superpower, both of which favoured freedom for India
2. The new labour government (July 1945) was more sympathetic to Indian demands
3. Throughout Europe, there was a wave of socialist radical government
4. British soldiers for weary and tired and British economy was started
5. There was an anti imperialist wave in Southeast Asia- in Vietnam and Indonesia- resisting efforts to replant French and Dutch rule
6. Officials feared another Congress revolt, a revival of 1942 situation but much more dangerous because of Army disaffection and presence of INA men with some military experience
7. Election for inevitable once the war ended since the last elections have been held in 1934 for the centre and in 1937 for the provinces

Question 217

Indian National Army?

Answer 217

First Phase

1. Idea first conceived in Malaya by Mohan Singh, an Indian officer of the British Indian Army, when you decided not to join the retreating British army and instead turned to the Japanese for help
2. After the fall of Singapore, Mohan Singh tried to to recruit 45000 PoWs into INA. By the end of 1942, 40000 men were ready to join the INA. The INA intended to go into action only on invitation of the Congress and the people of India. It was also seen by many as a check against the misconduct of the Japanese against Indians in Southeast Asia and a force against future Japanese occupation in India
3. With the boost given by Quit India Movement, in September 1942, to the first division was found with 16000 men.
4. Japanese, contemplating an Indian invasion wanted a token force of Indians, but this led to emergence of differences with Mohan Singh as he wanted to raise an army of 200000

Second phase

1. Begin with the arrival of Subhash Chandra Bose in Singapore in July 1943, where you was assisted by RasBehari Bose, other Indian residents of Southeast Asia and the Indian PoWs from Burma, Malaya and Singapore.
2. In October 1943, he set a professional Indian government with headquarters at Rangoon and Singapore. This government was recognised by the axis powers.
3. Recruits who trained and funds collected for the INA. Women’s Regiment called Rani Jhansi Regiment was formed.
4. One INA a battalion commanded by Shah Nawaz was allowed to accompany the Japanese Army to the Indo Burma front and participate in the Imphal campaign.
5. Discriminatory treatment by the Japanese, failure of the Imphal campaign and the study Japanese Retreat thereafter quashed any hopes of INA liberating India

Question 218

Congress post war election campaign?

Answer 218

1. More than an election campaign, it was an extension of the efforts to mobilize the Indians against the British
2. Expressed the Nationalist sentiments against the state repression of the QIM. This was done by
   
   1. Glorification of Martyrs and condemnation of officials
   2. The Brave resistance of the leaderless people was lauded
   3. Martyrs Memorials were set up
   4. Relief fund for collected for sufferers
   5. Officials responsible for causing pain were condemned
   6. Promises of enquiry and threats of punishment to guilty officials your issue
3. Mass pressure against the trial of INA PoWs

Question 219

INA Agitation: role of INC?

Answer 219

At the first post war congress session in September 1945 at Bombay, a strong Resolution was adopted declaring Congress support for the INA cause

Defence in court was organised by Bhulabhai Desai, Tej Bahadur Sapru, Kailash Nath Katju, Nehru and Asaf Ali

INA relief and enquiry committee distributed small sums of money and food and helped arrange employment for the affected

Fund collection was organised

Question 220

INA agitation described as ‘an edge of a volcano’: main points?

Answer 220

1. factors precipitating the crisis
2. unprecedented intensity of protests
3. the three upsurges of 1945-46

Question 221

INA agitation described as ‘an edge of a volcano’:factors precipitating the crisis?

Answer 221

factors precipitating the crisis

• Initial decision to hold public trials of 700 INA Prisoners
• Detaining without trial around 7000 of them
• The first trial was held in the Red Fort at Delhi
• They put together a Hindu- Prem Kumar Sehgal, A Muslim- Shahnawaz Khan and a Sikh- Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon
• Another issue was provided by the use of Indian Army units in a bid to restore the French and Dutch Colonial rule in Vietnam and Indonesia which ine has the anti-imperialist feeling among a section of Urban population and the Army

Question 222

INA agitation described as ‘an edge of a volcano’: unprecedented intensity of protests?

Answer 222

1. White publicity through extensive press coverage with daily editorials, distribution of Pamphlets containing threats of Revenge, graffiti conveying similar messages
2. Holding of public meetings and celebrations of INA day and INA week
3. Wide geographical reach- spread to distant places such as Coorg, Balochistan and Assam
4. Participation of diverse social groups
5. Almost all political parties supported the cause in varying degrees
6. Forms of participation included fund contribution made by people from film stars, Municipal committees, Indians living abroad and Gurudwaras to tongawalas; participation in meetings; shopkeepers closing shops; contributing to INA funds; student meetings and boycott of classes; Kisan conferences and All India Women’s conference demanding release of INA Prisoners
7. Support emerged in traditional bulwarks of the government as well. Government employees collected funds. The loyalists- the gentlemen with titles- appeal to the government to abandon trials for good Indo British relation
8. Men of the armed forces were unexpectedly sympathetic and attended meetings and contribute to fund
9. The central theme became the right of Britain to decide a matter concerning Indians.
10. Led to the three upsurges of 1945-46

Question 223

INA agitation described as ‘an edge of a volcano’: the three upsurges of 1945-46?

Answer 223

• The INA the upsurge developed into violent confrontations in the winter of 1945-46
• All three upsurges show the similar three-stage pattern:
  ​a group defies the authority and is repressed–> the city people join in—-> people in other parts of the country express sympathy and solidarity

1. Nov 21st 1945 in Calcutta over the INA trials-
   
   1. Student procession comprising forward bloc sympathizer and Islamia College students marched to Dalhousie square, were Lathicharged and finally fired upon.
   2. Virtual paralysis of Calcutta. Meetings, processions, Strikes, hartals, attacks on Europeans, Police stations, shops, railway stations, banks and forcible stopping of rail and road traffic by Sporting on tracks and barricading of street
   3. Support protest in other parts of the country:
      
      • Students boycotted classes and organised hartals and professions
2. February 11th 1946 in Calcutta against seven year sentence to INA to officer Rashid Ali
   
   1. Protest led by Muslim League students along with some Congress and Communist students organisations; students arrested and Lathi charged
   2. Virtual paralysis of Calcutta———-“——————-
   3. Support protest in other parts of the country by students
3. February 18th 1946 in Bombay strike by the royal Indian Navy ratings
   
   1. Some 1100 Naval ratings of HMIS Talwar went on strike to protest against
      
      • Racial discrimination- demanding equal pay for Indian and white soldiers
      • Unpalatable food
      • Abuse by superior officers
      • Arrest of a rating for scrawling ‘ Quit India’ on HMIS Talwar
      • INA trials
      • Use of Indian troops in Indonesia, demanding there withdrawal
   2. The ratings hoisted the tricolour, Crescent and the hammer and sickle flag on the mast of the the fleet
   3. Other rating soon joined and they went around Bombay in lorries holding congress flag threatening European sand policemen
   4. Virtual paralysis of Bombay —————-“—————
   5. Support protest in other parts of the country by students and ratings. Sympathetic Strikes in military establishments in Karachi Madras Visakhapatnam Calcutta Delhi andamans Bahrain and Aden.
   6. Also strikes by the royal Indian Airforce in Bombay Pune Calcutta Jessore and Ambala.
   7. Patel and Jinnah persuaded the ratings to surrender on February 23rd with an assurance that national parties would prevent any victimization

Question 224

INA agitation described as ‘an edge of a volcano’: the three upsurges of 1945-46: evaluation?

Answer 224

Significance:

1. Fearless action by masses was an expression of militancy in the popular mind. These differed from the earlier INA beauty because of their violent nature
2. Revolt in the armed forces had a liberating effect on people
3. RIN Revolt was seen as an event marking the end of British rule
4. Prompted the British to extend some concessions:
   
   1. In December, government announced that only those INA members accused of Murder or brutal treatment of fellow prisoners would be brought to trial
   2. Imprisonment sentences passed against the first batch were remitted in Jan 1947
   3. Indian soldiers were withdrawn from Indo China and Indonesia by February 1947
   4. Decision to send the cabinet mission to India was taken in February 1946

potential:

1. these were in the nature of direct and violent conflict with authority which had limitation. Only the more militant sections could participate
2. These were short lived and confined to a few urban centres while the general INA agitation reached the remotest village
3. Communal Unity witnessed was more organisational than Unity among the people. Muslim ratings went to the league to seek advice and the rest to the Congress
4. Despite the considerable erosion of the moral of the bureaucracy, the British infrastructure to repress was intact. It was a Maratha battalion in Bombay that rounded up the ratings and restore them to their barracks
5. Claims of Congress Indifference to these upsurges are based on two reasons: fear that the situation would go out of its control and that disciplined armed forces were vital in a free India. However, these upsurges were an extension of the earlier Nationalist activity fostered by the Congress through its election campaign, its advocacy of the INA the pause and highlighting of the excesses of 1942. The Congress Indifference osmo due to their tactics and timing. British were seen to be preparing to leave soon. If Union at the barricade is honest, there should be a Union at the constitutional front also. Gandhi remarked that the mutiny was badly advised and suggested that they should have waited for the guidance of leaders

Question 225

Results of 1946 election?

Answer 225

1. INC:
   
   • Got 91% of non Muslim votes
   • 57 out of 102 seats in the central assembly
   • In the provincial elections, it got a majority in most provinces except in in Bengal, Sindh and Punjab. In NWFP and Assam which were being claimed from Pakistan,INC got majority as well
2. ML:
   
   • Got 86% of Muslim votes
   • Capture the 30 reserved seats in the central assembly. Unlike in 1937, ML was now the clearly dominant party among Muslims
   • In the provincial elections it got a majority in Bengal and Sindh
3. The elections witnessed communal voting in contrast to the strong anti British condition in various upsurges due to
   
   1. separate electorates
   2. Limited franchise- for the provinces, less than 10% of the population could vote and for the central assembly, less than 1% of the population was eligible

Question 226

Cabinet Mission: proposal?

Answer 226

• Announced in February 1946 by Attlee government
• three British cabinet members:
  
  • Pethic Lawrence, secretary of state for India
  • stafford cripps, president of the board of trade
  • AV Alexander, first Lord of admiralty
• To find out ways and means for a negotiated, peaceful transfer of power to India

Question 227

British withdrawal seemed imminent on the eve of cabinet mission: why?

Answer 227

1. Success of Nationalist forces evidenced by the presence of Nationalism in two hitherto untouched sections and areas
2. Demonstration among the Bureaucracy and the loyalist sections. Paucity of ICS recruits and the policy of indianisation had ended the British domination of the ICS as early as the first world war and by 1939 there existed a British Indian parity.
3. The Long War had caused weariness and economic worries in the British Indian government
4. The British strategy of conciliation and repression had reached its limitations.
   
   • After cripps offer there was little left to offer for conciliation except full freedom
   • When nonviolent resistance was repressed with force, the naked force behind the governments stood exposed
   • Efforts to woo the Congress dismayed the loyalists
5. The unclear policy of the government presented a dilemma for the services. The prospect of Congress Ministries coming to power further compounded this dilemma.
6. Constitutionalism Congress Raj had proved to be a big moral booster and helped in deeper penetration of Patriotic sentiments
7. Demands of leniency for INA prisoners from within the army and the revolt of RIN ratings had raised fears that the armed forces may not be as reliable if the Congress started and 1942 type mass movement
8. A peaceful transfer of power was necessary for good future British India relations, the overarching name of the British policy makers was now a graceful withdrawal,

Question 228

Stance of INC on the eve of Cabinet Mission’s arrival?

Answer 228

Power be transferred to one centre and minorities demand to be worked out in a Framework ranging from autonomy to Muslim majority provinces to self determination or secession from the Indian Union– but only after the British left

Question 229

Stance of British govt on the eve of Cabinet Mission’s arrival?

Answer 229

British policy in 1946 clearly reflected the preference for a United India.

On March 15th 1946, British Prime Minister Clement attlee said “ though mindful of the rights of minorities… Cannot allow a minority to place their Veto on the advance of the majority”. This was a far cry from the Shimla conference where Wavell had allowed Jinnah to Wreck the conference

Question 230

Cabinet Mission’s proposals?

Answer 230

Since the Congress and the league could not come to any agreement on the fundamental issue of the unity or partition of India, the mission put forward its own plan in May 1946

1. Rejection of demand for a full fledged Pakistan because
   
   • Pakistan so formed would include a large non Muslim population
   • The very principle of communal self determination would claim separation of the Hindu majority Western Bengal and Sikh and Hindu dominated Ambala and Jalandhar division of Punjab. Some Sikh leaders were already demanding a separate state in the country was partitioned
   • Deep seated regional ties would be disturbed if Bengal and Punjab partitioned
   • Partition would entail economic and administrative problems for example the problem of communication between west and east Pakistan
   • Division of armed forces would be dangerous
2. Grouping of existing provincial assemblies into three section
   
   1. Section A (Hindu majority): Madras, Bombay, Central provinces, United provinces, Bihar and Orissa
   2. Section-B (Muslim majority): Punjab,NWFP and Sindh
   3. Section C (Muslim majority): Bengal and Assam
3. 3 tier executive and legislature at provincial, section and union level. An interim government to be formed from the constituent assembly until the first general elections.
4. A 389 membered constituent assembly to be elected by provincial assemblies (292 sent by provincial assemblies and 93 by princely states) by proportional representation (voting in 3 groups- general, Muslim, sikh).
5. In the constituent assembly, members from groupsA,B and C where to sit separately to decide the constitution for provinces and if possible for the groups also. Then the whole constituent assembly including all three sections would sit together to formulate the union constitution
6. Common Centre would control defence, communication and external affairs
7. Communal question in Central legislature was to be decided by simple majority for both communities present and voting
8. Provinces were to have full autonomy and residual power
9. Princely states were no longer to be under paramountcy of British government, they would be free to enter into an arrangement with successor governments or the British government
10. After the first general elections, a province was to be free to come out of a group and after 10 years, a province was to be free to call for a reconsideration of the group or the union constitution

Question 231

Cabinet Mission’s proposals: response of the INC?

Answer 231

Congress viewed the proposals as against Pakistan since grouping was optional, when constituent assembly was and envisaged and League’s Veto was gone

Major objections

1. Provinces should not have to wait till the first general elections to come out of a group. They should have the option of not joining a group in the first place (with Assam and NWFP in ind, which had been included in Groups B and C respectively)
2. Compulsory grouping contradicts the of repeated insistence on provincial autonomy
3. Absence of provision for elected members from the princely states in the Constituent Assembly was not acceptable

Question 232

Cabinet Mission’s proposals: response of the ML?

Answer 232

Muslim League viewed the proposals as accepting the idea of Pakistan in the form of compulsory grouping

Major objections: Grouping should be compulsory with sections B and C developing into solid entities

Question 233

Cabinet Mission’s proposals: outcome?

Answer 233

Both Muslim League and the Congress accepted the long-term plan put forward by the cabinet mission

Elections were held in provincial assemblies for the constituent assembly in July 1946

On July 10th 1946 Nehru stated “ we are not bound by single thing except that we have decided to go into the constituent assembly… The big probability is that there would be no grouping as NWFP and Assam would have objections to joining sections B and C”

On July 29th 1946: the league withdrew it acceptance of the long-term plan in response to Nehru statement and gave a call for direct action from August 16th to achieve Pakistan

Question 234

Wavell’s “breakdown plan”?

Answer 234

Presented this plan to the cabinet mission in May 1946

Sought a middle course between “ repression” and “ scuttle”

main point: Withdrawal of the British army and officials to the Muslim provinces of Northwest and north east and handing over the rest of the country to the Congress

Not accepted by the cabinet mission plan, but was an evidence of

• British recognition of the impossibility of suppressing any future Congress LED rebellion
• Desire in some high official circles to make a Northern Ireland of Pakistan

Question 235

Major events post cabinet mission?

Answer 235

1. In July 1946 elections held in provincial assemblies for the constituent assembly
2. Nehru statement on 10th July 1946
3. Leagues call for “direct action from August 16th” on July 29th 1946 In response to Nehru’s statement
4. Communal riots from August 16th
5. Formation of interim government in September 1946
6. Muslim League was quietly brought into the interim government on October 26th 1946
7. First meeting of the constituent assembly on December 9th 1946
8. Attlee’s statement on February 20th 1947
9. March and April 1947 saw the first acceptance of partition as the only viable alternative by INC leadership including Nehru due to the communal riots and unworkability of interim govt and constituent assembly because of obstruction by ML
10. Mountbatten plan on June 3rd 1947
11. On July 18th 1947 the British Parliament ratified the Mountbatten plan as the “independence of India Act 1947”. The Act was implemented on August 15th 1947

Question 236

Major events post cabinet mission: interim govt?

Answer 236

1. Congress dominated interim government headed by Nehru was sworn in on 2nd September 1946 with Nehru still insisting on his parties opposition to the compulsory grouping
2. Despite the title the interim government was little more than a continuation of the old executive of the viceroy (Wavell overruled the Minister’s on the question of release of INA prisoners)
3. Muslim League was inducted into the government on October 26th 1946 without giving up the “direct action” or its rejection of the cabinet mission’s long term and short term plans
4. Obstructionist approach of Muslim League:
   
   1. Did not attend the constituent assembly meetings
   2. Refused to attend informal meetings of cabinet to take decisions
   3. Liaquat Ali Khan as the finance minister hamstrung The functioning of other Ministries
   4. Obstructed the decisions and appointments made by the Congress members
   5. In February 1947 9 Congress members of the cabinet wrote to the viceroy demanding resignation of league members and threatened the withdrawal of their own nominees.
   6. The last straw came with the league demanding The dissolution of the constituent assembly

Question 237

Major events post cabinet mission: Attlee’s statement?

Answer 237

On February 20th 1947

• A deadline of 30th June 1948 was fixed for transfer of power even if the Indian politicians had not agreed by that time on the constitution. Possible causes for fixing a date for withdrawal:
  
  1. Hoped that a fixed date would shock the parties into an agreement on the main question
  2. Government was keen to avoid the developing constitutional crisis
  3. Government hope to convince the Indians of British sincerity
  4. Could not deny the truth in Wavell’s assessment that an Irreversible decline of the governments authority had taken place
• British would relinquish power either to some form of Central Government or in some areas to the existing provincial governments if the constituent assembly was not fully representatives i.e. If the Muslim majority provinces did not join
• British powers and obligations wrt the princely states would lapse with transfer of power, but these would not be transferred to any successor government in British India
• Mountbatten would replace Wavell as the viceroy

thus clear hints of partition and even balkanization into numerous States

Question 238

Major events post cabinet mission: Attlee’s statement: response of Indian parties?

Answer 238

• INC: provision of transfer power to more than one Centre was acceptable to Congress as it offered a way out of the existing deadlock
• The league was emboldened by the statement and launched the civil disobedience movement to overthrow the coalition government in Punjab
• The hopes of a settlement was soon shattered as the statement proved to be a prelude to the final showdown

Question 239

Mountbatten plan?

Answer 239

• June 3rd 1947
• The possibility of partition was coming to be widely accepted well before Mountbatten came. One major innovation suggested by VP Menon was the immediate transfer of power on the basis of grant of Dominion status, with the right of secession, thereby obviating the need to wait for an agreement in the constituent assembly on a new political structure
• Main points

1. Decision on partition: Punjab and Bengal legislative assemblies would meet into groups, Hindu and Muslim, to vote for partition. If a simple majority of either group voted for partition, then these provinces would be partitioned
   
   • Both decided in favour of partition
2. In case of partition, two dominions and two constituent assembly would be created
3. Sindh would take its own decision
   
   • Both Sindh and Balochistan decided to join Pakistan
4. Referendum in NWFP and Sylhet district of Bengal would decide the fate of These areas
   
   • Both decided in favour of Pakistan
5. Since Congress had accepted partition, all their other points would be met
   
   1. Independence for princely states ruled out, they would either Join India or Pakistan
   2. Independence for Bengal ruled out
   3. Accession of Hyderabad to Pakistan ruled out
6. Freedom would come on August 15th 1947
7. A boundary Commission would be set up if partition was to be effected
   
   • Two boundary commissions, one in respect of each province were constituted to the mark the boundaries of the new provinces

Thus, Mountbatten formula was to divide India but retain maximum Unity

Question 240

Why Congress accepted Dominion status?

Answer 240

Congress was willing to accept Dominion status under Mountbatten plan despite it being against the Lahore Congress spirit because

1. It would ensure a peaceful and very quick transfer of power
2. It was more important for Congress to assume authority to check the explosive situation
3. It would allow for some much needed continuity in Bureaucracy and army

Question 241

Rationale for early date of independence?

Answer 241

• Britain wanted to secure Congress’ agreement to the Dominion status
• British could escape the responsibility for the communal situation

Question 242

Why Congress accepted partition?

Answer 242

• Congress was only accepting the inevitable. The inevitability was the result of long-term failure to draw Muslim masses into the National Movement. While the Congress succeeded in building sufficient National consciousness to exert pressure on British to quit India, it failed in completing the task of building the nation, especially integrating the Muslims
• Only an immediate transfer of power Udcould forestall the spread of direct action and communal violence. The Virtual collapse of the interem government made the notion of Pakistan unavoidable
• The partition plan ruled out Independence for the princely states and prevented balkanization
• Acceptance of partition was only the culmination of step-by-step concessions to the leagues championing of a separate Muslim state
  
  • During cripps mission, autonomy of Muslim majority provinces was accepted
  • During Gandhi Jinnah talks, Gandhi accepted the right of self-determination of Muslim majority provinces
  • After the cabinet mission plan, while initially Congress resisted, later it accepted the compulsory grouping proposed
  • Official reference to Pakistan in CWC resolution of March 1947
  • 3rd June plan: Congress accepted partition
• Some political miscalculation and wishful thinking
  
  • Nehru stated, “ partition is only temporary”, “ once the British left, Hindu Muslim differences would be patched up and free United India would be built up”
  • Congress leadership underestimated the potential of communalism seen in 1940s

Question 243

Independence of India Act 1947?

Answer 243

• On July 18th 1947 the British Parliament ratified the Mountbatten plan as the “independence of India Act 1947” and the act was implemented on August 15th 1947
• The act provided for creation of two independent Dominions of India and Pakistan
• Each Dominion was to have a Governor General to be responsible for effective operation of the act
• The constituent assembly of each new Dominion was to exercise the powers of the Legislature of the Dominion, and the existing Central legislative assembly and Council of states were to be automatically dissolved
• Until a new constitution was adopted by each Dominion, the Government of the two Dominions work to be carried on in accordance with Government of India Act 1935

Question 244

Problems of early withdrawal British forces?

Answer 244

The breakneck speed of events under Mountbatten lead to many problems in the Independence and partition

• Anomalies in arranging partition details
• There were no transitional institutional structures within which partition problems could be tackled
• Mountbatten had hoped to be the common governor general of India and Pakistan thereby providing the necessary link but Jinnah wanted the position for himself in Pakistan
• There was a delay in announcing the boundary Commission award under Radcliffe, the award was ready by August 12th but Mountbatten decided to make it public after August 15th so that the responsibility would not fall on the British
• The system totally failed to prevent the Punjab massacre

Question 245

1765 Firman to EIC?

Answer 245

• Diwani of Bengal:
  
  • Functions like collecting land revenue and Customs and administration of civil justice
  • In 1765, Robert Clive secured from Shah Alam II Farman granting to the English company the Diwani of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa, stipulating in return to pay the emperor an annual subsidy of 26 lacs of rupees
  • Thus, Diwani of Bengal was formally given to to the British but the company e left the actual management in the hands of Indian administrators- Deputy Diwans, Mohammad Raza Khan for Bengal and Raja shitab Rai for Bihar
• Nizamat of Bengal:
  
  • Law and order
  • The company paid the Nawab of Bengal an annual fixed sum of 53 Lakhs rupees for the support of the nizamat
• Thus a double government was established- company as Diwan and Nawab as Nazim

Question 246

The regulating act of 1773: prevailing conditions?

Answer 246

• Nawab, having lost all independent military or financial support for his executive actions became a Mere figurehead. The administration was in the hands of the deputy Nawab and the English resident at the durbar decided every matter of importance. Therefore a fatal divorce of power from responsibility lead to failure of Administration
• The abuses of private trade reached a greater height than before
• The demands of the company for increase of revenue lead to gross oppression of the peasantry
• Despite the private traders and individuals in the employment of the company becoming rich themselves, the company was on the verge of bankruptcy
• The famine of 1770
• The Crown of England, saying that the company has assumed ruling position in India and its employees were returning richer, Wanted a piece of the cake
• The inclusion of the rich returnees with the lavish notions and orientalist habits into the aristocratic circles of England led to contempt Envy and hatred amongst the ruling class in England

Question 247

The regulating act of 1773: provisions?

Answer 247

Changes in england

1. The right to vote in the court of proprietors was raised from 500 pounds to 1000 pound
2. Court of directors earlier elected every year was henceforth to be elected for four years.
3. The directors were required to lay before the treasury all correspondence from India dealing with the revenues and before a secretary everything dealing with Civil and military administration. Thus, for the first time the British cabinet was given the right of controlling Indian affairs, albeit in an indirect manner

Changes in Bengal

1. In Bengal a collegiate government was created consisting of governor-general and four members of the Council. The vote of majority was Binding nd the governor general had a casting vote.
2. The future appointments of the governor general and the members of the Council were to be made by the company
3. The Council was invested with the civil and military government of the presidency of Bengal and superintend and control in certain matters the subordinate presidencies of Madras and Bombay
4. Empowered the Crown to established by charter A Supreme Court consisting of a chief justice and three puisine judges. All the public servants of the company were made amenable to its jurisdiction. All British subjects in Bengal, European and Indian, could seek redress in the Supreme Court against oppression
5. Laid down the fundamental principle of honesty Administration by prohibiting bribery or gift taking

Question 248

The regulating act of 1773: provisions?

Answer 248

Changes in england

1. The right to vote in the court of proprietors was raised from 500 pounds to 1000 pound
2. Court of directors earlier elected every year was henceforth to be elected for four years.
3. The directors were required to lay before the treasury all correspondence from India dealing with the revenues and before a secretary everything dealing with Civil and military administration. Thus, for the first time the British cabinet was given the right of controlling Indian affairs, albeit in an indirect manner

Changes in Bengal

1. In Bengal a collegiate government was created consisting of governor-general and four members of the Council. The vote of majority was Binding nd the governor general had a casting vote.
2. The future appointments of the governor general and the members of the Council were to be made by the company
3. The Council was invested with the civil and military government of the presidency of Bengal and superintend and control in certain matters the subordinate presidencies of Madras and Bombay
4. Empowered the Crown to established by charter A Supreme Court consisting of a chief justice and three puisine judges. All the public servants of the company were made amenable to its jurisdiction. All British subjects in Bengal, European and Indian, could seek redress in the Supreme Court against oppression
5. Laid down the fundamental principle of honesty Administration by prohibiting bribery or gift taking

Question 249

The regulating act of 1773: evaluation?

Answer 249

PROS:

1. It was the first serious attempt made by European power to organise government in a far-off country inhabited by civilized people.
2. By setting up the supreme court it sought to bring accountability to the servants of the company and this was a well meant attempt to introduce a better system of government but faulted by ignorance of real nature of the problem

CONS:

1. That appointed governor general but shackled em with the Council
2. That established the supreme court but made no attempt accurately to define the fields of its jurisdiction and draw a line of demarcation between its functions and those of the Council
3. The act had neither given the state a definite control over the company nor the directors a definite control over their servants nor the government general definite control over his council nor the Calcutta Presidency a definite control over Madras and Bombay

Question 250

The amending act of 1781?

Answer 250

1. The act exempted the actions of the public servants of the company done by them in their official capacity from the jurisdiction of the supreme court
2. The question of Jurisdiction the Supreme Court was settled. It covered all the inhabitants of Calcutta and was to administer the personal law of the defendant. Supreme Court must also take into consideration and respect the religious and social customs violin forcing its decrees
3. Appeals could be taken from the provincial courts to the governor-general in Council that was to be the final Court of appeal accept in high value civil cases

Question 251

Pitt’s India Act 1784: provisions?

Answer 251

Changes in England

1. Greatly extended the control of the state over the company’s affairs
2. All civil military and revenue officers were to be controlled by a board popularly known as a Board of Control consisting of the chancellor of the exchequer and four members of the privy Council appointed by the king. The Board of Control was to control the policy of the court of directors thus introducing the dual system of government by the company and by a parliamentary board which lasted till 1858
3. The court of proprietors loss the right to rescind suspend or revoke any resolution of the directors which was approved by the Board of Control

Changes in India

• The chief government was placed in the hands of a Governor General and the Council. The presidencies of Madras and Bombay was subordinated to the governor general and his council in all matters of diplomacy revenue and war
• The number of Council members was reduced to 3 significantly increasing the value of the casting vote of governor general.
• Prohibition of all aggressive wars in India as well as all the Treaties of guarantee with Indian princes like those with nawabs of Carnatic and Awadh. But this declaration was more honoured in breach than in observance in subsequent years

Question 252

The Charter act of 1793?

Answer 252

Changes in England

1. All the members of the Board of Control were to be paid salary is not out of the state exchequer but out of the Indian revenues. This practice continued up to 1919

Changes in India:

1. Company’s commercial privileges were extended for another 20 years
2. The special power given to Cornwallis, on his appointment in 1796, that to override his council in extraordinary cases on his own responsibility, was extended to all future Governor generals and governors
3. The control of the governor-general over the presidencies of Bombay and Madras was emphasized

Question 253

The Charter act of 1813: prevailing conditions?

Answer 253

• The extent of the company’s territories in India had so much expanded that it was considered to be impossible for it to continue as both commercial and political functionary
• Englishman demanded the share in the trade with India in view of the laissez faire economic theory and the continental system introduced by Napoleon which had closed the European ports to British trade

Question 254

The Charter act of 1813: provisions?

Answer 254

1. The company was deprived of its Monopoly of trade with India but it still enjoyed its Monopoly of trade with China and the trade in Tea. Apart from that the Indian trade your thrown open to all Englishman.
2. The sovereignty of the Crown over British Indian territories was explicitly asserted for the first time
3. Provided for a sum of 100000 rupees for promotion of education in British territories in India

Question 255

The Charter Act of 1833: Prevailing conditions?

Answer 255

1. Industrial revolution in England had great impact ushering in the machine age
2. Cheap products of the new machines and their export Overseas widened the outlook of the people and gave birth to a new spirit of independence
3. Class consciousness gave a new tone to British politics. A new class of inteligentsia emerged representing the labourers
4. Reforms like “rights of man and dignity of mankind” were given during cognition
5. Influence of Macaulay and James Mill, a Bentham disciple (utilitarianism): companies rule in India had to be continued though on a different basis

Question 256

The Charter Act of 1833: Provisions?

Answer 256

1. The company was to administer Indian territories for 20 years “in trust for his majesty, his Heirs and successor”
2. The company lost its Monopoly of China trade and tea trade.
3. The company was asked to close its commercial business as early as possible
4. All restrictions on European immigration into India and acquisition by them of land and property in India were removed. this clause removed the legal barrier on the European colonization of India
5. Centralised administration of India:
   
   1. Governor general of Bengal became the Governor General of India with complete control over the expenditure and revenue raising
   2. Bombay Madras and Bengal and other territories were placed under the complete control of the governor general and his Council. Of Madras and Bombay were drastically deprived of their powers of legislation and left only with the right of proposing to the governor general in Council of the laws which they thought expedient
6. Governor general Council was expanded by addition of the fourth member for legislative purposes- Law member. Macaulay was the first holder of the law member position
7. Law Commission was constituted with the purpose of consolidating, codifying and improving Indian laws
8. Removed religion, place of birth, Descent, color as disqualification criterias for any place of officer employment under the company. Thus, in theory, there shall be no governing caste in British India. While it ended the ill-conceived in short sighted policy introduced by Cornwallis, in actual practice very little was done to give effect to the provision. The highest Civil and military services remain shut to the Indians.
9. The act enjoined the Government of India take measures for amelioration of the condition of slaves and ultimate abolition of slavery in India which was subsequently done by act V of 1843.

Question 257

The Charter Act of 1853: prevailing conditions?

Answer 257

1. Growing demand in England that the double government of the company in England should be ended.
2. Voice was raised against governor general of India continuing as governor of Bengal fearing bias
3. Sindh and Punjab had been and annexed in 1843 and 1849 respectively. A number of Indian states had fallen victim to Dalhousie policies
4. Demand for decentralization of powers
5. Demand for giving the people of India share in the management of their own affairs for which there was some support in England too, eg. by Lord Derby

Question 258

The Charter Act of 1853: provisions?

Answer 258

Changes in England

1. The act allowed the company to retain position of Indian territories. “in trust for Her Majesty and Successors” not for any specified period but only “ until Parliament should otherwise provide”
2. The court of directors was dispossessed of its power of patronage and services were thrown open to competitive examinations without any discrimination of any kind.
3. The court of directors was empowered constitute a new Presidency or to alter the boundaries of the existing ones to incorporate the newly acquired territories

Changes in India

1. Separation of Executive and legislative functions was carried a step further buy provision of additional members for purpose of legislation. The law member was made of full member of Executive Council. When this Council sat in Legislative capacity, it was enlarged by, addition of six more members namely chief justice and a puisne judge of Calcutta Supreme Court and four representatives- one each from Bengal Madras Bombay and the North Western provinces

Question 259

The Act for the better Government of India, 1858: Provisions?

Answer 259

1. India to be ruled by the Crown through the secretary of state of India, assisted by a Council of 15 members. Secretary of state receive the powers so long enjoyed by the court of directors and the Board of Control. Thus, the system of double government introduced by Pitt’s India Act was finally abolished
2. The act declared the secretary of state for India as a corporate body who could sue you and be sued in England and in India
3. The governor general received the title of Viceroy. He became the direct representative of the crown
4. The act divided the patronage between the Crown, secretary of state and the authority is in India
5. Appointments to the covenanted Civil Service wsd to be made by open competition under the rules laid down by the secretary of state with the help of civil service Commissioner

Question 260

The Indian councils act 1861: prevailing conditions?

Answer 260

1. Act of 1858 exclusively introduced changes in the home Government and left the Indian government untouched
2. A strong feeling that sweeping changes in administration of India was needed specially in the direction of establish and closer contacts with Indian public opinion
3. The ill effects of centralisation of legislative power were felt
4. The working of the existing Legislative Council set up by charter act of 1853 left a lot to be desired. The council had become a photo of a debating society or a parliament on a small scale. It sometimes did not work entirely according to the wishes of the home government

Question 261

The Indian councils act 1861: provisions?

Answer 261

1. Act added to the viceroy’s executive Council of fifth member- a gentleman of legal profession, a jurist.
2. It empowered the governor general to make rules for the more convenient transaction of business in the Council. Led to the introduction of the portfolio system by Lord Canning in the GoI. Under the new system the routine matters of Administration were disposed of by the members in charge and the more important matters were placed by the members concerned before the governor general and decided in consultation with them
3. Also granted the governor general the ordinance making power in emergencies for six months
4. For legislative purposes, viceroy’s executive Council was expanded by the addition of not less than 6 and not more than 12 additional members who would be nominated by the governor general and will hold office for two years. Not less than half of these members were to be non official. No statutory provision was made for the admission of Indians but in practice some of the non-official seats were offered to ‘natives of high rank’. Without any substantial power, the ‘law making process’ was more about publicity and legitimacy, to make it seem like the laws are being made by a deliberative body rather than the executive.
5. The function of Legislative Council so created was strictly limited to legislation and had no control over administration or finance
6. That restore the legislative powers of provinces of Madras and Bombay. However all such laws required the assent of the governor general. Legislative Council were established in Bengal, North Western provinces and the Punjab in 1862, 1886 in 1897 respectively. However no attempt was made to demarcate the jurisdiction of the central and provincial legislature as an Federal constitutions.