Gandhi and National movement

Question 1

Where was Gandhi born?

Answer 1

He was born in 1869 at Porbandar in the Kathiawad district of Gujarat.
His father was the Diwan of Rajkot State
In 1888 he went of England to study law
From 1893 to 1914 we practiced law in South Africa

Question 2

Champaran Satyagraha

Answer 2

1917; Champaran- Bihar
* Indigo cultivators of Champaran were exploited by European planters
* They were forced by law to grow indigo on 3/20th of their land and sell it to british planters at prices fixed by them
* They invited Gandhi to take up their cause but the district authorities banned his entry
* Gandhi offered satyagraha due to which an inquiry was conducted on the peasants’ conditions which offered them some relief.

Question 2

Ahmedabad Satyagraha

Answer 2

1918; Ahmedabad
* Gandhi led mill-workers on strike against the mill-owners who refused to pay higher wages.
* When the workers weakened, Gandhi gave his support by going on a hunger strike.
* Afraid of the consequences, the mill-owners increased the wages by 35% on Gandhi’s fourth day of fast.

Question 3

Kheda Satyagraha

Answer 3

1918; Kheda
* The crops failed in Kheda annd the peasants were in no condition to pay land revenue.
* The government refused to forgo the land revenue
* Gandhi organised the peasants to offer satyagraha.
* The peasants refused to pay land revenue and the government was forced to arrive at a settlement.

Question 3

What was the Rowlatt Act?

Answer 3

• On receiving a report from the sedition committee headed by Justice Rowlatt, two bills were introduced to the Central Legislature in February, 1919.
• The bills were introduced to curb the growing upsurge
• The bills were passed in March 1919 despite the opposition from the Indians
  The Rowlatt act allowed:
  1. Arrest of a person without warrant
  2. in camera trial
  3. Restriction on the movement of individuals
  4. Suspension of the right of Habeas Corpus

Question 4

What was the reaction to Rowlatt act

Answer 4

• It was a great blow to the Indians expecting Self-governance
• Gandhi appealed to the viiceroy to withhold his consent to the bills but was ignored
• He started satyagraha to challenge the government
• The Rowlatt Satyagraha was the first all India struggle against the British government, but it was largely confined to the cities only.
• In April 1919, many demonstrations and protests took place but the British goverment took brutal measures to subdue the anti-British struggle

Question 5

Jalianwala Bagh

Answer 5

• People held peacefull protests at Jalianwala Bagh on 13 April 1919 in response to the arrest of Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlu and Dr. Satya Pal.
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