NATIONALISM IN INDIA

Q.1 Describe the peasant movement in Awadh during non cooperation movement.

(i) In Awadh, the peasant movement was led by Baba Ramchandra-a sanyasi who had earlier worked in Fiji as an indentured labourer.

(ii) The movement here was against talukdars and landlords who demanded high rents from the peasants.

(iii) Peasants had to do ‘begar’ and work at landlords' farms without any payment.

(iv)The peasant movement demanded reduction of revenue, abolition of begar and social boycott of oppressive landlords.

(v) In many places Nai-Dhobhi bandhs were organised to deprive landlords of the services of even washer men and barbers.

(vi) Jawaharlal Nehru began talking to the villagers and formed 'Oudh Kisan Sabha'.

(vii) Within a month, over 300 branches had been set up in the villages around the region.

(viii) As the movement spread in 1921, the houses of talukdars and merchants were attacked, bazaars were looted and grain hoards were taken over.

Q.2 Why growth of nationalism in the colonies is linked to an anti-colonial movement?
Answer: Anti-colonial movement gave a strong issue to the people with which they could identify and could come on a common platform.

Hence, the growth of nationalism in the colonies is linked to an anti-colonial movement.

Q.3 How the First World War helped in the growth of the National Movement in India?
Answer: 

       i.            The First World War created huge economic problems for the people in India.

     ii.             Moreover, forced conscription of the Indians in the British army also alienated the people from the colonial rulers.

  iii.            The situation was ripe for the nationalist leaders to motivate the people against the colonial rulers.

   iv.             Thus, the First World War helped in the growth of the National Movement in India.

Q4.Why Indians were outraged by the Rowlatt Act?
Answer: 

       i.            The Rowlatt Act gave enormous  powers to the colonial rulers.

     ii.            It was against the spirit of political formations and protests.

  iii.            It allowed detention of political prisoners without trial for two years.

   iv.            Due to this, Indians were outraged by the Rowlatt Act.

Q5. Why Gandhiji decided to withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement?
Answer: 

       i.            By 1922, the movement was turning violent at many places.

     ii.            At Chauri Chaura in Gorakhpur, a peaceful demonstration in a bazaar turned into a violent clash with police.

  iii.            Since Gandhiji was strictly against any kind of violence, he decided to withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement.

Q6. What is meant by the idea of satyagraha?
Answer: 

       i.            Mahatma Gandhi advocated a novel method of mass agitation; called satyagraha.

     ii.            This method was based on the idea that if someone is fighting for a true cause, there is no need to take recourse to physical force to fight the oppressor.

  iii.            Gandhiji believed that a satyagrahi could win a battle through non-violence, i.e. without being aggressive or revengeful.

Q7. Write a newspaper report on Jalianwala Bagh Massacre.
Answer: Amritsar, 13th April 1919: The British General Dyer had ordered firing on innocent villagers who had gathered at Jallianwalla Bagh to attend a fair. All the exit points were blocked so that nobody could escape the wrath of the British forces.

Q8.Why did political leaders differ sharply over the question of separate electorates?
Answer:

         i.            Muslim leaders; like Jinnah believed that the future of the Muslims would not be in safe hand under the Hindu majority.

       ii.             He wanted a greater political empowerment for his own community.

    iii.            For dalit leaders; like Ambedkar; the situation was more or less same.

     iv.            Given the past history of oppression against the dalits, the dalit leaders were apprehensive of their position under the political power of the upper caste people.

       v.            Mahatma Gandhi, on the other hand, believed that separate electorates would further alienate those people.

     vi.            He felt that separate electorate would slow down the process of integration of the fringe group into the mainstream.