Niladri Sir’s English Classes

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Question 1.

Why did Gandhiji agree to the planters’ offer of a 25 percent refund to the farmers?
(Delhi 2009)

Answer:

Gandhiji had asked the indigo planters for a 50 percent refund to the farmers but
they offered only 25 percent. Gandhiji still agreed to their offer because for him
the amount of the refund was of less importance. More important was the fact that
the planters had been forced to surrender part of their rights. So he agreed to their
settlement.

Question 2.

How was Gandhiji able to influence the lawyers at Champaran? (All India 2009)

Answer:

Gandhiji chided the lawyers for over-charging the poor peasants. When the
peasants were so poor and crushed, it was inhuman to charge heavy fees from
them. Gandhiji’s selfless service and devotion to the cause of the peasants put the
lawyers to shame.

Question 3.

How did Gandhiji help the peasants of Champaran? (All India 2009)

Answer:

At Champaran, the British landlords forced all the tenants to plant 15 per cent of
their holding with indigo and then surrender the entire harvest as rent. This
increased the misery of the poor tenants. But when synthetic indigo was
developed and indigo plantation was no longer profitable, the landlords obtained
fresh agreements from sharecroppers to pay them compensation for releasing them
from the 15% arrangement. Gandhiji came in at this time and through non-violent
civil disobedience he forced the landlords to refund 25 per cent of the
compensation money to the peasants.
Question 4.

Why did the servants think Gandhiji to be another peasant? (Delhi 2010)

Answer:

In Patna, Rajkumar Shukla led Gandhiji to the house of Rajendra Prasad who was
a lawyer. The servants knew Shukla as a poor peasant of Champaran who often
came to Rajendra Prasad’s house and pestered him to take up the cause of the
indigo sharecroppers of Champaran. Since a simple-clad Gandhiji accompanied
Shukla the servants mistook him to be another peasant.

Question 5.

Why did Gandhiji agree to the planters’ offer of a 25% refund to the farmers?
(Comptt. All India 2011 )

Answer:

Gandhiji had asked the indigo planters for a 50 percent refund to the farmers but
they offered only 25 percent. Gandhiji still agreed to their offer because for him
the amount of the refund was of less importance. More important was the fact that
the planters had been forced to surrender part of their rights. So he agreed to their
settlement.

Question 6.

How were Shukla and Gandhiji received in Rajendra Prasad’s house? (Delhi 2012)

Answer:

In Patna Shukla led Gandhiji to the house of a lawyer, Rajendra Prasad. He was
out of town but his servants knew Shukla as a poor peasant who pestered Rajendra
Prasad (their master) to help the indigo sharecroppers. So he was allowed to stay
there with his companion. But Gandhiji was not permitted to draw water from the
well lest he be an untouchable and some drops of water from his bucket pollute
the entire source.

Question 7.

What made Gandhiji demand 50% refund from the British landlords? (Comptt.
Delhi)

Answer:
Gandhiji demanded 50% refund from the British landlords in the form of
repayment of money which the landlords had illegally and deceitfully extorted
from the poor sharecroppers.

Question 8.

Why did Gandhiji accept 25 percent compensation? (Comptt. All India 2012)

Answer:

Gandhiji had asked the indigo planters for a 50 percent refund to the farmers but
they offered only 25 percent. Gandhiji still agreed to their offer because for him
the amount of the refund was of less importance. More important was the fact that
the planters had been forced to surrender part of their rights. So he agreed to their
settlement.

Question 9.

While at Champaran how did Gandhiji keep a long distance watch on his ashram?
(Comptt. All India 2012)

Answer:

During his long stay in Champaran, Gandhiji kept a long distance watch on his
Ashram. He sent regular instructions by mail and asked for financial accounts. He
even wrote to the residents that it was time to fill in the old latrine trenches and
dig new ones.

Question 10.

“The battle of Champaran is won.” When and why did Gandhiji exclaim this?
(Comptt. AI 2012)

Answer:

When several prominent lawyers told Gandhiji that they were ready to follow him
to jail, Gandhiji exclaimed, “The battle of Champaran is toon”. Gandhiji made this
statement because he had been able to shake the lawyers out of their stupor and
they were ready to support Gandhiji.

Question 11.
Why did Gandhiji feel that taking the Cham-paran case to the court was useless?
(Delhi 2014)

Answer:

Gandhiji felt taking the Champaran case to the court was useless as taking such
cases to the courts did little good. Where the peasants are so crushed and fear-
stricken, law courts prove useless. The real relief for these peasants was to be free
from fear.

Question 12.

What made the Lieutenant Governor drop the case against Gandhiji? (Comptt. All
India 2014)

Answer:

The Lieutenant Governor was forced to drop the case against Gandhiji because the
lawyers had told Gandhiji that they would follow him into jail. So the Lieutenant
Governor wrote to the Magistrate ordering him to drop the case against Gandhiji.

Question 13.

How did the Champaran peasants react when they heard that a Mahatma had come
to help them? (Comptt. All India 2014)

Answer:

As the news of Gandhiji’s advent and the nature of his mission spread, the
peasants began arriving on foot and by conveyance to get a glimpse of their
champion. The lawyers, who had represented the peasant groups in court, also
came to brief Gandhiji.

Question 15.

How did Rajkumar Shukla establish that he was resolute? (All India 2015)

Answer:

Rajkumar Shukla wanted Gandhiji to visit Champaran to take up the cause of the
poor sharecroppers who were being exploited by the English landlords but
Gandhiji said he had appointments in various parts of India. Shukla started
following Gandhiji everywhere the latter went and for weeks he never left
Gandhiji’s side thus establishing his resoluteness.
Question 16.

How was Gandhi treated at Rajendra Prasad’s house? (All India 2015)

Answer:

In Patna Shukla led Gandhiji to the house of a lawyer, Rajendra Prasad. He was
out of town but his servants knew Shukla as a poor peasant who pestered Rajendra
Prasad (their master) to help the indigo sharecroppers. So he was allowed to stay
there with his companion. But Gandhiji was not permitted to draw water from the
well lest he be an untouchable and some drops of water from his bucket pollute
the entire source.

Question 17.

What were the terms of the indigo contract between the British landlords and the
Indian peasants? (All India 2015)

Answer:

The arable land in the Champaran district was divided into estates which were
owned by Englishmen and worked by Indian tenants. The chief commercial crop
was indigo. The landlords compelled all tenants to plant 15 per cent of their
holdings with indigo and surrender the entire indigo harvest as rent.

Question 18.

Why is Raj Kumar Shukla described as being ‘resolute’? (Comptt. Delhi 2015)

Answer:

Shukla wanted Gandhiji to visit Champaran to take up the cause of the

sharecroppers but Gandhiji said he had appointments in Cawnpore and other parts
of India. Shukla did not leave Gandhiji’s side for weeks begging him to fix a date
for Champaran. Gandhiji was impressed by his determination and resoluteness
and Shukla finally managed to convince Gandhiji to accompany him to
Champaran.

Question 19.

Why was Gandhiji opposed to C.F. Andrews helping him in Champaran? (Delhi
2016)

Answer:
Though Gandhiji’s lawyer friends thought it would be a good idea for
C.F.Andrews to stay in Champaran and help them, Gandhiji vehemently opposed
it. He said that if they had an Englishman on their side it would show the
weakness of their heart. They should not attempt to seek a prop in Andrews just
because he happened to be an Englishman. Gandhiji wanted Indians to be self-
reliant.

Question 20.

Why did Gandhiji agree to a settlement of mere 25 percent? (Delhi 2016)

Answer:

Gandhiji had asked the indigo planters for a 50 percent refund to the farmers but
they offered only 25 percent. Gandhiji still agreed to their offer because for him
the amount of the refund was of less importance. More important was the fact that
the planters had been forced to surrender part of their rights. So he agreed to their
settlement.

Question 21.

Why was Gandhiji unhappy with the lawyers in Muzzafarpur? Why was he
against taking cases to the law courts? (Comptt. All India)

Answer:

Gandhiji was unhappy with the lawyers in Muzzafarpur as they were collecting a
huge fee from the peasants. He was against taking the case to the law courts as he
knew the fear stricken peasants would be further crushed and exploited in the
court. Gandhiji wanted to free the farmers from the fear of Britishers.

Indigo Important Questions Long Answer Type Questions (5-6 MARKS)

Question 22.

Describe the difficulties faced by Gandhi at Champaran. (Comptt. Delhi 2010)

Answer:

Gandhiji came to Champaran to fight against the injustice of the landlord system
there. Most of the land in Champaran was divided into large estates owned by
Englishmen who hired Indian tenants to grow indigo there. The Indian peasants
were sharecroppers and had to surrender 15 per cent of the indigo harvest as rent
to the British. After synthetic indigo was developed the Englishmen obtained fresh
agreements from sharecroppers to pay them compensation. Many refused to sign
and others wanted their money back. At this point Gandhiji arrived in Champaran
with an aim to free the peasants from fear. He collected all the facts and met the
commissioner who tried to bully him and advised him to leave the place. Gandhiji
did not leave. In the course of securing justice for the oppressed farmers of
Champaran, Gandhiji had to clash with the British authorities several times before
he could persuade them to agree to his viewpoint.

Question 23.

How was a solution to the problem of indigo sharecroppers of Champaran

found?(Comptt. Delhi 2010)

Answer:

The entire harvest of indigo, the chief commercial crop produced by the peasants
in the 15 per cent of their land had to be paid as rent to the British landlords. After
Germany developed synthetic indigo, it brought a steep fall in indigo prices. Now
the landlords very cleverly wished to give up this arrangement and get
compensation for releasing the farmers land. Gandhiji at this time appeared in
Champaran and fought a year long battle to get the poor peasants justice. Gandhiji
decided to accept a settlement of 25 per cent of the compensation money to break
the deadlock between the landlords and their tenants. The moral victory of the
farmers to make the landlords own-up their dishonesty and surrender their money
and prestige mattered more to Gandhiji. So he was successful in defeating the
nefarious designs of the British landlords and also made the farmers courageous
and conscious of their rights.

Question 24.

Why and how did Raj Kumar Shukla persu-ade Gandhiji to visit Champaran?
(Comptt. AI 2010)

Answer:

Raj Kumar Shukla was an illiterate and oppressed indigo farmer from Champaran
who came to invite Gandhiji to visit his district where injustice and oppression
was rampant. He wished Gandhiji to accompany him to Champaran and sort out
the problems of the miserable peasants. Gandhiji mentioned about his prior
engagements to Shukla but he did not give up and followed Gandhiji everywhere.
He kept urging Gandhiji to visit Champaran. Finally his persistent and patience
bore fruits and Gandhiji agreed to accompany him to Champaran immediately
after his Calcutta visit. Gandhiji’s truthfulness, sincerity of purpose and
undeterred efforts spelled the triumph of the campaign against the unjust British
rulers. What began as an attempt to fight for justice against the hapless peasants
later turned out to be a clear proclamation that the Indians would not submit to
British tyranny meekly.

Question 25.

How was the Champaran incident a turning point in Gandhiji’s life? (Comptt. All
India 2010)

Answer:

Gandhiji came to Champaran to fight against the injustice of the landlord system
there. Most of the land in Champaran was divided into large estates owned by
Englishmen who hired Indian tenants to grow indigo there. The Indian peasants
were sharecroppers and had to surrender 15 per cent of the indigo harvest as rent
to the British. After synthetic indigo was developed the Englishmen obtained fresh
agreements from sharecroppers to pay them compensation. Many refused to sign
and others wanted their money back. At this point Gandhiji arrived in Champaran
with an aim to free the peasants from fear. He collected all the facts and met the
commissioner who tried to bully him and advised him to leave the place. Gandhiji
did not leave. In the course of securing justice for the oppressed farmers of
Champaran, Gandhiji had to clash with the British authorities several times before
he could persuade them to agree to his viewpoint.

The Champaran episode turned out to be Gandhiji’s loud pronouncement that the
Britishes could not order him about in his own country. It established the
effectiveness of non¬cooperation as a means of fighting for justice. The
Champaran episode revealed Gandhiji’s principles in the political field. Even after
winning the peasants’ battle against the English landlords Gandhiji stayed in
Champaran for the cultural and social upliftment of the poor and the backward of
the villages of Champaran.

Question 26.

Why do you think Gandhiji considered the Champaran episode to be a turning-

point in his life? (All India 2011)

Answer:

Gandhiji came to Champaran to fight against the injustice of the landlord system
there. Most of the land in Champaran was divided into large estates owned by
Englishmen who hired Indian tenants to grow indigo there. The Indian peasants
were sharecroppers and had to surrender 15 per cent of the indigo harvest as rent
to the British. After synthetic indigo was developed the Englishmen obtained fresh
agreements from sharecroppers to pay them compensation. Many refused to sign
and others wanted their money back. At this point Gandhiji arrived in Champaran
with an aim to free the peasants from fear. He collected all the facts and met the
commissioner who tried to bully him and advised him to leave the place. Gandhiji
did not leave. In the course of securing justice for the oppressed farmers of
Champaran, Gandhiji had to clash with the British authorities several times before
he could persuade them to agree to his viewpoint.

The Champaran episode turned out to be Gandhiji’s loud pronouncement that the
Britishes could not order him about in his own country. It established the
effectiveness of non¬cooperation as a means of fighting for justice. The
Champaran episode revealed Gandhiji’s principles in the political field. Even after
winning the peasants’ battle against the English landlords Gandhiji stayed in
Champaran for the cultural and social upliftment of the poor and the backward of
the villages of Champaran.

Question 27.

How did Gandhiji use satyagraha and non-violence at Champaran to achieve his
goal? (2011)

Answer:

Gandhiji reached Champaran with a goal to alleviate the peasants’ sufferings at

the hands of the British landlords. He met the Secretary of the Landlords’
Association and the Commissioner who told him to leave Champaran. They
signed the order but also wrote that Gandhiji would disobey it and sent a full
report to the Viceroy. This was followed by spontaneous demonstrations by
thousands of peasants around the court house. The lawyers too resolved to follow
Gandhiji to jail forcing the case against him to be dropped. This was the first
victory of Civil Disobedience. Then an official enquiry into the indigo
sharecroppers’ situation was instituted and the landlords agreed to refund the
peasants. The sharecropper accepted the 25 per cent refund. The landlords
surrendered a part of the money with a part of their prestige. So Gandhiji achieved
his objective in removing the fear of the poor peasants and getting justice for them
through ‘satyagraha’ and ‘non-violence’.

Question 28.

Give an account of Gandhiji’s efforts to secure justice for the poor indigo
sharecroppers of Champaran. (All India 2012)

Answer:
Gandhiji took up the cause of the indigo sharecroppers at Champaran. He fought
against the injustice of the cruel British landlords who extorted money from the
poor sharecroppers. Gandhiji collected all the facts and met the Commissioner. He
tried to threaten Gandhiji and advised him to leave from there. But Gandhiji was
undeterred. He decided to launch a peaceful ‘satyagraha’ and non-violent
movement. This led to spontaneous demonstra¬tions in Motihari. Thousands of
peasants challenged the Britishers and the government was baffled. Despite earlier
hesitations the prominent lawyers declared their uncondi¬tional support to
Gandhiji. Finally Gandhiji’s peaceful and non-violent civil disobedience bore the
desired results. The indigo share¬croppers at Champaran secured justice and the
landlords agreed to refund 25 per cent of the compensation money.

Question 29.

The Champaran episode was a turning point in Gandhiji’s life. Elucidate. (All
India 2012)

Answer:

Gandhiji came to Champaran to fight against the injustice of the landlord system
there. Most of the land in Champaran was divided into large estates owned by
Englishmen who hired Indian tenants to grow indigo there. The Indian peasants
were sharecroppers and had to surrender 15 per cent of the indigo harvest as rent
to the British. After synthetic indigo was developed the Englishmen obtained fresh
agreements from sharecroppers to pay them compensation. Many refused to sign
and others wanted their money back. At this point Gandhiji arrived in Champaran
with an aim to free the peasants from fear. He collected all the facts and met the
commissioner who tried to bully him and advised him to leave the place. Gandhiji
did not leave. In the course of securing justice for the oppressed farmers of
Champaran, Gandhiji had to clash with the British authorities several times before
he could persuade them to agree to his viewpoint.

The Champaran episode turned out to be Gandhiji’s loud pronouncement that the
Britishes could not order him about in his own country. It established the
effectiveness of non¬cooperation as a means of fighting for justice. The
Champaran episode revealed Gandhiji’s principles in the political field. Even after
winning the peasants’ battle against the English landlords Gandhiji stayed in
Champaran for the cultural and social upliftment of the poor and the backward of
the villages of Champaran.

Question 30.

Why did Rajkumar Shukla invite Gandhiji to Champaran? How did Gandhiji
solve the problem of the indigo farmers? (All India 2012)
Answer:

Rajkmar Shukla who was an illiterate and oppressed indigo farmer from
Champaran invited Gandhiji to visit his district so that he could alleviate the
problems faced by the miserable peasants at the hands of the British landlords. He
kept urging Gandhiji to visit Champaran. Gandhiji’s truthfulness, sincerity of
purpose and undeterred efforts enabled him to solve the problem of the indigo
farmers. He began by trying to get the facts. The British landlords as well as
Commissioner of Tirhut were non-cooperative. Lawyers from Muzaffarpur
briefed him about court cases of these peasants. Gandhiji and the lawyers
collected depositions by about ten thousand peasants. Notes were made on other
evidence. Documents were collected. The whole area throbbed with the activities
of the investigators and forceful protests of landlords. The Lieutenant Governor
summoned Gandhiji. After four protracted interviews an official commission of
inquiry was appointed to look into the indigo sharecroppers’ situation. Gandhiji
was the sole representative of the peasants. The official inquiry assembled huge
quantity of evidence against the big planters. After negotiation a settlement of 25
per cent refund to the farmers was agreed on. This was a moral victory of the
peasants. They recognised their rights and learned courage.

Question 31.

Exploitation is a universal phenomenon. The poor indigo farmers were exploited

by the British landlords to which Gandhiji objected. Even after our independence
we find exploitation of unorganized labour. What values do we learn from
Gandhiji campaign to counter the present day problems of exploitation?(Delhi
2013)

Answer:

Gandhiji’s campaign in Champaran is relevant even in the present day to counter

the problems of exploitation. What we must keep in mind is to teach the
downtrodden to be courageous. Unless the labour class overcomes the fear within
them, they will never be able to fight for their rights. Therefore, priority has to be
given to empowering and making the labour class bold and fearless and to give
them the courage to oppose injustice and exploitation. Another thing we must
remember is to focus not on the problems of the labour class but on the solution of
their problems. We must possess a humanitarian approach and should be ready to
brave hardships with non-violence, patience and perseverance. Only then can we
overcome the present-day problems of exploitation.

Question 32.

Why did Gandhiji agree to a settlement of 25 per cent refund to the farmers? How
did it influence the peasant-landlord relationship in Champaran? (All India 2013)
Answer:

Gandhiji had demanded the indigo planters for a 50 per cent refund to the farmers
but they offered only 25 per cent. But Gandhiji agreed to their offer because for
him the amount of the refund was of less importance. More important was the fact
that the planters had been forced to surrender part of their rights. It was a moral
victory for the farmers. Gandhiji’s main aim was to break the deadlock between
the landlords and their tenants and to enable the peasants to recognise their legal
rights. Within a few years the British planters abandoned their estates, which
reverted to the peasants and finally indigo sharecropping disappeared.

Question 33.

Attempt the following in about 100 words:

Our scriptures tell us that determination and perseverance are cardinal virtues of a
good human being. Raj Kumar Shukla succeeded in taking Gandhiji to
Champaran with the help of these two.

How can young students today use these two qualities to make successful careers
for themselves? (Comptt. Delhi 2013)

Answer:

Determination is your decision to do something against all odds. Perseverance is

to keep doing something for the time needed to achieve your goal no matter how
long or difficult the path is. No wonder these two qualities should be the ‘mantra’
for young students to make a successful career for themselves. If there is one
quality, one personal trait that is most correlated with success it is the trait of
per¬sistence—the ability to endure till the end. With a little more perseverance
what once seemed a hopeless failure may turn to glorious success. Determination
and perseverance give us hope that the righteous suffer no other failure except that
of giving up and no longer trying.

Question 34.

Why is the Champaran episode considered to be the beginning of the Indian

struggle for Independence? (All India 2014)

Answer:

The Champaran episode was a landmark in the Gandhian style of fighting against
the British. It was a long-drawn out but peaceful agitation. It was also a turning
point in Gandhiji’s life. During this struggle Gandhiji decided to urge the
departure of the Britishers. It did not begin as an act of defiance but it grew out of
an . attempt to make the sufferings of the poor peasants less severe. It was the
triumph of the first civil disobedience movement. The Champaran episode taught
the farmers to be courageous and made them aware of their rights. It was a
spontaneous demonstration around the courtroom and the beginning of the peasant
liberation from the fear of Britishers. In the Champaran episode, self-reliance and
freedom struggle went hand in hand.

Question 35.

Gandhiji’s was not a loyalty to abstractions; it was a loyalty to living human

beings. Why did Gandhiji continue his stay in Champaran even after indigo
sharecropping disappeared? (All India 2014)

Answer:

Gandhiji never contented himself with large political and economic solutions. He
saw the cultural and social backwardness in the villages of Champaran and wanted
to do something about it immediately. So he continued his stay in Champaran
even after indigo sharecropping disappeared. He appealed to two young men, who
were teachers and their wives to engage volunteers for improving conditions of
health and hygiene. Since the health conditions were miserable in Champaran,
Gandhiji got a doctor to volunteer his services for six months. He noticed the
filthy state of women’s clothes and asked his wife, Kasturba to talk to them about
it. During his long stay in Champaran Gandhiji also kept a long distance watch on
the ashram. In everything Gandhiji did, he tried to mould a new free India that
could stand on its own feet.

Question 36.

Describe how, according to Louis Fischer, Gandhiji succeeded in his Champaran

campaign? (Comptt. Delhi 2014)

Answer:

According to Louis Fischer, the Champaran campaign began as an attempt to fight

against the injustice towards the helpless peasants to alleviate their sufferings. It
later turned out to be Gandhiji’s loud pronouncement that the Britishers could not
order him about in his own country. Gandhiji took up the cause of the indigo
sharecroppers at Champaran. He fought against the injustice of the cruel British
landlords who extorted money from the poor sharecroppers. Gandhiji collected all
the facts and met the Commissioner. He tried to threaten Gandhiji and advised
him to leave from there. But Gandhiji was undeterred. He decided to launch a
peaceful ‘satyagraha’ and non-violent movement. This led to spontaneous
demonstrations in Motihari. Thousands of peasants challenged the Britishers and
the government was baffled. Despite earlier hesitations the prominent lawyers
declared their unconditional support to Gandhiji. Finally Gandhiji’s peaceful and
non-violent civil disobedience bore the desired results. The indigo sharecroppers
at Champaran secured justice and the landlords agreed to refund 25 percent of the
compensation money.