NATIONALISM IN INDIA

1 Why growth of Nationalism in the colonies is linked to an anti-colonial movement?

 Growth of modern nationalism is intimately connected to the anti-colonial movement.
 People began discovering their Unity in the process of their struggle with colonialism.
 The sense of being oppressed under nationalism provided a shared Bond that tied many different groups together.

2 The first world war helped in the growth of National Movement in India? or
Examine the new economic and political situation created by first world war in India.
 Huge increase in defence expenditure.
 Custom duties were raised and Income Tax was introduced.
 Rise in prices of essential goods.
 Forced Recruitment in rural areas caused spread anger.
 People faced acute shortage of food.
 Famines and the epidemic killed many people, no action was taken by the government.

3 Meaning of Satyagraha
 The word Satyagraha is derived from two Sanskrit words ‘Satya’ meaning truth and ‘Agarha’ insistence.
 Gandhiji referred Satyagraha for fighting injustice as passive resistance.
 The goal is to resolve conflict with an opponent without inflicting physical or emotional injury.
 A Satyagrahi would win battle by appealing to the conscience of the oppressor.
 Gandhi believed that this Dharma of non-violence could unite all Indians.

4 Mention satyagraha movements organised by Gandhiji.

 1916, Gandhiji travelled to Champaran, Bihar to inspire peasants to struggle against the oppressive plantation system.
 In 1917, he organised satyagraha to support the peasants of Kheda in Gujarat.
 In 1918, he organised satyagraha for cotton mill workers in Ahmedabad.
 In 1919, nationwide satyagraha was launched against Rowlatt Act.

5 What was Rowlett Act or why Indians opposed Rowlatt Act?

 Rowlatt Act was a black law.
 Passed by the British legislative council. Indian members unitedly opposed it.
 The Act deprived the Indians of their civil rights.
 The Act gave the government powers to repress political activities.
 It gave the govt power to imprison any person without trial for two years for conviction in a court of law.
 It denied right to appeal against conviction.
 It was considered a slur on national honour.

6 Explain the movement against Rowlatt Act.

 Gandhiji organised a non-violent Satyagraha.
 Hartal was organised on 6 April 1919.
 Rallies were organised in various cities; workers went on strike.
 It was limited to cities and towns.
 Led to Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
 Gandhiji was arrested when he went to Delhi.

7 Describe the incident and impact of the Jallianwala Bagh.

 On 13 April, people gathered in an enclosed ground of Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar.
 These people came there to attend a fair & were unaware about the martial law imposed by the military governor General Dyer.
 Dyer entered the ground, blocked the exit points and opened fire on the innocent crowd, killing hundreds.
 This incident is referred to as the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
 As the news of Jallianwala Bagh massacre spread, crowds took to streets in many towns in North India. There were strikes and
clashes with police and attacks on government buildings.
 The government responded with brutal repression.
 Mahatma Gandhi now felt the need to launch a more broad-based movement in India.
 Khilafat and Non-Cooperation Movements were started after a few months.
 The main aim of these movements was to protest against Jallianwalla Bagh incident and demand swaraj.

8 What was the Khilafat issue?

 The Khilafat Movement was a political protest campaign launched by Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali.
 The First World War had ended with the defeat of Ottoman Turkey.
There was a fear that the power of the spiritual head of the Islamic world (Khalifa) would be curtailed.
 To defend his power, a Khilafat Committee was formed in Bombay in 1919. The Khilafat leaders put pressure upon the British
Government to give better treatment to Turkey.
 Gandhiji saw this as an opportunity to bring Muslims under a unified national movement. At the Calcutta Session of the Congress
in September 1920, he convinced other leaders to start a Non-Cooperation Movement in support of Khilafat Movement.

9 Why did Gandhiji decide to launch non-cooperation movement? Or Developments that led to the launching of non-
cooperation movement.
 First world war added to misery of the Indian people. High price and heavy taxes.
 There was a protest throughout the country against Rowlatt Act.
 Jallianwala Bagh massacre and injustice done to Punjab.
 Muslims were unhappy due to the ill treatment of Turkey.
 Gandhiji's idea for a United mass action was adopted by the Congress in the Nagpur session.

10 Why did some leaders of Congress oppose the idea of non-cooperation movement?
 They did not want to Boycott Council elections.
 They feared that the movement would become violent.

11 Short note on non-cooperation movement or How did non-cooperation become a mass movement?
 Launched under Gandhiji's leadership in 1920.
 Aimed to attain Swaraj, self-rule.
 Educated middle class let the movement in towns and cities.
 Educational institutions, courts & foreign goods were boycotted.
 Peasants refused to pay taxes.
 Many surrendered their titles and resigned from post in local bodies.
 Plantation workers started a struggle to get the right to freedom of movement.
 Tribal people started an armed struggle.
 However, Chauri-chaura incident forced Gandhiji call off the movement.

12 Examine non-cooperation Movement in towns and cities.

 Educated middle class led the movement.
 Educational institutions were boycotted.
 Students left government-controlled school and colleges.
 Headmasters and teachers resigned.
 Lawyers gave up their legal practices.
 Liquor shops were picketed and foreign cloth burnt.
 People begin using Khadi.
 Government servants resigned.

13 What were the effects of non-cooperation on Indian economy?

 The import of foreign cloth Halved and its value also dropped.
 Indian merchants and traders refused to trade in foreign good or finance foreign trade.
 Production of Indian textile and handloom went up.

14 Why did non-cooperation movement slowdown in towns and cities?

 Khadi cloth was costly. Poor people could not afford to buy it.
 People Boycotted foreign Institutions but alternative Institutions did not come up.
 Students and teachers started going back to schools.
 Lawyer joined back government courts.

15 Examine non-cooperation Movement in the countryside.

 Peasants and tribal organised movement in different parts.
 In Avadh peasants were led by Baba Ramchandra.
 It was against talukdars and landlords.
 Peasant movement demanded:
 reduction of revenue, abolition of begar and social boycott of oppressive landlord.
 Oudh Kisan Sabha was formed which integrated Awadh peasant struggle into the wider struggle.
 In the gudem hills of Andhra Pradesh a militant guerrilla movement spread Under the leadership of Alluri Sitaram Raju.
 Tribal Wanted to get back their traditional rights over forest.

 16 What were the main features of non-cooperation Movement in plantation?

 Workers in plantation of Assam demanded the right to move freely in and out of the estate.
 They opposed the inland emigration act of 1859 which right to move freely.
 When they heard of The Non-cooperation movement, thousands of workers headed home.
 They believed Gandhi Raj was coming and everyone would be given land in their own villages.
 They however were caught by the police and brutally beaten up.

17 How did different groups of people interpret the idea of Swaraj?

 Middle class - spread of education and share in administration.
 Peasants - reduction in and rent and land revenue.
 Tribal - traditional rights over forest.
 Plantation workers - freedom to visit native places and freedom of movement.

18 Significance of non-cooperation movement. Or major contribution of non-cooperation movement.

 A large-Scale movement which attracted common people from all social groups.
 It promoted Hindu Muslim Unity.
 Peasants and tribal movements became a part of national movement.
 People of India lost their sense of fear of British brute-force.
 Politicisation of men and women imported Revolutionary character to the Indian national movement.

19 Why did Gandhiji call off Non-Cooperation Movement?

 It became violent in some places.
 Violence took place in chaurichaura Gorakhpur UP feb1922.
 A peasant mob Set Fire to a police station. 22 policemen were burnt alive.
 Reports of violence came from other parts such as Madras Bareilly.
 Gandhiji believed that people need to be trained in non-violent Satyagraha and thus called off non-cooperation movement.
 Congress leaders were tired of mass struggles and wanted to participate elections to the provincial councils.

20 Why did Indians oppose the Simon Commission?

 Tory government in Britain constituted a statutory Commission sir John Simon to look into the functioning of the
constitutional system in India and suggest changes.
 The commission did not have a single Indian member.
 It did not provide any hope of Swaraj to Indians.

21 How did Indians oppose Simon Commission?

 Wherever it went, it was trade with hartals, black flag, demonstrations with the slogan ' Go back Simon'.
 Anti-Simon committee word formed in different parts of the country.
 Members of Legislative Councils did not cooperate with the commission.

22 Significance of Lahore session.

 In December 1929 under the presidency of Jawaharlal Nehru session of Congress formalized the demand of Purna
Swaraj.
 It was declared that 26 January 1930 would be celebrated as the Independence Day & people to take a pledge to
struggle for complete Independence.
 It also formalized the launching of civil disobedience movement.

23 Why did Indians oppose tax on salt in 1930? or why Gandhiji found salt a powerful symbol that could unite the
nation?
 Salt was something consumed by the rich and the poor alike, and it was one of the most essential items of food.
 Tax on salt and the government monopoly over its production revealed the most oppressive face of British rule.
 All classes within Indian society could identify with it and participate in a united campaign.
 Gandhiji broke the salt law as a symbol of the Indian people's refusal to live under British made laws and therefore
under British rule.

24 Discuss the salt march?

 On 31st January, 1930 Gandhi sent a letter to Viceroy Irwin stating eleven demands, one of which was the demand to
abolish Salt Tax.
 If his demands were not fulfilled by March 11, he had threatened to launch a civil disobedience campaign.
 So, Mahatma Gandhi started his famous Salt March accompanied by 78 of his trusted volunteers.
 The 24-day march lasted from 12 March 1930 to 6 April 1930 as a direct-action campaign against the British salt
monopoly.
 Walking ten miles a day for 24 days, the march spanned over 240 miles (384 km), from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi.
 When Gandhi broke the salt laws on 6 April 1930, it sparked large scale acts of civil disobedience throughout the
country.

25 Why did the Congress decide to launch civil disobedience movement?

 Formation of Simon Commission without a single Indian member.
 British Government did not accept a constitution based on the Dominion status as earlier announced by Lord Irwin.
 Worldwide economic depression brought peasants, workers merchants and industrialists together.
 Thus, a Resolution was passed by the Congress in Lahore session for launching civil disobedience movement.

26 How did people and the colonial government react to the civil disobedience movement?
 People in different parts of the country broke the salt law demonstrated in front of government salt factories.
 Foreign cloth was boycotted liquor shops were picketed.
 Peasants refused to pay revenue and chaukidari Taxes.
 In many places forest people violated forest laws.
 Government arrested Congress leaders.
 Government responded with a policy of brutal repression.
 Peaceful Satyagrahis were attacked, women and children were beaten.

27 What was Gandhi Irwin pact?

Mahatma Gandhi decided to call off civil disobedience movement and entered into a pact with Irwin according to
which:
 Government agreed to release political prisoners who were nonviolent.
 Congress suspended civil disobedience movement and agreed to take part in second round table conference.

28 Why did various classes participate in civil disobedience movement?

RICH PEASANTS: Being producers of commercial crops, they were hard hit by trade-depression and falling prices.
They found it impossible to pay the revenue. For them fight for Swaraj was a struggle against high revenues.
 POOR PEASANTS: joined the struggle because they found it difficult to pay the rent. They wanted the unpaid rent to
be remitted.
MERCHANTS: reacted against colonial policies that restricted business activities. They wanted protection against
import of foreign goods and wanted a rupee-sterling foreign exchange ratio that would discourage imports.
Industrialists formed the Federation of the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FICCI). They refused to sell or
buy imported goods. They gave financial assistance and supported the Civil Disobedience Movement.
WOMEN: They participated in protest marches, manufactured salt and picketed foreign cloth and liquor shops. Many
women went to jail. These women came from high-caste families in urban areas and rich peasant households in rural
areas.

29 Role of women in civil disobedience movement.

 Large scale participation of women.
 During Gandhiji’s salt march, thousands of women participated in marches, manufactured salt and picketed foreign
cloth and liquor shops. Many went to jail.
 In urban areas, these women were from high caste educated family e.g. Sarojini Naidu, Kamala Nehru etc. In rural
areas, women came from rich peasant households.
 Moved by Gandhiji’s call, they saw service to the nation as a sacred duty.
 But all these participations were symbolic as women did not hold any position of authority for a long time.

30 Why did Muslim organisations keep away disobedience movement?

 After the decline of Non-cooperation-Khilafat movement, a large section of Muslims felt alienated from the Indian
National Congress.
 The association of Congress with Hindu religious nationalist groups like the Hindu Mahasabha in mid 1920s made the
Muslims suspicious of Congress motives.
 The frequent communal clashes deepened the distance between the two communities. There was a difference over
the question of representation in the future assemblies that were to be elected.

31 Examine the main features of civil disobedience movement.

 First successful mass movement.
 People were now asked not only to refuse cooperation with the British but also to break colonial laws.
 Breaking of salt law at Dandi by Gandhiji marked the beginning of the movement.
 Foreign cloth boycotted, liquor shops picketed, laws broken and peasants refused to pay chaukidari taxes and revenue.
 The movement was launched to attain Swaraj or complete Independence.
 Large-scale women participation.
 Gandhiji called off the movement after Gandhi Irwin pact.
 However, restarted when Gandhiji returned from London after attending second round table conference.

32 What were the limitations or drawbacks of civil disobedience movement? Or Why did poor peasants and
industrial workers keep themselves away from Congress?
 The poor peasants were not just interested in lowering of the revenue, but also demanded cancellation of rent. They
launched a ‘no rent’ campaign which was not supported by the Congress because this might had upset the rich
peasants and landlords. So, the relationship between the poor peasants and the Congress remained uncertain.
 The Congress had ignored the Dalits, for the fear of offending the high caste Hindus. The Dalit leaders wanted political
empowerment as they believed that it would resolve the problems of their social disability. They began demanding a
separate electorate.
 The industrial working classes stayed away from this movement leaving the Nagpur region as industrialists came
closer to the congress. Congress was reluctant to include workers’ demands as part of the Movement
 Muslims (explained in ans. 30)

33 How did Civil disobedience movement differ from non-cooperation movement?

 Non-Cooperation Movement - launched in 1920. Civil Disobedience Movement was launched in 1930.
 Non-cooperation movement - launched to attain Swaraj. Civil disobedience movement was launched to attain ‘Purna
Swaraj’ or complete independence.
 Non-cooperation movement – people refused to cooperate with govt. Civil disobedience movement – people broke
laws.
 Women did not participate in large number in Non-Cooperation Movement while they took active part in large scale in
Civil Disobedience Movement.
 Non-Cooperation Movement was withdrawn by Mahatma Gandhi in 1922 due to violent incident at Chauri Chaura.
While Civil Disobedience Movement was withdrawn in 1931 when Gandhi signed ‘Gandhi Irwin Pact’.

34 Examine the role of Gandhiji in the upliftment of Dalits.

 Mahatma Gandhi was against untouchability.
 He declared that Swaraj would not come for a hundred years if untouchability was not eliminated.
 He called the untouchables Harijan or the children of God.
 He organised Satyagraha to secure them entry into temples, and access to public wells, tanks, roads and schools.
 He himself cleaned toilets to dignify the work of the Bhangi (the sweepers).

35 Why did Dr Ambedkar and Gandhiji clash in second round table conference?
 Dr B.R. Ambedkar clashed with Mahatma Gandhi at the second Round Table Conference by demanding separate
electorates for Dalits.
 He believed that share in political power would help in their upliftment.
 Gandhiji opposed separate electorate as he believed that it would create disunity.

36 What was Poona pact?

 Dr. B.R. Ambedkar organised the Dalits into the Depressed Classes Association in 1930 & demanded separate
electorates for them in the Second Round Table Conference organised in London.
 When British accepted this demand in the name of Communal Award, Gandhiji started a fast into death. He believed
that separate electorates would slow down the process of their integration into the society.
 Ambedkar and Gandhi came to an agreement and the result was the Poona Pact of September, 1932.
 It gave the depressed classes (later to be known as Schedule castes) reserved seats in provincial and central legislative
councils.
 But they were to be voted in by the general electorate.
37 Why did political leaders differ sharply over the question of different electorate?
 Gandhiji and the Congress believed that separate electorate would create disunity among the people and weaken the
National Movement.
 Muslim League led by Jinnah demanded separate electorate for Muslims. Argued that in Hindu majority country
Muslims would not get political power if no separate electorate.
 Dr Ambedkar and other Dalit leaders demanded separate electorate for the lips because they thought that a share in
political power would help in their upliftment.

38 Examine cultural factors and identities which created a sense of collective belonging among the people of India.
or describe the cultural process through which nationalism captured people's imagination.
 Chandra Chattopadhyay created the image of Bharat Mata.
 He wrote Vande Mataram (Anandamath) widely sung during Swadeshi Movement in Bengal.
 Abanindranath Tagore painted the image of Bharat Mata as divine and spiritual figure.
 Indian folklore was revived. It helped in discovering National identity & restored a sense of pride.
 Rabindranath Tagore collected ballads, nursery rhymes and myths for reviving the folklore in Bengal.
 Natesa Sastri published a four-volume collection of Tamil folk tales, the folklore of Southern India. He believed that
folklore was National literature and the only way through which we can know real thoughts and characters of people.
 Movement in Bengal a tricolour flag (red, green and yellow) with 8 lotuses representing 8 provinces of British India and
a crescent moon Hindus and Muslims was designed.
 In 1921 Gandhiji designed Swaraj flag, a tricolour flag (red, green and white) having a spinning Wheel in the centre. It
represented ideal of self-help.
 Carrying the flag during marches became a symbol of defiance and a sense of collective belonging.
 Indian history was revived for installing a sense of pride in the nation.
 Historians wrote about glorious development related to our architecture, science, maths, religion, culture extra.
 39 Enumerate factors which help in the birth of Indian nationalism.
 Political unification.
 Economic exploitation by British.
 Modern education and spread of Democratic ideals.
 Google of folklore and history.
 Creation of India's image as Bharat Mata& creation of Indian flag.