NATIONALISM IN INDIA -Module -1

1. What was the impact of Infamous Jallianwalla Bhag incident over Society and
British Government?
Ans.
(a) As the news of Jallianwalla Bagh spread, crowds took to the streets in
many north Indian towns.
(b) There were strikes, classes with the police and attacks on government
buildings. The government responded with brutal repression, seeking to
humiliate and terrorize people.
(c) Satyagrahis were forced to rub their noses on the ground, crawl on the
streets, and do salute to all sahibs.
(d) People were flogged and village around Gujranwala in Punjab (now in
Pakistan) were bombed.

2. Why martial law was imposed in Punjab during the month of April in 1919?
Ans.
(a) Martial law was imposed in Punjab because Rowlatt Act was
introduced by the British Government. Against this act rallies were organized
in various cities, workers went on strike in railway workshops and shops
closed down.
(b) British Government decided to clamp down on the nationalist leaders.
Local leaders were picked up from Amritsar. Mahatma Gandhi was barred
from entering Delhi.
(c) On 10 April, the police in Amritsar fired upon a peaceful
procession, provoke widespread attacks on banks post offices and railway
stations. Due to this martial law was imposed and General Dyer took
command.

3. Can you explain why some congress leaders were reluctant to boycott the
council elections of November 1920?
Ans.
(a) Many within the congress were, however concerned about the
proposals given by Gandhiji. They were reluctant to boycott the council
elections of November 1920 because the feared that the Movement might
lead to popular violence.
 (b) In the months between September and December there was instance
tussle within the congress. For a while there seemed no meeting point
between the supporters and the opponents of the movement.
(c) Finally at the Congress session at Nagpur in December 1920, a
compromise was worked out and the Non-cooperation program was adopted.
4. Highlight the effects of Non-Cooperation movement on the economy of India.
Ans.
(a) The effect of non-co-operation on the economic front was more
dramatic. Foreign goods were boycotted, liquor shops picketed, and foreign
cloth burnt in huge bonfire.
(b) The import of foreign cloths halved between 1921 and 1922 its value
dropping from Rs 102 crore to Rs 57 crore.
(c) In many places merchants and traders refused to trade in foreign
goods or finance foreign trade. As the boycott movement spread, and people
began discarding imported clothes and wearing only Indian ones, production
of Indian textiles mills and handlooms went up.
5. Elaborate the contribution of Allaouri Sita Ram Raju in the nationalist
movement of India.
Ans.
(a) Alluri Sita Ram Raju claimed that he had a variety of special powers:
he could make correct astrological predictions and heal people, and he could
survive even bullet shots.
(b) Captivated by Raju, the rebels proclaimed that he was an incarnation
of God. Rajju talked of the greatness of Mahatma Gandhi, said he was
inspired by the Non Cooperation Movement, and persuaded people to wear
Khadhi and giving up drinking.
(c) 3. But at the same time he asserted that India could be liberated only
by the use of force, not non-violence.
(d) The Gudem rebels attacked police stations, attempted to kill British
officials and carried on guerrilla warfare for achieving swaraj. Raju was
captured and executed in 1924 and over the time became a folk hero.
6. Explain the issue behind the Khilafat Movement.
Ans.
(a) The First World War had ended with the defeated of Ottoman Turkey.
(b) There were rumors that a harsh peace treaty was going to be imposed
on the Ottoman emperor –the spiritual head of the Islamic world.
 (c) To defend the Rowllat Act, Mahatma Gandhi felt, to take the Khilafat
issue.
(d) To bring the Hindus and Muslims closer, he felt, to take the Khilafat
issue.
(e) Muslim leaders Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali began discussing with
Gandhiji the possibilities of a united mass action on the issue.
(f) Later at Calcutta Session in 1920, Gandhiji convinced the leaders in
congress, to start a Non-cooperation movement in support of khilafat.
7. Why was Gandhiji decided to call off the Rowlett Satyagraha?
Ans.
(a) Gandhiji in 1919 decided to launch a nationwide satyagraha against
Rowlett Act (1919).
(b) On 13 April the famous Jallianwala Bagh incident took place. As the
news of Jallianwalla Bagh spread, crowd took to the streets in many north
Indian towns.
(c) There were strikes, classes with the police and attacks on government
buildings.
(d) The government responded with brutal repression, seeking to humiliate
and terrorize people.
(e) Satyagrahis were forced to rub their noses on the ground, crawl on the
streets, and do salute to all sahibs.
(f) People were flogged and village around Gujranwala in Punjab (now in
Pakistan) were bombed.
(g) Seeing violence spread, Mahatma Gandhi called of the movement.
8. How the plantation workers of Assam understand Mahatma Gandhiji and the
notion of swaraj?
Ans.
(a) Workers too had their own understanding of Mahatma Gandhi and the
notion of swaraj.
(b) For plantation workers in Assam, freedom meant the right to
move freely in and out of the confined space in which they were enclosed,
and it meant retaining a link with the village from which they had come.
(c) Under the Inland Emigration Act of 1859, plantation workers were not
permitted to leave the tea gardens without permission, and in fact they were
rarely given such permission. When they heard of the Non-Cooperation
Movement, thousands of workers defied the authorities, left the plantations
 and headed home. They believed the Gandhi Raj was coming and everyone
would be given land in their own villages.
(d) They, however, never reached their destination. Stranded on the way
by a railway and steamer strike, they were caught by the police and brutally
beaten up.
Question No 1,4, 6, 7 and 8 to be written in classwork

NATIONALISM IN INDIA HOT QUESTIONS

Module-2

1. What were the methods used by peasants of Awadh to achieve their

goal? Explain.

Ans.

1. In many places nai-dhobi bandhs were organized by panchayats to deprive

landlords of the service of even barbers and washer men.

2. The peasant movement demanded reduction of revenue, abolition of beggar and

social boycott of oppressive landlords.

3. Some peasants denied doing beggar-work without at landlords’ farms without any
payment.

4. As the movement spread in 1921, the houses of talukdars and merchants were
attacked, bazaars were looted.

2. Why was the Non Cooperation movement withdrawn by Gandhiji?

Ans.

1. The movement was turning violent.

2. At Chauri-Chaura in Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, a peaceful demonstration in

bazaar turned into a violent clash in which more than 20 policemen were killed.

3. Gandhiji also felt that Satyagraha is needed to be properly trained before they
would be ready for mass movement.
3. Elaborate the contribution of Allaouri Sita Ram Raju in the nationalist
movement of India.

Ans.

1. Alluri Sita Ram Raju claimed that he had a variety of special powers: he could
make correct astrological predictions and heal people, and he could survive even
bullet shots.
2. Captivated by Raju, the rebels proclaimed that he was an incarnation of God.
Rajju talked of the greatness of Mahatma Gandhi, said he was inspired by the Non
Cooperation Movement, and persuaded people to wear Khadhi and giving up
drinking.
3. But at the same time he asserted that India could be liberated only by the use of
force, not non-violence.
4. The Gudem rebels attacked police stations, attempted to kill British officials and
carried on guerrilla warfare for achieving swaraj. Raju was captured and executed in
1924, and over the time became a folk hero.

4. How did Mahatma Gandhi organize Satyagraha in various places in

India?

Ans.

1. In 1917 he travelled in Champaran, Bihar to inspire the peasants to struggle

against oppressive plantation system.

2. In 1919 he organized Satyagraha to support peasants of Kheda in Gujarat.

3. In 1918 he went to Ahmedabad to organize this movement amongst cotton mill

workers.

4. In 1919 he launched Satyagraha against Rowlatt act.

5. How the plantation workers of Assam understand Mahatma Gandhiji

and the notion of swaraj?

Ans.

1. Workers too had their own understanding of Mahatma Gandhi and the notion of
swaraj.

2. For plantation workers in Assam, freedom meant the right to move freely in and
out of the confined space in which they were enclosed, and it meant retaining a link
with the village from which they had come.
3. Under the Inland Emigration Act of 1859, plantation workers were not permitted
to leave the tea gardens without permission, and in fact they were rarely given such
permission.

4. When they heard of the Non-Cooperation Movement, thousands of workers

defied the authorities, left the plantations and headed home. They believed the
Gandhi Raj was coming and everyone would be given land in their own villages.

5. They, however, never reached their destination. Stranded on the way by a

railway and steamer strike, they were caught by the police and brutally beaten up.

Question No 1 and 5 to be written in classwork

Module 3 and 4

1. Identify the reasons that why Muslim Political organizations in India

werelukewarm in their response to the civil disobedience Movement.?
Ans.
1. Some of the Muslim political organizations in India were also lukewarm in their
response to the Civil Disobedience Movement.
2. After the decline of the Non- Cooperation–Khilafat movement, a large section of
Muslims felt alienated from the congress.
3. From the mid-1920s the congress came to be more visibly associated with openly
Hindu religious nationalist group like the Hindu Mahasabha.
4. As relation between Hindus and Muslims worsened, each community organized
religious processions with militant fervor, provoking Hindu-Muslim communal clashes
and riots in various cities.
5. Every riot deepened the distance between the two communities.

2. “Ideas of nationalism also developed through a movement to revive Indian

folklore? Support the statement with suitable examples?
Ans.
1. Ideas of nationalism also developed through a movement a revive India folklore.
2. In the late nineteenth century India, nationalists began recording folk tales sung
by bards and they toured villages together folk songs and legends.
3. It was essential to preserve this folk tradition in order to discover one’s national
identity and restore a sense of pride in one’s past.
4. In Bengal Rabindranath Tagore himself began collecting ballads, nursery rhymes
and myths, and led the movement for folk revival.
5. In madras Natesa Shastri published a massive four-volume collection of Tamil folk
tales, the Folklore of Southern India.
6.He believed that folklore was national literature; it was most trustworthy
manifestation of people’s real thought and characteristics.

3. Can you identify the different limitations of Civil Disobedience Movement?

Ans.
1. Limited participation of Dalits: Dalits participation in the civil Disobedience
movement was very limited, particularly in Maharashtra and Nagpur region where
their organization was quite strong.
2. No Participation of Muslims: Some of the Muslim political organizations in India
were also Lukewarm in their response to the Civil Disobedience Movement. After
Non-Cooperation-Khilafat movement Muslims felt alienated from the congress.
3. Dominant role of Sanatanis and Hindu Mahasabha: The role of Sanatanis and
Hindu Mahasabha was very dominant. Due to the fear of Sanatanis the conservative
high class Hindus, congress ignored the Dalits. Congress was very close to Hindu
Mahasbha. Hindus Mahasabha strongly opposed the efforts of compromise between
Congress and Muslim League.
4. Clash between BR Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi: In 1930 Dr B R Ambedkar
clashed with Mahatma Gandhi at the second round table conference by demanding
separate electorate for Dalits.
5. Participants have different aspirations: Participation had their own aspirations.
There was a contrast between the demands of industrialist and working class.
Contrast was also there in the demand of Rich peasants and poor peasants. United
struggle was not there.

4. Explain the contribution of Gandhiji to uplift the position of Untouchables in

the society?
Ans.
1. Gandhiji declared that swaraj would not come for a hundred years if
untouchability was not eliminated.
2. He called the untouchables Harijans children of God,
3. He organized satyagraha to secure them entry into temples and to assess to
public wells, tanks, roads and schools,
4. He himself cleaned toilets to dignify the work of Bhangi (the Sweepers).
5. He persuaded the upper castes to change their heart and give up the sin of
untouchability.
____________________________________________________________________

5. What is separate electorate? Why do you think Gandhiji was against the demand
of separate electorate by B R Ambedkar?

Ans.

Separate electorates are usually demanded by minorities who feel it would otherwise
be difficult for them to get fair representation in government. Separate electorate for
Dalits means that Dalits will choose their separate leader by separate elections for
Dalits.

Gandhiji was against the demand of separate electorate of Dr B R Ambedkar

because he believes that separate electorates for Dalits would slow down the
process of their integration into society consumer movement in India has led to the
formation of various organizations locally.

6. Mention the features of the flag which was designed by Gandhiji?

Ans.

In 1921 Gandhiji had designed the swaraj flag.

1. It was a tricolor flag and had a spinning wheel in the centre representing the
Gandhian ideal of self-help.

2. Tricolors were-red, green and white.

3. Carrying the flag, holding it aloft, during marches became a symbol of defiance.

Question No 2,3, 5 to be written in classwork