Indian Modern History Test 6

Answer – A

• Indigo Revolt (1859-60) in Bengal – The anger of the peasants exploded in 1859 when, led by Digambar Biswas and Bishnu Biswas of Nadia district, they decided not to grow indigo under duress and resisted the physical pressure of the planters and their lathiyals (retainers) backed by police and the courts. Hence statement 1 is correct, but 2 is incorrect.
• They also organised a counter force against the planters’ attacks. Hence statement 3 is incorrect.

Answer – D

• The revolutionaries in northern India were the first to emerge out of the mood of frustration after the apparent failure of Non Coperation Movement and reorganize under the leadership of the old veterans, Ramprasad Bismil, Jogesh Chatterjea and Sachindranath Sanyal whose Bandi Jiwan served as a textbook to the revolutionary movement.
• They met in Kanpur in October 1924 and founded the Hindustan Republican Association (or Army) to organize armed revolution to overthrow colonial rule and establish in its place a Federal Republic of the United States of India whose basic principle would be adult franchise. Hence statement 1, 2 and 3 are correct.

Answer – C

• The most important ‘action’ of the HRA was the Kakori Robbery. Kakori case was a major setback to the revolutionaries of northern India; but it was not a fatal blow. Hence statement 1 is correct.
• Younger men such as Bejoy Kumar Sinha, Shiv Varma and Jaidev Kapur in U.P., Bhagat Singh, Bhagwati Charan Vohra and Sukhdev in Punjab set out to reorganize the HRA under the overall leadership of ChandrashekharAzad.
• They met in Kanpur in October 1924 and founded the Hindustan Republican Association (or Army) to organize armed revolution to overthrow colonial rule and establish in its place a Federal Republic of the United States of India whose basic principle would be adult franchise. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• Finally, nearly all the major young revolutionaries of northern India met at Ferozeshah Kotla Ground at Delhi on 9 and 10 September 1928, created a new collective leadership, adopted socialism as their official goal and changed the name of the party to the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (Army).

Answer – C

Government appointed an indigo commission to inquire into the problem of indigo cultivation.
Based on its recommendations, the Government issued a notification in November 1860 that the ryots could not be compelled to grow indigo and that it would ensure that all disputes were settled by legal means.
But, the planters were already closing down factories and indigo cultivation was virtually wiped out from Bengal by the end of 1860. Hence both statements are

Answer – D

• Bhagat Singh and B.K. Dutt were asked to throw a bomb in the Central Legislative Assembly on 8 April 1929 against the passage of the Public Safety Bill and the Trade Disputes Bill which would reduce the civil liberties of citizens in general and workers in particular.
• Bhagat Singh and B.K. Dutt were tried in the Assembly Bomb Case. Later, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru and tens of other revolutionaries were tried in a series of famous conspiracy cases. Hence statement 1 and 2 are incorrect.
• The aim was not to kill, for the bombs were relatively harmless, but, as the leaflet they threw into the Assembly hall proclaimed, ‘to make the deaf hear’. The objective was to get arrested and to use the trial court as a forum for propaganda so that people would become familiar with their movement and ideology.

Answer – A

• Simon Fraser, the Political Agent, and several other Englishmen were killed in Delhi; the public offices were either occupied or destroyed. The capture of Delhi and the proclamation of Bahadur Shah as the Emperor of Hindustan gave a positive political meaning to the Revolt and provided a rallying point for the rebels by recalling the past glory of the imperial city. Hence statement 1 is correct.
• Revolt at Meerut and the capture of Delhi was the precursor to a widespread mutiny by the sepoys and rebellion almost all over North India, as well as Central and Western India. South India remained quiet and Punjab and Bengal were only marginally affected. Hence statement 2 is correct.

Answer – A

• Even before the Meerut incident, there were rumblings of resentment in various cantonments. The 19th Native Infantry at Berhampur, which refused to use the newly introduced Enfield rifle, was disbanded in March 1857.
• A young sepoy of the 34th Native Infantry, Mangal Pande, went a step further and fired at the Sergeant Major of his regiment. He was overpowered and executed and his regiment too, was disbanded.
• The 7th Oudh Regiment later which defied its officers met with a similar fate.

Answer – A

• Within a month of the capture of Delhi, the Revolt spread to different parts of the country: Kanpur, Lucknow, Benares, Allahabad, Bareilly, Jagdishpur and Jhansi.

Answer – B

• The most outstanding leader of the Revolt was Rani Lakshmibhai, who assumed the leadership ofthe sepoys at Jhansi. Lord Dalhousie, the Governor-General, had refused to allow her adopted son to succeed to the throne after her husband died and had annexed the state by the application of theDoctrine of Lapse. The Rani had tried everything to reverse the decision. She even offered to keep Jhansi ‘safe’ for the British if they would grant her wishes. When it was clear nothing was working she joined the sepoys and, in time, became one of the most formidable enemies the British had tocontend with.
• Though Lord Dalhousie devised “Doctrine of Lapse”, but he remained in office till 1856, after whom Lord Canning took over. Hence option B is correct.

Answer – D

• In Bihar, the Revolt was led by Kunwar Singh, the zamindar of Jagdishpur, a 70-year-old man on thebrink of bankruptcy. He nursed a grudge against the British. He had been deprived of his estates bythem and his repeated appeals to be entrusted with their management again fell ondeaf ears. Eventhough he had not planned an uprising, he unhesitatingly joined the sepoys when they reached Arrah from Dinapore. Hence statement 1 is correct.
• At Barielly, Khan Bahadur, a descendant of the former ruler of Rohilkhand, was placed in command. Living on a pension granted by the British, he was not too enthusiastic about this and had in fact, warned the Commissioner of the impending mutiny. Yet, once the Revolt broke out, he assumed the administration, organized an army of 40,000 soldiers and offered stiff resistance to the British. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• At Kanpur, the natural choice was Nana Saheb, the adopted son of the last Peshwa, Baji Rao II. He had refused the family title and, banished from Poona, was living near Kanpur. Hence statement 3 is incorrect.
• Begum Hazrat Mahal took over the reigns at Lucknow, where popular sympathy was overwhelmingly in favour of the deposed Nawab. Her son, Birjis Qadir, was proclaimed the Nawab and a regular administration was organized with important offices shared equally by Muslims and Hindus.

Answer – D

• The award not only continued separate electorates for the Muslims, Sikhs, Indian Christians, Anglo Indians and Europeans but also extended it to the depressed classes (scheduled castes). Hence option D is correct.

Answer – D

• In Bihar, the Revolt was led by Kunwar Singh, the zamindar of Jagdishpur, a 70-year-old man on thebrink of bankruptcy. He nursed a grudge against the British. He had been deprived of his estates bythem and his repeated appeals to be entrusted with their management again fell ondeaf ears. Eventhough he had not planned an uprising, he unhesitatingly joined the sepoys when they reached Arrah from Dinapore. Hence statement 1 is correct.
• At Barielly, Khan Bahadur, a descendant of the former ruler of Rohilkhand, was placed in command. Living on a pension granted by the British, he was not too enthusiastic about this and had in fact, warned the Commissioner of the impending mutiny. Yet, once the Revolt broke out, he assumed the administration, organized an army of 40,000 soldiers and offered stiff resistance to the British. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• At Kanpur, the natural choice was Nana Saheb, the adopted son of the last Peshwa, Baji Rao II. He had refused the family title and, banished from Poona, was living near Kanpur. Hence statement 3 is incorrect.
• Begum Hazrat Mahal took over the reigns at Lucknow, where popular sympathy was overwhelmingly in favour of the deposed Nawab. Her son, Birjis Qadir, was proclaimed the Nawab and a regular administration was organized with important offices shared equally by Muslims and Hindus.

Answer – D

• British Government declared, for the first time, that its objective was the gradual introduction of responsible government in India. The Government of India Act of 1919 was thus enacted, which came into force in 1921. This Act is also known as Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms (Montagu was the Secretary of State for India and Lord Chelmsford was the Viceroy of India). Hence statement 1 is correct.
• It relaxed the central control over the provinces by demarcating and separating the central and provincial subjects. The central and provincial legislatures were authorised to make laws on their respective list of subjects. However, the structure of government continued to be centralised and unitary. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• It introduced, for the first time, bicameralism and direct elections in the country. Thus, the Indian Legislative Council was replaced by a bicameral legislature consisting of an Upper House (Council of State) and a Lower House (Legislative Assembly). The majority of members of both the Houses were chosen by direct election. Hence statement 3 is correct.

Answer – D

• The award not only continued separate electorates for the Muslims, Sikhs, Indian Christians, Anglo Indians and Europeans but also extended it to the depressed classes (scheduled castes). Hence option D is correct.

Answer – B

• Communal Award in August 1932, Ramsay MacDonald, the British Prime Minister, announced a scheme of representation of the minorities, which came to be known as the Communal Award. Hence statement 1 is wrong.
• The award not only continued separate electorates for the Muslims, Sikhs, Indian Christians, Anglo Indians and Europeans but also extended it to the depressed classes (scheduled castes).
• Gandhiji was distressed over this extension of the principle of communal representation to the depressed classesand undertook fast unto death in Yeravada Jail (Poona) to get theaward modified. At last, there wasan agreement between the leaders of the Congress and the depressed classes. The agreement, knownas Poona Pact, retained the Hindu joint electorate and gave reserved seats to the depressed classes.Hence statement 2 is correct.

Answer – C

• Government of India Act of 1935 was alengthy and detailed document having 321 Sections and 10 Schedules.
• It provided for the establishment of an All-India Federation consisting of provinces andprincely states as units. Hence statement 1 is correct.
• The Act divided the powers between the Centre and units in terms ofthree lists—Federal List (for Centre, with 59 items), Provincial List(for provinces, with 54items) and the Concurrent List (for both, with 36 items). Hence statement 2 is incorrect.
• Residuary powers were given to theViceroy. Hence statement 3 is correct.
• However, the federation never came into being as the princely states did not join it.

Answer – C

• Government of India Act of 1935 was alengthy and detailed document having 321 Sections and 10 Schedules.
• It provided for the establishment of an All-India Federation consisting of provinces andprincely states as units. Hence statement 1 is correct.
• The Act divided the powers between the Centre and units in terms ofthree lists—Federal List (for Centre, with 59 items), Provincial List(for provinces, with 54items) and the Concurrent List (for both, with 36 items). Hence statement 2 is incorrect.
• Residuary powers were given to theViceroy. Hence statement 3 is correct.
• However, the federation never came into being as the princely states did not join it.

Solution: b)

• The above statements are associated with Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
• Operation Polo was the name used to refer to the Hyderabad Police Action which was essentially a military operation under which the Indian armed forces encroached the State of Hyderabad and defeated the Nizam, obtaining the state of Hyderabad for the Indian Union.

Solution: c)

• Cripps Mission was sent by the British Government in March 1942 to India with key objective to secure Indian cooperation and support for British War Efforts.
• Through the Cripps mission for the first time, British government recognized the “Right of Dominion’ for India.
• The Cripps mission was rejected by Congress, Muslim League and Indian states.
• Sikhs rejected because of non-accession of provinces.
• The Dalits and depressed classed also rejected because there was nothing new for them.

Solution: a)

• S1 – Dominion status on lines of self-governing dominions as the form of government desired by Indians.
• S2 – Rejection of separate electorates which had been the basis of constitutional reforms so far.
• S3 – Full protection to cultural and religious interests of Muslims.
• S4 – Complete dissociation of state from religion.

Solution: c)

• Indigo Revolt by Bengal indigo cultivators led by Degambar and Bishnu Biswas (1859-1860; Nadia district)
• Deccan Peasants’ Uprising by the Maratha peasants (1875; Kardeh village and Poona in Maharashtra)
• Phadke’s Ramosi Uprising by Ramosi peasants led by Wasudeo Balwant Phadke (1877-1887; Maharashtra)
• Champaran Satyagraha by peasants of Champaran (1917; Bihar)

Solution: c)

Jyotiba Phule had setup this organization to begin anti-caste movement in Maharashtra.

Solution: a)

• The Swaraj Party was established as the Congress-Khilafat Swaraj Party. It was a political party formed in India in January 1923 after the Gayaannual conference in December 1922 of the National Congress.
• The two most important leaders were Chittaranjan Das, who was its president and Motilal Nehru, who was its secretary.

Gandhiji brought the strife between no-changers and Swarajists to an end. Both the parties signed the joint statement and declared that Swarajists would work in the council on behalf of and as an integral part of the Congress. This decision was endorsed in the December 1924 Belgaum Session of Congress in which Gandhi became president of congress for first and only one time

Solution: c)

Second Round Conference happened in 1931, Quit India Movement in 1942 and Mutiny in Royal Indian Navy in 1946.

Solution: d)