1. RAJKUMAR SHUKLA – He is a peasant in Champaran and is troubled by the sharecropping system. He was illiterate but resolute. He never left Gandhi ji’s side until he agreed to visit Champaran.
2. GANDHI JI –He visited Champaran on the request of Rajkumar Shukla. He spent almost a year of his life there. During his stay there, he removed the problems of sharecropping, contributed in the Indian Independence struggle and also taught them self-reliance.
3. EDWARD GAIT -He was Lt. Governor of the province. He ordered to drop the case against Gandhi ji. Later as a result of his meetings with Gandhi ji, an enquiry commission was set up to find out the problems.
4. RAJENDRA PRASAD- He was a lawyer who later became the President of Indian NationalCongress and also of India.
5. C. F. ANDREWS -He was an English pacifist and devoted follower of Gandhiji. He was ready to stay at Champaran and help Gandhi ji but Gandhiji opposed it.
Gist of Lesson
- Gandhiji went to attend December 1916 Annual Conventionof Indian National Congress in Lucknow.
- During the proceedings, a peasant from Champaran,named Rajkumar Shukla met him.
- Under an ancient arrangement, Champaran peasantswere sharecroppers.
- Rajkumar Shukla was one of them. He was illiteratebut resolute.
- He didn’t leave Gandhiji until he agreed tovisit Champaran.
- Gandhi ji was to be in Calcutta on a certain date.
- Shukla received him from there and then they boarded the train toPatna.
- Shukla first took Gandhi ji to the house of a lawyer named Rajendra Prasad who later became the President of Indian National Congress and India.
- Rajendra Prasad was out of town and his servant didn’t allow Gandhi ji to draw water from the well thinking him to be an untouchable.
- Gandhi ji first decided to go to Muzzafarpur. He was received by Prof. J. B. Kriplani of Arts College, at the railway station.
- Gandhi ji stayed at the house of Prof. Malkani for two days.
- It was an extraordinary thing for Prof. Malkani to harbor Gandhi ji because in smaller localities people were afraid to show sympathy for the advocates of home rule.
- As soon as Gandhi ji reached Champaran, people went to see him.
- The lawyers told Gandhi ji that they represented peasant groups in the court and also reported the size of their fee.
- Gandhi ji chided the lawyers for collecting such a big fee and told them its no use taking their cases to the law courts.
- The chief commercial crop in Champaran was Indigo.
- The landlords compelled all tenants to plant three twentieths or 15 percent of their holdings with indigo and surrender the entire indigo harvest as rent.
- Meanwhile Germany developed synthetic Indigo. The landlords asked the peasants to pay them compensation for being released from the 15% agreement.
- Later when the peasants came to know about the synthetic Indigo, they wanted their money back.
- Gandhi ji reached Champaran at this stage.
- Gandhi ji first went to the Secretary of the British
- Landlord’s association and then to the British Official Commissioner of Tirhut Division. None of them helped Gandhi ji instead he was asked to leave Tirhut.
- But Gandhi ji, instead of leaving Tirhut, went to Motihari.
- There again he got an official notice to quit Champaran. Gandhi ji signed a receipt for the order but he wrote on the back that he would disobey the order.
- In consequence, he got summons to appear in the court.
- Gandhi ji informed all about it and the next morning all the people gathered in the court premises.
- The officials felt powerless without Gandhi ji’s cooperation.
- Gandhi ji helped them to regulate the crowd but he had given them proof that their might could be questioned.
- Gandhi ji told the court that he was caught in a conflict of duties. On the one hand, he didn’t want to set a bad example as a law breaker and on the other hand, he wanted to do
national and humanitarian service.
- When the court was reconvened, the judge said the he would deliver the judgement several days later and meanwhile he allowed Gandhi ji to be at liberty.
- Later the Lt. Governor ordered the case to be dropped against him and it proved to be the first victory of Civil Disobedience in Modern India.
- In June Gandhi ji was summoned by Sir Edward Gait.
- They had four protracted meetings as a result of which an enquiry commission was set up.
- The enquiry brought crushing mountain of evidences against the big planters.
- Gandhi ji asked 50% refund but the planters wanted to
pay only 25%.
- Gandhi ji agreed even to that. He said the amount of refund was less important than the fact that the landlords had been obliged to surrender part of the money and with it part of their
prestige.
- Gandhi ji was also concerned about the social and economical backwardness of Champaran villages.
- He appealed to the people to volunteer their services.
- Primary schools were opened in six villages.
- Kasturbai taught the ashram rules on personal cleanliness and
community sanitation.
- Health conditions were also miserable. Three
medicines were available- castor oil, quinine and sulphur ointment.
- Gandhi ji’s politics was intertwined with the practical day to day problems of the millions. His was not a loyalty to abstractions; his was the loyalty to living human beings.
- Gandhi ji’s lawyer friends wanted Charles Freer Andrews who was Gandhi ji’s devoted follower to stay in Champaran and help them but Gandhi ji was vehemently opposed. He told them to rely on themselves instead of seeking a prop in Mr. Andrews.
Summary of Indigo
Indigo summary is going to assist students in learning about the chapter in a summarized version. Indigo is about how Mahatma Gandhi struggled for the underprivileged peasants of Champaran. They were the sharecroppers with the British planters. The peasants use to live a wretched life and were under an agreement to grow Indigo. As Bihar has the landlord system back then, it worsened their condition. Thus, Gandhi decided to fight against injustice. He waged a war which lasted for a year to tackle the discrimination and got justice for the peasants. After that, it helped the peasants become courageous and aware of their fundamental rights. Moreover, Gandhiji did not just work to tackle political or economic issues, but he also took up social issues. He worked to provide them with education, health, hygiene and taught them self-confidence.
This story is set in 1916 where Gandhi steps up to help a bunch of poor peasants from Champaran. It gives an account of how he struggled to bring them justice and equality. Thus, it begins with most of the arable land of Champaran that divides into a large estate. The owners of the estate are Englishmen and the workers are Indian tenants. We learn that the chief commercial crop on this land is Indigo. Moreover, we also see that the landlords compel all the tenants to plant 15% of their Indigo and submit the whole harvest in the form of rent. The tenants are under a long-term agreement to do so.
However, Germany starts developing synthetic Indigo. Thus, the British do not require the Indigo crop any more. Thus, in order to release the poor peasant from their agreement of 15%, they start demanding compensation. While some of the uneducated peasants agreed on this, the other did not agree. Thus, we notice that one of the sharecroppers, Raj Kumar Shukla arranges for a meeting with Gandhi.
He meets him for the same issues and insists Gandhi to visit the place to end the longstanding injustice. Gandhi agrees and boards a train to Patna in Bihar. After that, Raj Kumar Shukla helps Gandhi visit the house of Rajendra Prasad, a lawyer. As Gandhi dresses simply, the servants thought of him to be a poor peasant. Thus, Gandhi planned before trying to get the peasants any justice. It is because the British government are punishing anyone who is keeping national leaders or protestors.
Thus, when Gandhi arrived in the place, the news of his arrival and mission spread across the town like wildfire. This resulted in a lot of lawyers and peasant groups pouring in large numbers in his support. Consequently, the lawyers did accept that the charges are quite high and too unreasonable for a poor peasant.
However, Gandhi was criticizing them for collecting huge fees from the sharecroppers. He was emphasizing on counselling as this will provide the peasants with confidence to fight their fear. Thus, he manages to get justice after a yearlong fight for the peasants. He has also arranged for the education, health, and hygiene for the families of the poor peasants. Finally, he teaches them a lesson of self-sufficiency and self-confidence.
To sum up, Indigo summary, we learn how Gandhiji did not merely help in freeing India, but was always working for the betterment of his countrymen from the very start.
Indigo Question and Answers
1. When and where did Gandhi decide “to urge the departure of the British” and why? (Imp.)
Ans. The idea that the British must quit India came to Gandhi’s mind in 1917. He took up the cause of the poor peasants in Bihar in 1916. Gandhi later on went to Champaran to wage a struggle against the cruel British landlords. The Champaran episode made Gandhi clear that the British must quit India sooner or later.
2. How did Shukla succeed in persuading Gandhiji to visit Champaran ?
(CBSE 2008)
Or
What made Gandhi to surrender to the wish of Rajkumar Shukla and board a train to Patna in Bihar ? (Imp.)
Ans. Rajkumar Shukla wanted Gandhiji to visit Champaran to take up the cause of sharecroppers there. Gandhiji told Shukla that he had an appointment in Kanpur. He was also committed to go to other parts of India. Shukla followed Gandhiji to the ashram. He went to Calcutta when Gandhiji arrived there. Gandhiji was impressed by his tenacity and story. They boarded the train for Patna.
3. Why did Rajkumar Shukla want to take Gandhiji to Champaran?
(CBSE 2008)
Ans. Rajkumar Shukla was a poor peasant sharecropper from Champaran in Bihar. He had come to the Congress session to meet Gandhiji. He wanted Gandhiji to visit Champaran to see the miserable condition of the peasant sharecroppers at the hands of the British indigo planters. They were victims of the injustice of the landlord system in Champaran.
4. What did the servants at Rajendra Prasad’s house take Gandhi to be?Why was he not allowed to draw water from the well ?
Ans. Shukla led Gandhi to Rajendra Prasad’s house in Patna. He was out of town. Dr. Prasad’s servants knew that Shukla was a sharecropper. So they took Gandhi also to be a poor peasant of a low caste. He was not allowed to draw water from the well because he could pollute the water.
5. Why didn’t Gandhi go straight to Champaran but stayed first atMuzaffarpur?
Ans. Gandhi thought it advisable to go first to Muzaffarpur. It was en route to Champaran. He wanted to collect more information about conditions prevailing there. Therefore, he sent a telegram to Professor J.B. Kripalani. He stayed for two days in the home of Professor Malkani. Even Muzaffarpur lawyers called on Gandhi to brief him.
6. Why did Gandhi chide the lawyers of Muzaffarpur ? (Imp.)
Ans. Muzaffarpur lawyers called on Gandhi to brief him. They had frequently represented peasants in courts. Gandhi chided them for collecting big fees from the poor sharecroppers. When peasants were so poor and crushed, it was inhuman to charge heavy fees from them.
7. What was the long-term contract or agreement that English landlordshad made with the sharecroppers of Champaran ? How was it exploitative ?
Ans. Most of the arable land in Champaran district was owned by English landlords. Indians were only their tenants. Indigo was the main commercial crop. The landlords compelled all tenants to plant 15% of their land with indigo. This long-term agreement was enough to twist the arms of the peasants. They had no freedom of their own.
8. Why did the indigo planters obtain new agreements from the sharecroppers to pay them compensation ? Why did many sign willingly ? (Imp.)
Ans. Germany produced synthetic indigo. Now the plantation of indigo was no more profitable. The landlords wanted to free the peasants from the 15% agreement. For this freedom, they demanded compensation from the sharecroppers. Many of them signed willingly as the previous 15% arrangement was not liked by them.
9. How did even illiterate sharecroppers see through the trick and fraud of the English landlords ? Why did they want their money back ? (Imp.)
Ans. Germany had invented synthetic indigo. Now indigo plantation was no more profitable. Even the illiterate peasants could see through the trick and game of the landlords. The landlords demanded compensation for freeing the peasants from the 15% agreement. The peasants refused. Therefore, they were not ready to pay the compensation and demanded their money back.
10. What was the outcome of Gandhi’s meeting with (i) the secretary of theBritish landlords’ association (ii) commissioner of Tirhut ?
Ans. Nothing fruitful came out of these meetings, (i) The secretary of the British landlords’ association considered Gandhi an outsider. He didn’t provide him any information (ii) The British official commissioner of Tirhut bullied Gandhi. He advised Gandhi to leave Tirhut at once.
11. Why did Gandhi go to a nearby village in Champaran ? Why did he comeback without visiting the place ?
Ans. While Gandhi was at Champaran, a report came. A peasant had been maltreated in a nearby village. Gandhi rode on the back of an elephant to go there. The superintendent of police asked him to return to the town immediately. Gandhi complied. Another message was delivered. Gandhi was asked to leave Champaran immediately.
12. What was the reaction of the peasants when they heard that Gandhi w in trouble with the authorities ? How did Gandhi help the authorities ?
Ans. Gandhi received a summon to appear in court. The next day thousands of peasants had assembled in Motihari. They didn’t know much about Gandhi. But they knew that he had come there only to take up their cause. Thousands of them held a demonstration. The officials felt powerless. Gandhi helped the authorities to regulate the crowd.
13. Why was the government baffled and what could Gandhi prove to themby the episode at Motihari ? (Imp.)
Ans. There was a spontaneous demonstration of thousands of peasants in Motihari. The government was baffled. The officials felt helpless. Gandhi was polite and friendly. He helped them regulate the crowd. Gandhi gave a concrete proof that the might of the British though dreaded, could be challenged by Indians.
14. Gandhi was involved in a ‘conflict of duties’. What did he decide in the endand why? (Imp.)
Ans. Gandhi was involved in a ‘conflict of duties’. On the one hand, he didn’t want to set a bad example. He didn’t want to be a law-breaker. On the other hand, he couldn’t give up the cause of the poor peasants of Champaran. Therefore, he heard the ‘voice of conscience’ in the end. He decided to disobey the order.
15. Why didn’t the judge pronounce sentence for several days and allowed Gandhi to remain at liberty?
Ans. The peasants held a spontaneous demonstration in thousands in Motihari. The officials felt helpless and the government was baffled. The judge was requested to postpone the trial. The pressure of the people was mounting. The judge didn’t want to aggravate the situation. He held up the sentence for several days: and finally released Gandhi without bail.
16. How could Gandhi persuade the lawyers to follow him into jail ?
Ans. Many prominent lawyers of Bihar came to confer with Gandhi. Gandhi asked what they would do if he was sentenced to prison. A senior lawyer told frankly that they would go home. Gandhi asked them about the injustice done to the sharecroppers. The lawyers felt ashamed. They finally declared that they were ready to’-follow’ him into jail.
17. “Civil disobedience had triumphed, the first time in modern India”. Justify thisstatement.(Imp.)
Ans. Gandhi was asked to leave Champaran by an official order. He respected the lawful authority. But the Voice of conscience’ made him disobey the order. Thousands of peasants, held a huge demonstration. The government was baffled. The officials felt helpless. Gandhi was released without bail. So civil disobedience had triumphed for the first time in modern India.
18. What was the outcome of four protracted interviews that Gandhi hadwith the Lieutenant-Governor ? (Imp.)
Ans. In June, Gandhi was summoned to Sir Edward Gait, the Lieutenant-Governor. He had four protracted interviews with him. He took up the cause of the sharecroppers of Champaran with him. As a result, a commission of inquiry was set up to look into the plight of the indigo sharecroppers. Gandhi was the sole representative of the peasants.
19. How was the settlement for compensation reached between the English planters and the sharecroppers ? Describe Gandhi’s role in it. (Imp.)
Ans. The official enquiry had assembled a mountain of evidence against the English landlords. They were under pressure to make refunds to the peasants. They thought Gandhi would press for the full repayment. But he asked only for 50%. The landlords offered to refund 25% of the money. To their surprise, Gandhi agreed. So the settlement was adopted unanimously by the commission.
20. The settlement of 25% refund to the farmers appeared rather small. Why did Gandhi agree to it and how did events justify his position ? (Imp.)
Ans. According to the settlement, the planters were to refund 25% of the compensation money to the peasants. The achievement appeared to be rather small but events justified his position. But for Gandhi the amount of refund was less important. More important was the fact that the landlords were forced to surrender part of their right. So he agreed to the settlement.
21. What did Gandhi do to remove the cultural and social backwardness inthe Champaran villages ?
Ans. Politics and economic issues were important. But for Gandhi the cultural and social backwardness in the Champaran villages was a curse. He wanted to do something about it immediately. Many more volunteers came from other parts of India. Primary schools were opened in six villages. Kasturbai taught cleanliness and sanitation. Gandhi got a doctor to volunteer his services for six months.
22. ‘The Champaran episode was a turning point in Gandhi’s life’? How do youjustify it ?
Ans. The Champaran episode was really a turning point in Gandhi’s life. It began not as an act of defiance. It was an effort to remove the distress of poor peasants. The success of Champaran justified Gandhi’s ways and means. It gave a message. The Britishers were dreaded and unquestioned but now they could be challenged by the Indians. The success of Champaran was the success of peaceful Civil Disobedience in modern India.
23. ‘Gandhi’s politics were intertwined with the practical day-to-day problems of themillions’. Justify this statement with reference to the Champaran episode.(Imp.)
Ans. The success of Champaran justified Gandhi’s style of politics. Civil disobedience was typical pattern of Gandhian politics. His ways and means were non-violent. His politics were intertwined with the day-to-day problems of the millions. In Champaran he identified himself with the lot of poor and exploited peasants.
24. How did Gandhi teach us a lesson in self-reliance ? Why did he oppose taking help from C. F. Andrews ? (V. Imp.)
Ans. Gandhi wanted to mould ‘a new free Indian’. He wanted Indians to stand on their own feet. Some of his followers wanted C.F. Andrews to stay in Champaran and help them. Gandhi opposed it. He didn’t want Indians to take the help of an Englishman in their struggle for freedom. So he taught a lesson in self-reliance.
25. How did Gandhi help the poor in Champaran to achieve freedom from fear ? What made indigo share-cropping disappear ? (A. I. CBSE 2008)
Ans. Gandhiji came to Champaran to fight against the injustice of the landlord system there. First he went to Muzaffarpur to obtain complete information about the actual conditions there. He met Kriplani and Prof. Malkani who briefed him on the matter. Most of the land in Champaran was divided into large estates owned by Englishmen. They were worked by Indian tenants to grow indigo. The landlords compelled all tenants to plant 15 per cent of their holding with indigo. They surrendered the entire harvest as rent. When synthetic indigo was developed in Germany indigo plantation no longer remained profitable. The landlords released the tenants from 15 per cent agreement. Thus, indigo sharecropping disappeared. They obtained agreements from sharecroppers to pay them compensation. Many refused to sign and others wanted their money back. At this point Gandhiji arrived in Champaran.
A huge crowd welcomed Gandhiji at Champaran. The commissioner advised him to leave the place. Gandhiji didn’t oblige him. He decided to disobey the order. He received a summon to appear in the court the next day. Thousands of peasants demonstrated around the court house. It was the beginning of their liberation from fear of the British. The case against Gandhiji was dropped. Civil disobedience had triumphed for the first time in India.
26. Describe the trial of Gandhi in Motihari court during the Champaranmovement. When and why did Gandhi declare : “The battle of Champaran is won” ?
Ans. Gandhi came to Motihari, the capital of Champaran. He had already equipped himself with the necessary facts and information. Gandhi called on the British Commissioner. He tried to bully Gandhi and advised him to leave the place at once.
Gandhi did not leave the place. Instead he proceeded to Motihari. A huge crowd greeted him at the station. He received an official notice to quit Champaran immediately. Gandhi decided to disobey the order. As a result, he was summoned to appear in the court the next day.
Gandhi wired a full report to the Viceroy. Thousands of peasants held a spontaneous demonstration around the courthouse. The government was baffled. Gandhi was in a ‘conflict of duties’. He didn’t want to be a law breaker but he had a cause before him. Finally, he heard “the voice of his conscience”. He was set free without the bail. Gandhi asked the prominent lawyers what they would do if he was sent to jail. They finally decided to accompany Gandhi to jail. This emboldened Gandhi. He declared: “The battle of Champaran is won”. The case against Gandhi was dropped. Thus, civil disobedience had triumphed for the first time in modern India.
27. Describe the exploitation of the indigo sharecroppers by English landlords in Champaran. Did Gandhi help them to get an honourable settlement?(V. Imp.)
Ans. Most of the arable land in Champaran was owned by English landlords. The Indian tenants worked on the land. The chief commercial crop was indigo. The English planters compelled all sharecroppers to plant 15% of their holdings with indigo. They had to surrender the entire indigo harvest as rent to the landlords. This was done by a long-term contract. Then Germany developed synthetic indigo. The plantation of natural indigo was no more a profitable business for English landlords. They decided to free the Indian sharecroppers from the 15% contract. They were to pay compensation for this freedom. The peasants saw through the trick and fraud of the landlords. Therefore, they wanted their money back.
Gandhi went to Bihar to take up the cause of poor peasants. There was a huge demonstration of thousands of peasants the very next day. The government was baffled. A commission of inquiry was constituted. Gandhi was the sole representative of the peasants. The landlords agreed to refund the money to the peasants. At last, they settled for 25%. The amount of refund was less important. The more important thing was the victory of the peasants and the victory of the Civil Disobedience in India.
Indigo MCQ question and answers
- What role did Rajendra Prasad and other lawyers play in the face of Gandhi’s potential imprisonment?
- a) Advocated for Gandhi’s immediate release
- b) Advised Gandhi to comply with authorities
- c) Offered legal support and prepared to join him in jail
- d) Distanced themselves from Gandhi’s cause
Correct Answer: c) Offered legal support and prepared to join him in jail
- In which year did Gandhi first visit Rajkumar Shukla in his ashram in Sevagram?
- a) 1916
- b) 1917
- c) 1942
- d) 1920
Correct Answer: c) 1942
- Why did Rajkumar Shukla follow Gandhi to various places?
- a) To seek financial help
- b) To request Gandhi to visit Champaran
- c) To accompany him to Cawnpore
- d) To complain about the landlord system
Correct Answer: b) To request Gandhi to visit Champaran
- What crop dominated the arable land in the Champaran district?
- a) Rice
- b) Wheat
- c) Cotton
- d) Indigo
Correct Answer: d) Indigo
- Why did Gandhi decide to go to Muzzafarpur before heading to Champaran?
- a) To meet a lawyer
- b) To obtain more information about conditions
- c) To attend a Congress party meeting
- d) To visit Rajendra Prasad
Correct Answer: b) To obtain more information about conditions
- What was the chief commercial crop in the Champaran district?
- a) Rice
- b) Wheat
- c) Cotton
- d) Indigo
Correct Answer: d) Indigo
- What was the outcome of Gandhi’s encounter with the British official commissioner in Tirhut?
- a) Gandhi was arrested
- b) The commissioner supported Gandhi
- c) Gandhi was advised to leave Tirhut
- d) A compromise was reached
Correct Answer: c) Gandhi was advised to leave Tirhut
- How did the peasants in Champaran react to Gandhi’s arrival in the region?
- a) With fear and hostility
- b) With indifference
- c) With spontaneous demonstration and support
- d) With skepticism
Correct Answer: c) With spontaneous demonstration and support
- What was the primary demand made by Gandhi on behalf of the peasants in Champaran?
- a) Full repayment of the money
- b) 50% repayment of the money
- c) Legal action against the landlords
- d) Complete abolition of the landlord system
Correct Answer: b) 50% repayment of the money
- How did the British planters respond to Gandhi’s demand for repayment?
– a) They agreed to full repayment
– b) They offered 25% repayment
– c) They refused to repay
– d) They sought legal action
– Correct Answer: b) They offered 25% repayment
- What was the outcome of the official commission of inquiry into the indigo sharecroppers’ situation?
– a) The landlords were acquitted
– b) The peasants were found guilty
– c) The landlords agreed to make refunds
– d) The inquiry was inconclusive
– Correct Answer: c) The landlords agreed to make refunds
- Who were the members of the official commission of inquiry?
– a) Only landlords
– b) Government officials and lawyers
– c) Only peasants
– d) Only Gandhi
– Correct Answer: b) Government officials and lawyers
- What was the duration of Gandhi’s initial uninterrupted stay in Champaran?
– a) Two months
– b) Seven months
– c) One year
– d) Fifteen days
– Correct Answer: b) Seven months
- What did Gandhi prioritize in Champaran besides political and economic solutions?
– a) Education
– b) Healthcare
– c) Social and cultural development
– d) Legal reforms
– Correct Answer: c) Social and cultural development
- Who volunteered for teaching in primary schools opened by Gandhi in Champaran?
– a) Lawyers
– b) Gandhi’s family members
– c) British missionaries
– d) Gandhi’s disciples
– Correct Answer: d) Gandhi’s disciples
- What was the primary health concern in Champaran, and how did Gandhi address it?
– a) Malaria; treated with quinine
– b) Tuberculosis; treated with antibiotics
– c) Smallpox; treated with vaccination
– d) Cholera; treated with rehydration
– Correct Answer: a) Malaria; treated with quinine
- What important lesson did Gandhi teach his lawyer friends during the Champaran episode?
– a) The importance of legal battles
– b) The significance of self-reliance
– c) The need for international support
– d) The role of non-violent protests
– Correct Answer: b) The significance of self-reliance
- Why did Gandhi oppose Charles Freer Andrews staying in Champaran to assist in the cause?
– a) Andrews was an Englishman
– b) Andrews had other commitments
– c) Gandhi did not trust Andrews
– d) Gandhi believed in complete self-reliance
– Correct Answer: d) Gandhi believed in complete self-reliance
- What was the significant outcome of the Champaran episode for the peasants?
– a) Complete freedom from British rule
– b) Partial refund from the landlords
– c) Abolition of the landlord system
– d) Formation of a new government
– Correct Answer: c) Abolition of the landlord system
- According to Gandhi, what did his actions in Champaran signify for India?
– a) A revolutionary act
– b) A step towards complete independence
– c) An ordinary thing with extraordinary consequences
– d) A symbolic gesture with no real impact
– Correct Answer: c) An ordinary thing with extraordinary consequences
- How did Gandhi describe his actions in Champaran in terms of British authority in India?
- a) An act of rebellion
- b) A gesture of defiance
- c) A reaffirmation of British authority
- d) A declaration of Indian sovereignty
Correct Answer: d) A declaration of Indian sovereignty
- Who were Mahadev Desai and Narhari Parikh, and what role did they play in Champaran?
- a) Landlords; supported the British
- b) Disciples of Gandhi; volunteered for social work
- c) British officials; opposed Gandhi
- d) Peasants; led protests in Champaran
Correct Answer: b) Disciples of Gandhi; volunteered for social work
- How did Gandhi address the issue of personal cleanliness and sanitation in Champaran?
- a) Established public toilets
- b) Educated women about hygiene
- c) Introduced new clothing styles
- d) Implemented strict laws
Correct Answer: b) Educated women about hygiene
- What significant role did Kasturbai play in the social development of Champaran?
- a) Taught the ashram rules
- b) Initiated legal reforms
- c) Led protests against the landlords
- d) Provided financial assistance
Correct Answer: a) Taught the ashram rules
- Why did Gandhi insist on filling in old latrine trenches and digging new ones in Champaran?
- a) To improve hygiene
- b) To prevent diseases
- c) To address sanitation issues
- d) To comply with local customs
Correct Answer: c) To address sanitation issues
- What did Gandhi consider the Champaran episode to be in his life?
- a) A turning-point
- b) A temporary setback
- c) A failure
- d) A routine activity
Correct Answer: a) A turning-point
- According to Reverend J. Z. Hodge, how did Gandhi break the deadlock in negotiations with the British planters?
- a) By demanding full repayment
- b) By compromising on 25% repayment
- c) By involving lawyers
- d) By seeking legal action
Correct Answer: b) By compromising on 25% repayment
- How did Gandhi justify accepting 25% repayment instead of the full amount?
- a) He believed in compromise
- b) He considered prestige more important than the amount
- c) He wanted to break the deadlock
- d) He thought the peasants were content with any refund
Correct Answer: b) He considered prestige more important than the amount
- What did the British planters eventually do after the settlement in Champaran?
- a) Abandoned their estates
- b) Increased indigo cultivation
- c) Took legal action against Gandhi
- d) Ignored the settlement
Correct Answer: a) Abandoned their estates
- How did events in Champaran influence the mindset of the Indian peasants?
- a) Reinforced their fear of British authority
- b) Instilled courage and awareness of their rights
- c) Encouraged blind obedience to landlords
- d) Led to increased dependence on legal remedies
Correct Answer: b) Instilled courage and awareness of their rights
- What was the lasting impact of Champaran on the landlord-tenant relationship in the region?
- a) Complete abolition of the system
- b) Restoration of the indigo sharecropping arrangement
- c) Continuation of oppressive practices
- d) Improved conditions for tenants
Correct Answer: a) Complete abolition of the system
- How did Gandhi view the role of politics in addressing social and economic issues in Champaran?
- a) He emphasized political solutions
- b) He separated politics from social issues
- c) He believed in holistic solutions
- d) He relied solely on legal remedies
Correct Answer: c) He believed in holistic solutions
- What crucial aspect did Gandhi observe in Champaran’s social and cultural conditions?
- a) Cultural richness
- b) Social backwardness
- c) Economic prosperity
- d) Educational advancement
Correct Answer: b) Social backwardness
- How did Gandhi contribute to addressing health conditions in Champaran?
- a) Established hospitals
- b) Brought in international doctors
- c) Implemented a comprehensive healthcare plan
- d) Distributed medicines and provided medical advice
Correct Answer: d) Distributed medicines and provided medical advice
- What motivated Gandhi to keep a watch on the ashram during his stay in Champaran?
- a) Concern for financial matters
- b) Ensuring adherence to ashram rules
- c) Monitoring political activities
- d) Maintaining discipline among residents
Correct Answer: b) Ensuring adherence to ashram rules
- How did Gandhi view his actions in Champaran in relation to British orders in India?
- a) As an act of defiance against British orders
- b) As a submission to British authority
- c) As an act of rebellion against Indian customs
- d) As a diplomatic compromise with the British
Correct Answer: a) As an act of defiance against British orders
- What was Charles Freer Andrews’ response to Gandhi’s refusal to allow him to stay in Champaran?
- a) Accepted Gandhi’s decision
- b) Protested against Gandhi’s decision
- c) Ignored Gandhi’s decision and stayed
- d) Sought legal intervention
Correct Answer: a) Accepted Gandhi’s decision
- How did Gandhi’s philosophy of self-reliance impact the mindset of his followers in Champaran?
- a) Fostered dependency on external support
- b) Encouraged reliance on foreign aid
- c) Instilled a sense of self-sufficiency
- d) Promoted blind obedience
Correct Answer: c) Instilled a sense of self-sufficiency
- According to Gandhi, what did the success in Champaran demonstrate about Indian strength?
- a) Military prowess
- b) Economic dominance
- c) Political influence
- d) Moral and nonviolent strength
Correct Answer: d) Moral and nonviolent strength
- How did Gandhi’s approach in Champaran reflect his broader philosophy?
- a) Focused on abstract principles
- b) Emphasized loyalty to the British crown
- c) Prioritized practical, day-to-day problems of the people
- d) Ignored the needs of the masses
Correct Answer: c) Prioritized practical, day-to-day problems of the people
