THE FREEDOM MOVEMENT

THE FREEDOM MOVEMENT

I. 1. Who were the founders of the Indian National Congress?

            A. O. Hume, a retired British civil servant, was the founder of the Indian National Congress

2. Mention the names of the moderate leaders.

            Mahadev Govind Ranade, Surendranath Banerjee, Dadabhai Naoroji, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Badrudin Tyabji were some of the moderate leaders.

3. Why did Gandhiji withdraw the Non-cooperation Movement?

            In Chauri Chaura the police fired on a procession of people. Enraged by this the people burnt the police station which resulted in the death of some policemen. Pained by the violence Gandhiji called off the non-cooperation movement.

4. When was the decision for “Quit India’ Movement taken?

The Congress Working Committee adopted the ‘Quit India’ resolution at Bombay on August 8, 1942.

II. 1. What were the aims of the Congress?

            The Congress was determined to create ...... national issues.

2. What were the demands of the Moderates?

The moderates aimed at securing representation .......... in India and England.

3. What is Drain theory?

            During the British rule the resources of India were transferred to England. This resulted in adverse balance of payments on account of more imports and less exports. In addition, the profits earned on the British capital, the transfer of assets by the Englishmen working in India, and the pensions of the British Officers drained the country of its wealth. This is called the Drain theory.

4. Who were the revolutionaries?What was the method used by the Revolutionaries?

            Revolutionaries were small groups which operated secretly to throw the British out of the country by the use of violent methods.

            The revolutionaries resorted to violent methods to throw the British out of the country. They used weapons like bombs and pistols. They attacked government offices and destroyed records.

5. Give a brief account of Non-Cooperation Movement?

            The non-cooperation movement was launched by Gandhiji in 1921 to protest the acts of repression of the British rulers. Many patriotic Indians returned the titles conferred on them, advocates gave up their practice and joined the movement. Thousands of students came out of government schools and colleges and national institution were started. When elections were held according to the Reforms of 1919, the Congress boycotted the elctions. In Chauri Chaura people burnt the police station which caused the death of policemen. Gandhiji , pained by the violence, called off the movement.

6. What were the main aims the Civil Disobedience Movement?

            The main aims of the civil disobedience movement were:

·         to paralyse the administration by the mass performance of certain specific illegal acts like violation of salt laws, non-payment of taxes, boycott of courts,etc.

·         non-violent violation of unjust laws.

7. What were the achievements of the INA?

            The Indian National Army was formed by Subhas Chandra Bose. With the help of Rash Bihari Bose, a revolutionary patriot who had settled in Japan, he recruited many Indians, who had settled down in South-East Asia to his Indian National Army. The Indian soldiers in the British army who had surrendered to the Japanese joined the INA and Captain Lakshmi was the leader of women’s wing of the army.

            The INA hoisted the tricolour flag at the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in 1943 and by 1944 it entered the Indian sub-continent and occupied Khohima and Imphal,  capturing 10,000 square miles of Manipur territory.

8. What were the reasons for the Partition of India?

            The Indian National Congress had unflinching faith in Indian unity, democracy and secularism. But Mohammed Ali Jinnah’s Muslim League believed in separate electroate and the two-nation theory. He demanded the creation of Pakistan. In 1940, the Muslim League at its Lahore session demanded a separate nation for the Muslims. Jinnah called for observance of Direct Action Day on August16, 1946 to attain Pakistan. It resulted in widespread riots.

9. Why was the Simon Commission appointed? Why did the Indians oppose it?

The British Govt appointed the Simon Commission in 1927 to pacify the agitating Indians and to consider further constitutional reforms. As all the members of the Commission were Englishmen, it was boycotted by Indians.

                                                            Additonal questions

10. Briefly describe the Quit India movement./ “The Quit India Movement is an important even in the freedom struggle of India.” Explain.

            The Congress Working Committee adopted the ‘Quit India’ resolution at Bombay on August 8, 1942. To make the British quit, Gandhi called upon the Indians to ‘Do or Die’. The government took repressive action and Gandhiji, Nehru, Vallahbhai Patel, Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad and other leaders were banned, and its offices were sealed. As no leader was at large to guide the movement people took law into their hands and became violent. Seventy police stations were attacked. Many government offices were set on fire. Post and revenue offices were damaged. Railway lines were removed and bridges sabotaged. Telegraph wires were cut. Liquor shops were attacked. The British administrative machinery was shaken.