Lesson- 5
Indigo
Q.1.Why did Rajkumar Shukla described as being 'resolute'?
A.Rajkumar Shukla asked Gandhiji to visit Champaran. Gandhiji had many appointments in the different parts of India.He could not commit himself. Rajkumar followed Gandhiji everywhere until Gandhiji fixed adate.Thus Rajkumar Shukla is said to be 'resolute'
Q.2.Why do you think the servants thought Gandhi to be another peasant?
A.Rajkumar Shukla was a peasant.He often visited Rajendra Prasad regarding peasants' problems. Gandhiji accompanied Rajkumar Shukla.So the servants thought that he was also a peasant.
Q 3.What did the peasants pay the British landlords as rent?
A.The peasants had to grow Indigo on the 15% area of their land.They paid their whole Indigo harvest to the British landlords as rent.
Q.4.What would be the impact of synthetic Indigo on the prices of natural Indigo?
A.Germany had developed the synthetic Indigo. The naturalIndigo was to lose its demand on account of this.Its price went down.This worriedthe British landlords.Theyaskedthe peasants to stop growing Indigo.Theyalso demanded compensation fromthe peasants for freeingthem fromthe compulsion of indigocultivation.
Q.5.Why did Gandhiji agree to a settlement of 25per cent refund to the farmers?
A. For Gandhi the amount of the refund was less important than the fact that the landlords had been forced to return part of the money, and with it, part of their prestige too. So, he agreed to settlement of 25 per cent refund to the farmers.
Additional Questions
Q.6.Why did Rajkumar Shuklaapproach Gandhiji?
A. Rajkumar Shukla approached Gandhiji because he had come to the congress session to complain about the injustice of the landlord system in Bihar and somebody probably said 'speak to Gandhi'
Q7.What were the terms of contract between British landlordsandpeasants?
A. Indian tenants were to plant fifteen percent of their holdings with indigo and surrender the entire harvestas rent to the British landlords.
Q.8.Why did Gandhiji not agree to proceed to Champaran with Rajkumar Shukla immediately?
A.It was so because Gandhiji had an appointment in Kanpur and he was also committed to go to other parts of India
Q.9.Why did Gandhiji plan to go to Muzzafarpur?
A. Gandhiji planned to go to Muzzafarpur because it was en-route to Champaran and he wanted to obtain more complete information.
Q.10.How did British landlords compel poor peasants?
A.British landlords compelled poor peasant first by long-term contract and then by arrangements to pay compensation for being released from the 15% arrangement.
Q.11.Why did Gandhiji scold the lawyers?
A. Gandhiji scolded the lawyers of the Champaran area for charging high fees from the poor sharecroppers and not helping them.
Q.12.What did Gandhiji do for social upliftment ofpoor families of peasants?
A.Primary schools were opened in six villages.Mrs. Gandhi taught the ashram rules on personal cleanliness and community sanitation. Gandhiji got a doctor to volunteer his services.
Q.13.How can you say that Gandhiji respected lawful authority?
A.He did not incite the peasants to violence.Rather, he helped the authorities to regulate the crowd.He himself did not break any law.This showed his respect for the lawful authority.
Q.14.What did the spontaneous reaction of the peasants signify?
A.The spontaneous reaction of the peasants baffled theBritish government.It also showed that the masses were no longer afraid of its power.It was the beginning of their liberation from fear.
Q.15.How did the Champaran episode prove to be turning point in Political career of Gandhiji?
A.The Champaran episode proved to be a kind of declaration that the British could not order Gandhiji about his own country.It was the beginning of civil disobedience movement.
Q.16.Who wasRajkumar Shukla? Why did he want Gandhiji to visit his district?
A. Rajkumar Shuklawas a poorilliteratepeasant from Champaran. He came to the 1916 annual convention of theIndian National Congress,at Lucknow. He had a complaintagainst the British landlords. He wanted Gandhijito go and see the situation there.
Q.17. What led Gandhiji tourge the British to leave India?
A. In 1917,Gandhiji went to Champaranto help the peasants there are against the injustice being done to them by British landlords.His struggle for the rights of the peasants finally turned into a movement for freedom from the British rule.
Long Answer Type Questions
Q.1.Why do you think Gandhiji considered the Champaran episode to be a turning point in his life?
A.The Champaran episode was a turning point in Gandhiji's life because his method consisting of disobedience and acceptance of punishment came out successful.The whole nation came to know that they could oppose the British. The peasants became aware of their strength and they came to know that if they were United, they could make the British landlords work on their own terms. This episode emerged as the first ray of hope for the Indians. Now the Britishers were no longer invicible for them and the peasants were no longer utterly fear- stricken poor fellows.The clear message of this episode was that Gandhiji could not be ordered about in his own country. Thid was his successful attempt to mould in new free Indian.
Q.2."The battle of Champaran is won" Explain the statement.
OR
Narrate the incident that is an example of Gandhiji's civil disobedience.
A. In the year 1917, the condition of the farmers of the champaran was very Pitiable. Gandhiji visited the secretary of the British landlords association who denied to give him any information. Then he went to the British official commissioner but he threatened and advised him to leave the place. But Gandhiji did not leave. He was served a notice to quit Champaran but Gandhiji disobeyed the order. He was summoned to the court the next day. On the next morning, thousands of pasants gathered to support Gandhiji. All the advocates were also ready to follow him to jail with him in the protest against the policy of the government,Heexclaimed"The battle of champaran is won.