UPSC Prelims Research: Modern Indian History 2013

Q. The people of India agitated against the arrival of Simon Commission because

(a) Indians never wanted the review of the working of the Act of 1919

(b) Simon Commission recommended the abolition of Dyarchy (Diarchy) in the Provinces

(c) there was no indian member in the Simon Commission

(d) the Simon Commission suggested the partition of the country

Answer: (c) there was no indian member in the Simon Commission

Notes:

• The people of India agitated against the Simon Commission because it was composed entirely of British members, excluding any Indian representation, despite being tasked with reviewing India’s constitutional framework.
• The Simon Commission, officially known as the Indian Statutory Commission, was formed in 1927 by the British government to review the working of the Government of India Act 1919 and suggest reforms. However, it was composed entirely of British members, which was seen as a deliberate insult and a disregard for the aspirations of the Indian people.
• The Indian National Congress and other political organizations boycotted the commission and launched protests and demonstrations against its arrival. 
• The widespread opposition to the commission led to the popular slogan, “Simon Go Back”. 
• The Government of India Act 1919 made a provision for a review committee on its work after 10 years.
  • However, the conservative government was staring at defeat and it felt that this constitutional question couldn’t be left in the hands of an inexperienced labour party.
  • Thus the Indian statutory commission popularly known as the Simon Commission was appointed in 1927.
  • However, as no Indian was on the committee it was met with boycott unanimously throughout India by all parties. The Muslim league was split on this but Jinnah carried the majority with him in favour of the boycott.
• Recommendations of the Simon Commission
  • Simon Commission [1927]: The recommendations were a continuation of communal representation, the abolition of diarchy, an extension of responsible government in provinces, creation of the Indian Federation of British India and princely states.
  • The new government of the labour party was in power and the PM Ramsey McDonald declared that once the Simon committee submits its report a round table would be convened to discuss dominion status to India.

Q. Quit India Movement was launched in response to

(a) Cabinet Mission Plan

(b) Cripps Proposals

(c) Simon Commission Report

(d) Wavell Plan

Answer: (b) Cripps Proposals

Notes:

• Cripps Mission (1942): 
  • The falling of Singapore and Rangoon in the Second World War compelled Winston Churchill and the British war cabinet to send a high-powered mission to India under the supervision of Stafford Cripps.
  • Churchill was against his own stance while signing the Atlantic Charter, 1941, proposed by Franklin D. Roosevelt, the then-American President. The aim of the Mission was to win the cooperation of India with Britain vis-a-vis the War. The Mission was formulated on 30 March 1942 with the offer of ‘Dominion Status’ for India.
  • The Mission was a complete failure, which angered the Indian nationalists, leading to the establishment of the Quit India Movement.
• Quit India Movement 1942:
  • The Quit India Movement 1942 was a mass Civil Disobedience Movement launched by Gandhi on August 8, 1942, at the Bombay session of the All India Congress Committee.
  • The movement aimed to secure India’s independence from British rule.
  • The Congress Working Committee met in Wardha on 14th July 1942 and adopted the famous “Quit India Resolution”.
  • After the approval of the Congress Working Committee, Gandhi launched the movement in August 1942.
  • Addressing the Conference, Gandhi gave the call of “Do or Die”, either to get India free or to die in this attempt.

Q. The demand for the Tebhaga Peasant Movement in Bengal was for

(a) the reduction of the share of the landlords from one-half of the crop to one-third

(b) the grant of ownership of land to peasants as they were the actual cultivators of the land

(c) the uprooting of Zamindari system and the end of serfdom

(d) writing off all peasant debts

Answer: (a) the reduction of the share of the landlords from one-half of the crop to one-third

Notes:

• The Tebhaga Peasant Movement in Bengal was led by the sharecroppers (bargadars) against the oppressive landlords (jotedars).
• The movement was started in 1946-1947 by the Bangiya Pradeshik Kisan Sabha (peasant front of the CPI) with the following demands:
  • Reduction in the share of landlords from one-half of the crop to one-third (tebhaga).
  • The produce before handing over the share to landlords must be stored in the godowns (khamars) of the bargadars.

Tebhaga Movement Causes

• The Tebhaga Movement (1946-1947) in Bengal arose from economic exploitation by landlords, exacerbated by the 1943 famine and fueled by the unimplemented Floud Commission recommendation for sharecroppers to receive two-thirds of their produce.
  • Economic Exploitation: The primary cause of the Tebhaga Movement was the economic exploitation of sharecroppers by landlords.
    • Under the existing system, sharecroppers had to give half of their produce to the landlords, leaving them with insufficient resources to sustain themselves and their families.
  • Famine of 1943: The Bengal famine of 1943 had a devastating impact on the peasantry, leading to widespread starvation and death. It fueled resentment against the landlords who continued to demand their share of the produce even in the face of mass suffering.
  • Floud Commission Recommendations: The Floud Commission, established by the British government, recommended that sharecroppers receive two-thirds of the produce instead of half. Although not implemented, this recommendation provided a basis for the peasants’ demands during the movement.

Tebhaga Movement Course

• The Tebhaga Movement began in late 1946 and continued through 1947, spreading rapidly across various districts of Bengal, including Dinajpur, Jalpaiguri, and Khulna. The course of the movement can be divided into several phases:
  • Initial Mobilisation: The Tebhaga Movement started with the CPI organising meetings and rallies to educate peasants about their rights, using the slogan “Adhi noy, Tebhaga chai” (We want two-thirds).
  • Resistance from Landlords: As the movement grew, sharecroppers withheld landlords’ shares, leading to confrontations. The colonial government sided with landlords, deploying police to suppress the movement, resulting in violent clashes and arrests.
  • Decline of the Movement: By mid-1947, the movement declined due to government repression, internal divisions, and political changes from India’s impending independence.

Tebhaga Movement Outcomes

• The Tebhaga Movement, though not entirely successful in its immediate goals, significantly influenced land reforms, increased political awareness among peasants, empowered women, impacted the independence struggle, and inspired future agrarian movements in India.
  • Land Reforms: The movement brought the issue of land reforms to the forefront of the political agenda in Bengal. Although the immediate demands of the movement were not met, it laid the groundwork for future land reforms, including the abolition of the zamindari system and the redistribution of land.
  • Increased Political Awareness: The movement contributed to a heightened political consciousness among the peasantry in Bengal. It demonstrated the potential of organised peasant resistance and the need for political representation of agrarian interests.
  • Impact on Independence Struggle: The Tebhaga Movement was part of the broader wave of agrarian struggles that swept across India in the 1940s. These movements played a crucial role in challenging the legitimacy of colonial rule and contributed to the momentum for India’s independence.
  • Empowerment of Women: Women played a significant role in the movement, forming groups like the ‘Nari Bahini’ to defend the rights of sharecroppers, which broadened the base of the women’s movement in India.
  • Legacy of Peasant Movements: The Tebhaga Movement impacted subsequent agrarian movements in India, including the Telangana Rebellion and the Naxalite movement. It remains a symbol of peasant resistance against economic exploitation and injustice.

Q. Annie Besant was

1. responsible for starting the Home Rule Movement.
2. the founder of the Theosophical Society.
3. once the President of the Indian National Congress.

Select the correct statement/statements using the codes given below.

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (c) 1 and 3 only

Notes:

• Annie Besant was a British social reformer and activist whose work left an indelible mark on Indian history. Renowned for her leadership in the Theosophical Society, Besant played a pivotal role in the revival of theosophy. Her efforts in education played a significant role in establishing many educational institutions in India, including those focused on women’s education.
• Annie Besant passionately advocated for Indian self-rule, becoming a key figure in the Home Rule Movement. Her involvement also included presiding over the Indian National Congress session in 1917. Her leadership and dedication to India’s cause contributed to the broader struggle for independence.
• Biography:
  • Born on October 1, 1847, in London, Annie Besant was early inclined toward intellectual and social reform.
  • After her marriage to Reverend Frank Besant, she became disillusioned with her conservative environment and pursued a more independent path.
  • Her early association with Charles Bradlaugh introduced her to secularism and the Free Thought Movement, which laid the foundation for her reformist zeal.
• Journey of Annie Besant to Theosophy and India
  • Besant’s quest for spiritual understanding led her to the Theosophical Society, co-founded by Helena Blavatsky.
  • She embraced Theosophy, a spiritual movement emphasising the unity of all religions and the quest for divine truth.
  • In 1893, Besant arrived in India, where she found her life’s mission. She believed India to be the cradle of spiritual wisdom and was deeply inspired by its ancient traditions.
  • Her work with the Theosophical Society gained momentum in India, where she propagated the idea of universal brotherhood, education, and spiritual rejuvenation.
• Bal Gangadhar Tilak:
  • He set up his Indian Home Rule League in April 1916.
  • Tilak held his first Home Rule meeting at Belgaum.
  • Poona was the headquarters of his league.
  • His league was restricted to Maharashtra (excluding Bombay city), Karnataka, Central Provinces and Berar.
  • It had six branches and the demands included Swarajya, the formation of linguistic states and education in the vernacular.

Q. The Ilbert Bill controversy was related to the

(a) imposition of certain restrictions to carry arms by the Indians

(b) imposition of restrictions en newspapers and magazines published in Indian languages

(c) removal of disqualifications imposed on the Indian magistrates with regard to the trial of the Europeans

(d) removal of a duty on imported cotton cloth

Answer: (c) removal of disqualifications imposed on the Indian magistrates with regard to the trial of the Europeans

Notes:

• The Ilbert Bill controversy of 1883 was an important event in British India’s colonial history, highlighting the British administration’s deep-seated racial bias.
• The bill, introduced by Sir Courtney Ilbert, a legal member of the Viceroy’s Council under Lord Ripon’s administration, aimed to remove racial discrimination in the Indian judicial system.
• However, the proposal faced fierce opposition from the European community in India, sparking widespread protests and eventually leading to a compromise. The Ilbert Bill controversy is remembered for its role in exposing the racial tensions in British India and the limitations of colonial justice.
• Before the Ilbert Bill was passed, British India’s judicial system had been heavily biased in favour of Europeans. Indian magistrates were not allowed to try British subjects, except in cases that could only be heard by higher courts, such as capital punishment or transportation. This legal disparity reflected the racial hierarchy underpinning British colonial rule, in which Europeans were considered superior and thus exempt from Indian judges’ jurisdiction.
  • The Ilbert Bill, introduced in 1883, sought to address this imbalance by allowing Indian judges to hear cases involving European British subjects.
  • The bill was part of Lord Ripon’s larger reform agenda to increase equality within the colonial administration.
  • However, the bill quickly became a source of racial tension, as the British community in India, particularly the European commercial sector, was adamantly opposed to being tried by Indian judges, whom they regarded as racially and intellectually inferior.
• Ilbert Bill Resolution:
  • Due to strong opposition Viceroy Lord Ripon amended the Ilbert Bill. The amendment stated that if an Indian judge presided over a case involving a European, the defendant could request a jury composed of at least 50% Europeans. This compromise was required to control the backlash while still introducing some measure of reform.
    • The bill was eventually passed as the Criminal Procedure Code Amendment Act of 1884, which empowered both European and Indian District Magistrates and Sessions Judges to try Europeans.
    • However, in all cases, the defendant retained the right to request a jury trial with at least half of its members being European.
    • This compromise preserved European privileges while also fostering Indian national consciousness, which fuelled calls for greater autonomy and self-government.

Q. The Radcliffe Committee was appointed to

(a) solve the problem of minorities in India

(b) give effect to the Independence Bill

(c) delimit the boundaries between India and Pakistan

(d) enquire into the riots in East Bengal

Answer: (c) delimit the boundaries between India and Pakistan

Notes:

• The Radcliffe Committee was a commission appointed by the British to draw the border between India and Pakistan after World War II.
• The committee was chaired by Sir Cyril Radcliffe, a British lawyer. The Radcliffe Line, named after Sir Cyril Radcliffe, is the border that separates India and Pakistan.
• Outcome of the Radcliffe Commission:
  • The Radcliffe Award divided British India into two new countries, India and Pakistan.
  • The western part of Punjab and the western part of Bengal were awarded to Pakistan.
  • The eastern part of Punjab and the eastern part of Bengal were awarded to India.
  • The Radcliffe Award was controversial and led to widespread violence and displacement of people.