Indian National Movement II (1918-1929): UPSC Previous Year Questions (Modern History)

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: Rowlatt Act was passed on the recommendations of the Sedition Committee chaired by Sir Sidney Rowlatt.

Statement 2 is correct: In organising his satyagraha, Gandhiji tried to utilise three types of political networks: The Home Rule Leagues; Certain Pan-Islamist groups and Satyagraha Sabha.

Statement 3 is incorrect: The two time periods are not the same. The incident of Rowlatt Satyagraha took place in 1919 and the Demonstrations against the arrival of Simon Commission took place in 1928, thus the two events cannot coincide.

Explanation

The Indian Statutory Commission, commonly referred to as the Simon Commission under the chairmanship of Sir John Simon arrived in British India in 1928. The Simon Commission originated as a result of the Government of India Act, 1919 (Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms), which introduced Dyarchy in provinces. The Act had a provision that after ten years, its impact would be reviewed to decide further constitutional reforms. It was appointed by the British government to assess India’s constitutional development and recommend constitutional reforms. The main reason behind the agitation against the Simon Commission was that there were no Indian members of the panel and only seven British members of the British Parliament. This was viewed as racist and colonialist.

Explanation

Option (b) is correct: Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act/ Rowlatt act gives the notorious power to imprison activists without trial for up to two years, even possession of seditious newspapers is adequate evidence of guilt. Options (a), (c) and (d) are incorrect:

The drain on the Indian economy in the form of cash, kind and loans to the British government came to about 367 million pounds during the WW-I. Rowlatt Act has no direct relation with draining Indian money or economic support to war efforts. The Khilafat Movement (1919-20) was a movement to express Muslim support for the Caliph of Turkey and protect the institution of the Khalifa in Turkey against the allied powers, particularly Britain. The Rowlatt Act was not explicitly aimed at suppressing the Khilafat Movement. Vernacular Press Act, The Newspaper Act and The Indian Press Act were passed in order to impose restrictions on freedom of press. It has no relation with the Rowlatt Act.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: In the Lahore Session of Indian National Congress (1929), the resolution on ‘Poorna Swaraj’ or complete independence was passed. The Congress also decided to boycott the First Round Table Conference because the British refused to include Indian demands for a Constituent Assembly and full self-rule.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The rift between the extremists and moderates took place in the Surat Session(1907) and the split was resolved in the Lucknow Session 1916.

Statement 3 is incorrect: The Two-Nation Theory, proposed by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan and later championed by the Muslim League, argued that Hindus and Muslims in India were two distinct nations with separate religious, cultural, and social identities. But it is not associated with the Lahore Session of Indian National Congress.

Explanation

The Nehru Report, drafted in response to Lord Birkenhead’s challenge, was prepared by a committee led by Motilal Nehru. Key members included Tej Bahadur Sapru, M.S. Aney, Subhash Chandra Bose, and G.R. Pradhan.

Option (b) is correct: Recommendations were:

Dominion status on lines of self-governing dominions but not full independence. Rejection of separate electorates. Joint electorates with reservation of seats for Muslims at the Centre and in areas where they were in minority. Nineteen fundamental rights, including the rights to form unions, the right to equal treatment for women, and universal adult suffrage. Responsible government at the Centre and in provinces. Provisions to protect the cultural and religious rights of minorities.

Explanation

The Simon Commission, set up in 1927, was tasked with reviewing the functioning of the Government of India Act, 1919. The key focus of its recommendations revolved around the governance structure in India. It recommended the replacement of dyarchy with responsible government in the provinces. The dyarchy system had divided the responsibilities between the elected Indian ministers and the British-appointed executive, which many viewed as a flawed system.

Explanation

The Rowlatt Act was officially known as the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act, 1919. Popular indignation arose because it allowed the government to detain individuals suspected of anti-government activities without trial for up to two years, violating basic civil rights. The Rowlatt Act (1919) was unrelated to religion. Its primary focus was on curbing political activities, particularly revolutionary movements against British rule. The Act did not address education in any form. Its provisions targeted political dissent and civil liberties rather than cultural or educational systems. The Act was not specifically aimed at trade unions. Its focus was on political repression, targeting freedom fighters and those involved in revolutionary activities.

Explanation

Mahatma Gandhi founded the Ahmedabad Textile Labour Association in 1920 to improve the working and living conditions of textile workers in Ahmedabad. The association emphasized non-violent methods and arbitration to resolve labour disputes, aligning with Gandhian principles. N.M. Joshi was labour leader and founder of the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) in 1920 but unrelated to this association.

Explanation

The Rowlatt Act was passed in 1919 during the viceroyalty of Lord Chelmsford (1916-1921). Officially known as the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act, 1919, it aimed to curb revolutionary activities by allowing imprisonment without trial for up to two years, essentially denying people their basic civil rights.

Explanation

The Jallianwala Bagh massacre (April 13, 1919) was a tragic event where British General Reginald Dyer ordered his troops to fire on a peaceful gathering of unarmed Indians, killing hundreds, in protest associated with the repressive Rowlatt Act. The Act allowed the British government to imprison people without trial, which infringed upon basic civil liberties.