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Mahatma Gandhi and the Nationalist Movement

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Chapter Notes

Overview
This chapter traces Mahatma Gandhi's political career in India from 1915 to 1948, focusing on his role in transforming Indian nationalism from an elite movement into a mass struggle. It explores key movements like Non-Cooperation, Salt Satyagraha, and Quit India, and examines how Gandhi used symbols, rumours, and organisation to mobilise peasants, workers, and women. The one big idea is that Gandhi made nationalism representative of all Indians by combining moral leadership with tactical wisdom, but his vision of a united India was challenged by communal polarisation leading to Partition.
Key Concepts (17)
Satyagraha
The distinctive technique of non-violent protest first forged by Mahatma Gandhi in South Africa, based on truth and non-violent resistance.
e.g. Gandhi's Salt March in 1930 where he broke the salt law non-violently to protest British monopoly.
Rowlatt Act
A law passed in 1919 that continued wartime measures of censorship of the press and detention without trial, against which Gandhi called for a countrywide campaign.
e.g. The Rowlatt Satyagraha in 1919 made Gandhi a truly national leader.
Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
The killing of more than 400 people in Amritsar in April 1919 when a British Brigadier ordered troops to fire on a nationalist meeting.
e.g. This event intensified the anti-British sentiment and galvanised the national movement.
Non-Cooperation Movement
A campaign launched by Gandhi in 1920 calling on Indians to stop attending schools, colleges, law courts, and not pay taxes, aiming to win swaraj within a year.
e.g. Students stopped going to government schools, lawyers refused to attend court, and workers went on strike.
Khilafat Movement
A movement of Indian Muslims (1919-1920) led by Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali demanding the Turkish Sultan (Khalifa) retain control over Muslim sacred places and sufficient territory to defend Islam.
e.g. Gandhi joined hands with the Khilafat Movement to unite Hindus and Muslims against colonial rule.
Chauri Chaura Incident
An incident in February 1922 where a group of peasants attacked and torched a police station in Chauri Chaura, killing several constables, prompting Gandhi to call off the Non-Cooperation Movement.
e.g. Gandhi insisted that no provocation could justify the brutal murder of defenceless men.
Purna Swaraj
Complete independence, proclaimed as the goal of the Congress at its Lahore session in December 1929, with Jawaharlal Nehru elected as President.
e.g. 26 January 1930 was observed as Independence Day with flag hoisting and patriotic songs.
Salt Satyagraha
A campaign led by Gandhi in 1930 to break the British salt monopoly by marching to Dandi and making salt, mobilising widespread discontent against colonial rule.
e.g. Gandhi walked from Sabarmati to Dandi (12 March to 6 April 1930) and made a fistful of salt, becoming a criminal in the eyes of the law.
Gandhi-Irwin Pact
An agreement signed in 1931 between Gandhi and Viceroy Lord Irwin by which civil disobedience was called off, all prisoners released, and salt manufacture allowed along the coast.
e.g. The pact was criticised by radical nationalists as Gandhi could not obtain a commitment to political independence.
Round Table Conferences
A series of conferences in London (1930-1931) convened by the British to discuss constitutional reforms, where Gandhi represented the Congress but faced challenges from the Muslim League, Princes, and B.R. Ambedkar.
e.g. At the Second Round Table Conference, Gandhi opposed separate electorates for Depressed Classes.
Quit India Movement
The third major movement launched by Gandhi in August 1942 demanding an end to British rule, leading to mass arrests and underground resistance.
e.g. Young activists like Jayaprakash Narayan organised strikes and sabotage; parallel governments were proclaimed in Satara and Medinipur.
Direct Action Day
16 August 1946, called by Jinnah to press the League's demand for Pakistan, leading to bloody riots in Calcutta that spread across the subcontinent.
e.g. The violence marked the beginning of widespread communal riots preceding Partition.
Two-Nation Theory
The idea that Hindus and Muslims are two separate nations, which the Congress never accepted, but which led to the demand for Pakistan.
e.g. After Partition, the Congress passed a resolution affirming India as a democratic secular state.
Charkha
The spinning wheel that Gandhi used as a symbol of self-reliance, manual labour, and opposition to machine-dominated modern civilisation.
e.g. Gandhi encouraged nationalists to spin daily to break caste boundaries between mental and manual labour.
Khadi
Home-spun cloth promoted by Gandhi to make Indians self-reliant and reduce dependence on imported mill-made cloth.
e.g. Gandhi stressed wearing khadi as a symbol of economic independence and national pride.
Praja Mandals
Organisations established to promote the nationalist creed in the princely states, as part of Gandhi's strategy to broaden the base of nationalism.
e.g. These mandals helped spread nationalist ideas in areas outside British India.
Prati Sarkar
A parallel government set up in Satara district of Maharashtra in 1943 by younger leaders, with volunteer corps and village units, functioning till 1946.
e.g. It ran people's courts and organised constructive work, dominated by kunbi peasants and supported by dalits.
How It Works
Gandhi's Transformation of Indian Nationalism (1915-1922)
  1. Gandhi returned to India in 1915 and spent a year travelling to understand the land and its peoples.
  2. At the BHU opening in 1916, he criticised the elite for ignoring the labouring poor, announcing his intent to make nationalism representative.
  3. He led localised struggles in Champaran (1917), Ahmedabad (1918), and Kheda (1918), gaining sympathy for the poor.
  4. The Rowlatt Act (1919) gave him a national issue; he called for a countrywide campaign, leading to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
  5. He launched the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-22), coupling it with the Khilafat Movement to unite Hindus and Muslims.
  6. Mass participation included students, lawyers, workers, and peasants; the movement shook the British Raj.
  7. After the Chauri Chaura incident (1922), Gandhi called off the movement, insisting on non-violence.
  8. By 1922, Gandhi had transformed nationalism into a mass movement with peasants, workers, and artisans participating.
💡 Students often forget that Gandhi's local struggles (Champaran, Ahmedabad, Kheda) preceded his national movements and were crucial in building his image as a leader of the poor.
The Salt Satyagraha (1930) as a Case Study
  1. After the Lahore session (1929) proclaimed Purna Swaraj, Gandhi announced a march to break the salt monopoly.
  2. He chose salt because it was indispensable to every household and the tax was deeply unpopular.
  3. On 12 March 1930, Gandhi began walking from Sabarmati to Dandi, reaching on 6 April and making salt illegally.
  4. Parallel salt marches occurred across India; peasants broke forest laws, workers struck, lawyers boycotted courts.
  5. Nearly 60,000 Indians were arrested, including Gandhi.
  6. The march was widely covered by international press, bringing Gandhi world attention.
  7. Women participated in large numbers for the first time in nationalist activity.
  8. The British realised their Raj would not last; Round Table Conferences were convened.
  9. The Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931) ended civil disobedience but was criticised for not securing independence.
💡 Students often miss that the Salt Satyagraha was the first nationalist activity with large-scale women's participation and that it forced the British to consider devolving power.
The Quit India Movement (1942)
  1. After the failure of the Cripps Mission, Gandhi launched the Quit India campaign in August 1942.
  2. Gandhi was jailed immediately, but younger activists organised strikes and sabotage.
  3. Socialist members like Jayaprakash Narayan led underground resistance.
  4. Parallel governments were proclaimed in Satara and Medinipur.
  5. The British used much force, taking over a year to suppress the rebellion.
  6. The movement energised the young, who left colleges to go to jail.
  7. While Congress leaders were in jail, the Muslim League expanded its influence in Punjab and Sind.
💡 Students often forget that the Quit India Movement was a mass movement that especially energised the youth, and that the League's growth during this period was a key factor leading to Partition.
The Road to Partition (1944-1947)
  1. Gandhi was released in June 1944 and held meetings with Jinnah to bridge the gap between Congress and League.
  2. In 1945, a Labour government in Britain committed to granting independence.
  3. Elections in 1946 showed Congress winning general seats, but League winning overwhelming majority in Muslim-reserved seats.
  4. The Cabinet Mission (1946) failed to get agreement on a federal system.
  5. Jinnah called for Direct Action Day on 16 August 1946, leading to bloody riots in Calcutta, spreading to Bengal, Bihar, UP, and Punjab.
  6. Lord Mountbatten replaced Wavell as Viceroy in February 1947.
  7. Mountbatten announced that British India would be freed but also divided.
  8. Formal transfer of power was fixed for 15 August 1947.
💡 Students often confuse the sequence: the Cabinet Mission came before Direct Action Day, and the League's electoral success in 1946 was a turning point.
Exam Traps — Don't Make These Mistakes
⚠ Confusing Rowlatt Act with Rowlatt Satyagraha
✗ The Rowlatt Act was a protest movement against British rule.
→ The Rowlatt Act was the law passed by the British; the Rowlatt Satyagraha was Gandhi's protest campaign against it.
✓ The Rowlatt Act (1919) continued wartime censorship and detention without trial; Gandhi called for a countrywide campaign against it, known as the Rowlatt Satyagraha.
⚠ Mistaking the order of Non-Cooperation and Khilafat
✗ The Khilafat Movement was launched after the Non-Cooperation Movement.
→ Gandhi joined hands with the Khilafat Movement to broaden the struggle; both movements were coupled together in 1920.
✓ Gandhi coupled the Non-Cooperation Movement with the Khilafat Movement (1919-1920) to unite Hindus and Muslims against colonial rule.
⚠ Thinking Gandhi called off Non-Cooperation because of British pressure
✗ Gandhi called off the Non-Cooperation Movement because the British arrested him.
→ Gandhi called off the movement because of the Chauri Chaura incident (1922), where peasants killed policemen, violating his principle of non-violence.
✓ Gandhi called off the Non-Cooperation Movement after the Chauri Chaura incident, insisting that no provocation could justify the brutal murder of defenceless men.
⚠ Confusing the Gandhi-Irwin Pact with the Cripps Mission
✗ The Gandhi-Irwin Pact was signed after the Cripps Mission.
→ The Gandhi-Irwin Pact was signed in 1931 after the Salt Satyagraha; the Cripps Mission came in 1942 during World War II.
✓ The Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931) ended civil disobedience after the Salt Satyagraha; the Cripps Mission (1942) was a failed attempt to secure Indian support for World War II.
⚠ Thinking the Quit India Movement was non-violent throughout
✗ The Quit India Movement was entirely non-violent like Gandhi's earlier movements.
→ While Gandhi was non-violent, younger activists engaged in acts of sabotage and underground resistance, and the British used much force to suppress it.
✓ The Quit India Movement involved both non-violent protests and acts of sabotage by younger activists, with the British responding with much force.
Compare & Contrast
Nature and scope of the movement
Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-22)
Quit India Movement (1942)
Non-Cooperation was a campaign of renunciation (boycott of schools, courts, taxes) aimed at winning swaraj within a year; Quit India was a direct demand for British withdrawal, involving mass arrests, underground resistance, and parallel governments.
Position on political representation for lower castes
Gandhi's view on separate electorates for Depressed Classes
Ambedkar's view on separate electorates for Depressed Classes
Gandhi opposed separate electorates, arguing they would perpetuate untouchability and prevent integration; Ambedkar supported them, arguing that Depressed Classes needed political power to protect themselves from organised tyranny by upper castes.
Exam Focus
Marks pattern: 2 MCQs (1 mark each), 1 SA (3 marks), 1 LA (5 marks) — total 10 marks typically
Most asked: Salt Satyagraha and Dandi March · Non-Cooperation Movement and Chauri Chaura · Quit India Movement · Gandhi's role in broadening nationalism · Rowlatt Act and Jallianwala Bagh · Gandhi-Irwin Pact and Round Table Conferences · Partition and Direct Action Day
Don't skip: Long answer question on the Salt Satyagraha as a case study (5 marks); Short answer on the significance of the Non-Cooperation Movement (3 marks); MCQs on Rowlatt Act, Jallianwala Bagh, Chauri Chaura
One-Line Revision (read aloud before the exam)
  1. Gandhi returned to India in 1915 after spending two decades in South Africa, where he forged satyagraha.
  2. At the BHU opening in 1916, Gandhi criticised the elite for ignoring the labouring poor.
  3. The Rowlatt Act (1919) continued wartime censorship and detention without trial.
  4. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre (1919) killed more than 400 people in Amritsar.
  5. The Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-22) was coupled with the Khilafat Movement to unite Hindus and Muslims.
  6. Gandhi called off the Non-Cooperation Movement after the Chauri Chaura incident (1922) due to violence.
  7. The Lahore session (1929) proclaimed Purna Swaraj as the goal, with Nehru as President.
  8. The Salt Satyagraha (1930) broke the British salt monopoly and brought Gandhi world attention.
  9. The Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931) ended civil disobedience but was criticised for not securing independence.
  10. At the Second Round Table Conference, Gandhi opposed separate electorates for Depressed Classes.
  11. The Quit India Movement (1942) was a mass movement energising the youth, with underground resistance.
  12. Direct Action Day (16 August 1946) led to bloody riots that spread across the subcontinent.
  13. Partition was announced in 1947, and Gandhi marked Independence Day with a 24-hour fast.
  14. Gandhi worked to bring peace to riot-torn areas and was assassinated in January 1948.
  15. The charkha symbolised self-reliance, manual labour, and opposition to machine-dominated civilisation.

MCQs — 10 Questions with Answers

Q1. Historian Chandran Devanesan remarked that South Africa was 'the making of the Mahatma'. This statement refers to which of the following?

  • A. Gandhi developed satyagraha, promoted inter-religious harmony, and became aware of caste discrimination ✓
  • B. Gandhi became a successful lawyer and made his fortune in South Africa
  • C. Gandhi first participated in electoral politics and joined the Congress party
  • D. Gandhi studied British law and prepared himself for Indian independence struggle

Answer: A — South Africa was where Gandhi forged distinctive techniques of non-violent protest (satyagraha), promoted religious harmony, and alerted upper-caste Indians to discrimination against low castes and women.

Q2. In his Banaras University speech (February 1916), Gandhi's main criticism of the Indian elite was that

  • A. they were supporting British colonial rule and should be arrested
  • B. they lacked concern for the labouring poor and peasants despite professing nationalism ✓
  • C. they had failed to establish a nationalist university before British institutions were built
  • D. they were too radical and advocated armed rebellion instead of constitutional reform

Answer: B — Gandhi charged the privileged invitees at BHU with indifference to the poor majority; he contrasted 'richly bedecked noblemen' with 'millions of the poor' and insisted salvation comes through farmers, not lawyers or landlords.

Q3. Which of the following was NOT one of the three major localized campaigns led by Gandhi between 1917 and 1918?

  • A. Champaran campaign for indigo peasants' security against British planters
  • B. Ahmedabad campaign for better working conditions of textile mill workers
  • C. Kheda campaign for tax remission following crop failure
  • D. Rowlatt Act campaign for nationwide press censorship reversal ✓

Answer: D — The Rowlatt Act campaign occurred in 1919, not 1917-18; the three localized campaigns were Champaran (1917), Ahmedabad (1918), and Kheda (1918), which preceded the national Rowlatt campaign.

Q4. The immediate cause of Gandhi's first all-India nationalist campaign in 1919 was

  • A. the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar
  • B. the British continuation of wartime press censorship and detention without trial through the Rowlatt Act ✓
  • C. the failure of negotiations with the British viceroy in Delhi
  • D. the assassination of a Congress leader by British authorities

Answer: B — Gandhi called for a countrywide campaign against the Rowlatt Act, which had been recommended by a committee chaired by Sir Sidney Rowlatt to continue tough British wartime measures.

Q5. Which statement correctly describes the relationship between Gandhi's localized campaigns (1917-18) and his later national movements?

  • A. The localized campaigns had no connection to his national strategy and were separate initiatives
  • B. The localized campaigns proved the effectiveness of satyagraha before scaling it nationally in the Rowlatt campaign ✓
  • C. Gandhi abandoned satyagraha after localized campaigns failed and switched to armed rebellion
  • D. The localized campaigns were demanded by Congress leaders who opposed his national movement plans

Answer: B — Champaran, Ahmedabad, and Kheda were testing grounds for satyagraha with peasants and workers; their success marked Gandhi as a nationalist with deep sympathy for the poor and provided a template for the 1919 Rowlatt campaign.

Q6. Assertion (A): The India to which Gandhi returned in 1915 was far more politically active than the one he left in 1893. Reason (R): The Indian National Congress had expanded to most major cities and the Swadeshi movement had broadened its appeal among middle classes. Choose the correct option:

  • A. Both A and R are correct, and R is the correct explanation of A ✓
  • B. Both A and R are correct, but R is not the correct explanation of A
  • C. A is correct but R is incorrect
  • D. A is incorrect but R is correct

Answer: A — Both statements are true: India had become more politically active by 1915 due to Congress expansion and the Swadeshi movement's success in broadening nationalist appeal among middle classes.

Q7. Which of the following best explains why the Punjab region was 'particularly intense' in protesting the Rowlatt Act in 1919?

  • A. Punjab had more industrial workers than other regions and stronger trade unions
  • B. Many Punjabis had served in the British army during World War I, expecting rewards but instead facing repression through the Rowlatt Act ✓
  • C. The Punjab Congress branch had secretly planned an armed rebellion against British rule
  • D. Punjabi peasants had already suffered severe famines that year and were angered by taxation

Answer: B — The text explicitly states that many Punjabi men had served on the British side in WWI expecting rewards for their service; instead, they were given the Rowlatt Act, making them particularly resentful.

Q8. The term 'Moderates' in the context of early Congress (circa 1915) refers to

  • A. Congress leaders who held centrist political views but supported British rule completely
  • B. Leaders like Gopal Krishna Gokhale who preferred gradual and persuasive approach to colonial rule ✓
  • C. A splinter group that broke away from Congress to form a separate political party
  • D. Congress members who rejected Gandhi's satyagraha and advocated violent revolution

Answer: B — Moderates like Gokhale (Gandhi's mentor) and Mohammad Ali Jinnah preferred a gradual and persuasive approach to securing independence, contrasting with militant leaders like Tilak, Pal, and Lajpat Rai.

Q9. The opening speech of Banaras Hindu University in 1916 served as Gandhi's political manifesto because it

  • A. announced his intention to become Congress President and unite all nationalist factions
  • B. declared that Indian nationalism should represent the peasants and workers, not just the elite ✓
  • C. criticized the British viceroy and demanded immediate independence within one year
  • D. outlined a detailed plan for establishing an alternative government in India

Answer: B — The speech was a statement of intent announcing Gandhi's desire to make Indian nationalism properly representative of all Indians, especially peasants and workers, not just lawyers, doctors, and landlords.

Q10. Which of the following represents a CORRECT matching of historical event with Gandhi's role?

  • A. Rowlatt Act (1918) – Gandhi called for nationwide bandh and non-cooperation ✓
  • B. Champaran Campaign (1917) – Gandhi joined peasants in demanding crop insurance from the government
  • C. Amritsar Massacre (April 1919) – Gandhi was shot by a British soldier while addressing the crowd
  • D. Swadeshi Movement (1905-07) – Gandhi led the movement as Congress president

Answer: A — The Rowlatt Act was introduced in 1919 (not 1918), and Gandhi called for a countrywide campaign against it; Champaran (1917) was about securing tenure and crop choice, not insurance; Gandhi was not at Amritsar; he did not lead Swadeshi movement.

Flashcards

Define satyagraha and name where Gandhi first used it.

Satyagraha is non-violent truth-force resistance; Gandhi first forged this technique in South Africa 1893-1915.

What was Gandhi's main criticism of the elite at Banaras University in 1916?

Gandhi charged the Indian elite with lack of concern for the labouring poor and called for stripping jewellery to benefit peasants.

Name three major localized campaigns Gandhi led before 1919.

Champaran (1917, indigo peasants), Ahmedabad (1918, mill workers), and Kheda (1918, tax remission).

What was the Rowlatt Act and when was it introduced?

The Rowlatt Act of 1919 continued British wartime measures of press censorship and detention without trial.

Which localized campaign of 1917 marked Gandhi as a nationalist sympathetic to the poor?

The Champaran campaign in Bihar, where Gandhi fought for peasant security against harsh indigo planters.

Historian Chandran Devanesan's statement about South Africa means what?

South Africa was where Gandhi developed and tested satyagraha, religious harmony, and awareness of caste discrimination.

What was the immediate trigger for Gandhi's first all-India nationalist campaign?

The British Rowlatt Act of 1919 prompted Gandhi to call for a countrywide campaign of non-cooperation.

Name two nationalist leaders of the Swadeshi movement (1905-07) known as 'Lal, Bal and Pal'.

Bal Gangadhar Tilak (Maharashtra), Bipin Chandra Pal (Bengal), and Lala Lajpat Rai (Punjab).

Who was Gandhi's political mentor and what approach did he advocate?

Gopal Krishna Gokhale was Gandhi's mentor; he was a Moderate who preferred gradual and persuasive approach to colonial rule.

What happened in Amritsar in April 1919 and why?

British Brigadier ordered troops to open fire on a nationalist meeting; the province had grown tense due to Rowlatt Act and unmet war veterans' expectations.

Important Board Questions

Who was Gopal Krishna Gokhale and what was his relationship with Mahatma Gandhi? (2 marks) [2 marks]

Gokhale was Gandhi's political mentor and a 'Moderate' leader; he advised Gandhi to spend a year travelling across India to understand the land and people before launching any major political campaign.

Explain with examples how Gandhi's localized campaigns in Champaran, Ahmedabad, and Kheda (1917-1918) demonstrated his commitment to the poor and prepared the ground for his later national movements. (5 marks) [5 marks]

Show how each campaign addressed a specific group (peasants, mill workers) using satyagraha; explain that these successes marked Gandhi as a nationalist with deep sympathy for the poor and proved the effectiveness of non-violent resistance before scaling it nationally in 1919.

Analyze Gandhi's Banaras University speech of February 1916 as both a statement of fact and a statement of intent. How did this speech differ from the celebratory tone expected at such an opening ceremony, and what did it reveal about his vision for the Indian nationalist movement? (8 marks) [8 marks]

As statement of fact: acknowledged that Indian nationalism was elite-dominated, created by lawyers/doctors/landlords. As statement of intent: announced his goal to make nationalism representative of all Indians—especially peasants and workers who formed the majority but were absent from such elite gatherings; contrast expected celebration with Gandhi's critique of wealth inequality and call for sacrifice of jewellery for the poor's benefit.

Assertion-Reason Questions for Mahatma Gandhi and the Nationalist Movement

Q1. Assertion (A):

South Africa was instrumental in shaping Gandhi's political philosophy and techniques.

Reason (R):

It was in South Africa that Gandhi first developed satyagraha, promoted religious harmony, and addressed caste discrimination.

Answer: A — Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A — Both statements are true, and the reason directly explains why South Africa was significant—it was where Gandhi developed his core political techniques and philosophical positions that he would later apply in India.

Q2. Assertion (A):

The Indian National Congress in 1915 was already a well-established political organization with broad appeal.

Reason (R):

The Congress had branches in most major cities and towns, and the Swadeshi movement had broadened its appeal among the middle classes.

Answer: A — Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A — Both statements are true and directly related. The institutional presence and ideological reach of the Congress are accurate descriptions of its state in 1915 when Gandhi returned.

Q3. Assertion (A):

Gandhi's speech at Banaras Hindu University focused exclusively on praising nationalist educational initiatives.

Reason (R):

He criticized the elite's neglect of peasants and workers and announced his intention to make nationalism more representative.

Answer: D — A is false but R is true — The assertion is false—Gandhi did not praise but rather criticized the event's focus on elite celebration. The reason is true and explains why the assertion is incorrect, showing Gandhi's actual intent.

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Case-Based Questions (CBQ) for Mahatma Gandhi and the Nationalist Movement

Case Study:

When Mohandas Gandhi returned to India in 1915, the political landscape had changed significantly from when he left in 1893. The Indian National Congress, once a small organization of English-educated elites, had expanded dramatically. The Swadeshi movement of 1905-07 had mobilized middle-class support and produced charismatic leaders like Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, and Lala Lajpat Rai who advocated militant opposition to British rule. Alongside these militant nationalists were moderates like Gopal Krishna Gokhale, who preferred gradual reform. This diverse leadership landscape meant that the Congress represented multiple ideologies and strategies, yet all shared the goal of reducing British colonial control. Gandhi's return in 1915 introduced yet another approach—one that would eventually unify these disparate groups under the banner of non-violent resistance.

Q1. What was the primary change in the Indian National Congress between 1893 and 1915?

  • A. It transformed from an elite organization to a mass-based political movement with broader middle-class appeal ✓
  • B. It became exclusively focused on violent resistance against the British
  • C. It merged with various princely state governments
  • D. It abandoned nationalist goals in favor of cooperation with the British

Answer: A

Q2. Which of the following was a consequence of the Swadeshi movement in India's political development?

  • A. It eliminated all moderate voices from the nationalist movement
  • B. It produced influential leaders who advocated militant opposition and broadened Congress's appeal ✓
  • C. It convinced the British to grant immediate independence
  • D. It replaced the Indian National Congress as the primary political organization

Answer: B

Q3. How did the ideological diversity within the Congress (militants vs. moderates) affect the movement?

  • A. It weakened the movement by creating internal conflicts that paralyzed political action
  • B. It strengthened the movement by providing multiple approaches and broader appeal to different sections ✓
  • C. It had no significant impact on the movement's effectiveness
  • D. It led to the dissolution of the Congress in 1915

Answer: B

Q4. What role did Gandhi's return in 1915 play in the context of the Congress's ideological diversity?

  • A. He sided exclusively with the militant faction against moderates
  • B. He advocated for immediate abandonment of all nationalist activity
  • C. He introduced a third approach—non-violent resistance—that would eventually unite the disparate factions ✓
  • D. He sought to eliminate both militant and moderate voices from the movement

Answer: C

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Previous Year Questions (PYQ) for Mahatma Gandhi and the Nationalist Movement

Real CBSE board exam questions from past papers — free to attempt.

CBSE 2025 · Set 61/6/2 · 1 mark

Match Column I with Column II and choose the correct option. Column I (International Leaders): a. Ho Chi Minh, b. J.M. Garibaldi, c. George Washington, d. Clement Attlee. Column II (Role): i. American war of independence, ii. British withdrawal from India, iii. The unification of Italy, iv. Struggle to free Vietnam.

  • a-iii, b-ii, c-iv, d-i
  • a-iv, b-iii, c-i, d-ii
  • a-iii, b-iv, c-ii, d-i
  • a-iv, b-ii, c-iii, d-i

CBSE 2025 · Set 61/1/1 · 1 mark

Arrange the following historical events in a correct chronological order and choose the correct option: I. Making of the Constituent Assembly II. Jallianwala Bagh Massacre III. Quit India Movement IV. Gandhi-Irwin Pact

  • II, III, I and IV
  • II, IV, III and I
  • III, II, I and IV
  • IV, III, I and II

CBSE 2025 · Set 61/1/1 · 8 marks

Analyse the impact of national movement in India from 1915 to 1931 on the Indian masses.

CBSE 2025 · Set 61/1/2 · 1 mark

Arrange the following historical events in a correct chronological order and choose the correct option: I. Making of the Constituent Assembly II. Jallianwala Bagh Massacre III. Quit India Movement IV. Gandhi-Irwin Pact

  • II, III, I and IV
  • II, IV, III and I
  • III, II, I and IV
  • IV, III, I and II

CBSE 2025 · Set 61/1/2 · 8 marks

"The Salt march was the movement that brought Gandhiji to the world attention." Analyse the statement.

CBSE 2025 · Set 61/1/3 · 1 mark

Arrange the following historical events in a correct chronological order and choose the correct option: I. Making of the Constituent Assembly II. Jallianwala Bagh Massacre III. Quit India Movement IV. Gandhi-Irwin Pact

  • II, III, I and IV
  • II, IV, III and I
  • III, II, I and IV
  • IV, III, I and II

CBSE 2025 · Set 61/1/3 · 8 marks

Examine the role of Gandhiji in the Civil Disobedience Movement.

CBSE 2025 · Set 61/2/1 · 1 mark

On whose advice Gandhiji spent a year in travelling around British India for getting to know the land and its people before entering into politics?

  • Bal Gangadhar Tilak
  • Gopal Krishna Gokhale
  • Lala Lajpat Rai
  • Bipin Chandra Pal

CBSE 2025 · Set 61/2/1 · 1 mark

Why did Gandhi call for a nationwide campaign against the 'Rowlatt Act'? Choose the appropriate option from the following:

  • The British Government closed all the schools and colleges.
  • The first World War came to an end.
  • British Govt. permitted detention without trial.
  • People expected independence from the British.

CBSE 2025 · Set 61/2/1 · 4 marks

Why the Salt Satyagraha? Why was salt the symbol of protest? This is what Mahatma Gandhi wrote: The volume of information being gained daily shows how wickedly the salt tax has been designed. In order to prevent the use of salt that has not paid the tax which is at times even fourteen times its value, the Government destroys the salt it cannot sell profitably. Thus it taxes the nation's vital necessity; it prevents the public from manufacturing it and destroys what nature manufactures without effort. No adjective is strong enough for characterizing this wicked dog-in-the-manger policy. From various sources, I hear tales of such wanton destruction of the nation's property in all parts of India. Maunds if not tons of salt are said to be destroyed on the Konkan coast. The same tale comes from Dandi. Wherever there is likelihood of natural salt being taken away by the people living in the neighbourhood of such areas for their personal use, salt officers are posted for the sole purpose of carrying on destruction. Thus valuable national property is destroyed at national expense and salt taken out of the mouths of the people. The salt monopoly is thus a fourfold curse. It deprives the people of a valuable easy village industry, involves wanton destruction of property that nature produces in abundance, the destruction itself means more national expenditure and fourthly, to crown this folly, an unheard of tax of more than 1,000 per cent is exacted from a starving people. This tax has remained so long because of the apathy of the general public. Now that it is sufficiently roused, the tax has to go. How soon it will be abolished depends upon the strength the people. The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi (CWMG), Vol. 49

33.1 Why was salt law disliked by the masses?

CBSE 2025 · Set 61/2/2 · 1 mark

The volume of information being gained daily shows how wickedly the salt tax has been designed. In order to prevent the use of salt that has not paid the tax which is at times even fourteen times its value, the Government destroys the salt it cannot sell profitably. Thus it taxes the nation's vital necessity; it prevents the public from manufacturing it and destroys what nature manufactures without effort. No adjective is strong enough for characterizing this wicked dog-in-the-manger policy. From various sources, I hear tales of such wanton destruction of the nation's property in all parts of India. Maunds if not tons of salt are said to be destroyed on the Konkan coast. The same tale comes from Dandi. Wherever there is likelihood of natural salt being taken away by the people living in the neighbourhood of such areas for their personal use, salt officers are posted for the sole purpose of carrying on destruction. Thus valuable national property is destroyed at national expense and salt taken out of the mouths of the people. The salt monopoly is thus a fourfold curse. It deprives the people of a valuable easy village industry, involves wanton destruction of property that nature produces in abundance, the destruction itself means more national expenditure and fourthly, to crown this folly, an unheard of tax of more than 1,000 per cent is exacted from a starving people. This tax has remained so long because of the apathy of the general public. Now that it is sufficiently roused, the tax has to go. How soon it will be abolished depends upon the strength the people.

Why was salt law disliked by the masses?

CBSE 2025 · Set 61/2/3 · 1 mark

On whose of the following advice Gandhiji spent a year in travelling around British India for getting to know the land and its people before entering into politics?

  • Bal Gangadhar Tilak
  • Gopal Krishna Gokhale
  • Lala Lajpat Rai
  • Bipin Chandra Pal

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