Chapter 2
Nationalism in India
Writhe in brief
(চমুকৈ লিখক)
1. Explain:
a) Why growth of nationalism in the colonies is linked to an anti-colonial movement.
(উপনিবেশসমূহত জাতীয়তাবাদৰ বিকাশ কিয় ঔপনিৱেশিক বিৰোধী আন্দোলনৰ সৈতে সম্পৰ্কিত।)
Ans: In the process of their struggle with colonialism, people began to discover their unity. The feeling of being oppressed under colonialism provided a shared bond that bound different groups together.
Since each class and group felt the effects of colonialism differently, their experiences were different and their concept of freedom was not always the same, the Congress under Mahatma Gandhi tried to bring these groups together within a movement.
Hence, despite differences and conflicts, various groups and communities came under the banner of the Indian National Congress and participated in various movements which were anti-colonial¬ or against the British.
b) How the First World War helped in the growth of the National Movement in India.
(প্ৰথম বিশ্বযুদ্ধই ভাৰতত ৰাষ্ট্ৰীয় আন্দোলনৰ বিকাশত কেনেদৰে সহায় কৰিছিল।)
Ans:
1. Defense spending had increased.
2. War loans were taken and higher taxes were imposed.
3. Customs duties were raised.
4. Income tax was introduced.
5. The increase in prices caused extreme suffering to the people.
6. There was widespread discontent in the countryside over the forced recruitment of soldiers.
7. In 1918-19 and 1920-21 crops failed in many parts of India resulting in severe food shortages.
8. There was also an influenza epidemic. According to the 1921 census, famine and pestilence killed between twelve and thirteen million people. People thought that their suffering and hardship would end after the war but it did not happen. Therefore, these factors were responsible for the rise of nationalism in India.
c) Why Indians were outraged by the Rowlatt Act. d) Why Gandhiji decided to withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement.
(ৰ'লাট আইনৰ দ্বাৰা ভাৰতীয়সকল কিয় ক্ষুব্ধ হৈছিল। ঘ) গান্ধীজীয়ে কিয় অসহযোগ আন্দোলন প্ৰত্যাহাৰ কৰাৰ সিদ্ধান্ত লৈছিল)
Ans:
they hoped that their suffering would end after the war and that the government would take steps to improve their conditions.
The government passed the Rowlatt Act in the Imperial Legislative Assembly against the united opposition of Indian members.
The law gave the government ample power to suppress political activity. This allowed political prisoners to be detained without trial for two years.
These measures mean the suspension of two principles of justice – trial by jury and habeas corpus – the right to retain protection against unlawful imprisonment.
The Rolat Act was considered as a black law and under Gandhi's leadership, Indians decided to oppose it by non-violent law non-compliance which would commence with a hartal on 6th April.
2. What is meant by the idea of satyagraha?
(সত্যাগ্ৰহৰ ধাৰণাটোৰ অৰ্থ কি?)
Ans:
Satyagraha is pure soul-power.
Truth is the essence of the soul. That is why this force is called Satyagraha.
The soul is informed by knowledge. It lights the flame of love.
Non-violence is the supreme religion.
The concept of satyagraha emphasized the power of truth and the need to search for truth. It suggested that if the cause was true, if the struggle was against injustice, then physical strength was not needed to fight oppression
Without retaliating or being aggressive, the Satyagrahi can win the battle through non-violence.
In satyagraha, people, including the persecutors, had to be encouraged to see the truth, rather than being forced to confess the truth through the use of violence.
Thus, through this struggle, truth was bound to finally triumph. Mahatma Gandhi believed that this religion of non-violence would unite all Indians.
3. Write a newspaper report on:
এইবোৰৰ ওপৰত বাতৰি কাকতৰ প্ৰতিবেদন এখন লিখক:
a) The Jallianwala Bagh massacre
(জালিয়ানৱালা বাগ গণহত্যা )
Ans: (a) Jallianwala Bagh Massacre: On 13 April 1919, a public meeting was announced at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar to protest against the Rolat Act. people were allowed to gather there. After they gathered there thousands, General Dyer marched there to armored cars and troops. Without any warning to disperse the people, he ordered firing on unarmed and peaceful people. The casualties among the Indians were very high. The purpose of doing so was to 'create a moral effect', to create in the minds of the satyagrahis, a feeling of terror and wonder. This mass killing of thousands of innocent people turned Mahatma Gandhi into a non-co-driver.
b) The Simon Commission
(দ্য চাইমন কমিছন)
Ans:
(i) The Indian Members of the Union Legislative Assembly exposed the flaws in the Government of India Act of 1919 AD. As a result, in 1927, the Simon Commission was appointed to recommend any further constitutional reforms. The commission consisted of seven members and was chaired by Sir John Simon.
(II) Why was it boycotted by the Indians?
However, the Indians boycotted the Simon Commission because there were no Indian members on the commission. The Commission's terms of appointment gave no indication of 'Swaraj', while the Indians demanded only 'Swaraj' Therefore, the Indian National Congress, the Muslim League and other parties decided to oppose the Simon Commission.
(III) Method: Indian people organized hartals all over the country. When the commission reached Bombay (Mumbai), they displayed a black flag with the slogan "Simon go back". Such demonstrations were held everywhere.
4. Compare the images of Bharat Mata in this chapter with the image of Germania in Chapter 1.
(এই অধ্যায়ত ভাৰত মাতাৰ ছবিবোৰক অধ্যায় 1-ত জাৰ্মানিয়াৰ ছবিৰ সৈতে তুলনা কৰক।)
Ans: social groups participating in the Non-Cooperation Movement. The following social groups participated in the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-1922).
(I am) the middle class people of the cities.
Movements in cities: Movements began with the participation of the middle class in the cities. Thousands of learners left government-controlled schools and colleges, headteachers and teachers resigned and lawyers abandoned their legal practices.
Boycott of council elections: Council elections were boycotted in most provinces except Madras (Chennai), where the Justice Party, a non-Brahmin party, felt that access to the council was a way of gaining some power, which was normally accessible only to Brahmins.
Swadeshi: The Non-Cooperation Movement had a significant impact on the Indian textile industry. Indigenous products, especially clothes, were encouraged. Foreign goods were boycotted, liquor stores were argued over, and foreign clothes were burned in huge bonfires.
Impact on Industry: In many places, traders and merchants refused to trade in foreign goods or finance foreign trade. As a result, the demand for Indian textile mills and handicrafts increased. The increase in demand was a major relief to India's defunct textile industry.
Movement in rural areas: Though the people of rural areas interpreted the concept of 'Swaraj' in their own way but they participated in movements to a large extent. In Awadh, the peasants launched an agitation against the talukdars and zamindars. The plantation workers, meanwhile, launched an agitation against the tea property owners.
Impact on Industry: In many places, traders and merchants refused to trade in foreign goods or finance foreign trade. As a result, the demand for Indian textile mills and handicrafts increased. The increase in demand was a major relief to India's defunct textile industry.
Movement in rural areas: Though the people of rural areas interpreted the concept of 'Swaraj' in their own way but they participated in movements to a large extent. In Awadh, the peasants launched an agitation against the talukdars and zamindars. The plantation workers, meanwhile, launched an agitation against the tea property owners.
Discuss
1. List all the different social groups which joined the Non-Cooperation Movement of 192 Then choose any three and write about their hopes and struggles to show why they joined the movement.
(192 চনৰ অসহযোগ আন্দোলনত যোগদান কৰা সকলো বিভিন্ন সামাজিক গোটৰ তালিকা দিয়ক তাৰ পিছত যিকোনো তিনিটা বাছনি কৰক আৰু তেওঁলোকে কিয় আন্দোলনত যোগদান কৰিছিল তাক দেখুৱাবলৈ তেওঁলোকৰ আশা আৰু সংগ্ৰামৰ বিষয়ে লিখিব।)
Ans:
2. Discuss the Salt March to make clear why it was an effective symbol of resistance against colonialism.
(ঔপনিৱেশিকতাৰ বিৰুদ্ধে প্ৰতিৰোধৰ এক কাৰ্যকৰী প্ৰতীক কিয় আছিল সেয়া স্পষ্ট কৰিবলৈ নিমখ মাৰ্চৰ বিষয়ে আলোচনা কৰক)
Ans:
3. Imagine you are a woman participating in the Civil Disobedience Movement. Explain what the experience meant to your life.
(কল্পনা কৰক আপুনি আইন অমান্য আন্দোলনত অংশগ্ৰহণ কৰা এগৰাকী মহিলা। আপোনাৰ জীৱনৰ বাবে অভিজ্ঞতাৰ অৰ্থ কি বৰ্ণনা কৰক।)
Ans:
4. Why did political leaders differ sharply over the question of separate electorates?
( পৃথক নিৰ্বাচকমণ্ডলীৰ প্ৰশ্নক লৈ ৰাজনৈতিক নেতাসকলৰ মাজত কিয় তীব্ৰ মতভেদ হৈছিল?)
Ans:
