The making of national movement ( class 8th solutions).

 NCERT TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS SOLVED

Question.1. Why were people dissatisfied with British rule in the 1870s and 1880s?

Answer. People were dissatisfied with British rule in the 1870s and 1880s due to the following

reasons:

(i) The British passed the Arms Act in 1878 which disallowed Indians from possessing arms.

(ii) In the same year they passed the Vernacular Press Act. This Act snatched the freedom of

speech and expression. It allowed the government to confiscate the assets of newspapers

including their printing presses if the newspapers published anything that was critical of the

government.

(iii) In 1883, the Ilbert Bill was introduced. The bill provided for the trial of British or European

persons by Indians and sought equality between British and Indian judges in the country. But

the white opposition forced the government to withdraw the bill.

Question.2. Who did the Indian National Congress wish to speak for?

Answer. The Indian National Congress wished to speak for the entire people belonging to

different communities of India.

Question.3. What economic impact did the First World War have on India?

Answer. The First World War led to a huge rise in the defence expenditure of the Government

of India. The government in turn increased taxes on individual incomes and business profits.

Increased military expenditure and the demands for war supplies led to the sharp rise in prices

which badly affected the common mass. They found it difficult to fulfil even their essential

needs.

But the business groups earned huge profits from the war. The war created a demand for

industrial goods like jute bags, cloth, rails, and caused a decline of imports from other

countries into India. As a result Indian industries expanded during the war.

The Making of theNational Movement: 

 1870s-1947

Question.4. What did the Muslim League resolution of 1940 ask for?

Answer. The Muslim League resolution of 1940 asked for “Independent States’ for Muslims in

the north-western and eastern areas of the country. The resolution did not mention partition or

the name Pakistan.

Question.5. Who were the Moderates? How did they propose to struggle against British rule?

Answer. The Moderates were against taking extreme actions. They had deep faith in the good

intention of the government. They^were of the opinion that slowly and steadily they would

make the British go to their own land. The Moderate leaders developed public awareness

about the unjust nature of British rule. They published newspapers, wrote articles and showed

how British rule was leading to the economic ruin of the country. They criticised British rule in

their speeches and sent representatives to different parts of the country to mobilise public

opinion. They believed that the British had respect for the ideals of freedom and justice and

therefore they would definitely accept all the just demands of the people of India. Their main

task was to acknowledge the British government with these demands.

Question.6. How was the politics of the Radicals within the Congress different from that of

the Moderates?

Answer. The Radicals within the Congress cherished different opinions. They had deep faith in

action and wanted to drive away the foreigners as soon as possible. They criticised the

Moderates for their “politics of prayers’ and gave emphasis on self-reliance and constructive

work. They argued that people must fight for swaraj. Unless they fought against the British

rule unitedly, they would not bring independence to their country.

Question.7. Discuss the various forms of the Non-Cooperation Movement took in different

parts of India. How did the people understand Gandhiji?

Answer. The Non-Cooperation Movement spread far and wide. It took various forms in

different parts of the country:

(i) In Kheda, Gujarat, Patidar peasants were worried about the high land revenue demand of

the British. Hence, they orgainsed non-violent campaigns againgt it.

(ii) In coastal Andhra and interior Tamil Nadu, liquor shops were picketed.

(iii) In the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh, tribals and poor peasants started several forest

satyagrahas’, sometimes sending their cattle into forests without paying grazing tax. They

were very much fed up with the restrictions imposed on them by the British regarding the use

of forest resources. They wanted the abolition of the forest regulations.

(iv) In Sind, now in Pakistan, Muslim traders and peasants were very enthusiastic about the

Khilafat call. In Bengal too, the Khilafat-Non- Cooperation alliance gave enormous communal

unity and strength to the national movement.

(v) In Punjab, the Akali agitation of the Sikhs sought to drive out corrupt mahants, supported

by the British, from the gurudwaras. This movement got closely identified with the Non-

Cooperation Movement.

(vi) In Assam, tea garden labourers left the British-owned plantations and became the

followers of Gandhiji. People viewed Gandhiji as a messiah, as someone who could help them

overcome their misery and poverty.

Question.8. Why did Gandhiji choose to break the salt law?

Answer. Gandhiji was very much worried about the salt law. According to this law, the state

had a monopoly on the manufacture and sale of salt. Gandhiji thought that it was sinful to tax

salt because it is an essential item of our food and is required equally by the rich and the poor.

Hence he decided to break this law in anticipation that people from all walks of life would

extend their support. Needless to say that Gandhiji’s Salt March became very successful.

Question.9. Discuss those developments of the 1937-47period that led to the creation of

Pakistan.

Answer. From the late-1930s, the Muslim League began viewing the Muslims as a separate-

nation from the Hindus. This nation might have developed because of the history of tension

between some Hindu and Muslim groups in the 1920s and 1930s. The provincial elections of

1937 also might have convinced the League the Muslims were a minority and they would

always have to play second fiddle, in any democratic structure. Meanwhile, the Congress

rejected the League’s desire to form a joint Congress-League government jn the United

Provinces in 1937. This annoyed the League.

In 1940, the League finally moved a resolution demanding ‘Independent States’ for Muslims in

the north¬western and eastern areas of the country. The resolution did not mention partition

or Pakistan.

In 1945, the British opened negotiations between the Congress, the League and themselves

for the independence of India. The talks could not succeed because the League saw itself as

the sole spokesperson of India’s Muslims. The Congress proved

this claim baseless because several Muslims still supported it.

In the provincial electrons in 1946 the League got grand success in the seats reserved for

Muslims. Hence it persisted its demand for Pakistan.

In March 1946, the Cabinet Mission came to Delhi to examine this demand and to suggest a

suitable political framework for a free India. This Mission suggested that India should remain

united and constitute itself as a loose confederation with some autonomy for Muslim-majority

areas. Neither the Congress nor the Muslim League agreed to it. The failure of the Cabinet

Mission made partition inevitable. Ultimately in 1947 partition took place with the birth of a

new country, i.e. Pakistan.

Question.10 .Find out how the national movement was organised in your city, district, area or

state. Who participated in it and who led it? What did the movement in your area achieve?

Answer. Visit your school library and attempt this answer.

Question.11. Find out more about the life and work of any two participants or leaders of the

national movement and write a short essay about them. You may choose a person not

mentioned in this chapter.

Answer. (a) Dr. Rajendra Prasad

Dr. Rajendra Prasad started his political career as a social worker. He came under the

influence of Mahatma Gandhi since the Champaran Satyagrahs of 1918. He came in the light

when he took sincere part in Champaran Satyagraha. The Jallianwala Bagh atrocities deeply

perturbed him. He was sent to jail many times. He struggled hard for the independence of the

country. He was the most uncontrovercial figure in the Indian politics. Under his presidentship

the country made all round progress.

(b) Jaiprakash Narayan

Jaiprakash Narayan fully dedicated his life for the welfare of the country. In 1934, be plunged

into the struggle for freedom. In the same he became the Secretary of the Socialist Party.

Jawaharlal Nehru offered him the membership of the Congress Working Committee in 1946

but he rejected the offer. On Nehru’s second request, he joined the Congress Committee with

Ram Manohar Lohia but both of them left it soon. Shri jaiprakash Narayan became the General

Secretary of the Socialist Party which got itself separated from the Congress. He took great

interest in the political development of the country. He is known for his selfless service for the nation.