Explore ‘[AHSEC] Class 12 Indigo Question Answer, Class XII,’ a comprehensive guide featuring all textual and essential additional questions, crafted in clear and simple language to aid students’ understanding and preparation.
[AHSEC] Class 12 Indigo Question Answer Notes
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Textual Question Solutions
Q.1. Strike out what is not true in the following:
(a) Rajkumar Shukla was
(i) a sharecropper.
(ii) a politician.
(iii) delegate
(iv) a landlord
Ans: (iv) landlord.
(b) Rajkumar Shukla was:
(i) poor
(ii) physically strong
(iii) illiterate
Ans: (iii) physically strong.
Q.2. Why is Rajkumar Shukla described as being resolute?
Ans: Rajkumar Shukla wanted to take Gandhi to Champaran for the cause of the poor peasants. But Gandhi had an engagement to go to many places. But Rajkumar Shukla was determined to take Gandhi anyway. So he followed Gandhi wherever Gandhi went. He waited till Gandhi was free. So Rajkumar was described as resolute.
Q. 3. Why do you think the servants thought Gandhi to be another peasant?
Ans: In Patna, Shukla led Gandhi to the house of a lawyer named Rajendra Prasad. The servants knew Shukla to be a poor peasant of Champaran. He often troubled Rajendra Prasad to take up the case of the indigo sharecroppers. So the servants of the household of Rajendra Prasad took Gandhi to be another peasant.
Think as You Read-II
Q.1. List the places that Gandhi visited between his first meeting with Shukla and his arrival at Champaran.
Ans: The places that Gandhi visited before he arrived at Champaran were Lucknow, Calcutta, Patna, Muzaffarpur and Motihari.
Q.2. What did the peasants pay the British Landlords as rent? What did the British now want instead and why? What would be the impact of synthetic indigo on the prices of natural indigo?
Ans: The peasants had to grow indigo on 15% of their land the whole of the output of which went to the British landlords as rent.
The indigo plantation was not profitable for the peasants. So they wanted to get free of cultivating indigo. Therefore the landlords wanted compensation for freeing the peasants.
The synthetic indigo was cheaper in cost than natural indigo.
Q.1. The events in this part of the text illustrate Gandhi’s method of working. Can you identify some instances of this method and link them to his ideas of Satyagraha and non-violence?
Ans: Gandhi had a deep respect for legal authority. But he could defy the authorities when they violated natural justice and human values. For Gandhi voice of conscience was above any law. He was polite and friendly when he helped the British to regulate the crowd. He tried to obey the law. But he was ready to disobey for any nobler cause of his people.
All these can be linked with his ideas of Satyagraha and non-violence.
Q.1. Why did Gandhi agree to a settlement of a 25 percent refund to the farmers?
Ans: At first Gandhi demanded 50 percent of the amount extorted from the peasants by the Landlords. But the landlords offered to refund only 25 percent of the amount. Gandhi accepted the offer as he explained that this action lowered the status of the landlords in front of the peasants. Along with it, the landlords came to appreciate that the peasants had their rights also.
Q.2. How did the episode change the plight of the peasants?
Ans: The Champaran episode changed the plight of the peasants. Previously the landlords behaved as above law. However, after the episode, the peasants understood that they had the right to defy the landlords. They also learned the lesson of courage. Within a few years of this event, the British planters abandoned the lands. The peasants owned their own land. Thus the episode changed the plight of the peasants.
Additional Question Answer
Q.1. Who was Edward Gait?
Ans: Edward Gait was the Lieutenant Governor of the province of Champaran.
Q.2. What was Gandhi’s politics interwined with?
Ans: Gandhi’s politics was interwined with practical day-to-day problems of the millions.
Q.3. What did Shukla want Gandhi to do?
Ans: Shukla wanted Gandhi to go to Champaran so as to take steps against the injustice done to the poor peasants by the landlords.
Q.4. Where was Champaran?
Ans: Chapmaparan was in the foothills of the Himalayas, near Nepal.
Q.5. Whom did Gandhi and Shukla propose to meet at Patna?
Ans: Gandhi and Shukla proposed to meet Rajendra Prasad at Patna.
Q.6. Who was Rajkumar Shukla?
Ans: Rajkumar Shukla was a poor sharecropper peasant of Champaran.
Q.7. To whose house did Rajkumar take Gandhi?
Ans: Rajkumar took Gandhi to the house of Rajendra Prasad the lawyer.
Q.8. Who was the sole representative in the commission for the farmers?
Ans: Gandhi was the sole representative in the commission for the farmers.
Q.9. Why did Gandhi rebuke the lawyers?
Ans: Gandhi rebuked the lawyers because they collected heavy fees from the poor sharecroppers.
Q.10. How many schools were set up initially under the patronage of Gandhi in Champaran?
Ans: Initially six schools were set up in different villages of Champaran under the patronage of Gandhi.
Q.11. Where did Louis Fischer meet Gandhi first?
Ans: Louis Fischer met Gandhi first in Sevagram Ashram.
Q.12. Who is the author of the article ‘Indigo’?
Ans: Louis Fischer is the author of the article ‘Indigo’.
Q.13. Where is Champaran?
Ans: Champaran is at the foothill of the Himalayas. It is near Nepal and Bihar.
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Q.14. Why did Rajkumar Shukla meet Gandhi?
Ans: Rajkumar Shukla met Gandhi to take him to Champaran for the cause of the sharecroppers.
Q.15. Where did Shukla meet Gandhi?
Ans: Shukla met Gandhi in the Lucknow session of the National Congress Party.
Q.16. What country had developed synthetic indigo?
Ans: Germany developed synthetic indigo.
Q.17. What was the capital of Champaran?
Ans: The capital of Champaran was Motihari.
Q.18. Where did Gandhi stay in Muzzafarpur?
Ans: In Muzzafarpur Gandhi stayed at the house of Professor Mulkani who was a teacher in a government school.
Q.19. Why was Gandhi visiting Lucknow in 1916?
Ans: Gandhi was visiting Lucknow in 1916 to attend the annual convention of the Indian National Congress.
Q.20. Why was Professor Mulkani’s action of offering shelter to Gandhi ‘extraordinary?
Ans: Mulkani was a professor of a Government college. During those days, no Government official could shelter a person who was against British rule in India. But Professor Mulkani offered shelter to Gandhi. So Mulkani’s action of sheltering Gandhi was extraordinary.
Q.21. Describe the efforts made by R. K. Shukla to persuade Gandhi to go to Champaran.
Ans: Shukla first met Gandhi in the annual convention of the Indian National Congress Party held in Lucknow. There, he pleaded with Gandhi to visit Champaran in favour of the sharecroppers. Rajkumar Shukla wanted to take Gandhi to Champaran for the cause of the poor peasants. But Gandhi had engagements to go to many places. Rajkumar Shukla was determined to take Gandhi anyway. So he followed Gandhi wherever Gandhi went. Shukla went with Gandhi to Cawnpore, Ahmedabad, and Culcutta and waited till Gandhi was free. For many weeks he did not leave Gandhi. At last, Gandhi, being impressed by Shukla’s determination and tenacity decided to Visit Champaran.
Thus Rajkumar Shukla persuaded Gandhi to go to Champaran.
Q.22. What was the significance of the Champaran movement? (Marks – 5)
or
“The battle of Champaran is won”, Gandhi exclaimed. Explain the context in which this was said.
or
Why do you think Gandhi considered the Champaran episode to be a turning point in his life?
Ans: According to Gandhi the Champaran episode was a turning point in his life. The sharecroppers got a 25% refund of the amount they paid as compensation to exempt from planting indigo in their lands. The amount of refund was less important than the fact that the landlords were humiliated for the first time. The peasants learned that they had rights. It also brought courage to their heart to defy the government. It was the victory over civil disobedience. After this event, the British authority began to be melted down in India.
This Champaran episode was not a turning point for Gandhi only but also for the Indians as the Indians became aware of their rights and after this event, the British government also became aware of the effects of Gandhi’s Non-violence Policy.
Summary
“Indigo” by Louis Fischer is a compelling account that sheds light on the struggles faced by Indian peasants under British colonial rule, particularly focusing on the Champaran Satyagraha led by Mahatma Gandhi. This historical event took place in 1917, marking a significant moment in India’s fight for independence.
The British landlords forced Indian peasants in the Champaran district of Bihar to cultivate indigo on a portion of their land. The peasants were compelled to sell their indigo crops at very low prices to the British, which resulted in severe economic hardships. Mahatma Gandhi was approached by Rajkumar Shukla, a peasant from Champaran, who requested Gandhi’s help to address the plight of the farmers. Gandhi visited Champaran to investigate the situation and support the farmers’ cause.
Gandhi’s involvement marked the beginning of the Champaran Satyagraha, a non-violent resistance movement. Gandhi encouraged the farmers to stand up against the exploitation through peaceful means. This movement was one of the first major instances where Gandhi applied his principles of non-violent resistance (Satyagraha) on a large scale. Gandhi’s efforts led to significant legal and social reforms. The British authorities were forced to investigate the farmers’ grievances. Eventually, the oppressive system of indigo cultivation was abolished, and the peasants were given relief.
The success of the Champaran Satyagraha had a profound impact on the Indian independence movement. It demonstrated the effectiveness of non-violent protest and galvanized the Indian masses to support the broader struggle for independence from British rule. The article highlights the brutal economic exploitation of Indian farmers by the British colonizers. It underscores the power and efficacy of Gandhi’s non-violent methods in confronting injustice. The movement showed the importance of grassroots mobilization and local leadership in the fight for social justice.
Overall, “Indigo” by Louis Fischer captures a crucial episode in India’s history, illustrating the transformative impact of Gandhi’s leadership and the enduring power of non-violent resistance in the struggle against oppression.
About the Author: Louis Fischer
Louis Fischer (1896-1970) was an American journalist and author renowned for his reporting on international affairs and his biographies of influential figures like Mahatma Gandhi and Lenin. His works provided deep insights into the political landscapes of his time and contributed significantly to Western understanding of major global events.
Early Life and Education
Louis Fischer was born on February 29, 1896, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, into a Jewish family. He pursued his higher education at the University of Pennsylvania, where he initially studied medicine. However, he soon found his true calling in journalism and international affairs, leading him to abandon his medical studies.
Early Career
Fischer’s journalistic career began with the publication of articles in American magazines. In the early 1920s, he moved to Europe, where he covered significant political events, starting with the Russian Revolution. He became a correspondent for the New York Evening Post, reporting from various European capitals.
Work in Soviet Russia
Fischer’s career took a defining turn when he moved to Moscow in 1922. As a correspondent for The Nation, he spent over a decade in the Soviet Union, providing detailed accounts of the Soviet regime under Lenin and Stalin. His firsthand observations were critical in shaping Western perceptions of Soviet policies and life.
Key Publications
”The Soviets in World Affairs” (1930): This comprehensive work detailed Soviet foreign policy and its global impact. It was one of the first major books to offer a thorough analysis of the USSR’s international strategies.
“Men and Politics” (1941): This autobiography detailed Fischer’s experiences as a journalist and his interactions with major political figures of the time. It provided a personal look at the interwar period and the early years of World War II.
“The Life of Mahatma Gandhi” (1950): Perhaps Fischer’s most famous work, this biography of Gandhi was based on extensive interviews and research. It offered an in-depth look at Gandhi’s philosophy, his role in India’s independence movement, and his impact on global politics. The book was later adapted into the acclaimed 1982 film “Gandhi.”
“Gandhi and Stalin” (1947): This book compared the ideologies and methods of two of the 20th century’s most influential leaders, highlighting their different approaches to achieving social and political change.
“The Life of Lenin” (1964): In this comprehensive biography, Fischer explored the life and legacy of Vladimir Lenin, offering insights into his role in the Russian Revolution and the establishment of the Soviet state.
Later Career
Fischer continued to write and lecture extensively throughout his life. He was a member of the faculty at Princeton University, where he taught a popular course on international relations. His writings not only provided detailed historical accounts but also emphasized the moral and ethical dimensions of political leadership.
Fischer’s work earned him numerous accolades, including the National Book Award for his biography of Gandhi. His ability to provide nuanced, empathetic portrayals of complex political figures made him a respected voice in the field of international journalism and biography.
Death
Louis Fischer passed away on January 15, 1970, leaving behind a rich legacy of journalistic excellence and scholarly contributions. His works remain influential, offering valuable perspectives on some of the most pivotal events and figures of the 20th century.
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