Indigo-Questions-Answers-Lous Fischer-English for Class XII

                                  Indigo by Louis Fischer

(I)                             Short Answer-type Questions (word Limit 30-40 words)

Q1. Who was Rajkumar Shukla? What impression do you make about him from the text?

Ans. Rajkumar Shukla was one of the sharecroppers from Champaran. He was illiterate but his determination was par excellence. It was his strong will- power that brought him to Lucknow to meet Gandhiji and it was his patience that forced Gandhiji to give him a fixed date to reach Champaran

Q2. Why did Rajkumar Shukla want to meet Gandhiji? How would you prove that he was a man of strong willpower?

Ans. The condition of the sharecroppers in Champaran was not good. So Rajkumar Shukla came to meet Gandhiji to acquaint him with the injustice done to the poor peasants by the landlords in Bihar. Gandhi ji did not agree to go with him immediately. But Rajkumar Shukla followed Gandhiji wherever he went until he got a fixed date. It showed his great patience and willpower.

Q3.How did Rajkumar Shukla succeed in persuading Gandhiji to visit Champaran?

Ans. Gandhiji had no time to accompany Raj Kumar Shukla to Champaran at once as he had several prior appointments. Rajkumar Shukla was not in a mood to go back, so he followed Gandhiji wherever he went. Then he requested Gandhiji for a fixed date for his visit. Such determination, patience, and willpower impressed Gandhiji. After that Gandhi ji gave him a date for his arrival in Calcutta and made further line of action on reaching there.

Q4. What happened when Rajkumar took Gandhiji to the house of Rajender Prasad in Patna?

Ans. The servants in Dr. Rajender Prasad’s house knew Rajkumar Shukla as a poor sharecropper, who used to come to visit their master. So they also thought Gandhiji was one of the sharecroppers like Rajkumar Shukla. They let Rajkumar Shukla stay and pass the night on the grounds with his companion. Gandhiji was also not permitted to draw water from the well so that it might not get polluted.

Q5.  Why was Gandhiji not allowed to draw water from the well of Dr. Rajender Prashad?

Ans. In those days,  untouchability, one of the social evils, was spread.  Dr. Rajender Prasad was out of the station and the servants in the house could not recognize Gandhiji. They thought him to be a companion of Rajkumar Shukla. So they did not permit Gandhiji to draw water from the well.

Q6.Why did Gandhiji decide to go to Muzzafarpur? Where did he stay there?

Ans. Muzzafarpur was on the way to Champaran. So Gandhiji thought of first going to Muzaffarpur. He wanted to get the full and real information about the sharecroppers of Champaran. He stayed there at Professor Malkani, a teacher in a Govt. school.

Q7. Why did Gandhiji call his staying at Mr. J.B. Kripalani’s house an extraordinary affair?

Ans. Gandhiji says that it was an extraordinary thing for a professor to harbor (stay) a man like Gandhi, an advocate of home rule in India. People in small localities were afraid of showing sympathy.

Q8. What did the lawyers do Mujaffarpur till Gandhiji about themselves? Why did Gandhiji chide them?

Ans. The lawyers at Mujaffarpur told Gandhi that they frequently represented the peasants in courts. They also told him about the size of fees they took from the peasants. Gandhiji chided them for taking hefty fees from the poor peasants.

Q9. What did Gandhiji advise the lawyers of Mujaffarpur about the peasants?

Ans. Gandhiji told the lawyers that taking the peasants’ cases to courts would not serve any purpose because the peasants were very crushed and fear-stricken. The real relief to them would come when they became free from fear.

Q10. What was the ‘long-term’ compromise between the sharecroppers and the English landlords?

Ans. There were large estates of Englishmen in the Champaran district. The main commercial crop was indigo. There was a long-term contract between the tenants and the Englishmen. According to the contract, the landlords forced the tenants to plant indigo in three twentieths or 15 percent land as rent for the land. That was according to a long-term agreement.

Q11. What was the dispute between the sharecroppers and the English landlords at present? What thing was irksome for the peasant?

Ans. Presently, Germany had developed synthetic indigo. So the landlords obtained agreements from the sharecroppers to pay them compensation for releasing them from the agreement of the 15 percent arrangement. That agreement was irksome to the peasants because it was not justifiable for them to pay any money to them as they were not breaking the contract.

Q12. Describe Gandhiji’s meeting with the secretary of the British landlord’s association.

Ans. First of all, Gandhiji visited the secretary of the British Landlords’ Association. The secretary told Gandhi ji that they could not give information to an outsider. Gandhiji answered emphatically (by laying stress) that he was not an outsider.

Q13. Describe Gandhiji’s meeting with the commissioner of the Tirhut division.

Ans. After meeting the secretary of the British landlord’s association, Gandhi ji met the commissioner of the Tirhut division in which the district of Champaran lay. The commissioner tried to bully (terrorize) Gandhi ji and advised him to leave Tirhut.

Q14. When did the police superintendent’s messenger say to Gandhiji on his way to Champaran receive a notice from? What did Gandhiji write on the notice?

Ans. Gandhiji was on his way to a village when a messenger overtook him and ordered him to return to the town in his carriage. Gandhiji did not resist and sat in the carriage and came to his place. Then the messenger served him with an official notice to quit (to leave) Champaran immediately. On its receipt, Gandhiji wrote that he would disobey it.

Q13. How was the situation went out of control at the court where Gandhiji was to appear for disobeying the orders of the district administration?  How did Gandhiji help them? What did it all show to the British officials?

Ans. People in thousands crowded around the courthouse. The officials felt powerless without Gandhiji’s cooperation. He helped them regulate the crowd. He was polite and friendly. Gandhiji showed to the British officials that their might (power) although it was absolute (complete/full/unquestioned) could be challenged by the Indians.

Q14. What did the British officials think about Gandhiji while serving him notices to leave the place or bullying him?

Ans. They thought Gandhiji was an ordinary Mahatma, who had come to create troubles for the authorities. They did not know Gandhiji’s track record in South Africa.

Q15. What homework did Gandhiji at Motihari before appearing in the court?

Ans. At night Gandhiji remained busy. He telegraphed Dr. Rajendra Prasad to come from Bihar with influential friends. He also sent instructions to the Ashram and a full report to the Viceroy.

Q16. How did the people come to support Gandhiji in front of the court at Motihari? What was its result?

Ans. People in thousands thronged (crowded) around the courthouse. Its result was manifold. First, the officials felt powerless and they had to take Gandhiji’s help in regulating the crowd. Second, the prosecutor requested the judge to postpone the trial.

Q17. What did the Judge speak when Gandhiji read a statement pleading himself guilty of breaking the law?

Ans. The judge said that he would pronounce the judgment after a two-hour recess and asked Gandhi to furnish (supply) bail for those 120 minutes. Gandhiji refused and the judge released him without bail. Later on, the case against Gandhiji was dropped.

Q18. What did Gandhiji do when he understood that the judge was delaying the proceedings in the court?

Ans. Gandhiji protested against the delay. So he read a statement pleading himself guilty. He also told the court that he did not want to set a bad example by breaking the law, but he had come to Champaran to render the ‘humanitarian and national service’. He disregarded the order to leave Champaran and, so, he asked for the penalty due.

Q19. What did the local advocates decide to do after consulting separately among themselves?

Ans. The lawyers held a separate meeting among themselves. They also decided to help Gandhiji in his struggle. They also decided to go to jail along with Gandhiji.

Q20. How was the first civil disobedience won in Champaran? How did it start?

Ans. Gandhiji started the first civil disobedience in Champaran. He was being bullied and forced by the local administration to leave the place immediately. But Gandhiji wrote on the receipt of the orders that he will disobey it. After that, the people from nearby places also reached the courthouse to build pressure on the authorities. As a result, the case against Gandhiji had to be dropped. Thus the first civil disobedience won in Champaran.

Q21. What arrangements did the lawyers do in preparation for the Official inquiry into the grievances of the sharecroppers?

Ans. Now the lawyers proceeded to conduct an inquiry into the grievances of the farmers. Depositions (Affidavits) by about ten thousand peasants were written down. Documents were collected. The whole area was full of the activity of the investigators and the protests of the landlords.

Q22. Who did the Commission of Inquiry consist of?

Ans. The commission consisted of landlords, government officials, and Gandhi as the sole representative of the peasants.

 Q23. Initially, Gandhiji was adamant about getting 50% of the refund of money for the sharecroppers. But, later on, he agreed to accept only 25% of the refund? Why?

Ans. Gandhiji explained later on that the amount of the refund was not so important as the fact that the landlords had to surrender the part of the money which had become their prestige issue. As a result, the peasants got the courage and came to know that they had their defenders.

(II) Long Answer-type Questions & Answers (Essay type Qs.)

Q1. Why did Gandhiji consider the Champaran episode to be a turning point in his life? (Sample Paper and 2011)

Ans. : In Champaran,  Gandhiji had a new experience. He came to know the real problems of the peasants there. He became the spokesperson of thousands of the sharecroppers at Champaran. He raised the issue of injustice done to the poor farmers to the British high officials. He was given the orders to leave the place Tirhut. But, he defied them. Again he received the orders to leave Champaran immediately. But he wrote on the notice that he would disobey the orders. In the court, in front of the judge, he gave sound reasons as to why he disobeyed the orders. He said that he had to disobey in protest of the injustice being done to the poor farmers of Champaran. Thousands of the people assembled there in support of Gandhiji. The situation became out of control for the British officials and they had to take Gandhiji’s help in controlling them. The Govt. had to drop the case against Gandhiji as they understood Gandhiji’s power. Thus, the whole episode of Champaran proved to be a turning point because the dread of the Britishers started declining in the minds of the Indians after it. Thus, for the first time, civil disobedience had won in modern India.

Q2. What did Gandhiji do in respect of the cultural and social backwardness in the Champaran villages?

Ans. Gandhiji saw cultural and political backwardness in the villages of Champaran district. He wanted to do something immediately. Several teachers like Mahadev Desai and Narhari Parikh and two young had joined Gandhiji as his disciples and their wives volunteered (came forward themselves) for work. Several more came from the other parts of the country. Gandhiji’s youngest son, Devadas, arrived from the Ashram and so did Mrs. Gandhi. Primary schools were opened in six villages. Kasturba Gandhi taught the ashram rules about personal cleanliness and community sanitation to the village folk.

In the villages of the district Champaran, the health conditions were miserable. Gandhi Ji engaged a doctor to volunteer his services for six months. Three medicines like castor oil, quinine, and sulfur ointment were made available and distributed to people suffering from malaria and skin diseases.

The women of the villages were not aware of their personal hygiene. Gandhi ji told Kasturbai to talk to them about washing clothes also.

Q3. What do you know about Rajkumar Shukla? How did he take Gandhiji to Champaran and why?

Ans. Rajkumar Shukla was one of the sharecroppers from Champaran. The condition of the sharecroppers in Bihar was very bad. Someone told him to meet Gandhiji in this regard. So he came to Gandhiji to make a complaint about the injustice done to the sharecroppers by the landlord system in Bihar.

Raj Kumar Shukla was illiterate but his determination was par excellence. It was his strong will- power that brought him to Lucknow to meet Gandhiji. Gandhiji had not heard about Champaran before. It was in the foothills of the towering Himalayas, near the kingdom of Nepal.

Rajkumar Shukla requested Gandhiji to visit his district Champaran. Gandhiji told him that he had an appointment in Cawnpore (now Kanpur) and after that, he would have to go to some other places of the country. Shukla was resolute to get a fixed date from Gandhiji. So he did not return to Champaran. Rather he went with Gandhiji everywhere he went. He also accompanied Gandhiji to his Ashram, near Ahmedabad. Here he requested Gandhiji to give him a fixed date of his visit to Champaran. Gandhiji was very much impressed with Shukla’s patience and strong willpower He told Shukla that he would come to Calcutta on a certain date and then he would accompany him to Champaran.

After some months, Gandhiji came to Calcutta and Rajkumar Shukla accompanied Gandhiji to Patna by train.

Value-based Question: It is said that cleanliness is next to God. Gandhiji started a cleanliness drive in the villages of Champaran. In the same way, suggest the ways to make it practicable today in your village of city. What contribution the youth can give to the movement like ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

                                                                  The End

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q. Why do you think Gandhiji considered the Champaran episode to be a turning point in his life?

Ans.

1.      How was Gandhiji able to influence lawyers? Give reasons.

2.      What was the attitude of the average Indian in smaller localities towards advocates of ‘home rule’?

3.      How do we know that ordinary people too contributed to the freedom movement?

4.      Why did Rajkumar Shukla go to meet Gandhiji?

                                         Or

Why did Rajkumar Shukla want to take Gandhiji to Champaran?

5.      How did Rajkumar Shukla succeed in persuading Gandhiji to visit Champaran?

6.      Why did Gandhji agree to the planters’ offer of a 25 per cent refund to the farmers?

7.      How was Gandhiji able to influence the lawyers?

8.      How did Gandhiji help the peasants of Champaran?

A.      Some other Questions:

Q2. Why did the servants at Rajender Prasad’s house think Gandhiji to be another peasant?

Q3. Why did Gandhiji decide to go to Muzzafarpur? Where did he stay there?

Q4. Why did Gandhiji chide the lawyers and what conclusion did he come to?

Q5. What did the landlords compel the peasants to do as per the terms of a long term contract?

Q6. What did the British planters try to do when they came to know that synthetic indigo had been developed by Germany?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A.     Essay type Qs.

Q1. Why did Gandhij consider the Champaran episode to be a turning point in his life? (Sample Paper and 2011)

1.      Ans. : In Champaran,  Gandhi ji had a new experience. He came to know about the real problems of the peasants there. He became the spokesperson of the thousands of the sharecroppers at Champaran. He raised the issue of injustice done to the poor farmers to the British high officials. He was given the orders to leave the place Tirhut. But, he defied the orders. Again he received the orders to leave Champaran immediately. But he wrote on the notice that he would disobey the orders. In the court, in front of the judge, he gave sound reasons as to why he disobeyed the orders. He said that he had to disobey in protest of the injustice being done to the poor farmers of Champaran. Thousands of the people assembled there in support of Gandhiji. The Govt. had to drop the case against Gandhiji. Thus, the whole episode of Champaran proved to be a turning point because the dread of the Britishers started declining in the minds of the Indians after it. Thus, for the first time civil disobedience had won in modern India.

 

Q2. What did Gandhiji do in respect of the cultural and social backwardness in the Champaran village?

Ans. Gandhiji saw cultural and political backwardness in the villages of Champaran district. He wanted to do something immediately. Several teachers like Mahadev Desai and Narhari Parikh and two youngmen had joined Gandhiji as his disciples and their wives volunteered for work. Several more came from the other parts of the country. Gandhiji’s youngest son, Devadas, arrived from the Ashram and so did Mrs. Gandhi. Primary schools were opened in six villages. Kasturba Gandhi taught about the ashram rules about personal cleanliness and community sanitation to the village folk.

In the villages of the district Champaran, the health conditions were miserable. Gandhi ji engaged a doctor to volunteer his services for six months. Three medicines like castor oil, quinine and sulphur ointment were made available and distributed to the people suffering from malaria and skin diseases.

The women of the villages were not aware about their personal hygiene. Gandhi ji told Kasturbai  to talk to them about washing clothes also.

Q3. What do you know about Rajkumar Shukla? How did he take Gandhiji to Champaran and why?

Ans. Rajkumar Shukla was one of the sharecroppers from Champaran. The condition of the sharecroppers in Bihar was very bad. Someone told him to meet Gandhiji in this regard. So he came to Gandhij to make a complaint about the injustice done to the sharecroppers by the landlord system in Bihar.

Raj Kumar Shukla  was illiterate but his determination was par excellence. It was his strong will- power that brought him to Lucknow to meet Gandhiji. Gandhiji had not heard about Champaran before. It was in the foothills of the towering Himalyas, near the kingdom of Nepal.

Rajkumar Shukla requested Gandhiji to visit his district Champaran. Gandhiji told him that he had an appointment in Cawnpore (now Kanpur) and after that he would have to go to some other places of the country. Shukla was resolute to get a fixed date from Gandhiji. So he did not return to Champaran. Rather he went with Gandhiji  everywhere he went. He also accompanied Gandhiji to his Ashram, near Ahamdabad. Here he requested Gandhiji to give him a fixed date of his visit to Champaran. Gandhij was very much impressed with Shukla’s patience and strong will-power He told Shukla that he would come to Calcutta on a certain date and then he would accompany him to Champaran.

After some months, Gandhiji came to Calcutta and Rajkumar Shukla accompanied with Gandhiji to Patna by a train.