TEST 04: MODERN INDIAN HISTORY

Syllabus: 1858-1905

1.With reference to the Indian National Congress, consider the following statements:

1. The first session of the Indian National Congress was presided over by Surendranath Bannerjee

2. One of its aim was to develop and propagate an anti-colonial nationalist ideology

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A. 1 only

B. 2 only

C. Both 1 and 2

D. Neither 1 nor 2

Ans: B

• Explanation: The first session of the Indian National Congress was, attended by 72 delegates and presided over by Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee. Hereafter, the Congress met every year in December, in a different part of the country each time.

• Indian National Congress had the following aims and objectives:

• (i) Found a democratic, nationalist movement

• (ii) Politicize and politically educate people

• (iii) Establish the headquarters for a ‘movement

• (iv) Promote friendly relations among nationalist political workers from Different parts of the country

• (v) Develop and propagate an anti-colonial nationalist ideology

• (vi)Formulate and present popular demands before the Government with a view to unifying the people over a common economic and political program

• (vii) Develop and consolidate a feeling of national unity among people Irrespective of religion, caste or province.

• (viii) Carefully promote and nurture Indian nationhood

2. With reference to Indian Councils Act of 1892, consider the following statements:

1. It introduced an element of election for the first time

2. Budget could be discussed and voted upon

3. It provided for non-official majority in the Imperial Legislative Council

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A. 1 only

B. 1 and 2 only

C. 2 and 3 only

D. 1, 2 and 3

Ans: A

• Explanation: Number of additional members in Imperial Legislative Councils and the Provincial Legislative Councils was raised. In Imperial Legislative Council, now the governor-general could have ten to sixteen non-officials. Some of these additional members could be indirectly elected Thus an element of election was introduced for the first time.

• Budget could be discussed. However, it could not be voted upon, nor could any amendments be made to it.

• The officials retained their majority in the council.

3. Who among the following did not subscribe to moderate politics?

A. Dadabhai Naoroji

B. N. Banerjee

C. Rashbehari Bose

D. E Wacha

Ans: C

• Explanation: Rashbehari Bose was an Indian revolutionary leader against the British Raj and one of the key organizers of Ghadar Mutiny and the Indian National Army, while, Rashbehari Ghosh was a moderate leader who presided over the Surat session (1907) of Indian National Congress.

4. Consider the following statements:

1. The demand of a full-fledged mass struggle with the goal of attaining Swaraj was approved by the Congress in its 1905 session

2. Swadeshi movement witnessed widespread participation from upper and middle class Muslims

3. Traditional festivals were used to spread the propaganda of Swadeshi movement

Which of the statements given above is/are incorrect?

A. 1 and 3 only

B. 1 and 2 only

C. 2 and 3 only

D. 1, 2 and 3

Ans: B

• Explanation: The militant nationalists led by Tilak, Lajpat Rai, Bipin Chandra Pal and Aurobindo Ghosh wanted the movement to be taken outside Bengal to other parts of the country and go beyond a boycott of foreign goods to become a full-fledged political mass struggle with the goal of attaining swaraj. But the Moderates, dominating the Congress at that time, were not willing to go that far. However, a big step forward was taken at the Congress session held at Calcutta (1906) under the president ship of Dadabhai Naoroji, where it was declared that the goal of the Indian Congress was ‘selfgovernment or swaraj like the United Kingdom or the colonies.

• Some of the Muslims participated in Swadeshi movement— Barrister Abdul Rasul, Liaqat Hussain, Guznavi, Maulana Azad (who joined one of the revolutionary terrorist groups)—but most of the upper and middle class Muslims stayed away or, led by Nawab Salimullah of Dacca, supported the partition on the plea that it would give them a Muslim-majority East Bengal.

• Imaginative use of traditional popular festivals and, melas: The idea was to use such occasions as a means of reaching out to the masses and spreading political messages. For instance,. Tilak’s Ganapati and Shivaji festivals became a medium of swadeshi propaganda not only in western India, but also in Bengal. In, Bengal also, the traditional folk theatre forms were used for this purpose.

5. With reference to the differences between the moderates and extremists, consider the following statements:

1. Social base of Extremists included the lower middle class while that of Moderates was limited to zamindars and upper middle class

2. Moderates rejected provincial mission theory while extremists believed in the same

3. Moderates insisted on the use of constitutional methods only while extremists favored extra-constitutional methods

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A. 1 and 2 only

B. 2 and 3 only

C. 1 and 3 only

D. 2 only

Ans: C

• Explanation: Social base of moderates included zamindars and upper middle classes in towns, while, Social base of extremists included educated middle classes in towns and lower middle class.

• Moderates believed in England’s provincial  mission in India, while, extremists rejected ‘providential mission theory’ as an illusion.

• Moderates insisted on the use of constitutional methods only, while, extremists did not hesitate to use extraconstitutional methods like boycott and passive resistance to achieve their objectives.

6. With reference to the revolutionary terrorist programme, consider the following statements:

1. Revolutionary terrorist aimed to create a violent mass revolution throughout the country.

2. Barrah dacoity was organized by Arubindo Ghosh

3. Mitra Mela, a secret society, was organized by V.D Savarkar

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A. 1 and 2 only

B. 3 only

C. 2 and 3 only

D. 1, 2 and 3

Ans: B

• Explanation: Revolutionary terrorism was a by-product of the process of the growth of militant nationalism in India. It acquired a more activist form as a fallout of the Swadeshi and Boycott movement. The revolutionary terrorists considered but did not find it practical at that stage the options of creating a violent mass revolution throughout the country or, of trying to subvert the loyalties of the Army.

• In 1908, Barrah dacoity was organized by Dacca Anushilan under Pulin Das.

• V.D Savarkar and his brother organized Mitra Mela, a secret society, in 1899 which merged with Abhinav Bharat (after Mazzinni’s ‘Young Italy’) in 1904.

7. ‘India House’ was established by:

A. Madanlal Dhingra

B. Madam Bhikaji Cama

C. Lala Hardayal

D. Shyamji Krishnavarma

Ans:D

• Explanation: Shyamji Krishnavarma had started in London in 1905 an Indian Home Rule Society—’India House’—as a centre for Indian students, a scholarship scheme to bring radical youth from India, and a journal The Sociologist. Revolutionaries such as Savarkar and Hardayal became the members of India House. Madanlal Dhingra of this circle assassinated, the India office bureaucrat Curzon Wyllie in 1909.

8. With referent to the Congress session, 1907, consider the following statements:

1. It was held in Nagpur and chaired by Bal Gangadhar Tilak

2. It resulted into a split in congress

3. Moderates wanted to drop the resolutions on Swadeshi, Boycott and National Education in this session

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A. 2 and 3 only

B. 1 and 2 only

C. 2 only

D. 1, 2 and 3

Ans: A

• Explanation:  Congress session of 1907 was held in Surat and was chaired by Rashbehari Ghosh

• Congress session, 1907 resulted into a split within the congress which caused division between the moderates and extremists. The event is infamously known as ‘Surat Split’.

• Moderates wanted Rashbehari Ghosh as the president and sought to drop the resolutions on swadeshi, boycott and national education.

9. Find the correct statement:

1. First session of Indian National Congress was in year 1885 in Chennai.

2. Indian National Conference held two sessions prelude to Congress session in 1883 and 1885.

A. Only 1

B. Only 2

C. 1 and 2

D. None

Ans: B

10. Find the correct statement:

1. B C Pal and Aurbindo spoke of Hindu nation and Hindu interests.

2. The Congress split at Surat came in December 1906.

3. Swaraj was mentioned for the first time in 1906 in Congress resolution.

4. Tilak was sent to Mandalay jail for 6 years.

A. All of the above

B. Only 1 and 3

C. Only 1, 3 and 4

D. Only 1 and 2

Ans:C

11. Who was the Viceroy of British India at the time of first session of the Congress?

A. Lord Curzon

B. Lord Dufferin

C. Lord Mayo

D. Lord Minto

Ans : B

12. Indian Councils Act, 1892 allowed:

1. Budget could be discussed, but not voted upon.

2. Questions could be asked.

3. Officials retained their majority.

4. Allowed supplementary questions, and wide discussions on the answers.

A. Only 1 and 4

B. Only 2 and 3

C. All of the above

D. 1, 2 and 3

Ans:D

13. The Indian National Congress as a microscopic minority described by:

A. Lord Curzon

B. Lord Wellesley

C. Lord Dufferin

D. Lord Ripon

Ans:C

• Explanation: Lord Dufferin was the Viceroy in British India between 1884 and 1888. He initially did not take the Indian National Congress much seriously. Then, there was a blast and all of a sudden a Pamphlet appeared titled “The Rising Tide“. Another pamphlet appeared titled “An Old Man’s Home“. These were against the British in general and Lord Dufferin in particular. He called Congress as representative of “microscopic minority of India”.

14. Who among the following started the English weekly ‘New India’?

A. Mahatma Gandhi

B. Bipin Chandra Pal

C. Dada Bhai Naoroji

D. Madan Mohan Malviya

Ans: C

• Explanation: Dadabhai Naoroji, known as the Grand Old Man of India, was a Parsi intellectual, educator, cotton trader, and an early Indian political and social leader. He was a Liberal Party Member of Parliament (MP) in the United Kingdom House of Commons between 1892 and 1895, and the first Asian to be a British MP.

• Naoroji is also credited with the founding of the Indian National Congress, along with A.O. Hume and Dinshaw Edulji Wacha. His book Poverty and Un-British Rule in India brought attention to the draining of India’s wealth into Britain. He was also a member of the Second International along with Kautsky and Plekhanov.

15. Which of the following pairs are correctly matched?

1. India League Dadabhai Nauroji

2. Poona Sarvajanik Sabha MG Ranade

3. Bombay Presidency Association Badruddin Tyabji

A. 1 only

B. 1 and 3 only

C. 2 and 3 only

D. All of the above

Ans. C