Modern History Set 98
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📌 INC Sessions • Leadership
Q.1) Who holds the distinction of being the youngest person ever to serve as the President of the Indian National Congress, presiding over the special session in Delhi in 1923?
Ans > C) Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
- Historic Leadership Context: Maulana Abul Kalam Azad holds the unique distinction of becoming the youngest President of the Indian National Congress at the remarkably young age of 35. He presided over the highly crucial special session held in Delhi in 1923. This session was convened during a turbulent period to bridge the widening gap between the pro-changers and no-changers within the Congress following the abrupt suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement.
- Longest Continuous Tenure: Beyond being the youngest, Azad also holds the record for serving as the INC President for the longest continuous period before India’s independence. He was elected president at the Ramgarh session in 1940 and continued in the role until 1946, a period when regular annual Congress sessions could not be held due to the outbreak of World War II and the massive political crackdowns during the Quit India Movement.
- Legacy and Post-Independence Contributions: A brilliant Islamic scholar, poet, and steadfast freedom fighter, Azad was a fierce advocate for Hindu-Muslim unity and vehemently opposed the two-nation theory proposed by the Muslim League. Following independence, he served as India’s first Minister of Education, playing a foundational role in establishing premier institutions like the IITs, the UGC, and various national academies to foster education and culture in the newly independent nation.
📌 National Anthems • INC Sessions
Q.2) The poem “Jana Gana Mana,” composed by Rabindranath Tagore, was publicly sung for the very first time at which session of the Indian National Congress?
Ans > C) 1911, Calcutta
- First Public Rendition Context: The iconic song “Jana Gana Mana” was sung for the very first time on December 27, 1911, during the second day of the Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress. This session was historically significant as it coincided with the annulment of the highly controversial partition of Bengal and the shifting of the British colonial capital from Calcutta to Delhi, announced during the Delhi Durbar of King George V.
- Composition and Translation: The hymn was originally composed in highly Sanskritized Bengali by the polymath and Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. Years later, in 1919, Tagore himself translated the song into English under the title “The Morning Song of India” while staying at the Theosophical College in Madanapalle, Andhra Pradesh, where the musical notations were also formally set down.
- Adoption as the National Anthem: Recognizing its profound unifying power and pan-Indian appeal, the Hindi version of the song was formally adopted by the Constituent Assembly of India as the official National Anthem on January 24, 1950, just two days before the Constitution came into effect, giving it equal status alongside Vande Mataram.
📌 National Anthems • Literature
Q.3) Which session of the Indian National Congress is famous for the first political recitation of the national song “Vande Mataram”?
Ans > B) 1896, Calcutta
- Historical Recitation by Tagore: The profoundly moving song “Vande Mataram” (I bow to thee, Mother) was sung for the very first time in a political context at the 1896 Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress. The session was presided over by Rahimtulla M. Sayani, and the song was powerfully rendered by Rabindranath Tagore himself, who had composed the music for the specific verses he sang.
- Literary Origins in Anandamath: The original poem was composed by the great Bengali novelist Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in the 1870s. It was later incorporated into his famous 1882 historical novel, Anandamath. The novel itself was set against the backdrop of the devastating Chhiattarer Manwantar (Bengal famine of 1770) and the subsequent Sanyasi Rebellion against the oppressive tax collection by the British East India Company.
- Rallying Cry of the Freedom Struggle: “Vande Mataram” transcended its literary origins to become the ultimate rallying cry of the Indian independence movement, especially reaching its peak popularity during the 1905 Swadeshi Movement against the partition of Bengal. It was so deeply feared by colonial authorities that public singing of the song was temporarily banned. Today, it holds the esteemed status of India’s National Song.
📌 INC History • Leadership
Q.4) The Indian National Congress elected its first European President during the 1888 Allahabad session. Who was he?
Ans > C) George Yule
- First European Leadership: George Yule, a prominent Scottish merchant and highly respected businessman, was elected as the first non-Indian, European President of the Indian National Congress during its fourth session held in Allahabad in 1888. His election was a deliberate, strategic move by the early Congress leadership to demonstrate the secular, broad-based, and highly inclusive nature of their political platform.
- Background and Influence: Yule was an incredibly influential figure in colonial India. Before his presidency, he had served as the Sheriff of Calcutta and was the President of the powerful Indian Chamber of Commerce. His deep sympathies for Indian aspirations made him a vital ally for the moderate Indian leaders who were seeking constitutional reforms rather than outright revolution.
- Overcoming Hostility: The 1888 Allahabad session was particularly significant because it was held amidst growing hostility from British officials and loyalist Indians, notably Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and Raja Shiva Prasad of Benaras, who actively tried to thwart the meeting. Electing a respected British figure like George Yule helped legitimize the Congress’s demands and provided a protective shield against immediate colonial suppression.
📌 Gandhian Era • INC Sessions
Q.5) Mahatma Gandhi presided over the Indian National Congress only once in his lifetime. In which year and location did this historic session take place?
Ans > B) 1924, Belgaum
- The Sole Presidency: The 39th session of the Indian National Congress, held in the city of Belgaum (in present-day Karnataka) in 1924, remains a massive historical landmark because it was the one and only time Mahatma Gandhi accepted the presidency of the Congress party. This rare assumption of formal leadership was born out of absolute political necessity to save the organization from splintering.
- Healing the Party Split: Gandhi took the helm primarily to reconcile a dangerous ideological rift that had developed while he was imprisoned. The Congress was sharply divided between the “Swarajists” (led by C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru), who wanted to enter legislative councils to disrupt British governance from within, and the “No-Changers” (led by C. Rajagopalachari and Vallabhbhai Patel), who strictly advocated continuing mass boycotts and constructive work.
- The Belgaum Compromise: Under Gandhi’s unifying leadership at Belgaum, a masterful compromise was reached. The Swarajists were officially permitted to contest the council elections on behalf of the Congress, preventing a formal split. In return, Gandhi heavily pivoted the rest of the party machinery toward his “Constructive Programme,” which intensely focused on spinning Khadi, eradicating untouchability, promoting national education, and fostering Hindu-Muslim unity.
📌 Mass Movements • Swadeshi
Q.6) The Swadeshi Movement, protesting the partition of Bengal, was formally launched at a massive meeting in the Calcutta Town Hall on which date?
Ans > B) August 7, 1905
- The Formal Declaration: On August 7, 1905, a massive and historically unprecedented public gathering was held at the Calcutta Town Hall. During this massive meeting, the famous Boycott Resolution was formally passed, officially marking the launch of the Swadeshi Movement. The movement was a direct, furious reaction to Lord Curzon’s imperial decision to partition the massive Bengal presidency.
- The Strategy of Boycott: The core strategy of the Swadeshi Movement involved the strict economic boycott of British manufactured goods, particularly cheap Manchester textiles and Liverpool salt. Indian nationalists urged the masses to exclusively buy ‘Swadeshi’ (indigenous) products to cripple British economic interests and simultaneously foster self-reliance (Atmashakti) by establishing national banks, textile mills, and indigenous educational institutions.
- Symbols of Resistance: When the partition actually took effect on October 16, 1905, it was observed as a massive day of national mourning (Arandhan) across Bengal. No fires were lit in hearths, massive barefoot processions filled the streets singing Vande Mataram, and at Rabindranath Tagore’s suggestion, Hindus and Muslims tied Rakhis on each other’s wrists as a powerful, undeniable symbol of unbroken Bengali unity against colonial ‘divide and rule’ tactics.
📌 INC History • Extremists vs Moderates
Q.7) The growing ideological rift between the Moderates and the Extremists within the INC culminated in the historic ‘Surat Split’ in which year?
Ans > C) 1907
- The Ideological Clash: The Indian National Congress dramatically split into two fiercely opposing factions during the highly chaotic Surat session of December 1907. The ‘Moderates’, led by stalwarts like Gopal Krishna Gokhale and Pherozeshah Mehta, strictly believed in constitutional agitation and peaceful petitions. Conversely, the ‘Extremists’ (the Garam Dal), led by the famous trio Lal-Bal-Pal (Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal) and Aurobindo Ghosh, demanded militant mass agitation and absolute self-rule.
- The Breaking Point: The core dispute that triggered the split revolved around the scope of the ongoing Swadeshi Movement. While the Extremists aggressively wanted to extend the boycott of British goods beyond Bengal to the rest of India and include boycotts of government schools and law courts, the Moderates wanted to restrict the agitation strictly to Bengal to avoid massive British retaliation.
- The Aftermath of the Split: The Surat session ended in complete physical chaos, with chairs thrown and a shoe infamously hurled at the podium. Following this, the Moderates expelled the Extremists from the Congress. This tragic split severely weakened the Indian national movement for nearly a decade, allowing the British colonial government to heavily repress the isolated Extremist leaders, imprisoning Tilak in Mandalay and driving Aurobindo into spiritual exile.
📌 Political Alliances • INC & League
Q.8) The historic Lucknow Pact, which forged a political alliance between the Indian National Congress and the Muslim League, was signed in which year?
Ans > C) 1916
- A Watershed Political Alliance: The Lucknow Pact of 1916 remains a monumental event in modern Indian history as it forged an unprecedented, unified political alliance between the Indian National Congress and the All-India Muslim League. Held against the backdrop of World War I, this joint session demonstrated to the British that Indians could transcend religious divides to demand common constitutional reforms and self-government.
- The Concessions and Agreements: To secure this massive unity, the Congress made a highly controversial but strategic concession: they officially accepted the Muslim League’s demand for separate electorates for Muslims in provincial legislatures (a system the British had introduced in the 1909 Morley-Minto reforms). In exchange, the Muslim League agreed to join the Congress in demanding absolute self-government (Swaraj) from the British Empire.
- The Architects of Unity: This massive diplomatic achievement was heavily facilitated by the tireless efforts of Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Annie Besant, who also successfully used the 1916 session to finally readmit the Extremist faction back into the Congress after the disastrous 1907 Surat Split. Furthermore, Muhammad Ali Jinnah played such a crucial role in drafting the pact that Sarojini Naidu famously gave him the title “Ambassador of Hindu-Muslim Unity.”
📌 Revolutionary Movements • International
Q.9) The Ghadar Party was an international political movement founded by expatriate Indians to overthrow British rule. Who was its founding president?
Ans > B) Sohan Singh Bhakna
- Formation and Leadership: The Ghadar Party was a highly militant, international political movement officially founded in 1913 in Astoria, Oregon, with its massive headquarters, the ‘Yugantar Ashram’, located in San Francisco, USA. While the brilliant intellectual Lala Hardayal was the chief architect, ideologue, and general secretary of the movement, the veteran Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna served as its highly respected founding President.
- The Ghadar Weekly: The organization’s name means “Revolt” or “Mutiny” in Urdu. They violently opposed British imperialism and spread their revolutionary ideology through their immensely popular weekly newspaper, The Ghadar. Published primarily in Urdu and Gurmukhi, the paper was smuggled into India and heavily circulated among Indian expatriates worldwide, carrying poems of rebellion and explicit instructions for armed uprising.
- The Failed 1915 Mutiny: Capitalizing on the outbreak of World War I, thousands of Ghadarites, including the young martyr Kartar Singh Sarabha, returned to India with the explicit goal of inciting a massive pan-Indian mutiny within the British Indian Army in February 1915. However, British intelligence heavily infiltrated their ranks, leading to the disastrous failure of the plot, massive arrests, and the hanging of dozens of key revolutionaries in the Lahore Conspiracy trials.
📌 Revolutionary Movements • Bengal
Q.10) The daring Chittagong Armoury Raid of 1930, which aimed to seize arms and paralyze British communication lines in Bengal, was masterminded by whom?
Ans > C) Surya Sen
- The Mastermind ‘Master Da’: The incredibly daring Chittagong Armoury Raid was meticulously planned and flawlessly executed by Surya Sen, a humble, soft-spoken school teacher affectionately known as ‘Master Da’. He was a charismatic leader who successfully mobilized a highly disciplined group of young teenagers and students under the banner of the Indian Republican Army (Chittagong Branch) to violently challenge British colonial authority.
- Execution of the Raid: On the night of April 18, 1930, the revolutionaries simultaneously attacked and successfully captured the two main British armouries in Chittagong. They methodically severed the telegraph and telephone communications and derailed railway lines, completely cutting off the city from the rest of Bengal. Surya Sen ceremoniously hoisted the Indian national flag and proclaimed a provisional independent government.
- The Aftermath and Women’s Role: Following the raid, a massive British counter-offensive led to a fierce gun battle in the Jalalabad hills, where several young revolutionaries were martyred. The movement is also highly famous for the unprecedented frontline participation of women revolutionaries, notably Pritilata Waddedar (who led a subsequent attack on the European Club) and Kalpana Datta. Surya Sen eluded capture for three years before being betrayed, brutally tortured, and hanged in 1934.
📌 Revolutionary Acts • HRA
Q.11) The Kakori Train Robbery, executed to fund revolutionary activities by the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA), took place in which year?
Ans > B) 1925
- The Need for Funds: The Hindustan Republican Association (HRA), founded by Sachindra Nath Sanyal and Ram Prasad Bismil, was desperately in need of heavy funding to purchase weapons and print revolutionary literature for an armed uprising against the British. To acquire these funds without extorting ordinary Indians, the leadership decided to target British government property directly.
- The Daring Execution: On August 9, 1925, a heavily armed group of ten HRA revolutionaries halted the 8-Down Saharanpur-Lucknow passenger train near the small village of Kakori in Uttar Pradesh. They overpowered the guards and successfully looted the guard’s cabin containing the British government treasury, escaping before heavy police reinforcements could arrive.
- The Kakori Conspiracy Case: The audacious robbery deeply humiliated the British Empire, triggering a massive, unprecedented manhunt across northern India. Over 40 revolutionaries were arrested and subjected to the highly publicized Kakori Conspiracy Case. The trial concluded with devastating sentences: Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan, Rajendra Lahiri, and Roshan Singh were sentenced to death by hanging, severely crippling the HRA’s leadership in 1927.
📌 Revolutionary Acts • HSRA
Q.12) To avenge the death of Lala Lajpat Rai, the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) assassinated British police officer John P. Saunders in 1928. Who among the following was NOT involved in this assassination?
Ans > D) Batukeshwar Dutt
- The Motive for Revenge: In late 1928, the veteran nationalist leader Lala Lajpat Rai was brutally beaten during a massive lathi charge while peacefully protesting against the all-white Simon Commission in Lahore. He succumbed to his massive injuries shortly after. To avenge this severe national insult, the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) vowed to assassinate the police chief responsible, James A. Scott.
- The Case of Mistaken Identity: On December 17, 1928, a highly coordinated hit squad consisting of Bhagat Singh, Shivaram Rajguru, and Sukhdev Thapar, heavily backed up by the legendary Chandrashekhar Azad, laid an ambush outside the Lahore police headquarters. However, in a critical case of mistaken identity, Rajguru and Bhagat Singh shot and killed Assistant Superintendent of Police John P. Saunders instead of Scott.
- Batukeshwar Dutt’s Role: While Batukeshwar Dutt was a highly prominent and dedicated member of the HSRA, he was absolutely NOT involved in the Saunders assassination plot. His most famous revolutionary act came slightly later, when he partnered with Bhagat Singh to throw smoke bombs into the Central Legislative Assembly in Delhi in 1929, an act for which he was sentenced to life imprisonment in the brutal Cellular Jail in Andaman.
📌 Revolutionary Acts • HSRA
Q.13) In 1929, to protest the draconian Public Safety Bill, two revolutionaries threw a harmless smoke bomb in the Central Legislative Assembly. They were Bhagat Singh and whom?
Ans > C) Batukeshwar Dutt
- The Draconian Legislation: The British colonial government was attempting to forcefully pass two highly repressive laws: the Public Safety Bill and the Trade Dispute Act. These bills were explicitly designed to crush growing communist, labor, and trade union movements across India by allowing the immediate arrest and deportation of suspected labor organizers without proper trial.
- “To Make the Deaf Hear”: On April 8, 1929, Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt entered the visitor’s gallery of the Central Legislative Assembly in Delhi. As the controversial bills were being presented, they hurled two low-intensity, non-lethal smoke bombs onto the empty floor of the assembly. Their intention was never to kill, but to create a massive explosion to literally and symbolically “make the deaf hear.”
- Courting Arrest for the Cause: In a drastic departure from traditional revolutionary tactics of fleeing after an attack, Singh and Dutt stood their ground in the smoke-filled hall, scattering political leaflets and shouting the immortal slogan “Inquilab Zindabad.” They voluntarily courted arrest so they could brilliantly use the subsequent British court trials as a massive public platform to propagate the HSRA’s revolutionary ideology to the entire Indian nation.
📌 Trials & Law • Bengal
Q.14) In the famous Alipore Bomb Conspiracy Case (1908), which prominent nationalist leader was arrested but brilliantly defended and acquitted by C.R. Das?
Ans > A) Aurobindo Ghosh
- The Muzaffarpur Trigger: The Alipore Bomb Case (also known as the Maniktala conspiracy) was directly triggered by the April 1908 Muzaffarpur bombing. Young revolutionaries Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki attempted to assassinate the cruel British Magistrate Douglas Kingsford, but tragically ended up killing two innocent European women instead. This led to massive, immediate police crackdowns across Bengal.
- The Arrest of the Leaders: Following the bombing, British colonial police heavily raided the Maniktala garden house in Calcutta, which served as the secret headquarters for the radical Anushilan Samiti. They discovered a massive cache of explosives and arrested over 30 revolutionaries, including the prominent extremist leader Aurobindo Ghosh and his brother Barindra Kumar Ghosh, charging them with waging war against the King.
- C.R. Das’s Masterful Defense: Aurobindo Ghosh faced an almost certain death sentence until the brilliant young lawyer Chittaranjan Das (C.R. Das) stepped in to defend him pro bono. Through months of grueling trial and masterful cross-examination of British evidence, Das successfully proved Aurobindo’s innocence, resulting in his complete acquittal in 1909. Following this traumatic imprisonment, Aurobindo dramatically abandoned politics and retired to Pondicherry to pursue deep spiritual yoga.
📌 Literature • Ideology
Q.15) The seminal book Hind Swaraj (Indian Home Rule), which heavily critiques modern civilization and outlines the concept of Satyagraha, was written by whom?
Ans > B) Mahatma Gandhi
- The Origins of the Text: Mahatma Gandhi wrote Hind Swaraj (Indian Home Rule) in 1909 during a long, reflective sea voyage from London back to South Africa onboard the ship SS Kildonan Castle. Written furiously in his native Gujarati, it is structured as a Socratic dialogue between the “Reader” (representing the militant Indian youth) and the “Editor” (representing Gandhi’s own views).
- Critique of Modernity: The book serves as Gandhi’s most foundational and radical manifesto. In it, he vehemently critiques Western industrial civilization, going so far as to condemn modern machinery, railways, modern medicine, and Western legal systems. He controversially described the British Parliament as a “sterile woman and a prostitute,” arguing that true freedom meant rejecting the seductive evils of Western materialism.
- Satyagraha and True Swaraj: Hind Swaraj is not just a critique; it outlines the core philosophy that would drive the Indian freedom struggle. Gandhi argued that mere political independence (replacing British rulers with Indian rulers) was meaningless if India retained British institutions. He defined true Swaraj as self-mastery and explicitly articulated ‘Satyagraha’ (soul-force or passive resistance) as the only moral and effective weapon to achieve this freedom, wholly rejecting the brute-force of terrorism. The book was quickly banned by the British in India for being highly seditious.
📌 Literature • Autobiographies
Q.16) India Wins Freedom is a prominent autobiographical account detailing the events surrounding the partition of India. Who is its author?
Ans > B) Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
- A Critical Insider’s Perspective: India Wins Freedom is the highly influential autobiographical narrative of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, one of the most senior Muslim leaders of the Indian National Congress. Because he was the INC President during the most crucial and chaotic years leading up to independence (1940-1946), his account provides an unparalleled, deeply personal inside look into the high-stakes negotiations with the British Cabinet Mission and Lord Mountbatten.
- Opposition to Partition: The book is famous for Azad’s agonizing and steadfast opposition to the partition of the Indian subcontinent. He vehemently rejected Jinnah’s Two-Nation theory, arguing that Islam could not serve as the sole unifying factor for a nation. He expresses profound sorrow over the massive communal bloodshed and the tragic failure of the Congress to keep India united.
- The Controversial Withheld Pages: The autobiography was dictated by Azad to the scholar Humayun Kabir. It generated massive controversy because Azad was remarkably candid in his criticism of his close colleagues, including Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Patel, for eventually capitulating to the idea of partition. So sensitive were his observations that 30 pages of the manuscript were legally sealed and withheld from the public, only to be published in 1988, exactly 30 years after his death.
📌 Literature • Imprisonment
Q.17) The Discovery of India, a sweeping history of the Indian subcontinent, was written by Jawaharlal Nehru while he was imprisoned in which fort during the Quit India Movement?
Ans > C) Ahmednagar Fort
- The Long Incarceration: Following the massive launch of the Quit India Movement in August 1942, the British authorities immediately arrested the entire senior leadership of the Indian National Congress. Jawaharlal Nehru, along with leaders like Sardar Patel and Maulana Azad, was incarcerated in the heavily guarded Ahmednagar Fort prison camp in Maharashtra. Nehru spent nearly three years (1942–1945) in this prison.
- Writing a National Narrative: It was during this extensive period of forced isolation that Nehru authored his literary masterpiece, The Discovery of India. Lacking access to extensive research libraries, he relied heavily on his vast memory, notes, and discussions with fellow imprisoned intellectuals to craft a sweeping, deeply philosophical narrative of India’s history, spanning from the ancient Indus Valley Civilization to the twilight of the British colonial era.
- The Theme of Unity in Diversity: The central thesis of the book was a powerful political statement against the divisive communal politics of the time. Nehru meticulously traced the continuous thread of a composite Indian identity, emphasizing the concept of “Unity in Diversity” (a phrase he popularized). He highlighted how India historically absorbed countless invasions and cultures—from the Aryans to the Mughals—synthesizing them into a massive, unique, and tolerant civilization. The book was later brilliantly adapted into the famous television series Bharat Ek Khoj.
📌 Journalism • Social Reform
Q.18) To propagate his campaign against untouchability and promote the welfare of the depressed classes, Mahatma Gandhi launched which weekly journal in 1933?
Ans > D) Harijan
- The Post-Poona Pact Shift: Following the intense political drama of the 1932 Poona Pact—where Gandhi undertook a fast unto death to prevent the British from granting separate electorates to the depressed classes (which he believed would permanently divide Hindu society)—he fundamentally shifted his focus. He temporarily stepped back from active, confrontational politics against the British to launch a massive, nationwide crusade against the deep-rooted social evil of untouchability.
- The Launch of the Journals: In 1933, to aggressively propagate this social reform campaign, Gandhi launched a weekly English journal named Harijan. He deliberately coined the term “Harijan,” which translates to “Children of God,” to respectfully refer to the Dalit and untouchable communities. To ensure maximum grassroots reach, he also launched Harijan Bandu in Gujarati and Harijan Sevak in Hindi.
- The All-India Tour: The journal served as the intellectual backbone for his massive Harijan tour, during which he traveled an incredible 12,500 miles across the Indian subcontinent over nine months. Through the pages of Harijan, Gandhi relentlessly attacked orthodox caste prejudices, raised funds for the Harijan Sevak Sangh, advocated for the opening of temples and wells to all castes, and heavily promoted village industries as a means of economic emancipation.
📌 Journalism • Nationalism
Q.19) The powerful nationalist newspapers Kesari (in Marathi) and Mahratta (in English) were utilized to awaken the masses by which leader?
Ans > C) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
- Founding the Publications: In 1881, long before he became the undisputed leader of the Extremist faction, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, along with his associates like G.G. Agarkar from the Deccan Education Society, founded two highly influential newspapers in Pune. Kesari (meaning “The Lion”) was published in Marathi to reach the local masses, while Mahratta was published in English to articulate their views to the educated elite and British authorities.
- Awakening Mass Consciousness: Tilak transformed these newspapers into ferocious mouthpieces for radical Indian nationalism. He utilized the pages of Kesari to relentlessly criticize the economic exploitation by British policies, the massive drain of wealth, and the arrogant behavior of colonial bureaucrats. He famously used the papers to promote the public celebration of the Ganapati festival and the Shivaji Maharaj festival, brilliantly using religious and historical pride to build massive political consciousness.
- The Price of Sedition: The British colonial government viewed Tilak’s journalism as incredibly dangerous. In 1897, following the assassination of the tyrannical British Plague Commissioner W.C. Rand by the Chapekar brothers, Tilak was arrested. The British claimed that his fiery articles in Kesari regarding the righteousness of Shivaji killing Afzal Khan had incited the assassination. Tilak was convicted of sedition and sentenced to 18 months of rigorous imprisonment, elevating him to the status of a national hero.
📌 Journalism • Unity
Q.20) The highly influential Urdu weekly Al Hilal, which played a vital role in forging Hindu-Muslim unity and spreading nationalist ideas, was started in 1912 by whom?
Ans > B) Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
- A Journalistic Masterpiece: In 1912, a brilliant 24-year-old scholar named Maulana Abul Kalam Azad launched the Urdu weekly newspaper Al-Hilal (The Crescent) in Calcutta. The publication was revolutionary not just in its politics, but in its presentation. It featured an unprecedented, modern layout, high-quality printing, and the innovative use of photographs, making it immensely popular across the Urdu-reading public in India.
- Challenging the Status Quo: Politically, Al-Hilal was explosive. Azad used its highly eloquent columns to fiercely attack British imperialism. More importantly, he used Islamic theology to argue that the fight for freedom was a religious duty. He systematically challenged the conservative, loyalist politics of the Aligarh movement, vehemently urging Indian Muslims to abandon their reliance on British patronage and to join hands with the Hindu-majority Indian National Congress in the freedom struggle.
- Suppression and Rebirth: The British colonial government quickly recognized the massive threat posed by Al-Hilal’s ability to forge strong Hindu-Muslim unity. Utilizing the draconian Press Act, the government repeatedly demanded massive security deposits and eventually confiscated its printing press, forcing the closure of Al-Hilal in 1914. Undeterred, Azad launched another nationalist weekly, Al-Balagh, the very next year, continuing his fierce anti-colonial crusade until he was exiled from Bengal.
📌 Slogans • Independence
Q.21) “Swaraj is my birthright, and I shall have it!” This iconic slogan, which galvanized the Indian masses, was coined by whom?
Ans > B) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
- The Context of the Declaration: Bal Gangadhar Tilak delivered this immortal statement during a highly charged speech at the formation of the Indian Home Rule League in Belgaum in 1916 (shortly after his release from a grueling six-year political exile in the Mandalay prison in Burma). The exact phrasing—”Swaraj is my birthright, and I shall have it!”—became the ultimate defining war cry of the Indian independence movement.
- A Fundamental Shift in Demands: The slogan was revolutionary because it fundamentally shifted the psychological dynamic of the freedom struggle. Before this, the Moderate leaders of the Congress treated political reforms and self-governance as concessions or gifts to be politely requested from the British Crown. Tilak reframed absolute self-rule (Swaraj) as a natural, undeniable human right that belonged to Indians from birth, demanding it rather than begging for it.
- Galvanizing the Youth: This powerful, uncompromising assertion deeply resonated with the frustrated Indian youth and the rural masses. It helped transform the independence struggle from an elite, intellectual debating club into a massive, aggressive, pan-Indian mass movement. It cemented Tilak’s reputation as the “Father of Indian Unrest” (a title given by British journalist Valentine Chirol) and earned him the eternal title “Lokmanya” (Revered by the People).
📌 Slogans • Quit India
Q.22) The inspiring slogan “Do or Die” (Karo ya Maro) was given to the nation by Mahatma Gandhi on the eve of which historic movement?
Ans > C) Quit India Movement
- The Looming Crisis: In August 1942, India was facing an existential crisis. The British-led Cripps Mission had completely failed to offer any real transfer of power, and the aggressive Japanese army was rapidly advancing through Burma toward the Indian border. Realizing that the British could neither defend India nor grant it freedom willingly, Mahatma Gandhi decided it was time for the final, ultimate push for independence.
- The August Kranti Speech: On the night of August 8, 1942, at the massive Gowalia Tank Maidan (now known as August Kranti Maidan) in Bombay, the All India Congress Committee passed the ‘Quit India’ resolution. Following this, Gandhi delivered an incredibly passionate, uncharacteristically militant speech lasting over two hours. He famously told the masses, “Here is a mantra, a short one, that I give you… The mantra is: ‘Do or Die’.”
- The Shift from Passive to Absolute: The “Do or Die” slogan marked a massive rhetorical shift for Gandhi. It explicitly meant that Indians should dedicate everything to freeing India or die in the attempt, refusing to live to see the country remain in perpetual slavery. Anticipating mass arrests (which happened the very next morning during ‘Operation Zero Hour’), the slogan empowered every single Indian to act as their own leader, sparking widespread, leaderless uprisings, sabotage, and underground resistance across the country.
📌 Slogans • INA
Q.23) Which prominent nationalist leader famously rallied the Indian National Army (INA) with the slogan, “Give me blood, and I will give you freedom”?
Ans > C) Subhas Chandra Bose
- The Leader in Exile: Following his dramatic escape from British house arrest in Calcutta in 1941, Subhas Chandra Bose (Netaji) traveled through Afghanistan and Russia to reach Germany, and eventually arrived in Japan via submarine. In Southeast Asia, he took over the leadership of the Indian Independence League and completely reorganized the Azad Hind Fauj (Indian National Army) from the ranks of Indian prisoners of war captured by the Japanese.
- The Ultimate Call for Sacrifice: Bose delivered this incredibly powerful and fiery slogan during a massive rally of Indians in Burma on July 4, 1944. As the INA prepared for its crucial military campaign to march into India through the dense jungles of Imphal and Kohima, Bose demanded absolute commitment. He told the massive crowd of soldiers and expatriates that freedom could not be won through peaceful protests alone; it required the ultimate sacrifice of life.
- The Legacy of Armed Struggle: The slogan “Tum Mujhe Khoon Do, Main Tumhe Azadi Doonga” remains one of the most iconic, blood-stirring quotes in Indian history. It perfectly encapsulated Bose’s fundamental ideological departure from Gandhi’s strict non-violence. It galvanized thousands of civilians in Southeast Asia to heavily donate their wealth, and young men and women (forming the all-female Rani of Jhansi regiment) to enlist and fight a brutal war against the heavily entrenched British Empire.
📌 Slogans • Revolution
Q.24) The powerful slogan “Inquilab Zindabad” (Long Live the Revolution) was popularized by Bhagat Singh, but who originally coined it in 1921?
Ans > B) Hasrat Mohani
- The True Origin: While universally associated with the militant youth of the freedom struggle, the slogan “Inquilab Zindabad” was actually coined in 1921 by Maulana Hasrat Mohani. Mohani was a brilliant Urdu poet, a fierce journalist, and a highly radical leader within the Indian National Congress. He was notably the very first person to demand ‘Complete Independence’ (Purna Swaraj) at the 1921 Ahmedabad session of the Congress, years before the party officially adopted it.
- Translation and Adoption: The Urdu phrase translates directly to “Long Live the Revolution.” It was heavily adopted by socialist and communist groups, and most famously became the official battle cry of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA). It perfectly captured their desire not just for political independence from the British, but for a complete socio-economic revolution to end the exploitation of peasants and workers in India.
- Immortalized in the Assembly: The slogan was permanently etched into the Indian national consciousness on April 8, 1929. Immediately after throwing non-lethal smoke bombs into the Central Legislative Assembly in Delhi, Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt repeatedly shouted “Inquilab Zindabad” at the top of their lungs as they voluntarily allowed the British police to arrest them. From that moment on, it became the universal chant for every protest, strike, and march against colonial rule.
📌 Slogans • INA
Q.25) The rallying cry “Delhi Chalo” (March to Delhi) was famously used by which leader to motivate his forces during World War II?
Ans > C) Subhas Chandra Bose
- The Military Objective: Subhas Chandra Bose famously used the rallying cry “Delhi Chalo” (March to Delhi) to motivate the soldiers of the Indian National Army (INA) stationed in Singapore and Burma in 1943. It was not just a political slogan; it was the literal, explicit military objective of the Provisional Government of Free India (Azad Hind) to launch an armed invasion of British India from the eastern front.
- The Psychological Symbolism of the Red Fort: The choice of Delhi was deeply symbolic. Bose declared that the ultimate goal of the INA’s march was to reach the historic Red Fort in Delhi, tear down the British Union Jack, and hoist the Indian tricolor. The Red Fort was historically the seat of the Mughal Empire and the symbolic center of power during the massive 1857 Sepoy Mutiny against the East India Company, making it the ultimate prize for Indian revolutionaries.
- The Tragic Irony: Despite incredible bravery, the INA’s military campaign failed due to the onset of the brutal monsoon, cut supply lines, and the overall defeat of their Japanese allies in World War II. However, the slogan “Delhi Chalo” proved incredibly prophetic in a tragic way. In 1945, when the British captured the INA officers (Sahgal, Dhillon, and Shah Nawaz), they chose to hold the highly publicized, massive treason trials at the very same Red Fort in Delhi. This trial sparked massive mutinies across the Royal Indian Navy, effectively hammering the final nail into the coffin of the British Empire.
📌 Acts & Laws • Repression
Q.26) The draconian Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act, which allowed the British to arrest individuals without warrant and hold them without trial, was popularly known as what?
Ans > B) Rowlatt Act
- The Legislative Context: Officially named the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act of 1919, this highly draconian legislation was passed by the Imperial Legislative Council in Delhi. It was based entirely on the recommendations of the Sedition Committee, which was chaired by the British judge Sir Sidney Rowlatt. The Act was intended to permanently extend the massive emergency powers of preventive detention that the British had utilized during World War I to suppress revolutionary activities (like the Ghadar conspiracy).
- Draconian Provisions: The Rowlatt Act was terrifyingly oppressive. It effectively suspended the fundamental right of habeas corpus. It empowered the colonial police to arrest any Indian suspected of treason without a warrant, keep them in indefinite solitary confinement for up to two years without trial, and strictly forbade the press from reporting on the arrests. It also allowed trials to be conducted in secret by special tribunals without the right to appeal.
- The National Outrage: The Act sparked an unprecedented wave of massive national outrage across India. It was famously summarized by the bleak, terrifying phrase: “No Dalil, No Vakil, No Appeal” (No argument, No lawyer, No appeal). In response, Mahatma Gandhi organized his very first nationwide mass movement, the Rowlatt Satyagraha, calling for nationwide strikes (hartals). The massive public protests against this very Act directly led to the catastrophic events at Jallianwala Bagh.
📌 Major Events • Tragedies
Q.27) The tragic Jallianwala Bagh massacre, which deeply scarred the Indian psyche and shifted the course of the freedom struggle, took place on which date?
Ans > B) April 13, 1919
- The Gathering at Amritsar: On April 13, 1919, which coincided with the major Sikh harvest festival of Baisakhi, a massive crowd of 15,000 to 20,000 unarmed men, women, and children gathered at the Jallianwala Bagh enclosure in Amritsar, Punjab. While some were there to peacefully protest the arrest of highly popular local nationalist leaders Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew and Dr. Satyapal under the draconian Rowlatt Act, a vast majority were simple villagers completely unaware that martial law prohibiting public gatherings had been declared.
- The Brutal Massacre: Without any prior warning to disperse, Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer marched heavily armed Gurkha and Baloch troops into the enclosed ground. He deliberately blocked the only narrow exit and ordered his soldiers to open fire directly into the densest parts of the terrified, trapped crowd. The soldiers fired exactly 1,650 rounds of ammunition continuously for ten minutes, stopping only when they literally ran out of bullets. Hundreds were slaughtered, and thousands were horribly wounded.
- The Aftermath and Alienation: The Jallianwala Bagh massacre was a massive turning point in modern Indian history. It completely shattered any remaining illusions of British justice or benevolence. The subsequent Hunter Commission investigation was widely seen as a massive colonial whitewash. In profound disgust, Rabindranath Tagore renounced his prestigious British knighthood. The sheer brutality of the event permanently alienated the Indian populace and set the stage for Gandhi’s massive Non-Cooperation Movement the following year.
📌 Major Movements • NCM
Q.28) The violent incident at Chauri Chaura, which led Mahatma Gandhi to abruptly call off the Non-Cooperation Movement, occurred in which month and year?
Ans > C) February 1922
- The Peak of the Movement: By early 1922, Mahatma Gandhi’s massive Non-Cooperation Movement, run jointly with the Khilafat Movement, had reached an unprecedented peak. Millions of Indians had boycotted British courts, schools, and foreign goods. The British colonial government was deeply shaken by this massive, unified display of Hindu-Muslim resistance, and the country seemed on the absolute brink of achieving Swaraj.
- The Eruption of Violence: On February 4, 1922, in the small market town of Chauri Chaura in the Gorakhpur district of the United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh), a large group of Congress volunteers protesting against high food prices and liquor sales were heavily beaten by the local police. In fierce retaliation, the massive, enraged mob chased the vastly outnumbered policemen back into their station, locked the doors from the outside, and set the entire building on fire. 22 policemen and 3 civilians were burned alive.
- The Abrupt Suspension: The horrific violence deeply shocked Gandhi. Because he believed strictly in absolute non-violence (Ahimsa) and felt the Indian masses were not yet morally prepared for a true Satyagraha, he unilaterally and abruptly called off the entire Non-Cooperation Movement. This sudden halt deeply frustrated, shocked, and angered the younger radical leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose, and C.R. Das, who felt it was a massive strategic blunder to stop the movement when it was at its absolute peak.
📌 Major Movements • CDM
Q.29) Mahatma Gandhi launched the Civil Disobedience Movement by beginning his historic Dandi March to break the salt law. On what exact date did the march commence?
Ans > B) March 12, 1930
- The Call for Purna Swaraj: Following the historic 1929 Lahore Session of the Congress which officially declared ‘Purna Swaraj’ (Complete Independence) as the absolute goal, Gandhi was tasked with launching a massive civil disobedience campaign. Gandhi issued an 11-point ultimatum to Viceroy Lord Irwin. When the demands were predictably ignored, Gandhi chose to heavily target the highly regressive British Salt Tax—a tax that affected every single Indian, particularly the poorest of the poor, making it a brilliant, universally unifying symbol of colonial exploitation.
- The 240-Mile Journey: On March 12, 1930, Gandhi, aged 61, along with 78 carefully chosen, highly disciplined ashram followers, commenced the epic Salt March. They walked from the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad toward the small coastal village of Dandi on the Arabian Sea, a grueling journey of 240 miles (385 km). The march took exactly 24 days, with massive crowds gathering at every village stop to hear Gandhi preach against untouchability and urge the boycott of foreign cloth.
- Breaking the Monopoly: On the morning of April 6, 1930, Gandhi waded into the sea at Dandi and illegally picked up a small lump of natural salt from the mudflats. This simple, highly symbolic act technically broke the draconian British salt monopoly laws and officially ignited the massive nationwide Civil Disobedience Movement. Across India, millions responded by illegally manufacturing salt, boycotting British goods, refusing to pay land revenues, and heavily violating unjust forest laws, leading to the arrest of over 60,000 Indians.
📌 Major Movements • Quit India
Q.30) Following the failure of the Cripps Mission, the historic “Quit India” resolution was passed by the All India Congress Committee on which date?
Ans > A) August 8, 1942
- The Frustration with the British: By mid-1942, Indian political frustration was at an absolute boiling point. The British government had unilaterally dragged India into World War II without consulting its leaders. The subsequent Cripps Mission, sent to secure Indian cooperation, completely failed because it only offered vague promises of future dominion status rather than immediate independence. With Japanese forces rapidly advancing toward India’s eastern borders, the Congress realized the British could no longer defend the country.
- Passing the Historic Resolution: On August 8, 1942, the All India Congress Committee met in Bombay and formally ratified the ‘Quit India’ resolution (drafted heavily by Jawaharlal Nehru). The resolution explicitly demanded an immediate, complete end to British rule in India. That evening, Gandhi delivered his famous “Do or Die” speech, calling for a massive, non-violent mass struggle on the widest possible scale.
- The Underground Resistance: The British response was swift and exceptionally brutal. In the early hours of August 9 (‘Operation Zero Hour’), the entire senior leadership of the Congress, including Gandhi, Nehru, Patel, and Azad, were arrested and imprisoned without trial. With the leaders jailed, the movement became entirely leaderless and spontaneous. Young socialist leaders like Aruna Asaf Ali, Jayaprakash Narayan, and Ram Manohar Lohia took over, leading massive underground sabotage operations. In several regions, like Ballia, Satara, and Tamluk, the British administration was completely overthrown, and parallel independent governments (Prati Sarkars) were established.
📌 Quick Summary — Modern History Set 98
- INC Leadership: Maulana Abul Kalam Azad became the youngest INC President at the 1923 Delhi session.
- National Anthem: “Jana Gana Mana” was first publicly sung at the 1911 Calcutta session.
- National Song: “Vande Mataram” was first recited politically at the 1896 Calcutta session.
- European President: George Yule was the first European INC President (1888, Allahabad).
- Gandhi’s Presidency: Gandhi presided over the INC only once at the 1924 Belgaum session.
- Swadeshi Movement: Formally launched on August 7, 1905, protesting the Bengal partition.
- Surat Split: The INC divided into Moderates and Extremists in 1907.
- Lucknow Pact: The political alliance between the INC and Muslim League was signed in 1916.
- Ghadar Party: Founded in the USA with Sohan Singh Bhakna as the founding president.
- Armoury Raid: The 1930 Chittagong Armoury Raid was masterminded by Surya Sen.
- Kakori Robbery: The HRA executed the Kakori Train Robbery in 1925.
- Saunders Assassination: Batukeshwar Dutt was NOT involved in the 1928 assassination (Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev were).
- Assembly Bombing: Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt threw smoke bombs in the Central Assembly in 1929.
- Alipore Case: C.R. Das successfully defended Aurobindo Ghosh in 1908.
- Hind Swaraj: Mahatma Gandhi wrote this seminal book critiquing modern civilization.
- India Wins Freedom: An autobiographical account by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.
- Discovery of India: Written by Nehru during his imprisonment in Ahmednagar Fort.
- Harijan: A weekly journal launched by Gandhi in 1933 against untouchability.
- Kesari & Mahratta: Nationalist newspapers utilized by Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
- Al Hilal: An influential Urdu weekly started by Maulana Azad in 1912.
- Swaraj Birthright: Iconic slogan coined by Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
- Do or Die: Slogan given by Gandhi on the eve of the 1942 Quit India Movement.
- Give Me Blood: Famous rallying cry by Subhas Chandra Bose to the INA.
- Inquilab Zindabad: Originally coined by Hasrat Mohani in 1921.
- Delhi Chalo: Another powerful INA slogan popularized by Subhas Chandra Bose.
- Rowlatt Act: The draconian 1919 act allowing arrest without warrant.
- Jallianwala Bagh: The tragic massacre occurred on April 13, 1919.
- Chauri Chaura: The February 1922 violent incident that halted the Non-Cooperation Movement.
- Dandi March: Commenced on March 12, 1930, marking the start of Civil Disobedience.
- Quit India Resolution: Formally passed by the AICC on August 8, 1942.
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