UPSC GS-I: Gandhi's Early Movements

Questions and Answers

They needed to petition the local government.

They must have lost half of their produce.

Their produce must be less than a quarter of the normal output. (correct)

They could only apply if they were registered voters.

He led the farmers in peaceful protests against tax collection. (correct)

He negotiated directly with the government for more concessions.

He remained neutral during the farmers' struggles.

He organized armed resistance against the authorities.

Encouraging violence to assert workers' rights.

Forming alliances with other mill owners.

Political lobbying for wage decisions.

Satyagraha and hunger strike. (correct)

Workers received a 35% wage hike. Signup and view all the answers

Farmers, artisans, and lower castes. Signup and view all the answers

To investigate the conditions of the farmers Signup and view all the answers

Tinkathia system Signup and view all the answers

By abolishing the tinkathia system Signup and view all the answers

Mahatma Signup and view all the answers

They were compensated for their losses. Signup and view all the answers

He introduced his method of non-violent protest Signup and view all the answers

1918 Signup and view all the answers

Failed crops due to drought Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

M K Gandhi returned to India in 1915 after 20 years in South Africa, where he led peaceful agitations against discrimination.
He developed the concept of Satyagraha in South Africa, which he first applied in India at Champaran in Bihar.

Marked Gandhi's first civil disobedience movement in the Indian freedom struggle.
Initiated by Rajkumar Shukla, an indigo cultivator, requesting Gandhi's help regarding farmer conditions.
Farmers were burdened with heavy taxes and forced to grow indigo under the exploitative tinkathia system.
Gandhi's entry to Champaran was initially denied by British authorities, but he refused to leave.
Significant local support emerged for Gandhi, with around 2000 locals accompanying him when he appeared in court.
The case against Gandhi was dropped, allowing him to conduct an inquiry.
Peaceful protests led to the abolition of the tinkathia system and compensation for the farmers.
This struggle showcased Gandhi's first application of Satyagraha and earned him titles ‘Bapu’ and ‘Mahatma’ from the public.

Kheda district faced crop failures due to droughts, impacting farmers' livelihoods.
Law entitled farmers to land revenue remission if produce was below a quarter of normal output, but the government denied any concessions.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel led the peaceful protest against tax collection under Gandhi's guidance.
The movement drew support from various castes and ethnic groups, showcasing a unified front.
Despite opposition, including arrests and property confiscation, protesters remained non-violent.
Authorities ultimately conceded to the farmers’ demands, granting necessary concessions.

Gandhi employed Satyagraha and hunger strikes in an industrial dispute between mill owners and workers.
The mill owners intended to withdraw a plague bonus, while workers demanded a 35% wage increase.
Gandhi's peaceful leadership included a hunger strike, demonstrating solidarity with the workers.
The strike ended successfully, with workers receiving the wage hike they demanded.

Gandhi's early movements involved mass participation from farmers, artisans, and lower castes.
This approach represented a significant shift from earlier movements, which primarily engaged upper and middle classes.