National Movement — PPSC previous year questions

'Poverty and Un-British Rule in India' (1901) was written by Dadabhai Naoroji, the 'Grand Old Man of India', and set out his Drain Theory that Britain was draining India's wealth. R. C. Dutt wrote 'The Economic History of India' and R. P. Dutt wrote 'India Today'.

Annie Besant presided over the Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress in 1917, becoming its first woman president. Sarojini Naidu was the first Indian woman president (Kanpur, 1925) and Nellie Sengupta presided at Calcutta in 1933. Kadambini Ganguly was the first woman to address a Congress session (1890) but never presided.

In the Meerut Conspiracy Case (1929–33) the government tried 31 communist and trade-union organisers, among them S.A. Dange, Muzaffar Ahmad, Shaukat Usmani and the Englishmen Philip Spratt, Ben Bradley and Lester Hutchinson. The aim was to cripple the communist-led trade-union movement, so the case is associated with the Trade Union Act and the trade unions registered under it. It had nothing to do with bonded labour.

Bhagat Singh was tried and hanged in the Lahore Conspiracy Case (1931) for the killing of Saunders (4). Captain Lakshmi Sehgal commanded the Rani of Jhansi Regiment of Subhas Bose's Indian National Army (3). Ram Prasad Bismil led the Kakori train robbery of 1925 and was hanged in the Kakori Conspiracy Case (2). Surya Sen ('Masterda') led the Chittagong Armoury Raid of 1930 (1).

The Dandi March (12 March – 6 April 1930), in which Gandhi walked from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi to break the salt law, launched the Civil Disobedience Movement. The Non-cooperation Movement began in 1920, Champaran Satyagraha was in 1917 and the Quit India Movement was launched in August 1942.

The Mountbatten Plan of 3 June 1947 laid down that power would pass to the Indians. It also laid down that the country would be partitioned into India and Pakistan. It was enacted as the Indian Independence Act 1947. The Cabinet Mission (1946) had rejected partition and proposed a grouping scheme. The Cripps Mission (1942) offered Dominion status after the war. The Simon Commission (1927) reviewed the 1919 reforms.

It is incorrect to say that M.A. Jinnah did not support the Rowlatt Satyagraha. Jinnah strongly opposed the Rowlatt Act. He resigned from the Imperial Legislative Council in protest in March 1919. The other statements are true. Gandhi formed a Satyagraha Sabha to organise the campaign. The all-India hartal was observed on 6 April 1919, after a false start on 30 March in Delhi. The movement also showed notable Hindu–Muslim unity, as at the Ram Navami celebrations in Amritsar.

Dadabhai Naoroji gave the drain theory in 'Poverty and Un-British Rule in India' (1901). He argued Britain was draining India's wealth. It happened through home charges, salaries and pensions of British officials, and unrequited exports. R.C. Dutt's 'Economic History of India' made the same point. Naoroji, the 'Grand Old Man of India', was also the first Indian elected to the British House of Commons (1892).

Sir Cyril Radcliffe, a British barrister, drew the India–Pakistan boundary. He chaired the two Boundary Commissions for Punjab and Bengal. The 'Radcliffe Line' was announced on 17 August 1947, two days after independence. Mountbatten was the Viceroy who announced the Partition plan on 3 June 1947. Cripps led the 1942 mission. Lawrence is unrelated to the Partition.

The Rowlatt Act (Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act, March 1919) allowed detention without trial. During the hartal against it, Dr Satyapal and Dr Saifuddin Kitchlew were arrested in Amritsar. A crowd gathered in protest on Baisakhi, 13 April 1919. General Dyer fired on it at Jallianwala Bagh. The Arms Act (1878) and the Vernacular Press Act (1878) belong to Lytton's time, and the Public Safety Act to 1929.