Test: Social & Cultural Awakening, Lower Caste, Trade Union & Peasants Movements - 2 - UPSC MCQ

Only statement II is correct.

The Native Marriage Act of 1872 was passed by the British Indian government under Governor-General Lord Mayo, not Lord Lytton as mentioned in statement I.

The act did not legalise Brahmo marriages as mentioned in statement II. Brahmo Samaj, a reformist movement, had already begun performing civil marriages in the 1860s, before the act was passed.

The act was not popularly known as the Civil Marriage Act as mentioned in statement III. It was commonly called the Native Marriage Act or the Child Marriage Restraint Act.

However, statement IV is partially correct. The act did fix the age of consent for marriage at 12 years for girls and 14 years for boys, but it did not fix the marriageable age at 18 and 20 as mentioned in the statement. These age limits were introduced in the Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929.

Therefore, only statement II is correct.

Ram Mohan Roy passed away due to meningitis in Stapleton, Bristol, United Kingdom on 27 September 1833.
Born on May 22, 1772 in a Bengali-Brahmin family, social reformer Raja Ram Mohan Roy is known as the 'Maker of Modern India' and 'Father of Indian Renaissance'. He campaigned for abolition of the practice of Sati and caste system, and demanded property rights for women.

 It will surely not be in a hyperbole to regard Raja Rammohan Roy as one of the most outstanding personalities of the 19th century, as a pioneer of modernity, and a visionary of Liberal Democracy not just of Bengal or India but of the whole world. He is universally acknowledged as the prime crusader against the infamous practice of Sati, and pioneer of the progressive Atmiya Sabha, but he also inadvertently preached constructive capitalistic activism.

Correct option is D. All of the above

Rammohan Roy carried on a persistent struggle against the religious and social evils which were widely prevalent among the Hindusin Bengal. In particular he vigorously opposed the worship of idols, the rigidity of caste and the prevalence of meaningless religious rituals. He condemned the priestly class for encouraging these practices. He held  that all the principal ancient texts of the Hindus preached monotheism or worship of one God. He published the Bengali translation of the vedas and five of the principal Upanishads.

The correct option is B.
From 1820 to 1823 to 1823 Rammohun was engaged in a controversy with Christian Missionaries on the fundamentals of Christianity. This controversy started with the publication of his book − the precepts of Jesus, the Guide to peace and happiness, in which he tried to separate the moral teachings of Jesus from the historical and miraculous accounts given in the gospels. Rammohun’s religious view and writings influenced the younger generation of his time.
Rammohun’s stand for opposition to Hindu idolatry and polytheism were that the authentic version of the Hindu religion available in the Vedas was not followed in the current polytheistic and idolatrous practices, that the current practices (Child-sacrifice, Sati, Hook Swinging etc) were based on bad understanding of the true purport of the Vedas, that the current practices indicate a decline of true scholarship of the scriptures
 

Rammohan Roy, a prominent social reformer in India during the early 19th century, fought for various social, educational, and political reforms, including the upliftment of women's status in society. He demanded several changes to improve the condition of women in India, which are as follows:

1. The abolition of polygamy: Rammohan Roy believed that the practice of a man having multiple wives was unjust to women and contributed to their subjugation in society. He advocated for the abolition of polygamy so that women would have equal status in a marriage.

2. The encouragement of widow remarriage: In the Indian society of that time, widows were often treated as outcasts and were not allowed to remarry. Rammohan Roy saw this as a significant social injustice and worked to promote widow remarriage to provide these women with a chance at a better life.

3. Women be given the right of inheritance and property: Rammohan Roy felt that women should have the same legal rights as men, including the right to inherit and own property. This would provide women with financial independence and security, thereby improving their social standing.

In summary, Rammohan Roy demanded all of the above changes to raise the status of women in society. He believed that by addressing these key issues, women would be able to enjoy a greater degree of equality and freedom.

The correct option is B.
David Hare (1775–1842) was a Scottish watchmaker and philanthropist in Bengal, India (see East India Company and their rule in India). He founded many important and prestigious educational institutions in Calcutta (now Kolkata), such as the Hindu School, and Hare School and helped in founding Presidency College.

The correct option is Option C.
Rammohan Roy and Dwarkanath Tagore were allies in social reform, early Indian journalism and much else in colonial Calcutta, but after both died in England in the 19th century, their lives are remembered differently: one is celebrated, while the other lies in a crumbling grave, neglected.
Roy (1772-1833) died in Bristol, while Tagore (1794-1846) passed away on a stormy August day in London.