With reference to Dadabhai Naoro ji,consider the following statements:...
- Dadabhai Naoroji, reverentially remembered as the Grand Old Man of India, was an Indian political leader and was associated with the Indian National Congress since from its inception.
- Soon after graduation in 1845, he became the first Indian to be appointed Professor at Elphinstone. In 1867 he founded the East India Association in London, one of the predecessor organisations of the Indian National Congress with the aim of putting across the Indian point of view before the British public. In 1875 he was elected a Member of the Municipal Corporation, Bombay. In 1876 he resigned and left for London. He was appointed as Justice of the Peace in 1883, started a newspaper called 'Voice of India' and was elected to the Bombay Municipal Corporation for the second time. In 1885 he joined the Bombay Legislative Council. He also founded Dnyan Prakas Mandali and found Girls High school at Bombay.
- In 1885, when the Bombay Presidency Association came into being, he was elected as one of its Vice - Presidents. At the end of the same year, he took a leading part in the founding of the Indian National Congress and became its President thrice in 1886, 1893 and 1906.
- He was a firm believer in Parliamentary democracy. He is known in the history of Indian economic thought for his pioneering work in assessing India's national income. He was the first Asian to be a British MP in 1892. He stood several times for election to the House of Commons, facing considerable racism each time, finally being selected in 1892. During his time in the House of Commons Naoroji devoted his time towards improving the situation in India and campaigned for Indian independence. He was assisted in duties as an MP by Muhammed Ali Jinnah, the future Muslim nationalist and founder of Pakistan. Hence statement 2 is correct.
- Dadabhai Naoroji was conscious of the numerous benefits like modern education that the Indians derived from the British rule in India. He pledged "loyalty to the backbone" to the British crown and "the permanent continuance" of the British rule in India (Calcutta session, 1886). Hence statement 1 is correct.
- In his many writings and speeches and especially in Poverty and Un-British Rule in India (1901), Naoroji argued that India was too highly taxed and that its wealth was being drained away to England. He was a founding member of the London Indian Society which was superseded by East India Association, and became vocal in promoting Indian rights in regard to the ICS and trade.
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With reference to Dadabhai Naoro ji,consider the following statements:...
Introduction:
Dadabhai Naoroji was an Indian political and social leader, known as the "Grand Old Man of India." He played a crucial role in the Indian national movement and was one of the early leaders who advocated for self-rule and economic independence for India. Let us analyze the given statements to determine their accuracy.
Statement 1: He pledged loyalty to British crown and desired the continuance of British rule in India.
This statement is true. Dadabhai Naoroji believed in the idea of "drain of wealth" from India to Britain, where India's resources were being exploited for the benefit of the British Empire. However, he did not advocate for immediate independence or complete elimination of British rule. Instead, he sought to educate the British about the economic exploitation and social issues faced by India, with the aim of achieving self-rule in the long run. Naoroji's loyalty to the British crown was based on his belief that the British government could be persuaded to undertake reforms that would benefit India.
Statement 2: He was the first Indian to be elected to the UK House of Commons.
This statement is true. Dadabhai Naoroji was indeed the first Indian to be elected to the UK House of Commons. In 1892, he won the seat from the Finsbury Central constituency in London as a Liberal Party candidate. His election to the House of Commons was significant as it gave him a platform to raise the issues of India's poverty, economic exploitation, and the need for self-governance. Naoroji's presence in the British Parliament helped bring international attention to the plight of India under British rule.
Conclusion:
Both the given statements are true. Dadabhai Naoroji's loyalty to the British crown was based on his belief that British rule could be reformed to benefit India. He desired the continuance of British rule in India while advocating for self-rule and economic independence. Additionally, Naoroji's election to the UK House of Commons made him the first Indian to hold such a position, allowing him to raise India's issues on an international platform.