Indigo Worksheet - Class 12 English PDF Download

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Q1: Raj Kumar Shukla, a ________, sought Gandhi's help to protest against the injustice of the landlord system in Champaran.
Ans: tenant farmer
Raj Kumar Shukla, a tenant farmer, sought Gandhi's help to protest against the injustice of the landlord system in Champaran, drawing attention to the severe exploitation of agricultural workers.

Q2: Gandhi and Shukla reached ______ to meet Dr. Rajendra Prasad, but he was out of town.
Ans: Patna
Gandhi and Shukla reached Patna to meet Dr Rajendra Prasad, but he was out of town, which briefly delayed their plans to secure local support.

Q3: To gather detailed information about Champaran sharecroppers, Gandhi decided to go to ______ first.
Ans: Motihari
To gather detailed information about Champaran sharecroppers, Gandhi decided to go to Motihari first, so that he could obtain firsthand evidence of the peasants' conditions.

Q4: The landlords in Champaran compelled tenants to plant ______ of their land with indigo and surrender the entire harvest as rent.
Ans: three-fourths
The landlords in Champaran compelled tenants to plant three-fourths of their land with indigo and surrender the entire harvest as rent, illustrating the extreme degree of exploitation imposed on the peasants.

Q5: Germany's development of ______ freed Indian farmers from the 15% indigo arrangement.
Ans: synthetic indigo
Germany's development of synthetic indigo freed Indian farmers from the 15% indigo arrangement by undermining the market for natural indigo and changing the economics of cultivation.

Q6: Gandhi visited the secretary of the British landlord association in Champaran but was denied information because he was considered an ______.
Ans: outsider
Gandhi visited the secretary of the British landlord association in Champaran but was denied information because he was considered an outsider, reflecting the local authorities' reluctance to share details with an independent investigator.

Q7: Gandhi disobeyed orders to leave Trihut and proceeded to ______, the capital of Champaran.
Ans: Bettiah
Gandhi disobeyed orders to leave Trihut and proceeded to Bettiah, showing his determination to continue the investigation despite official opposition.

Q8: Gandhi agreed to a ______ refund by the landowners, symbolizing the surrender of their prestige.
Ans: token
Gandhi agreed to a token refund by the landowners, which symbolised the surrender of their prestige and represented a moral victory for the peasants.

Q9: Gandhi emphasized counseling to give peasants enough ______ to fight their fear during the struggle.
Ans: confidence
Gandhi emphasised counselling to give peasants enough confidence to overcome fear and participate actively in the struggle for their rights.

Q10: Apart from justice, Gandhi also worked towards social, economic reforms and taught the lesson of ______ to the peasants.
Ans: self-reliance
Apart from justice, Gandhi also worked towards social and economic reforms and taught the lesson of self-reliance to the peasants, encouraging sustainable livelihood and local development.

Assertion and Reason-Based

Q1: Assertion: Gandhi visited Muzzafarpur to gather information about Champaran sharecroppers.
Reason: He wanted to understand the plight of the peasants before taking any vital steps.
(a) Both Assertion and Reason are true, and Reason is the correct explanation of the Assertion.
(b) Both Assertion and Reason are true, but Reason is not the correct explanation of the Assertion.
(c) Assertion is true, but Reason is false.
(d) Assertion is false, but Reason is true.
Ans: (a)
Explanation:
(i) Assertion: Gandhi visited Muzzafarpur to collect information about Champaran sharecroppers and their conditions.
(ii) Reason: He wanted to understand the peasants' plight accurately before taking any decisive action.
(iii) Justification: Gandhi's visit was a fact-finding mission to obtain firsthand evidence, so the reason correctly explains the assertion.

Q2: Assertion: The British landlords freed Indian farmers from the 15% indigo arrangement after Germany developed synthetic indigo.
Reason: The British landlords no longer needed the indigo crop due to the availability of synthetic indigo.
(a) Both Assertion and Reason are true, and Reason is the correct explanation of the Assertion.
(b) Both Assertion and Reason are true, but Reason is not the correct explanation of the Assertion.
(c) Assertion is true, but Reason is false.
(d) Assertion is false, but Reason is true.
Ans: (a)
Explanation:
(i) Assertion: British landlords did release farmers from the strict 15% indigo obligation after the market changed.
(ii) Reason: The emergence of synthetic indigo reduced the commercial need for natural indigo, making the compulsory crop arrangement redundant.
(iii) Justification: The reason correctly explains the assertion because the market shift prompted landlords to alter the enforced crop policy.

Q3: Assertion: Gandhi chided Muzzafarpur lawyers for taking high fees from poor sharecroppers.
Reason: Gandhi believed that high legal fees were burdensome for poor peasants.
(a) Both Assertion and Reason are true, and Reason is the correct explanation of the Assertion.
(b) Both Assertion and Reason are true, but Reason is not the correct explanation of the Assertion.
(c) Assertion is true, but Reason is false.
(d) Assertion is false, but Reason is true.
Ans: (a)
Explanation:
(i) Assertion: Gandhi did reprimand Muzzafarpur lawyers for charging high fees from poor sharecroppers.
(ii) Reason: Gandhi considered heavy legal costs a further burden on already impoverished peasants and preferred counselling and support.
(iii) Justification: The reason explains the assertion because Gandhi's objection was based on protecting peasants from additional financial strain.

Q4: Assertion: Gandhi's visit to Champaran resulted in spontaneous demonstrations and widespread support from peasants.
Reason: The peasants were inspired by Gandhi's courage and determination to fight against injustice.
(a) Both Assertion and Reason are true, and Reason is the correct explanation of the Assertion.
(b) Both Assertion and Reason are true, but Reason is not the correct explanation of the Assertion.
(c) Assertion is true, but Reason is false.
(d) Assertion is false, but Reason is true.
Ans: (a)
Explanation:
(i) Assertion: Gandhi's presence in Champaran did spark spontaneous demonstrations and broad peasant support.
(ii) Reason: The peasants were motivated by Gandhi's courage, nonviolent stance and readiness to confront injustice.
(iii) Justification: The reason correctly explains the assertion because Gandhi's leadership mobilised and inspired the peasants to act.

Q5: Assertion: Gandhi's agreement to a 25% refund by the landowners symbolized the surrender of their prestige.
Reason: The landowners realized the strength of the peasants' movement and had to compromise.
(a) Both Assertion and Reason are true, and Reason is the correct explanation of the Assertion.
(b) Both Assertion and Reason are true, but Reason is not the correct explanation of the Assertion.
(c) Assertion is true, but Reason is false.
(d) Assertion is false, but Reason is true.
Ans: (a)
Explanation:
(i) Assertion: Gandhi's acceptance of a 25% refund represented the landlords' loss of face and concession to peasant demands.
(ii) Reason: The landowners recognised the movement's strength and were compelled to compromise to avoid further unrest.
(iii) Justification: The reason explains the assertion because the concession reflected the landlords' weakened position in the face of collective peasant action.

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Q1: What did Raj Kumar Shukla want from Gandhi's help for?
Ans: Raj Kumar Shukla sought Gandhi's help to protest against the injustice of the landlord system in Champaran.

Q2: Where did Gandhi and Shukla go to meet Dr. Rajendra Prasad?
Ans: Gandhi and Shukla went to Patna to meet Dr Rajendra Prasad.

Q3: What was the chief commercial crop in Champaran?
Ans: The chief commercial crop in Champaran was indigo.

Q4: Why did the British landlords demand compensation from Indian farmers?
Ans: The British landlords demanded compensation from Indian farmers after Germany developed synthetic indigo, which made natural indigo commercially redundant and led landlords to seek recompense.

Q5: Why did Gandhi stress counseling during the struggle?
Ans: Gandhi stressed counselling to give the peasants the confidence required to overcome fear and participate in the movement for justice.

Q6: Why did Gandhi visit the secretary of the British landlord association in Champaran?
Ans: Gandhi visited the secretary to gather information about the peasants' plight but was refused because he was regarded as an outsider.

Q7: Where did Gandhi proceed after being ordered to leave Trihut?
Ans: Gandhi proceeded to Motihari, the chief town of Champaran, after being ordered to leave Trihut.

Q8: What did the 25% refund by the landowners symbolize?
Ans: The 25% refund by the landowners symbolised the surrender of their prestige and an acknowledgment of the peasants' grievances.

Q9: Apart from justice, what reforms did Gandhi work towards in Champaran?
Ans: Apart from justice, Gandhi worked towards social and economic reforms and promoted self-reliance among the peasants.

Q10: What did Gandhi teach the poor peasants of Champaran?
Ans: Gandhi taught the poor peasants of Champaran the lesson of self-reliance, encouraging them to become economically and socially independent.

Short Answer Type Questions

Q1: Describe Raj Kumar Shukla's role in Gandhi's Champaran movement.
Ans: Raj Kumar Shukla, a poor sharecropper, played a pivotal role by persistently appealing to Gandhi to visit Champaran. His determination and firsthand account of peasant suffering convinced Gandhi to investigate, thereby initiating the movement that challenged landlord exploitation.\

Q2: Explain the significance of counselling during the Champaran struggle.
Ans: Counselling was significant because it boosted the peasants' confidence and morale. Gandhi emphasised guidance and moral support so that poor sharecroppers could overcome fear and actively participate in nonviolent resistance.

Q3: Describe the situation of the peasants in Champaran before Gandhi's arrival.
Ans: Before Gandhi's arrival, peasants in Champaran lived under severe exploitation. English landlords forced tenants to grow indigo on a fixed portion of their land and to surrender the entire indigo crop as rent under long contracts. This system produced chronic poverty, indebtedness and harsh treatment of tenants.

Q4: Explain the challenges faced by Gandhi during his investigation in Champaran.
Ans: Gandhi faced several obstacles: he was denied information by the British landlord association as an outsider; authorities punished those who supported national leaders, making local assistance risky; and he was stopped by the police superintendent. Despite these difficulties, Gandhi continued to gather evidence and visit maltreated villagers.

Q5: Discuss the role of lawyers in the Champaran movement.
Ans: Lawyers initially supported Gandhi in large numbers, offering legal aid and public backing. Gandhi, however, rebuked some Muzzafarpur lawyers for charging high fees to poor sharecroppers and urged counselling and moral support instead. Those lawyers who aligned with Gandhi provided effective legal assistance and helped secure justice for the peasants.

Q6: Explain the impact of Gandhi's agreement to a 25% refund by the landowners.
Ans: Gandhi's agreement to a 25% refund marked a symbolic and material victory. It represented the landlords' concession and the peasants' success in forcing a compromise. The outcome provided economic relief and demonstrated that nonviolent mass mobilisation could secure tangible results.

Q7: Describe Gandhi's approach towards social and economic reforms in Champaran.
Ans: Gandhi's approach combined immediate relief with long-term improvement: he promoted better education, health and hygiene, encouraged self-reliance, and supported small-scale initiatives to raise living standards among the peasants.

Q8: Explain the significance of Gandhi's Champaran movement in India's freedom struggle.
Ans: Gandhi's Champaran movement was significant because it introduced effective civil disobedience, mobilised ordinary people, exposed colonial injustices, and set a precedent for nonviolent mass action that influenced later phases of the freedom movement.

Long Answer Type Questions

Q1: Explain the role of Raj Kumar Shukla in the Champaran movement and how his initiative contributed to the cause.
Ans: Raj Kumar Shukla, a poor sharecropper, was the catalyst for Gandhi's involvement in Champaran. By persistently seeking Gandhi's help and recounting the peasants' suffering, Shukla persuaded Gandhi to visit the region and investigate. His initiative brought national attention to local injustices, initiated the fact-finding mission, and helped launch a successful movement that challenged landlord exploitation and secured tangible concessions for the peasants.

Q2: Describe the challenges faced by the peasants in Champaran under the landlord system. Explain how the landlords exploited the tenants and the subsequent impact on the lives of the peasants.
Ans: The peasants in Champaran suffered under a harsh landlord system. Landlords, mainly English, forced tenants to cultivate indigo and surrender the indigo harvest as rent under long-term contracts. This compulsory cultivation reduced food crops and trapped tenants in debt. Exploitation included unfair contracts, heavy demands and poor treatment, which resulted in widespread poverty, lack of education and poor health among the peasant population. The system entrenched generational hardship and limited peasants' ability to improve their lives.

Q3: Explain the significance of civil disobedience in the Champaran movement. Describe the events and actions that led to the triumph of civil disobedience in Champaran.
Ans: Civil disobedience was central to Champaran and demonstrated the effectiveness of nonviolent resistance. Gandhi's refusal to obey orders to leave, his fact-finding visits, and the large-scale demonstrations by peasants and supporters created moral pressure on the authorities. Gandhi's brief arrest and the subsequent public response showed the strength of organised nonviolent protest. The authorities ultimately released Gandhi and the landowners accepted concessions, which marked a clear triumph for civil disobedience and set a model for later nationwide campaigns.

Q4: Discuss the long-term impact of Gandhi's Champaran movement on the socio-economic fabric of the region. How did the movement pave the way for lasting change and empowerment of the peasants?
Ans: Gandhi's Champaran movement produced lasting socio-economic change. It secured immediate economic relief through negotiated refunds and demonstrated that organised nonviolent action could force redress. The movement promoted self-reliance, improved access to education, health and sanitation, and encouraged grassroots organisation. These reforms strengthened local capacities and confidence, helping peasants claim rights and avoid future exploitation. The movement's success inspired similar struggles elsewhere and contributed to broader national reforms, leaving a durable legacy of empowerment and social change.