Q1. Why was Gandhiji impressed with Rajkumar Shukla tenacity and determination?
Ans. Raj Kumar Shukla, a poor Sharecropper from Champaran requested Gandhi in Congress Session in Lucknow to fix a date to visit Champaran where the sharecroppers were subjected to injustice. Till Gandhi fixed a date, he did not leave him rather he accompanied him wherever he went. Gandhi was impressed by his tenacity and determination and finally agreed to go there from Calcutta.
Q2. Why did Gandhi chide the lawyers who represented the interests of group of sharecroppers of Champaran?
Ans. Gandhi chided the lawyers for collecting big fees from the sharecroppers to fight their case in law courts. He felt taking their case to law courts would do little good when they were so crushed and fear stricken. So his first priority was to free them from fear.
Q3. What were the conditions of sharecroppers of Champaran?
Ans. The peasants of Champaran were tenants of British landlords. Under long term sharecropping arrangement, they were growing Indigo on 15 percent of their holding and surrendering the harvest as rent to the British landlord. But when Indigo price fell due to synthetic Indigo developed in Germany, the landlords obtained agreement from the peasants to pay them compensation which some of the peasants resisted and fought their case in court.
Q4. What made the British realize that the Indians would challenge their might hitherto unquestioned?
Ans. The spontaneous demonstration around the court house by the peasants of Motihari on knowing that Gandhi was in trouble was the beginning of their liberation from fear of the British which made the British realize that now the Indians can challenge their might.
Q5. How did Gandhi make the peasants fearless and self-reliant?
Ans. Gandhi made the peasants fearless by letting them know about their rights, fighting their case and by obtaining the refund of compensation made to the British landlords who were behaving as lords above the law.
Q6. Why is Rajkumar Shukla described as being ‘resolute’?
Ans. He had come all the way from Champaran district in the foothills of Himalayas to Lucknow to speak to Gandhi. Shukla accompanied Gandhi everywhere. Shukla followed him to the ashram near Ahmedabad. For weeks he never left Gandhi’s side till Gandhi asked him to meet at Calcutta.
Q7. Why do you think the servants thought Gandhi to be another peasant?
Ans. Gandhi was committed to accompany Raj Kumar Shukla to Champaran to address the tribulations of the sharecroppers of that area. En route to Champaran from Calcutta, Raj Kumar Shukla made Gandhi stop in Patna to meet a lawyer called Rajendra Prasad who later on became the first President of India. The servants thought that Gandhi was another peasant as he had come with an illiterate peasant.
Q8. How was Gandhi able to influence the lawyers? Give instances.
Ans. Gandhi’s sincerity of purpose, convincing argumentation and a logical approach deeply influenced the lawyers. Chiding them for over-charging the peasants, he encouraged them to court arrest for the poor peasants’ cause, if he himself got imprisoned.
Q9. What was the attitude of the average Indian in smaller localities towards advocates of ‘home rule’?
Ans. The average Indians in smaller localities were afraid to show sympathy for the advocates of home-rule. Gandhi stayed at Muzaffarpur for two days at the home of Professor Malkani, a teacher in a government school. It was an extraordinary thing in those days for a government professor to give shelter to one who opposed the government.
Q10. How do we know that ordinary people too contributed to the freedom movement?
Ans. Professor J.B. Kriplani received Gandhi at Muzaffarpur railway station at midnight. He had a large body of students with him. Sharecroppers from Champaran came on foot and by conveyance to see Gandhi. Muzaffarpur lawyers too called on him. A vast multitude greeted Gandhi when he reached Motihari railway station. Thousands of people demonstrated around the court room. This shows that ordinary people too contributed to the freedom movement in India.
Q1. Why was the share-cropping arrangement irksome? What was its fate?
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Q2. How did Gandhiji win the battle of Champaran?
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Q3. How did a visit to Champaran become a turning point in Gandhi’s life? How does this show Gandhi’s love and concern for the common people of India?
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Q4. “Freedom from fear is more important than legal justice for the poor.” Do you think that the poor of India are free from fear after Independence?
For the motion
I think that in the present day, the poor in India have been relatively free of fear for the following reasons:
(a) Ours is a democratic country encouraging the values of individual freedom.
(b) The Constitution of India guarantees freedom to every citizen in India and this makes a man fearless in his attitude compared to the situation that had prevailed in this country under British domination.
(c) The legal system in the country is impartial and sympathetic towards people’s rightful privileges and demands. This gives the poor in India a voice and a sense of fearlessness.
(d) The Press in India is ever vigilant and makes it a point to report instances of the abuse of freedom. It is a widely watched medium among both the urban and rural poor and gives them the moral courage to resist curbs on their freedom.
(e) A sound system of administration ensures that the poor in India are given legal and personal protection.
Against the motion
(a) Despite being the world’s biggest democracy, the poor in India live in denial of fundamental freedoms because they are afraid to raise their voices against injustices committed against them.
(b) Economic suppression and the lack of social security measures make the poor live in abject fear of falling a prey to disease and death or of being a victim of state and police atrocities.
(c) Women are in constant fear of their personal safety in both cities and villages irrespective of their age, their education and other empowering tools.
(d) Corrupt practices and male dominance make their lives oppressive and fearful, for they are denied their basic right to existence if they raise their voices against acts that are committed by their superiors.
(e) The poor are soft targets for vote bank politics and they dare not oppose the local mafia for fear of the fallout and flack that will come upon him, his villages and his family members.
Q5. Exploitation is a universal phenomenon. The poor indigo farmers were exploited by the British landlords to which Gandhiji objected. Even after our independence we find exploitation of unorganized labour. What values do we learn from Gandhi’s campaign to counter the present day problems of exploitation?
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