Gandhian Mass Movements (1915-1942)गांधीवादी जन-आंदोलन (1915-1942)

Explanation: Bengal Partition (1905): Marked the radicalization of nationalist methods with Swadeshi, national education, and passive resistance. Lucknow Concordat (1916): Orchestrated by Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Muhammad Ali Jinnah; reunited Moderates and Extremists, and aligned Congress with the Muslim League. Rowlatt Act (1919): Replaced wartime Defence of India regulations; gave sweeping powers to jail political suspects without trial, sparking Gandhiji's first nationwide Satyagraha. Montford Dyarchy (1919): Divided provincial administration into 'Reserved' (police, finance, justice under British Governors) and 'Transferred' (education, health under Indian ministers).

Explanation: Departure Point: Sabarmati Ashram (Ahmedabad), 12 March 1930; 78 satyagrahis initially, swelling into thousands. Destination Point: Dandi on the Arabian Sea coast (Navsari district), 6 April 1930. Pledge Never to Return: Gandhi vowed never to return to Sabarmati Ashram until India achieved Swaraj (he later founded Sevagram in 1936). Universal Resonance: Salt was chosen because it was an indispensable daily necessity for the poorest peasant, taxed unjustly at over 1000% of its cost.

Explanation: National Conference (1883): First attempt to convene an all-India political conference; merged with the Indian National Congress in 1886. Muslim League (1906): Formed following the Simla Deputation (October 1906) to safeguard Muslim political interests and loyalty to the British Crown. AISPC (1927): Bridged British India and Princely India; Jawaharlal Nehru became its President in 1939 (Ludhiana session). Communal Award (1932): Led directly to Mahatma Gandhi's epic fast unto death in Yeravda Jail and the resulting Poona Pact.

Explanation: Nagpur Constitution (1920): Drafted by Gandhi; set up a 15-member Congress Working Committee (CWC) to direct day-to-day work throughout the year. Linguistic Reorganization: Formed Provincial Congress Committees on a linguistic basis, democratizing regional participation. Tilak Swaraj Fund: Raised an astonishing ₹1 crore within six months to finance constructive national activities. Psychological Emancipation: Transformed passive colonial subjects into fearless, self-reliant satyagrahis.

Explanation: Official Title: Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act, Act XI of 1919. Unanimous Indian Opposition: Every single non-official Indian member of the Imperial Legislative Council voted against it (including Jinnah, Malaviya, and Mazharul Haque, who resigned in protest). Popular Epithet: Condemned across the country as the law of *'Na Dalil, Na Vakil, Na Appeal'* (No argument, no lawyer, no appeal). Catalyst: Provoked Mahatma Gandhi to form the *Satyagraha Sabha* and launch the nationwide *Hartal* on 6 April 1919, which directly led to the tragedy of Jallianwala Bagh.

Explanation: 1909 Indian Councils Act: Created Muslim separate electorates, which Lord Minto described as *'sowing dragon's teeth'*; harvest was bitter partition. 1927 Simon Commission: Excluded Indians on grounds of internal division; provoked Lala Lajpat Rai's fatal lathi blow in Lahore. 1922 Chauri-Chaura: Gandhi asserted: *'I would suffer every humiliation rather than sacrifice non-violence for political freedom.'* 1930 Dandi Salt March: Proved to the world that an innocuous pinch of salt could shake the foundations of the mighty British Empire.

Explanation: Signatories: Signed by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar on behalf of the Depressed Classes, and Madan Mohan Malaviya and others on behalf of caste Hindus (Gandhi did not formally sign, being in prison). Seats Expanded: Provincial reserved seats expanded from 71 to 147; 18% of general seats in Central Assembly. Two-Tier Voting: Primary election by Depressed Class voters to choose a panel of 4 candidates, followed by general voting by the joint electorate. Gandhi's Shift: Immediately led Gandhi to launch the *Harijan Sevak Sangh* and embark on a countrywide anti-untouchability tour.

Explanation: 1907 Surat: Congress paralyzed by internal division; Moderates adopted a rigid creed confining demands to constitutional methods. 1928 All-Parties Convention: Framed the Nehru Report demanding Dominion Status, adult suffrage, and fundamental rights. 1929 Lahore: Radical youth under Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Bose discarded Dominion Status, raising the tricolour on the Ravi for *Poorna Swaraj* (Complete Independence). 1932 Communal Award: Imperialist attempt to fragment India's social fabric by creating separate communal electorates for minorities and Depressed Classes.

Explanation: All-India Khilafat Committee: Formed in Bombay in early 1919; convened the All-India Khilafat Conference in Delhi (Nov 1919) where Gandhi was elected President. Treaty of Sèvres (August 1920): Partitioned the Ottoman Empire; completely shattered Indian Muslim faith in British wartime pledges. Merger with Non-Cooperation: Approved at the special Calcutta Congress session (September 1920) under Lala Lajpat Rai and ratified at Nagpur (December 1920). Demise of Movement: Abolished by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk himself in 1924 when he modernized Turkey and declared a secular republic.

Explanation: Date of Incident: 4 February 1922 at Chauri-Chaura village, Gorakhpur district, UP; 22 policemen killed. Bardoli Resolution: 12 February 1922; suspended mass civil disobedience and directed workers to constructive khadi and anti-untouchability work. Nationalist Disillusionment: Subhas Chandra Bose called it a *'national calamity'*; Motilal Nehru, C.R. Das, and Lala Lajpat Rai expressed bitter anger from inside prison. Government Retaliation: Sensing weakness, the British arrested Gandhi on 10 March 1922 and sentenced him to 6 years imprisonment.

Explanation: Background: Gathering on Baisakhi to protest the arrest of nationalist leaders Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew and Dr. Satyapal. The Massacre: General Dyer blocked the only narrow exit and ordered 1,650 rounds fired on 20,000 trapped, unarmed men, women, and children. British Reactions: Montagu called it 'Preventive Murder'; Winston Churchill called it a 'monstrous event'; yet the House of Lords and British Morning Post presented Dyer with a sword of honour and £26,000. Indian Response: Rabindranath Tagore renounced his British Knighthood; Gandhi surrendered his *Kaisar-i-Hind* gold medal.

Explanation: August 1940 Offer: First official British recognition that framing a new constitution would be primarily the responsibility of Indians. August 1942 Quit India: Total rebellion; paralyzed British communications in Bihar and eastern UP; established parallel governments (*Prati Sarkar*). November 1945 Red Fort Trials: Defended by Bhulabhai Desai, Tej Bahadur Sapru, and Jawaharlal Nehru; triggered unprecedented countrywide patriotic fervor. February 1946 Naval Mutiny: Demonstrated that the armed forces could no longer be trusted to shoot their own countrymen, sealing the fate of the British Empire.

Explanation: Champaran (1917): First Civil Disobedience experiment on Indian soil; fought European indigo planters against the *Tinkathia* system. Ahmedabad (1918): First Hunger Strike; secured 35% wage hike for textile workers. Kheda (1918): First Non-Cooperation experiment; revenue remission for drought-hit peasants. Rowlatt Satyagraha (1919): First **All-India** venture; established Satyagraha Sabha and deployed the weapon of a nationwide *Hartal*.

Explanation: Linlithgow's Telegram: On August 31, 1942, Viceroy Linlithgow confessed to Churchill that it was 'by far the most serious rebellion since that of 1857'. Peasant Upsurge: Small peasants, tenant farmers, and agricultural labourers spearheaded guerrilla attacks on communications, post offices, and police outposts. Parallel Governments (Prati Sarkar): Ballia (Chittu Pandey), Tamluk (Jatiya Sarkar under Satish Samanta), and Satara (Nana Patil). State Repression: Machine-gunning from aeroplanes, collective fines, burning of villages, and over 90,000 arrests.

Explanation: Haripura Session (February 1938): Bose presided over the 51st Congress session. National Planning Committee: Bose instituted the NPC under Jawaharlal Nehru's chairmanship. Roman Script Proposal: Recommended Roman script for Hindustani/Hindi to resolve inter-regional and inter-community script disputes and ease global scientific integration. Kemal Atatürk Inspiration: Explicitly cited Turkey's successful script modernization under Mustafa Kemal.

Explanation: Geographical Proximity: Bordered East Bengal districts of Chittagong, Tippera (Comilla), and Sylhet. Safe Sanctuary: Anushilan Samiti and Yugantar cadres set up hideouts and bomb-making units in Tripura territory out of British police jurisdiction. Royal Sympathy: Maharaja Birendra Kishore Manikya and local officials secretly patronized cultural and nationalist activities. Later Phase: In 1938, Tripura Rajya Praja Mandal was formed, joining the All-India States' Peoples' Conference.

Explanation: Invitation by Rajkumar Shukla: Shukla persuaded Gandhi at the 1916 Lucknow session to visit Champaran. Tinkathia System: Peasants forced to grow indigo on 3/20th parts of their land and pay illegal cesses (*abwabs*). Gandhi's Colleagues: Rajendra Prasad, J.B. Kripalani, Mahadev Desai, Narhari Parikh, Mazharul Haque, and Anugrah Narayan Sinha. Inquiry Commission: Gandhi joined the Champaran Agrarian Committee; Tinkathia was abolished and planters refunded 25% of the illegal money.

Explanation: Eastern UP & Bihar: Whole districts fell out of British control; Azamgarh, Ballia, and Saran saw mass peasant sieges of police stations. Logistical Disruption: Communication links between Delhi and Kolkata were cut for over two weeks. Underground Leadership: Jayaprakash Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia, and Aruna Asaf Ali directed rural guerrilla squads (*Azad Dastas*). Severe Military Deployment: 57 military battalions were deployed solely to crush peasant resistance in North India.

Explanation: Foundation (1927): Founded in Bombay in December 1927 to coordinate democratic struggles in princely states. Key Founders: Balwantrai Mehta, G.R. Abhyankar, and Manilal Kothari. Ludhiana Session (1939): Jawaharlal Nehru elected President; declared that the treaties of princes with the British Crown were dead letters. Haripura Resolution (1938): INC permitted Congressmen to participate in states' struggles in their individual capacity.

Explanation: Official Name: Disorders Inquiry Committee, headed by Lord William Hunter (former Solicitor-General of Scotland). Indian Members: Sir Chimanlal Harilal Setalvad, Pandit Jagat Narayan, and Sardar Sultan Ahmed Khan. Whitewash Findings: Censured General Dyer for an 'error of judgment' but exonerated Lieutenant Governor Michael O'Dwyer; British Parliament's House of Lords gifted Dyer a jeweled sword and hailed him as 'Savior of the Punjab'. Congress Non-Official Inquiry: Formed under Madan Mohan Malaviya, Motilal Nehru, Mahatma Gandhi, C.R. Das, and Abbas Tyabji, which severely condemned the butchery as cold-blooded murder.

Explanation: Ahmedabad Session (December 1921): First leader from the Congress platform to demand Complete Independence (*Purna Swaraj*). Coinage of 'Inquilab Zindabad': Famous revolutionary slogan 'Inquilab Zindabad' (Long Live the Revolution) was coined by Hasrat Mohani in 1921 (later popularized by Bhagat Singh). Dual Legacy: Acclaimed Urdu poet, staunch anti-imperialist, and one of the founders of the Communist Party of India (CPI) at Kanpur in 1925. Refusal to Sign Constitution: Later refused to sign the Indian Constitution because he felt it preserved Commonwealth ties and capitalist structures.

Explanation: Founder: Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (Badshah Khan / Frontier Gandhi) in 1929. Red Shirts (Surkh Posh): Voluntarily dyed their shirts with brick-red dye as uniforms. Peshawar Incident (April 1930): When British forces fired on peaceful protesters at Qissa Khwani Bazaar, soldiers of the 2/18 Royal Garhwal Rifles led by Chandar Singh Garhwali refused to open fire on unarmed Pathans. Alliance with Congress: Integrated fully with the Indian National Congress in August 1931.

Explanation: Presidency: Presided over by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, days after the execution of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru (March 23, 1931). Endorsement of Delhi Pact: Officially approved the Gandhi-Irwin Pact despite public anger over the hangings. Resolution on Fundamental Rights: Drafted by Jawaharlal Nehru, guaranteeing civil liberties, free speech, and religious neutrality of the state. National Economic Programme: Promised state ownership or control of key industries, mines, railways, and living wages for workers.

Explanation: Cause of Conflict: Bombay government's arbitrary 22% revenue hike despite falling cotton prices. Organizational Genius: Patel set up 13 *chhavanis* (camps), daily bulletins (*Bardoli Satyagraha Patrika*), and mobilized the Dublas (agricultural serfs). Broomfield-Maxwell Committee: Official inquiry concluded that the revenue hike was unjust and slashed it down to 6.03%. Title of Sardar: Given by the peasant women of Bardoli on behalf of the people.

Explanation: Unanimous Indian Opposition: All 22 non-official Indian members in the Imperial Legislative Council voted against the bills. Historic Resignations (March 1919): Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Madan Mohan Malaviya, Mazharul Haque, and B.D. Shukul resigned their seats. Jinnah's Famous Letter: Wrote to Viceroy Chelmsford that a government that enacts such a law in peacetime 'forfeits its claim to be called a civilized government'. Passage of the Act: Passed on March 18, 1919, officially titled the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act.

Explanation: Calcutta (1906): Dadabhai Naoroji declared 'Swaraj' (Self-government like the UK or colonies) as the goal of the INC. Ahmedabad (1921): Hasrat Mohani proposed defining Swaraj as 'complete independence free from all foreign control'. Madras (1927): Jawaharlal Nehru moved an interim resolution declaring complete national independence as the goal. Lahore (1929): INC officially adopted 'Purna Swaraj' (Complete Independence) under Jawaharlal Nehru's presidency.

Explanation: Rabindranath Tagore (May 1919): Renounced Knighthood immediately following the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and martial law terror in Punjab. Mahatma Gandhi (August 1920): Surrendered the *Kaiser-i-Hind* Gold Medal (awarded for Boer War ambulance work) and the Zulu War medal at the launch of the Non-Cooperation Movement. Shankaran Nair's Resignation: Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair resigned from the Viceroy's Executive Council in July 1919 in protest against martial law in Punjab. Tagore's Global Impact: Tagore's protest shook European intellectual opinion and stripped British rule of its moral pretenses.

Explanation: 1909: Morley-Minto Reforms (Indian Councils Act 1909; communal representation). 1919: Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms (Government of India Act 1919; provincial dyarchy, bicameral central legislature). 1922: Chauri-Chaura Outrage (February 4, 1922; withdrawal of Non-Cooperation via Bardoli resolution). 1930: Dandi March (March 12 – April 6, 1930; breaking of Salt Law and start of Civil Disobedience).

Explanation: Champaran (1917): Rajendra Prasad, J.B. Kripalani, Mahadev Desai, Narhari Parikh, Mazharul Haque, Brajkishore Prasad. Ahmedabad Mill Strike (March 1918): Anasuya Sarabhai (social worker & labour leader), Shankarlal Banker; Gandhi undertook his first hunger strike in India, securing a 35% wage hike. Kheda Satyagraha (June 1918): Vallabhbhai Patel (Chief organizer), Indulal Yagnik, Mohanlal Pandya (known as 'Dungli Chor' for harvesting onion crops), Narhari Parikh.

Explanation: Drafter: Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (assisted by revolutionary thinker M.N. Roy). Civil Liberties: Freedom of speech, press, assembly, association; equality before the law irrespective of religion, caste, creed, or sex. Secularism: Explicitly affirmed that 'the State shall observe neutrality in regard to all religions'. Economic Programme: Substantial reduction in agricultural rent and revenue, relief from agricultural indebtedness, living wages and trade union rights for industrial workers, and state ownership of key industries and transport.

Explanation: Midnight of Dec 31, 1929: Newly adopted Tricolour flag of freedom unfurled on the banks of the Ravi. January 26, 1930: Celebrated as the first 'Independence Day' across India with the public reading of the Purna Swaraj Pledge. Authorization of Movement: CWC authorized to launch Civil Disobedience, resignations from legislatures, and boycott of Round Table Conference. Mandate to Gandhi: February 1930 CWC meeting at Sabarmati officially empowered Gandhi to decide the time, venue, and method.

Explanation: Mantra: 'Do or Die. We shall either free India or die in the attempt.' Government Servants: Do not resign; declare loyalty to INC while staying inside administration. Soldiers: Stay in the army, but refuse to shoot at peaceful compatriots. Princes: Accept people's sovereignty; treat subjects as equal citizens. Peasants: Pay rent only if zamindar is nationalist; refuse if zamindar sides with the British.

Explanation: Generational Shift: Presidency passed from father Motilal Nehru (Calcutta 1928) to son Jawaharlal Nehru (Lahore 1929). Purna Swaraj Declared: Nehru Report's Dominion Status demand lapsed on Dec 31, 1929; Complete Independence declared as sole aim. Round Table Boycott: Boycott of the upcoming Round Table Conference in London. National Flag: Tricolour unfurled at midnight on Dec 31, 1929 on the banks of River Ravi.

Explanation: March 1919: Rowlatt Act passed based on Sir Sidney Rowlatt's Sedition Committee Report. April 6, 1919: All-India *Hartal* called by Mahatma Gandhi under the Rowlatt Satyagraha Sabha. April 10, 1919: Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew and Dr. Satyapal deported secretly from Amritsar to Dharamshala. April 13, 1919: Baisakhi massacre at Jallianwala Bagh; Dyer fired 1,650 rounds without warning, killing hundreds.

Explanation: 1. Champaran (April 1917): First Civil Disobedience in India (against European indigo planters' Tinkathia system). 2. Ahmedabad (March 1918): First Hunger Strike in India (for 35% plague bonus for textile mill workers). 3. Kheda (June 1918): First Non-Cooperation in India (peasant no-tax campaign against unjust land revenue during crop failure). Mnemonic: CAK — Champaran ➔ Ahmedabad ➔ Kheda.

Explanation: Unilateral Belligerency: Lord Linlithgow dragged India into WWII on Sept 3, 1939 without democratic consent. Resignation of 8 Ministries: Congress ministers resigned in Oct–Nov 1939 in Madras, Bombay, UP, CP, Bihar, Orissa, NWFP, and Assam. Muslim League's 'Day of Deliverance': Jinnah called on Indian Muslims to celebrate Dec 22, 1939 as the 'Day of Deliverance and Thanksgiving' (Mukti Diwas). Ambedkar's Support: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar joined the Muslim League in observing the Deliverance Day.

Explanation: Preventive Detention: Detention up to two years without charge or trial. In-Camera Trials: Special tribunals of three High Court judges sitting in camera; ordinary rules of evidence suspended. No Appeal: No right to appeal against tribunal verdicts; no habeas corpus. Press Censorship & Surveillance: Severe restrictions on movements of released political convicts.

Explanation: Distance & Route: 240 miles (385 km) from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi over 24 days. Companions: 78 original Satyagrahis representing diverse regions and castes (including web journalist Webb Miller). Why Salt? Salt was an indispensable daily commodity consumed equally by rich and poor; tax on salt burdened the destitute and symbolized imperial callousness. Subhas Chandra Bose's Comparison: Compared Gandhi's Dandi March to Napoleon's march from Elba to Paris and Mussolini's March on Rome.

Explanation: 'Do or Die' (Karo ya Maro): Mahatma Gandhi (Quit India Movement, 1942). 'Quit India' (Bharat Chhodo): Coined by Yusuf Meherally (Mayor of Bombay) in 1942. 'Simon Go Back': Also coined by Yusuf Meherally in 1928. 'Give me blood, and I will give you freedom': Subhas Chandra Bose (INA, 1944). 'Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it': Bal Gangadhar Tilak (1916).

Explanation: Purpose: Assert the democratic right of free speech to preach against participation in the imperialist war without causing mass disruption. First Satyagrahi: Acharya Vinoba Bhave (inaugurated at Paunar Ashram, Maharashtra on 17 Oct 1940). Second Satyagrahi: Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (offered satyagraha on 31 Oct 1940; sentenced to 4 years imprisonment). Third Satyagrahi: Brahma Datt (an inmate of Gandhi's ashram). 'Delhi Chalo' Slogan: Satyagrahis gave anti-war speeches; if unarrested, they marched on foot towards Delhi.

Explanation: Central Directorate: Operated by Jayaprakash Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia, Aruna Asaf Ali, Achyut Patwardhan, and Sucheta Kripalani. Secret Congress Radio: Broadcasted by Usha Mehta, Vithaldas Jhaveri, and Babubhai Khakar from changing undisclosed locations in Bombay. Financial Backing: Prominent Bombay, Gujarati, and Marwari business houses funded the underground apparatus. Sabotage Focus: Destroyed rail tracks, severed telephone lines, and provided funds and printing presses for anti-British tracts.

Explanation: Rajkumar Shukla: Peasant representative who brought Gandhi to Champaran. J.B. Kripalani: Professor at Muzaffarpur College; welcomed Gandhi with a student choir; coordinated local logistics. Rajendra Prasad: Prominent Patna lawyer who assisted Gandhi in recording depositions of thousands of ryots. Other Key Associates: Mahadev Desai, Narhari Parikh, Mazharul Haque, Brajkishore Prasad, and Anugrah Narayan Sinha.

Explanation: Bombay Manifesto (May 1936): Signed by 21 business magnates against Nehru's Lucknow socialist address, defending private property and free enterprise. Birla's Counter-Strategy: G.D. Birla advised against confronting Nehru publicly, choosing instead to strengthen Gandhi's right-wing lieutenants (Patel, Rajaji). Bombay Plan (1944): Signed by 8 industrialists (Tata, Birla, Thakurdas, etc.) proposing state-led capitalist planning and public sector investment in heavy industries.

Explanation: Drafted by: Jawaharlal Nehru. State Control of Key Industries: Clause 15 mandated that 'the state shall own or control key industries and services, mineral resources, railways, waterways, shipping and other means of public transport'. Agrarian Relief: Substantial reduction in land revenue and agricultural rent for small peasants. Labour Welfare: Living wage, limited hours of work, healthy conditions, and protection against old age and sickness.

Explanation: Operation Zero Hour (Dawn of Aug 9, 1942): British police rounded up Gandhi, Nehru, Patel, Azad, and thousands of leaders within hours of the Gowalia Tank speech. Imprisonment Locations: Gandhi in Aga Khan Palace (Pune); CWC members in Ahmednagar Fort. Decentralized Local Initiative: Students, peasants, and workers acted on their own interpretation of 'Do or Die'. Gandhi's Stand on Violence: When Viceroy Linlithgow blamed Gandhi for the violence, Gandhi refused to condemn the people, blaming instead the 'leonine violence' of the colonial state.

Explanation: Land Tenure: Ryotwari system (not Permanent Settlement). The 4-Anna Rule: Land Revenue Code stipulated 100% remission if harvest was under 25% (4 annas). Role of Gujarat Sabha: Gandhi was President of the Gujarat Sabha, which petitioned the government before launching satyagraha. Outcome: Government issued secret orders to recover revenue only from well-to-do peasants who could afford it, sparing the impoverished.

Explanation: Key Broadcasters: Dr. Usha Mehta, Babubhai Khakar, Vithaldas Jhaveri, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia. Frequency: 42.34 meters transmission. Signature Call: 'This is the Congress Radio calling on 42.34 meters from somewhere in India.' Content: Reported uncensored news of police atrocities, parallel governments in Ballia and Tamluk, and broadcast Gandhi's messages. Betrayal & Arrest: Betrayed by an Indian technician on November 12, 1942; Usha Mehta served hard imprisonment in Yerawada Jail.

Explanation: Elections 1937: Held under the Government of India Act 1935 in 11 provinces. Absolute Majority: Congress won clear majorities in 5 provinces (Madras, UP, CP, Bihar, Orissa) and emerged as largest party in Bombay, later forming coalitions in Assam and NWFP. 28 Months of Rule: Undertook tenancy reforms, civil liberties restoration, release of political prisoners, and prohibition. Resignation: Resigned in October 1939 over unilateral entry into WWII.

Explanation: Communal Award (16 Aug 1932): Allocated separate electorates to Muslims, Sikhs, Indian Christians, Anglo-Indians, Europeans, and the Depressed Classes. Gandhi's Fast: Began on 20 September 1932 in Yerawada Jail, Poona. Mediators: Madan Mohan Malaviya, C. Rajagopalachari, Tej Bahadur Sapru, and M.C. Rajah. Poona Pact (24 Sept 1932): Dr. B.R. Ambedkar accepted joint electorates in exchange for reserved seats being increased from 71 to 147 in provincial legislatures and 18% in the Central Assembly.

Explanation: Official Title: The Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act, 1919. Key Purpose: Extend wartime restrictions of the Defence of India Act 1915 into permanent peacetime law. Denial of Rights: Accused was denied right to legal representation, right to cross-examine witnesses, and right to appeal. National Condemnation: Popularly branded the 'Black Act' across all communities and regions of India.

Explanation: President: Jawaharlal Nehru (age 40). Purna Swaraj Resolution: Completely repudiated Dominion Status. First Independence Day: January 26, 1930 fixed as Independence Day across India. Launch of Civil Disobedience: Empowered the CWC to initiate tax boycotts and civil defiance.

Explanation: Wartime Compulsion: Fall of Rangoon (Burma) in March 1942 and US pressure from President Roosevelt forced Churchill to send Cripps. Proposals: Dominion Status after the war, Constituent Assembly of elected provincial members and nominated princely state rulers, right of provinces not to accede to the Indian Union. Why INC Rejected: No immediate power-sharing at the center, British refusal to appoint an Indian Defense Member, and the threat of Balkanization of India. Gandhi's Verdict: 'A post-dated cheque on a crashing bank' (with Nehru adding 'upon a crashing bank').

Explanation: Rejection of Dominion Status: The one-year grace period given to the British to accept the Nehru Report expired on Dec 31, 1929. Purna Swaraj Declared: Congress amended Article 1 of its Constitution to declare Complete Independence as its objective. Boycott of Round Table Conference: Declared that no good would come from attending the London RTC. Resignation from Councils: Called upon all nationalist legislators to resign from central and provincial councils.

Explanation: Sedition Committee (1918): Chaired by Sir Sidney Rowlatt to recommend permanent anti-sedition measures. Satyagraha Sabha: Founded by Gandhi in Bombay (February 1919) with Jamnadas Dwarkadas, Shankarlal Banker, and Umar Sobani (all Home Rule League leaders). First Pan-India Movement: Elevated Gandhi from regional struggles (Champaran, Kheda) to the undisputed leader of all-India mass politics. Call of April 6: Nationwide *hartal*, fasting, and prayers observed across India.

Explanation: Tamil Nadu: C. Rajagopalachari marched from Tiruchirappalli to Vedaranyam on the Tanjore coast. Kerala: K. Kelappan ('Kerala Gandhi') and P. Krishna Pillai marched from Calicut to Payyanur. Odisha: Gopabandhu Choudhury and Acharya Harihar Das marched from Cuttack to Inchudi (Balasore). Assam: Satyagrahis marched from Sylhet to Noakhali (Bengal coast) to manufacture salt.

Explanation: 1931 (Sep–Dec): 2nd Round Table Conference; Gandhi attended; deadlocked over communal minorities demand. 1942 (August): Quit India Movement; mass insurrection under 'Do or Die'. 1945 (Nov): INA Trials at Red Fort (Prem Sehgal, Gurbaksh Dhillon, Shah Nawaz Khan); mass nationalist upsurge. 1946 (Feb 18): RIN Revolt in Bombay; 20,000 ratings across 78 ships struck down Union Jack; persuaded to surrender by Sardar Patel and Jinnah.

Explanation: Broadening the Social Base: Transformed Congress from an urban elite petitioning body into a rural mass movement. Method of Satyagraha: Validated civil disobedience and moral resistance on Indian soil. Empirical Enquiry: Collection of over 4,000 depositions of ryots established rigorous ground-level investigative methods. Eradication of Fear: Destroyed the psychological myth of the invincibility and legal immunity of the white European planters.

Explanation: Gandhi's Presidency: Gandhi became President of the All India Home Rule League in April 1920. Name Change (Oct 1920): Renamed 'Swarajya Sabha' to align with the Non-Cooperation Movement. Jinnah's Resignation: Jinnah protested that Gandhi was leading the League toward unconstitutional mass civil disobedience and resigned along with K.M. Munshi and Jamnadas Dwarkadas. Integration with INC: Swarajya Sabha cadres merged seamlessly into the revamped Congress organization after the Nagpur session of Dec 1920.

Explanation: Abolition of Indentured Labour (1917–1920): Led by C.F. Andrews, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, and Mahatma Gandhi. Delhi War Conference (April 1918): Gandhi seconded the recruitment resolution in Hindi; earned the Kaiser-i-Hind medal. Recruiting Sergeant: Gandhi campaigned in Kheda urging youth to enlist to gain military capability and civil rights. 1930 Repression: INC declared an unlawful association; Congress funds, offices, and printing presses were seized.

Explanation: Government Agreed To: Release non-violent political prisoners, return confiscated lands not yet sold, remit uncollected fines, allow peaceful picketing of liquor and foreign cloth shops, and permit coastal residents to gather natural salt for personal consumption without tax. Government Refused To: Conduct a public inquiry into police brutalities, commute the death sentences of Bhagat Singh and comrades. Congress Agreed To: Suspend the Civil Disobedience Movement, participate in the 2nd Round Table Conference. Mediators: Tej Bahadur Sapru and M.R. Jayakar brokered the peace talks.

Explanation: Venue: Gowalia Tank Maidan, Bombay (now known as August Kranti Maidan). President: Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. Mover & Seconder: Moved by Jawaharlal Nehru; seconded by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Key Demand: Immediate end of British rule as essential for the defense of India and freedom of the world. Next Morning (Aug 9): Operation Zero Hour launched by the British; all top leaders arrested before dawn.

Explanation: Negative/Boycott Facet: Surrender of titles and honours; boycott of government schools, colleges, and law-courts; boycott of legislative councils under 1919 Act; boycott of foreign cloth and British goods; boycott of official darbars. Positive/Constructive Facet: Establishment of national schools and universities (Kashi Vidyapeeth, Jamia Millia, Gujarat Vidyapith); setting up of arbitration Panchayats; popularization of Charkha and Khadi; promotion of Hindu-Muslim unity; removal of untouchability. Paramount Condition: Strict non-violence in thought, word, and deed.

Explanation: New Goal: Swaraj through 'peaceful and legitimate means' (discarded constitutional limits). Working Committee of 15: CWC created as a continuous decision-making executive cabinet. Provincial Committees on Linguistic Basis: PCCs reorganized along linguistic lines to reach the masses in mother tongues. Four-Anna Membership: Reduced annual membership fee to 4 annas (25 paise), transforming INC into a genuine mass party.

Explanation: Breach of Monopoly: Gandhi picked up a lump of sea salt at 6:30 AM on April 6, 1930. Sedition as Duty: Declared that disaffection and sedition against an unrighteous empire had become a sacred moral religion. Countrywide Signal: Instructed every village and coastal hamlet to illegally boil seawater and manufacture contraband salt. Worldwide Resonance: International press headlines celebrated the moral defeat of the British Empire by a pinch of salt.

Explanation: Harijan Sevak Sangh (1932): Founded in September 1932; G.D. Birla was founding President and Amritlal V. Thakkar ('Thakkar Bapa') was Secretary. Weekly Periodical 'Harijan' (Feb 1933): Launched from prison in English, Hindi (*Harijan Sevak*), and Gujarati (*Harijanbandhu*). Harijan Tour (Nov 1933 – July 1934): Covered 12,500 miles (20,000 km) collecting funds, facing orthodox Sanatanist black flags, and opening wells and temples. Temple Entry Bill Support: Actively campaigned for Dr. Subbarayan's Temple Entry Bill in Madras and Ranga Iyer's bill in Central Assembly.