Class:XII Flamingo Lesson:5 Indigo

 Class: 12

Sub:English

Lesson:5 Indigo

Writer :Luis Fisher

Question 1.

How did Rajkumar Shukla establish that he was resolute?

Answer:

Rajkumar Shukla was a peasant from Champaran. He wanted Gandhiji to come with him to accompany him to Champaran. At that time Gandhiji was very busy. But Shukla accompanied Gandhiji everywhere. Therefore, he had been described as resolute.

Question 2.

How was Gandhiji treated at Rajendra Prasad’s house?

Answer:

The servants at Rajendra Prasad knew Shukla as a peasant who pestered their master to help the indigo sharecroppers. But they thought that Gandhiji belonged to some low caste. Therefore they didn’t allow him to draw water from the well.

Question 3.

What were the terms of the indigo contract between the British landlords and the Indian peasants?

Answer:

The landlords compelled all tenahts to plant three twentieths or 15 per cent of their holdings with indigo and surrender the entire indigo harvest as rent. This was done by a long-term contract.

Question 4.

What did the landlords do when they know that Germany had developed synthetic indigo?

Answer:

The landlords came to know that Germany had developed synthetic indigo. Now producing natural indigo was not profitable for them. But very cunningly they hid that fact from the peasants. They instead obtained agreements from the sharecroppers to pay ‘ them compensation for being released from the 15 per cent arrangement.

Question 5.

Why did Gandhiji go to Muzzafarapur? Where did he stay there?

Answer:

Muzzafarpur was enroute to Champaran. To obtain more information about sharecropping system he went there. He decided to stay at Professor Malkani’s house. He was a teacher in a government school.

Question 7.

Why did Gandhiji chide the lawyers of Muzza-farpur?

Answer:

Gandhiji chided the lawyers for collecting big fee from the peasants. He said that he had come to the conclusion that they should stop going to courts. Taking such cases to the courts did little good. Where the peasants were so crushed and fear-stricken, law courts were useless. The real relief for them was to be free from fear.

Question 8.

Why did Gandhiji feel that taking the Champaran case to the court was useless?

Answer:

Gandhiji felt that taking the Champaran case to the court was useless. Where the peasants were so crushed and fear-stricken, law courts were useless. The real relief for them was to be free from fear.

Question 9.

How was civil disobedience won for the first time in India?

Answer:

The judge said that he could not deliver his judgement for several days because of the overwhelming support to Gandhiji. However, he was allowed to remain at liberty. Several days later, Gandhiji received a written communication from the magistrate informing him that the Lieutenant-General had decided to drop the case against him. In this way the civil disobedience won for the first time in India.

Question 10.

Why did Gandhiji agree for only 25 per cent refund?

Answer:

Gandhiji knew that the planters wanted to prolong the dispute in some way or the other. But he proved too smart for them. He at once agreed to their offer of 25 per cent refund. In this way the planters had to part with some of their money and also their prestige.

Question 11.

Why was Gandhiji against taking the help of Charles Freer Andrews?

Answer:

Charles Freer Andrews became Gandhiji’s disciple at Champaran. The lawyers thought that it would be good for them if they had an Englishman with them. But Gandhiji was deadly against it. He said taking help of an Englishman would show the weakness of their heart.

Question 26.

Why do you think Gandhi considered the Champaran episode to be a turning-point in his life?

Answer:

The episode of Champaran proved that the Indians couldn’t be harassed in their own country. It gave courage to the normal Indians against the dreaded power of the British. Gandhiji thought that it to be a small problem. But due to this incident he decided to urge the departure of the British. It was here where the civil disobedience was first time succeeded. In this way the episode of Champaran proved to be a turning point in Gandhiji’s life.

The End

By:GR Dhaka