[Mission 2023] STATIC QUIZ, 20 September 2022 – History

Solution: a)

The Harappans ate a wide range of plant and animal products, including fish. Archaeologists have been able to reconstruct dietary practices from finds of charred grains and seeds. Grains found at Harappan sites include wheat, barley, lentil, chickpea and sesame. Millets are found from sites in Gujarat. Finds of rice are relatively rare.

Solution: c)

Firoz Shah Tughlaq established a new department called Diwan-i- Khairat (Department of Charity) to take care of orphans and widows. Free hospitals like Dar-ul-Shafa and marriage bureaus for poor Muslims were also established. He has also created the department of slaves or Diwan-i-Bandagan.

Muhammad bin Tughlaq was succeeded by his cousin (not uncle) Firoz Shah Tughlaq.

Ala-ud-din Khalji introduced a system of chehra, an identity card system for every soldier, Dagh to brand horses to be used specifically for wars. Dagh and chehra were the 2 reforms in the army.

Diwan-i-Arz was established by Balban. Diwan-i-Arz was essentially the Department of Military managed by Ariz-i-Mamalik. He was accountable for the regulation and preservation of the royal army.

Solution: b)

Chauth and Sardeshmukhi were taxes conceived during the times of the Shivaji Maharaj.

‘Chauth’ means basically 1/4th i.e 25% of gross revenue or produce to be paid to jagirdars of Maratha Empire from hostile or alien state. In return the state paying the tax would get an assurance of non-aggression from the Maratha army against the enemy state.

‘Sardeshmukhi’ is an additional 10% tax levied upon the collected ‘Chauth’. The reasons for the additional tax was due to the King claiming hereditary rights upon the tax collection.

Solution: d)

Swarajist Activity in Councils

Achievements

(i) With coalition partners, they out-voted the government several times, even on matters relating to budgetary grants, and passed adjournment motions.

(ii) They agitated through powerful speeches on self-government, civil liberties and industrialisation.

(iii) Vithalbhai Patel was elected speaker of Central Legislative Assembly in 1925.

(iv) A noteworthy achievement was the defeat of the Public Safety Bill in 1928 which was aimed at empowering the Government to deport undesirable and subversive foreigners (because the Government was alarmed by the spread of socialist and communist ideas and believed that a crucial role was being played by the British and other foreign activists).

(v) By their activities, they filled the political vacuum at a time when the national movement was recouping its strength.

(vi) They exposed the hollowness of the Montford scheme.

(vii) They demonstrated that the councils could be used creatively.

Solution: d)

The main features of the Montford Reforms

(1) Provincial Government—Introduction of Dyarchy:

(a) Executive:

• Dyarchy, i.e., rule of two—executive councillors and popular ministers—was introduced. The governor was to be the executive head in the province.
• Subjects were divided into two lists: “reserved” which included subjects such as law and order, finance, land revenue, irrigation, etc., and “transferred” subjects such as education, health, local government, industry, agriculture, excise, etc.
• The “reserved” subjects were to be administered by the governor through his executive council of bureaucrats, and the “transferred” subjects were to be administered by ministers nominated from among the elected members of the legislative council.
• The ministers were to be responsible to the legislature and had to resign if a no-confidence motion was passed against them by the legislature, while the executive councillors were not to be responsible to the legislature.
• In case of failure of constitutional machinery in the province the governor could take over the administration of “transferred” subjects also.
• The secretary of state and the governor-general could interfere in respect of “reserved” subjects while in respect of the “transferred” subjects; the scope for their interference was restricted.

(b) Legislature:

• Provincial Legislative Councils were further expanded—70% of the members were to be elected.
• The system of communal and class electorates was further consolidated.
• Women were also given the right to vote.
• The Legislative Councils could initiate legislation but the governor’s assent was required. The governor could veto bills and issue ordinances.
• The Legislative Councils could reject the budget but the governor could restore it, if necessary.
• The legislators enjoyed freedom of speech.

(2) Central Government—Still Without Responsible Government:

(a) Executive:

• The governor-general was to be the chief executive authority.
• There were to be two lists for administration– central and provincial.
• In the viceroy’s executive council of 8, three were to be Indians.
• The governor-general retained full control over the “reserved” subjects in the provinces.
• The governor-general could restore cuts in grants, certify bills rejected by the Central Legislature, summon, prorogue, dissolve the Chambers, and issue ordinances.

(b) Legislature:

• A bicameral arrangement was introduced.
• The Council of State had tenure of 5 years and had only male members, while the Central Legislative Assembly had tenure of 3 years.
• The legislators could ask questions and supplementaries pass adjournment motions and vote a part of the budget, but 75% of the budget was still not votable.
• Some Indians found their way into important committees including finance.