UPSC Static Quiz – Modern India : 28 October 2024

Solution: a)

• The Landholders Society, founded in 1838, primarily represented the interests of landowners and landlords in British India, advocating for their rights and working within the colonial administrative framework to address issues like tax assessments and property rights. It aimed to protect the privileges of the landed elite and relied on petitions rather than protests to communicate with the British government.
• The Bengal British India Society, established in 1843, differed in that it sought to represent broader interests, focusing not only on land issues but also on civil rights and administrative reforms. However, it didn’t specifically target tenant issues as a primary objective.

Neither society engaged in armed protests; they adopted peaceful, formal channels of petitioning and dialogue, understanding that open confrontation could threaten their objectives under colonial rule.

Solution: a)

• Bhagat Singh was indeed a key member of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) and played a significant role in the Indian independence movement. He is celebrated for his revolutionary activities against British rule and for advocating for socialism.
• He was executed on March 23, 1931, for his involvement in the assassination of John Saunders, a British police officer, which was part of a larger plan to avenge the death of his fellow revolutionary Lala Lajpat Rai, who had died from injuries sustained during a police baton charge.

Thus, both statements are accurate, and Statement-II explains the context of Statement-I.

Solution: b)

The British Indian Association called for various reforms, including the establishment of a separate legislature, reduction in the salaries of British officers, and abolition of taxes such as abkari, salt duty, and stamp duties.

Statement 4 is incorrect. The Association did not secure an Indian representative in the British Parliament; instead, its recommendations influenced local governance reforms, not representation in the British Parliament.

Solution: c)

The Extremists, led by leaders like Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai, and Bipin Chandra Pal, demanded Swaraj (self-rule) as the ultimate goal during the early 20th century, particularly after the Partition of Bengal in 1905.

The Moderates, who dominated the Indian National Congress in its early years, did not demand Swaraj initially. They believed in petitioning the British government for reforms and hoped for gradual concessions under British rule. Only later, after growing frustration, did some Moderates align with the Extremists on certain demands, especially during the Lucknow Pact of 1916.

Thus, Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect.

Solution: d)

• The Madras Native Association, established in 1852, was an independent organization founded by prominent Indians in Madras (now Chennai) and was not a branch of the British Indian Association in Calcutta.
• Its primary purpose was to represent the interests of the native population in the Madras Presidency, focusing on issues such as administrative reforms, reducing discriminatory policies, and advocating for greater Indian participation in the colonial administration.
• While it shared common goals with other regional associations, there was no formal collaboration with the Calcutta-based British Indian Association to submit joint petitions.

Additionally, the Madras Native Association did not remain influential into the early 1900s; it was overshadowed by the formation of the Madras Mahajana Sabha in 1884, which took over as a prominent platform for Indian rights in the region.