Answers to NCERT Questions

Think as you read

1. Strike out what is not true in the following.
(a) Rajkumar Shukla was:
(i) a sharecroppeer (ii) a politician
(iv) a landlord
(iii) delegate
(b) Rajkumar Shukla was:
(1) poor (ii) physically strong
(ii) illiterate
Ans. (a) a politician, a landlord
b) physically strong
2. Why is Rajkumar Shukla described as being 'resolute'? [CBSE (F) 2011
Ans. Rajkumar Shukla requested Gandhiji to go with him to his area called Champarze
Gandhiji was engaged at that time. However, Shukla did not let go of Gandhiji. He
followed him wherever he went. Finally, Gandhiji had to arrange and fix time to go wih
him. This shows that Shukla was resolute.
3. Why do you think the servants thought Gandhi to be another peasant?
Ans. Gandhiji was quite simple in his dress and manners. He never thought himself as a
great leader. That is why, servants believed him to be another peasant.
4. List the places that Gandhi visited between his first meeting with Shukla and his
arrival at Champaran.
Ans. Gandhiji visited the following places: Patna, Rajendra Prasad's house, Muzafarpur
Professor Malkani's home and lastly Champaran.
 hat did the peasants pay the British landlords as rent? What did the British now
ant instead and why? What would be the impact of synthetic indigo on the prices e
natural indigo?
The peasants had to grow indigo on 15 per cent of their land. This product was submitted
Ans.

as
rent to the British landlords. Synthetic indigo was developed by Germany. The
landlords thus, did not need to raise indigo on their land any longer. They demanded
ompensation trom the peasants for freeing them from the indigo-raising agreement.
. The events in this part of the text illustrate Gandhi's method of working. Can you
dentify some instances of this method and link them to his ideas of satyagraha and
non-violence?

Gandhiji had always followed the voice of his conscience. He never supported anvthing
Ans
immoral. He followed this principle all through his fight against the British injustice. He
never paid evilfor evil. Hle followed the principle of non-violence even asthe authorities
raised blows on him. His path was that of satyagraha-non-violence for truth. Dandi
March was a good example.

7.Why did Gandhi agree to a settlement of 25 per cent refund to the farmers?
[CBSE Delhi 2016]

The whole situation in front of Gandhiji was a deadlock. He wanted to break this
Ans,
deadlock somehow.
The British planters wanted some excuse for prolonging the dispute with the peasants.
However, Gandhiji proved too wise for them. The deadlock was ended by accepting
what the planters wanted. Even so the British had to compromise with their pride.
settlement of 25 per cent refund to the farmers; in fact, the amount
Gandhiji agreed to a
was important than the fact that the landlords had to be forced
less
to return part of the
of their pride and prestige.
money and with it, part
were above the law, they had to realise that
So far the planters had behaved as if they
Britishers were not above the law.
learned courage.
The peasants now saw that they too had rights and defenders, and they
the trouble of spending time and money on
court
The peasants were also saved from
estates and left. The land
cases. Within a few years,
the British planters abandoned their
came back to the peasants
and this was the end of indigo sharecropping.
of the peasants?
8. How did the episode change the plight
could
believed that they had rights which they
Ans. The peasants now had courage. They back
British planters left their estates. These estates now came
defend. Gradually, the
permanently. They were no longer
to the peasants. Indigo sharecropping disappeared
indebted to the British planters.

Understanding the Text

Champaran episode
to be a turning point
considered the
Why do you think Gandhi [CBSE (A) 2011]
in his life? in his life because this
episode a turning point
made them
considered the Champaran British landlords and
andhiji mortal fear of
from the
pisode released the peasants 25% of the compensation
the farmers got back
dware their rights. Not only this,
of
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 money. They also developed courage. This episocle proved to be the
begini.
the cultural, social and economic transformation of the
poor and badly exploited ing ot
terrified peasants. "Thus, the British planters were forced to leave the land
and they became the owners of
ofthe
the pe
peasants
their lands. This was an
attempt to fight injustice..andd
Temove sufferings of the peasants. It ignited the feelings of patriotism among ssimple
among
farmers. It became the first of Non-cooperation Movement for
success
Gandhii.
2. How was Gandhi able to influence lawyers? Give instances.
Ans. The lawyers desired Andrews to stay in Champaran and help them. However, Ganclhi
opposed them. He said that taking the help of an Englishman would be their weaknehijj
ness.
They should learn to win the battle with their own strength. They should learn to
self-dependent. be
3. What was the attitude of the
average Indian in smaller localities towards advocates
home rule'? bf

Ans. The average Indian in smaller localities felt afraid to show sympathy tor
home rule'.
advocates o
They probably feared the consequences.
4. How do we know that
ordinary people too contributed to the freedom movement?
Ans. The ordinary people stood with
Gandhiji at every juncture. At Motihari, they flockeri
n thousands as
they learnt that Mahatma had some trouble with the authorities. The
ordinary people supported in their own little way. Rajkumar Shukla and Professor
Malkani defied all odds and contributed to the
fight.
Prof. J. B. Kriplani motivated a large number of students, and welcomed
Gandhiji at
Muzaffarpur railway station at midnight. The spontaneous demonstration outside the
court was also quite significant. Civil disobedience could
triumph in India only because
of the unity of ordinary people.

Talking about the Text

1. Freedom from fear is important than legal justice for the poor."
more

Do you think that the poor of India are free from fear after
Independence?
Ans. In the chapter, Gandhi makes it possible for the sharecroppers of Champaran to shed
their fear of the British landlords. According to him, the first
step towards self-reliance
is freedom from fear. Unfortunately, the poor people are not free from fear even atter
the Independence. The poor people live in a continual fear of the police, who instead ot
taking care, often end up maltreating them. Due to globalisation and the craze for the
toreign products, the poor are becoming poorer.
2. The qualities of a good leader.
Ans. A good leader is the person who leads the minds and convinces
people to follow his S
of ideas or beliefs. He thinks for the people and works for them. He should be sincete
in his approach and should be a of principles. A alities
man
good leader inherits some quau
that set him apart from the rest. Truth, honesty, patriotism, morality, spirit ot
Se
and sacrifice are the
qualities of a good leader. He should be courageous in the 1a o
adversity and should never quit. He should encourage and motivate others TO bring
bias o
out the best in them, and should
appreciate the efforts of others without being D
partial.