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Explanation: 'Indigo' is an excerpt from Louis Fischer's biography of Mahatma Gandhi, focusing on the Champaran episode in Gandhi's life.
2. In which state of India is Champaran located, where the events of the chapter take place?
A. Uttar Pradesh
B. Bihar
C. West Bengal
D. Punjab
Answer: B. Bihar
Explanation: Champaran, the district where Gandhi's first major act of civil disobedience in India took place over the exploitation of indigo sharecroppers, is located in Bihar.
3. Who persuaded Gandhi to visit Champaran to look into the plight of the peasants?
A. Jawaharlal Nehru
B. Raj Kumar Shukla, a poor but determined peasant
C. The British Governor
D. A local landlord
Answer: B. Raj Kumar Shukla, a poor but determined peasant
Explanation: Raj Kumar Shukla, an illiterate but resolute peasant from Champaran, persistently followed Gandhi from place to place until he agreed to visit Champaran and investigate the sharecroppers' grievances.
4. What was the 'tinkathia' system that oppressed the peasants of Champaran?
A. A tax paid directly to the British crown
B. A system requiring peasants to grow indigo on three-twentieths of their land for their landlords
C. A voting system
D. A land ownership registry
Answer: B. A system requiring peasants to grow indigo on three-twentieths of their land for their landlords
Explanation: Under the tinkathia system, sharecroppers were required to plant indigo on 3/20th of their total landholding as rent paid to British landlords, heavily exploiting them.
5. What was Gandhi's response when the British authorities ordered him to leave Champaran?
A. He obeyed immediately
B. He refused to leave and accepted the punishment, willingly choosing to disobey the unjust order
C. He filed a court case against the government
D. He left India entirely
Answer: B. He refused to leave and accepted the punishment, willingly choosing to disobey the unjust order
Explanation: Gandhi's calm and deliberate refusal to comply with the order to leave, willingly accepting the legal consequences, marked his first act of civil disobedience in India and drew immediate public attention.
6. What was the ultimate compromise/result reached regarding the compensation to be paid to peasants?
A. Full 100% refund to all peasants by the landlords
B. Landlords agreed to refund only 25% of the money illegally taken from peasants
C. No compensation was given
D. Peasants had to pay more
Answer: B. Landlords agreed to refund only 25% of the money illegally taken from peasants
Explanation: As a compromise, the British landlords agreed to refund only 25% of the money they had unfairly extracted from the peasants, with Gandhi accepting this figure as significant because it meant the landlords conceded losing prestige, not just money.
7. What method did Gandhi use to build his case regarding the peasants' exploitation?
A. He relied solely on hearsay
B. He organized a systematic, meticulous investigation by interviewing thousands of peasants and recording their testimonies
C. He ignored peasant testimonies altogether
D. He consulted only British officials
Answer: B. He organized a systematic, meticulous investigation by interviewing thousands of peasants and recording their testimonies
Explanation: Gandhi arranged for volunteers, including lawyers, to conduct a thorough investigation, recording detailed depositions from thousands of sharecroppers to build an undeniable factual case against the exploitation.
8. What broader lesson does Gandhi's Champaran campaign teach, according to the chapter?
A. Freedom and relief from fear can be achieved through fact-based, non-violent resistance and personal courage
B. Legal battles are the only solution to injustice
C. Violence is necessary to secure rights
D. The British always acted fairly
Answer: A. Freedom and relief from fear can be achieved through fact-based, non-violent resistance and personal courage
Explanation: The Champaran episode demonstrated Gandhi's method of combining fearless civil disobedience with meticulous fact-finding and non-violence, teaching villagers (and India) a powerful lesson in practical idealism.
This page contains a chapter-wise objective practice set. Try the questions without checking the answer first, then use the explanation to understand the point you missed. The current page contains 8 questions, so you can practise in smaller sets when you are revising.
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