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Think as you read

Q1. Strike out what is not true in the following.
a. Rajkumar Shukla was (i) a sharecropper. (ii) a politician. (iii) delegate. (iv) a landlord.
Answer: Strike out (ii) and (iv). Rajkumar Shukla was a sharecropper and a delegate.

b. Rajkumar Shukla was (i) poor. (ii) physically strong. (iii) illiterate.
Answer: Strike out (ii) physically strong.

Q2. Why is Rajkumar Shukla described as being ‘resolute’?
Answer: Rajkumar Shukla is described as being ‘resolute’ because he was determined to get Gandhi’s help for the Champaran peasants. He followed Gandhi everywhere for weeks, begging him to fix a date to visit his district. His persistence impressed Gandhi.

Q3. Why do you think the servants thought Gandhi to be another peasant?
Answer: The servants thought Gandhi to be another peasant because of his simple appearance. He was accompanied by Rajkumar Shukla, who was a poor peasant, and Gandhi’s own clothes and demeanour were similar to those of an ordinary farmer.

Page 49

Think as you read

Q1. List the places that Gandhi visited between his first meeting with Shukla and his arrival at Champaran.
Answer: After meeting Shukla, Gandhi visited Cawnpore, his ashram near Ahmedabad, and Calcutta before boarding a train for Patna in Bihar, and then Muzzafarpur, which was en route to Champaran.

Q2. What did the peasants pay the British landlords as rent? What did the British now want instead and why? What would be the impact of synthetic indigo on the prices of natural indigo?
Answer: The peasants paid the British landlords a portion of their land’s produce as rent. They were compelled to plant three-twentieths or 15 per cent of their holdings with indigo and surrender the entire indigo harvest as rent. The British now wanted compensation for being released from this arrangement because they had learned that Germany had developed synthetic indigo, which would make their natural indigo crop worthless. The impact of synthetic indigo would be to drastically lower the prices of natural indigo.

Page 51

Think as you read

Q1. The events in this part of the text illustrate Gandhi’s method of working. Can you identify some instances of this method and link them to his ideas of satyagraha and non-violence?
Answer:

• Ignoring the Commissioner’s orders: Gandhi did not leave Tirhut despite being bullied by the commissioner. This shows his belief in non-violent resistance and satyagraha, where one does not obey unjust laws.
• Going to Motihari: He proceeded to Motihari to continue his investigations despite being ordered to quit Champaran. This shows his determination to not be intimidated and to continue his mission.
• Disobeying the official notice: Gandhi signed a receipt for the notice to quit Champaran but wrote on it that he would disobey the order. This is a clear act of civil disobedience, a core principle of satyagraha.
• Pleading guilty in court: Gandhi pleaded guilty in court and told the court that he was involved in a “conflict of duties.” He was a lawbreaker, but he was also acting in “obedience to the higher law of our being, the voice of conscience.” This shows his commitment to truth and non-violence.

Page 53

Think as you read

Q1. Why did Gandhi agree to a settlement of 25 per cent refund to the farmers?
Answer: Gandhi agreed to a settlement of 25 per cent refund because he believed that the amount was less important than the fact that the landlords had been forced to surrender some of their money and, with it, “part of their prestige.” This made the peasants realise that they had “rights and defenders” and that the planters were not “lords above the law.”

Q2. How did the episode change the plight of the peasants?
Answer: The Champaran episode brought about significant changes in the plight of the peasants. They learned courage and realised that they had rights. The British planters eventually abandoned their estates, which reverted to the peasants. Indigo sharecropping disappeared. Gandhi’s work also brought about cultural and social changes, as he appealed for teachers, and primary schools were opened in six villages.

Page 54

Understanding the text

Q1. Why do you think Gandhi considered the Champaran episode to be a turning-point in his life?
Answer: Gandhi considered the Champaran episode a turning point because it was the first successful large-scale act of civil disobedience in modern India. He had declared that the British could not order him about in his own country. It was not a grand political gesture but a practical effort to alleviate the distress of poor peasants, which was the core of his politics. It taught him the importance of self-reliance, and it bonded the freedom movement with the day-to-day problems of millions.

Q2. How was Gandhi able to influence lawyers? Give instances.
Answer: Gandhi was able to influence the lawyers by his selfless dedication to the peasants’ cause. The lawyers were initially reluctant to go to jail with him, but they were shamed into action when they saw that a stranger was willing to go to prison for the peasants. They realised that it would be “shameful desertion” if they went home. Gandhi also taught them a lesson in self-reliance when he vehemently opposed the idea of taking help from Charles Freer Andrews.

Q3. What was the attitude of the average Indian in smaller localities towards advocates of ‘home rule’?
Answer: The average Indian in smaller localities was afraid to show sympathy for advocates of ‘home rule.’ This is shown by Professor Malkani’s act of “harbouring” Gandhi in his home, which was an “extraordinary thing” for a government professor in those days. It highlights the fear and oppression that the common people lived under.

Q4. How do we know that ordinary people too contributed to the freedom movement?
Answer: We know that ordinary people contributed to the freedom movement through the Champaran episode. When Gandhi was summoned to court, the town of Motihari was “black with peasants” who had come to support their champion. Their spontaneous demonstration was the “beginning of their liberation from fear of the British.” Their action showed that the masses were ready to defy the British, which was a significant step in the freedom movement.

Talking about the text

Q1. “Freedom from fear is more important than legal justice for the poor.” Do you think that the poor of India are free from fear after Independence?
Answer: While India has made significant progress since Independence, many poor people still live in fear. They fear the police, the local goons, and the corrupt officials who can exploit them. They fear losing their homes and jobs and not being able to feed their families. Legal justice is often slow and expensive, and the poor cannot afford it. So, while legal justice is a right, freedom from fear is still a distant dream for many.

Q2. The qualities of a good leader.
Answer: A good leader, as shown by Gandhi, has several qualities. They are empathetic and can understand the problems of the people they are leading. They are persistent and resolute in their mission. They are also selfless and are not motivated by personal gain. A good leader can inspire others and teach them to rely on themselves. They also possess the courage to challenge unjust authority and are willing to take risks for the good of their people.

Working with words

Q1. List the words used in the text that are related to legal procedures. For example: deposition.
Answer:

• summoned
• disobey
• disregarded
• lawbreaker
• offence
• court
• judgement
• prosecutor
• postpone
• trial
• pleading guilty
• sentence
• furnish bail
• liberty
• commission

Thinking about language

Q1. Notice the sentences in the text which are in ‘direct speech’. Why does the author use quotations in his narration?
Answer: The author uses direct speech and quotations to make the narration more vivid, authentic, and engaging. It brings the characters to life by letting them speak for themselves. This technique gives the reader a more direct and personal experience of the events and allows them to hear the voices of the people involved, such as Gandhi, Rajkumar Shukla, and the lawyers. It also gives the account a documentary-like feel, as if the author is reporting on the events as they happened.

Q2. Notice the use or non-use of the comma in the following sentences.
(a) When I first visited Gandhi in 1942 at his ashram in Sevagram, he told me what happened in Champaran.
(b) He had not proceeded far when the police superintendent’s messenger overtook him.
(c) When the court reconvened, the judge said he would not deliver the judgement for several days.
Answer:

• (a) The comma is used here because the subordinate clause (“When I first visited Gandhi…”) comes before the main clause (“he told me…”).
• (b) There is no comma here because the subordinate clause (“when the police…”) comes after the main clause (“He had not proceeded…”).
• (c) The comma is used here because the subordinate clause (“When the court reconvened…”) comes before the main clause (“the judge said…”).

Things to do

Q1. Choose an issue that has provoked a controversy like the Bhopal Gas Tragedy or the Narmada Dam Project in which the lives of the poor have been affected.
Answer: One such issue is the Narmada Dam Project.

Q2. Find out the facts of the case.
Answer: The Sardar Sarovar Dam is a major gravity dam on the Narmada River in Gujarat. It was built to provide water for irrigation and drinking purposes to several states. However, it led to a massive displacement of thousands of people, most of whom were poor and tribal. The affected people were not adequately compensated or rehabilitated, and the project also caused significant environmental damage. The Narmada Bachao Andolan, a social movement, was formed to protest against the dam and demand justice for the displaced people.

Q3. Present your arguments.
Answer: The Narmada Dam Project, while aimed at development, caused immense suffering to the local population. My arguments are:

1. Human Rights Violation: The project violated the human rights of the displaced people by not providing them with proper compensation and rehabilitation. Many lost their homes, land, and livelihoods.
2. Environmental Damage: The dam caused significant ecological damage, including deforestation and the destruction of a unique ecosystem.
3. Inequity: The benefits of the dam went to a few people, while the costs were borne by the poor and vulnerable.

Q4. Suggest a possible settlement.
Answer: A possible settlement would be to:

1. Ensure that all displaced people are given proper compensation and adequate land for farming.
2. Provide them with a new home and a livelihood.
3. Set up a committee to monitor the rehabilitation process.
4. Compensate for the environmental damage by planting new forests and protecting the local ecosystem.