Daily Answer Writing GS 1 (Modern Indian History)

Subject: GS 1

Syllabus: Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues.

Questions

1. Though various factors were responsible for the partition of the country, prominent ones include the short-sightedness of Congress, Jinnah’s ambitions and British amorality. Discuss. (250 Words, 15 Marks)
2. How did the movement for the liberation of women receive a stimulus from the rise and growth of the nationalist movement in India? (250 Words, 15 Marks)

Model Structure

1. Though various factors were responsible for the partition of the country, prominent ones include the short-sightedness of Congress, Jinnah’s ambitions and British amorality. Discuss. (250 Words, 15 Marks)

Model Structure

Introduction:

• The partition of British India, which took place in 1947,has been the worst episode in the Indian subcontinent’s history. This was not an abrupt incident but had many underlying causes.

Main Body:

Factors responsible for partition:

1. Short-sightedness of Congress

• Acceptance of a separate electorate for Muslims in the Lucknow Pact, 1916.
• Failure of the ‘Muslim mass contact’ programme of Jawaharlal Nehru.
  • It helped the League to emerge as the representative of Muslims in India.
• The rejection of Congress to form a joint government in the United Provinces in 1937.
  • Convinced the League that Muslims, being a minority, would find it difficult to gain political power in united India.
• Several Congressmen were active in the Hindu Mahasabha till 1938. 
  • This helped the League's propaganda that Congress was a party of Hindus.
• Following the Quit India movement, the imprisonment of Congress leaders (1942-45) left a political vacuum which was filled by the League.

2. Jinnah’s ambitions:

• In 1940, the League under Jinnah demanded autonomy for the Muslim majority areas of the subcontinent.
• During the Cabinet Mission, Jinnah was adamant that Congress could not nominate a Muslim representative.
• In the 1946 provincial assembly elections, Jinnah sought a referendum on Pakistan.
• ‘Direct Action Day’ by Jinnah in 1946 led to riots in several parts of India lasting several days.

3. British amorality:

• British policies of divide and rule deepened animosities between Hindus and Muslims.
• Introduction of the communal electorate in 1909.
• The British during WWII offered future political safeguards to the League in exchange for its cooperation.
• August Offer (1940) gave the League veto assurance.
• Cripps Mission (1942) provided the right to opt out of future Union.
• The British postponed the Punjab boundary award until the days of partition.
•  When riots broke out during partition, the deployment of troops was delayed.

4. Other factors responsible for partition - 

• Partition of Bengal.
• Formation of the Muslim League. 
• Communal electorate introduced in the Government of India Act, 1909 etc.

Conclusion:

• Thus, various factors played a role in the partition of the country. Prominent among them include the shortsightedness of Congress and the ambitions of Jinnah, along with the amorality of the British.

2. How did the movement for the liberation of women receive a stimulus from the rise and growth of the nationalist movement in India? (250 Words, 15 Marks)

Model Structure

Introduction:

• The movement for the liberation of women received a great stimulus from the rise of the nationalist movement in the 20th century. Women played an active role in the struggle for freedom. They participated in large numbers in the freedom struggle against the British.

Main body: 

• Several factors during the freedom movement led to the liberation of women:
  • An impetus was provided by the call of Gandhiji to women of the Nation to come out of seclusion and participate in the freedom struggle. This helped the women to step out of their homes, leaving their traditional notes and acting as a catalyst for reform and revolt.
    • Example: Sarojini Naidu
  • The Nationalist Movement led to the birth of the women’s upliftment movement. Many organisations were started, and the All India Women's Conference (1927) was one of them. It worked for the empowerment and upliftment of women through participation in the different activities of the national struggle.
  • Women’s consciousness around social and national questions grew simultaneously. Both men and women were leading the social reform movements since the 1880s, and among various debates, ‘Personal is Political’ was the recurring theme.
  • The 19th and 20th-century social and religious reforms liberated women from the social evils of sati, Child marriage, deprivation of education etc.
  • Educational and political awareness through newspapers influenced the educated. They discussed radical ideas for women's empowerment. Example: In 1908, Rokeya Sekhawat wrote ‘Sultana’s Dream’ in which the idea of a women’s governance system was introduced.
  • 19th-century women’s organisations mushroomed all over India. Sarala Debi Chaudhurani organised ‘Bharat Stree Mahamandal’ in 1910. She combined Hindu revivalism with political protest.
  • The revolutionary women of the 20th century were mobilised to take up arms for the nation, inspired by the tradition of Razia Sultana and the Jhansi  Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) saw contributions by Durgavati Devi, who helped Bhagat Singh in his escape after the Saunders killing. Kalpana Dutta of the Indian Republican Army led the armed resistance along with Surya Sen. She joined with Pritilata Waddedar in 1931 in attacking the European club in Chittagong.
  • Evoking symbols contributing to the mobilisation of women is associated with politicising the domestic sphere. For instance, Gandhi politicised ordinary items like salt, which are associated with the daily lives of women. This contributed to the larger participation of ordinary middle-class women.
• Role played by women in the freedom struggle:
  • During the Swadeshi campaign, their activities were limited to the boycott of foreign cloth and the picketing of liquor shops.
  • A nationalistic cult around Bharat Mata (mother India) started to emerge, which further necessitated the role of women.
  • In the second phase of women’s participation, the idea of Home Rule and constitutionalism became dominant. Some Western women played a significant role in this. Annie Besant, who became the first woman president of the Indian National Congress, launched the Home Rule movement.
  • Margret Cousins drafted the Indian women’s voting rights bill and launched the Women’s India Association. 
  • In the third phase, the women’s participation in the Non-Cooperation movement helped in incorporating women from all over India. 
  • Be it Sarojini Naidu, in Salt March, Vijaya Laxmi in CDM, Kasturba in QIM, Madam Bhikaiji Cama among others.
  • Indians in the UK, Rehana Tyabjee as President of Youth Congress, Captain Laxmi Sahgal in INA or Rani Gaidinliu during the Manipur rebellion.

Conclusion:

• The image and magnitude of participation of the Indian women within the national movement were drawn from the multilayered nations of Mother India and Victorian morality.
• The history of women and the independence movement is not an end in itself but has roots that extend to this day.

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