Indigo - Question Answers
Uploaded by
aditi duttaIndigo - Question Answers
Uploaded by
aditi duttaIndividually we are one drop. Together we are an ocean.
Indigo
Louis Fischer
Q1. 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 indigo as rent. Now Germany had
developed synthetic indigo. So, the British landlords wanted money as
compensation for being released from the 15 per cent arrangement. The prices of
natural indigo would go down due to the synthetic Indigo.
Q2.Why do you think Gandhi considered the Champaran episode to be a
turning-point in his life?
Answer : The Champaran episode was a turning point in Gandhi’s life. Gandhi
himself accepted it. It was the first mass movement in India. Gandhi took up the
cause of the poor peasants. He fought against the injustices of the cruel landlords.
They extorted money from the poor sharecroppers. But Champaran didn’t begin as
an act of defiance. The movement grew out of Gandh’s attempt to remove the
distress of thousands of poor peasants. It was a typical Gandhian movement.
The success of Champaran marked the first victory of the Civil Disobedience in
modern India. The amount of the refund money was less important. More
important was that English landlords were forced to surrender part of the money.
Previously they behaved as lords above the law. Now the Indian peasants had
people to defend their rights.
Above all, the Champaran episode was the beginning of their liberation from
fear of the British.
Q3.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: Gandhi had a deep respect for legal authority. But he could defy the
authorities when they violated natural justice and human values. He received an
official notice to quite Champaran immediately. Gandhi declared that he would
defy the order. For him the “voice of conscience” was above any law. All these
instances link them to his ideas of “satyagraha” and non-violence.
Q4.Why did Gandhi agree to a settlement of 25 percent refund to the
farmers?
Answer: The landlords feared that Gandhi would demand repayment of all money.
He asked only for 50%. Then the planters offered to refund 25% of the money.
Gandhi agreed. Gandhi explained that the amount of the refund was less important.
The landlords were humbled. They were compelled to surrender part of the money
and their prestige.
Q5.How did the episode change the plight of the peasants?
Answer: The settlement changed the condition of the peasants of Champaran.
Previously the landlords behaved as lords above the law. Now the 15% clause was
over. The peasants realised they had their legal rights. They learned courage.
Within a few years the British planters abandoned their estates. They were given
back to the peasants.
Q6.What was the dispute between the Landlords and the Champaran
peasants? What role did Gandhiji play in resolving the dispute successfully?
Answewr:- When the news of the synthetic indigo reached the peasants they were
able to see through the manipulative game of the British landlords. Realizing that
they had extorted compensation illegally and deceitfully, the peasants demanded
their money back. The Landlords tried to silence the peasants with muscle power.
It was at this point of time that Gandhiji arrived in Champaran. An in-depth study
of the cases laid bare the blatant injustice of the Britishers. Gandhiji's through
investigations, documentation and collection of evidence became a cause of
concern for the authorities. Edwards Gait, the Lt. Governor of Bihar summoned
Gandhiji and after four protracted interviews with him constituted a commission of
inquiry comprising Landlords, Government officials and Gandhiji as the
representative of the peasants. Gandhiji diligent collection of documents and
evidence made them agree in principal to refund the money. The Landlords
expected that Gandhiji would demand full repayment of the money which they had
extorted from the share croppers, but Gandhiji asked for only 50% as the
settlement. After some deliberation it was settled that the peasants would be
refunded 25% of the money. Gandhiji accepted the settlement because he did not
want a deadlock between the Landlords and the farmers. Taking it to be a victory
of principal, he didn't attach much importance to the amount of money the peasants
got. He gave more importance of the victory of principals. Thus the issue got
resolved.
