CBSE Class 12 English Chapter 5 Indigo Important Question Answers of 2 and 5 Marks from Flamingo Book
Indigo Important Question Answers – Here are the important questions for CBSE Class 12 English Flamingo Book Chapter 5 Indigo. The important questions we have compiled will help the students to brush up on their knowledge about the subject. Students can practice Class 12 English important questions to understand the subject better and improve their performance in the board exam. The solutions provided here will also give students an idea about how to write the answers. Take Free Online MCQs Test for Class 12
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Indigo Important Question Answers (2 Marks – 30 to 40 words)
Q1. Why has Rajkumar Shukla been described as being resolute?
A. Rajkumar Shukla has been described as being resolute because he was determined to take Gandhiji to Champaran. He accompanied him to Kanpur, Ahmedabad and did not leave his side till Gandhiji acceded to his request.
Q2. What were the terms of the Indigo contract between the British landlords and the Indian peasants?
A. Indigo was the chief commercial crop. The peasants had to plant three twentieths or 15 percent of their holdings with Indigo and surrender the entire harvest as rent. This was done through a long term contract.
Q3. Why did Gandhiji agree to a settlement of a mere 25 percent?
A. Gandhiji accepted the settlement of a mere 25 percent because according to him, the amount of refund was less important than the fact that the landlords had been obliged to surrender part of the money and with it, part of their prestige.
Q4. Why did Gandhiji not accept CF Andrews’ help during the Champaran Movement?
A. Gandhiji refused the help of Charles Freer Andrews because he was British. He reasoned that taking an Englishman on their side would show their weakness of the heart. He said that their cause was just and they should rely upon themselves to win the battle.
Q5. What did Gandhiji do about the social and cultural upliftment of the Champaran villages?
A. Gandhiji requested several volunteers to work in Champaran as teachers and social workers. They opened primary schools in six villages and taught cleanliness and community sanitation to the peasants. A doctor was asked to volunteer his services for six months. Kasturbai guided the women towards better living conditions.
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Indigo Important Question Answers (5 Marks 120 to 150 words)
Q1. How did civil disobedience triumph at Motihari?
A. Gandhiji refused to obey the order and was summoned to the court. The next day, Motihari was full of peasants who were there to support the Mahatma who could save them from the British. The government was baffled and the officials felt powerless to regulate such a crowd. The prosecutor requested the judge to postpone the trial as the authorities wanted to consult their superiors.
During the trial, Gandhiji pleaded guilty and asked for the penalty. He refused to seek bail and the judge released him without bail. Gandhiji was allowed to remain at liberty while the judge did not deliver his judgment for several days. Meanwhile, Rajendra Prasad and many other prominent lawyers agreed to court arrest if Gandhiji was arrested. Thus, Civil Disobedience triumphed in India for the first time.
Q2. Why is the Champaran episode considered to be the beginning of the Indian struggle for independence?
A. The Champaran episode started as a small campaign to restore the rights of a group of peasants. Gandhiji visited the place casually on the request of an unlettered peasant expecting that it would last a few days, but this episode occupied almost a year of his life. It was for the first time that the British realized the power of the peasants who had stood up for their right.
The effects of Gandhiji’s policies of Satyagraha and Civil Disobedience proved fruitful in this movement. Through the Champaran movement, Gandhiji declared that the British could not order Indians in their own country This was the turning point of Gandhiji’s life because it marked the commencement of India’s freedom struggle.
Q3. Why did Gandhiji consider freedom from fear more important than legal justice for the poor peasants of Champaran?
A. Gandhiji considered freedom from fear more important than legal justice for the poor peasants of Champaran. This would indicate to the British that the peasants were not weak. In support of Gandhiji, thousands of poor farmers came together for a common cause.
This made them strong and the British realized that they could not order Indians in their own country. Freedom from fear was very important for the liberty of the peasants of Champaran.
Gandhiji’s acceptance of the 25 percent refund laid emphasis on the fact that the landlords had been obliged to surrender part of the money and with it, part of the prestige.
Now the peasants thought they had rights and defenders. This gave them the courage and strength to face the British landlords. Gradually, the British planters abandoned the estates which reverted to the peasants and thus, their conditions improved.
Q4. Gandhiji was invited to Champaran. Who invited him there and why? Was he able to solve the matter for which he was invited there?
OR
How did Gandhiji succeed in getting justice for the Indigo sharecroppers?
OR
Describe how according to Louis Fisher, Gandhiji succeeded in his Champaran campaign.
A. Rajkumar Shukla was a poor illiterate peasant from Champaran. He came to know that Gandhiji could help the poor peasants of Champaran. Rajkumar Shukla was determined and stayed with Gandhiji till he agreed to accompany him to Champaran. Gandhiji succeeded and restored the rights of the peasants. Gandhiji’s Movement in Champaran was not an act of defiance.
It was an attempt to elevate the distress of a large number of poor peasants. His aim was to solve the problems of millions of peasants. He uplifted the farmers by making them united, improving their living conditions and health. Gandhiji employed Civil Disobedience and Non – violence to declare that the British could not order Indians in their own country.
Q5. Why did Gandhiji consider freedom from fear more important than legal justice for the poor peasants of Champaran?
Important Point-
– legal system too was governed by same oppressive laws that had broken the spirit of self-esteem amongst Indians
– farmers afraid of unchallengeable might of British
– terror stricken
– no self- belief to raise their voices against the unfair dealings of the landlords
– legal battles inconclusive
– instead of getting into litigations, it was better to teach courage to these down-trodden farmers
– victory over fear would install self-confidence
– subjugated peasants wouldn’t need any outside support to defend their rights
– gave priority to empowering and emboldening the peasants rather than waging legal battles
Q6. What was the dispute between the landlords and the Champaran peasants? What role did Gandhi play in resolving the dispute successfully ?
or
Give an account of Gandhiji’s efforts to secure justice for the poor indigo sharecroppers of Champaran.
Important Point-
– dispute over extortion of compensation money
– this was to squeeze the last bit of profit from indigo, which was to lose its worth because of German synthetic indigo
– peasants felt cheated, demanded their money back
– after four protracted interviews with him, Edward Gait, the Lt. Governor of Bihar constituted a commission of inquiry that comprised of landlords, government officials and Gandhiji himself
– Gandhiji made thorough investigations, documentation and collection of evidence which became a potential warning for the landlords
– his judicious pursuance made the colonizers agree in principle to refund the money
Q7. How did civil disobedience triumph? Explain with reference to the chapter “Indigo”.
Or
Why is Champaran considered as a turning point in Gandhi’s life?
Important Point-
– defined as ‘the refusal to comply with certain laws considered unjust, as a peaceful form of political protest.
– a potential weapon to assert the independent spirit of Indians and negate the power of the British
– On Rajkumar Shukla’s request, Gandhi got involved in alleviating the problems of the sharecroppers.
– When he called on the British Commissioner of the Tirhut Division in this regard, he was bullied and asked to leave.
– When he went to meet a mistreated peasant in nearby village, was followed by the police superintendent.
– Then served a notice to Gandhiji to quit Champaran which was returned by him with the remark that he would disobey it.
– was ordered to appear in court
– crowd unmanageable at the court
– helpless officials had to seek Gandhiji’s help to regulate them
– the court adjourned for two hours
– Gandhi told to furnish bail, which he refused
– got liberated without bail, case too dropped
– Civil disobedience triumphed.
Q8. What was more Gandhi interested in solving – political and economic problems or social and cultural problems? Explain.
or
What did Gandhiji do to remove the cultural and social backwardness in the Champaran villages?
This was typical Gandhi pattern- his politics were intervened with the practical day today problems of the millions. Comment
or
Gandhiji’s formula for reformation had various aspects- personal, social, economic and political. Comment with reference to the Louis Fischer is Indigo.
Important Point-
-won the compensation issue by way of his political insight
-found that real solution to problems would come by addressing the practical day-to-day needs of the people
– Focused his attention on removing the social and cultural backwardness of the Champaran villages
– called for volunteers to help him in his this mission.
– several young and enthusiastic people came forward.
– Mahadev Desai and Narhari Parikh came along with their wives to help in opening primary schools in six different villages.
– Devdas, Gandhiji’s youngest son as well as Kasturbai, Gandhiji’s wife also extended a helping hand.
– Kasturbhai taught the Ashram rules on personal cleanliness and community sanitation to the villagers.
– Gandhiji also got the services of a doctor to improve the health facilities.
– This mammoth task continued till it gained from roots and sensitised people towards the significance of self-reliance and national pride.
Q9. Why did Gandhiji oppose when his friend Andrews offered to stay in Champaran and help the peasants?
or
Why did Gandhiji object to CF Andrews’ stay in Champaran?
Important Point-
-CF Andrews, an English pacifist, was a devoted follower of Gandhiji.
-The lawyers thought that being an Englishman, Andrews could be of immense help to them in their cause of fighting the battle of Champaran.
-Gandhiji, however, was against this because he felt that enlisting an Englishman’s help showed weakness.
-They had to win the battle by relying on themselves.
-This would make them self-reliant.
Q10. Why did Gandhiji feel that taking the Champaran case to court was useless?
Important Point-
-From his discussion with the lawyers, Gandhiji came to the conclusion that the poor peasants were so crushed and fear-stricken that law courts were useless in their case.
-Going to courts overburdened the sharecroppers with heavy litigation expenses.
– What really needed to be done was to make them free from fear.
EXTRA QUESTIONS FROM THE INTERNET ASKED FROM THE CHAPTER “Indigo”
- Give the summary of the lesson Indigo.
ANSWER
Summary given on post – Indigo
- Justify the title of the lesson ‘Indigo’.
ANSWER
The story’s title is apt because when we come to know the facts of the Champaran Movement, we realize that the poor peasants were forced to cultivate Indigo crops on their landholdings. Later when the landlords got cheap Indigo, they did not buy the crop from these Indian peasants. Thus, Indigo was a major part of their plight and we can observe that the title is suitable for the lesson.
- What was the impact of Germany’s synthetic Indigo?
ANSWER
When the landlords got supply of cheap synthetic indigo from Germany, they cancelled the contracts with the peasants and in return for freeing them, demanded compensation. Once the peasants came to know that the contracts had been cancelled due to the availability of cheap synthetic indigo, they felt cheated and demanded their money back.
- What was the fate of the indigo sharecroppers?
Answer
The sharecroppers got justice with the help of Gandhiji. The landlords were forced to refund the money of compensation. The britishers had thought that he would demand repayment of the full amount but he demanded only fifty percent of the amount. However, they agreed to refund twentyfive percent only. Gandhi explanied to the peasants that the amount of money did not matter. The fact that they were ready to refund the money indicated that they had accepted their mistake. They had surrendered a part of the money and with it a part of their prestige.
Class 12 English Important Question Answers