Day-688 | Daily MCQs | UPSC Prelims | HISTORY

Answer: A
Explanation:
Statement 1 is incorrect: The Lahore session, 1929 did eventually become a turning point in India’s freedom struggle. Presided over by Nehru, it was during this session that the Congress announced January 26, 1930, as Independence Day.
Statement 2 is incorrect: The independence pledge was drafted jointly by Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru was issued on behalf of the Working Committee for the adoption of public meetings all over India on Purna Swaraj Day, which was on Sunday, January 26, 1930. Public meetings were organised all over the country in villages and towns and the independence pledge was read out in local languages and the national flag was hoisted.
Statement 3 is correct: One hundred seventy-two Indian members of central and provincial legislatures resigned in support of the pledge which was for Purna swaraj resolution.
Additional information:
On December 31, 1929, Nehru hoisted the tricolour on the banks of the Ravi river and demanded “Poorna Swaraj” or complete self-rule, and the date set for independence was January 26, 1930. The day was then celebrated as Poorna Swaraj day for the next 17 years. On January 26, 1930, the Congress passed the Poorna Swaraj resolution or the Declaration of Independence.
● The pledge made following points:
⮚ It is the inalienable right of Indians to have freedom.
⮚ The British Government in India has not only deprived us of freedom and exploited us, but has also ruined us economically, politically, culturally, and spiritually. India must therefore sever the British connection and attain Purna-Swaraj or complete independence
⮚ We are being economically ruined by high revenue, destruction of village industries with no substitutions made, while customs, currency and exchange rate are manipulated to our disadvantage.
⮚ No real political powers are given, rights of free association are denied to us, and all administrative talent in us is killed.
⮚ Culturally, the system of education has torn us from our moorings.
⮚ Spiritually, compulsory disarmament has made us unmanly.
⮚ We hold it a crime against man and God to submit any longer to British rule.
⮚ We will prepare for complete independence by withdrawing, as far as possible, all voluntary associations from the British government and will prepare for civil disobedience through non-payment of taxes. By this an end of this inhuman rule is assured.

Answer: A
Explanation:
Statement 1 is incorrect: Ashoka’s Dhamma was not a new religion. It was not a new form of political philosophy either. Dharma is the Sanskrit word for “dhamma.” Dhamma was a way of life and set of moral and ethical principles enshrined in a code of behaviour and a set of ideals that he advised his subjects to follow to live in peace and prosperity.
Statement 2 is incorrect: Ashoka’s appointment of the Dhamma Mahamattas, rather than using Samgha, proves that his Dhamma did not discriminate against any religious doctrine. Ashoka entrusted Dhamma Mahamatras with the task of teaching the Dhamma to the masses. They were even deployed to spread it in other countries.
Statement 3 is correct: Ashoka’s Dhamma was based on the ten principles espoused by Lord Buddha.
These ten principles are:
1) To be liberal while avoiding egoism.
2) To uphold a high moral standard.
3) To be willing to put one’s own pleasure aside for the sake of the subjects’ well-being.
4) To be truthful and uphold total integrity.
5) To be gentle and kind.
6) To live a humble life to inspire the subjects.
7) To be free of all forms of hatred.
8) To practise non-violence.
9) To develop patience.
10) Respect for the public’s viewpoint to create peace and concord.
Additional information:
Ashoka’s Policy of Dhamma
Dhamma was not any particular religious faith nor a royal policy that was developed at random.
It was an earnest attempt of Ashoka to solve the problems of society and to create harmony and tolerance amongst the people using minimal force. He devised this policy on his own, though the catalysing factor was the remorse that he felt due to the outcomes of the bloody Kalinga War.
● Need:
o Continuing the tradition of his predecessors, Chandragupta (follower of Jainism) and Bindusara (favoured Ajivikas), Ashoka too adopted an eclectic outlook. He adopted Buddhism.
o The society in his time encompassed various beliefs, cultures, and social and political practices. Ashoka, rather than using force, used the policy of Dhamma to set social norms that would be acceptable to all.
o With the rise of heterodox sects like Ajivikas, Buddhism, and Jainism and the potential conflicts with the orthodox Brahmanism, so a climate of mutual trust and harmony was needed.
● Content:
o It focused on the general behaviour of people.
o Dhamma stressed tolerance of people themselves and of their beliefs and ideas.
o It emphasised the moral behaviour towards elders, slaves and servants, Brahmanas and sramanas, animals, etc.
o The policy of Dhamma laid stress on non-violence and welfare measures.
o Rock Edict 13, which mentions the Kalinga War, is a testament against war.
o He wanted to promote respect for all religious sects and tolerance in society.
● Propagation:
o To propagate the policy of dhamma, Ashoka used the medium of edicts.
o These edicts were used to communicate between the King (Ashoka) and his subjects.
o Few inscriptions were addressed to the Buddhist Samgha.
o In these, there is a declaration of Ashoka’s own relationship with the Buddhist order.
o In one kind of inscription, he mentions by their title some of the scriptures with which all Buddhists should be familiar.
o Other Inscriptions, known as the Major and Minor Rock and Pillar Edicts, talk about Dhamma and were chosen carefully to address a large number of people.

Answer: D
Explanation:
The protesting sailors demanded:
● release of all political prisoners including those from Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army (INA),
● action against the commander for ill-treatment and using insulting language,
● revision of pay and allowances to put RIN employees at par with their counterparts in the Royal Navy,
● demobilisation of RIN personnel with provisions for peacetime employment,
● release of Indian forces stationed in Indonesia, and better treatment of subordinates by their officers
Cause of Indian Naval Mutiny:
● Arrest of a rating, B. C. Dutt, who had scrawled “Quit India” on the HMIS Talwar.
● The British military discriminated against HMIS Talwar’s ratings based on race.
● Difficult working conditions and ratings were subjected to terrible living conditions.
Additional information:
● On February 18, 1946, some 1,100 Indian sailors or “ratings” of the HMIS Talwar and the Royal Indian Navy (RIN) Signal School in Bombay declared a hunger strike, triggered by the conditions and treatment of Indians in the Navy.
● A “slow down” strike was also called, which meant that the ratings would carry out their duties slowly.
● The morning after February 18, somewhere between 10,000-20,000 sailors joined the strike, as did shore establishments in Karachi, Madras, Calcutta, Mandapam, Visakhapatnam, and the Andaman Islands.
● The day after the strike began, the ratings went around Bombay in lorries, waving the Congress flag, and getting into scrambles with Europeans and policemen who tried to confront them.
Aftermath
● The leaders realized that any mass uprising would inevitably carry the risk of not being amenable to centralized direction and control. Besides, now that independence and power were in sight, they were eager not to encourage indiscipline in the armed forces.
● It was immediately after this revolt that PM Atlee dispatched the Cabinet Mission to India, so it is also inferred that the mutiny hastened the process of transfer of power to India.
● It is also important to mention that the revolt came to an end after the national leaders, Sardar Patel, and Mohammad Ali Jinnah on receiving a request to intervene by the British, issued a statement calling upon the mutineers to surrender.

Answer: B
Explanation:
● Kuchipudi dance form is characterized by its intricate footwork, graceful movements, and subtle facial expressions.
● It incorporates both pure dance (Nritta) and expressive dance (Nritya) elements, as well as storytelling through dance (Natya).

● It was originally performed by a group of itinerant actors known as Bhagavathalu, who would travel from village to village, performing plays and dances based on Hindu mythology.
● Kuchipudi performances typically begin with an invocation to the gods, followed by a series of pure dance sequences, expressive dance sequences, and storytelling through dance. The themes of the performances often draw from Hindu mythology, with the dancers portraying various gods, goddesses, and other mythological characters.
Additional information:
● Kathakali comes from southwestern India, around the state of Kerala. Like Bharatanatyam, kathakali is a religious dance.
● It draws inspiration from the Ramayana and stories from Shaiva traditions. Kathakali is traditionally performed by boys and men, even for female roles. The costumes and makeup are especially elaborate, with faces made to look like painted masks and enormous headdresses.

● Bharatanatyam is a dance of Tamil Nadu in southern India. It traces its origins back to the Natyashastra, an ancient treatise on theatre written by the mythic priest Bharata.

● Originally a temple dance for women, Bharatanatyam often is used to express Hindu religious stories and devotions. It was not commonly seen on the public stage until the 20th century.
● The dance movements are characterized by bent legs, while feet keep rhythm. Hands may be used in a series of mudras, or symbolic hand gestures, to tell a story.
● A dance of northern India, Kathak is often a dance of love. It is performed by both men and women.
● The movements include intricate footwork accented by bells worn around the ankles and stylized gestures adapted from normal body language.

● It was originated by Kathakars, professional storytellers who used a mixture of dance, song, and drama. Like other Indian dances it began as a temple dance, but soon moved into the courts of ruling houses.

Answer: A
Explanation:
● The Indian Currency Committee or Fowler Committee was a government committee appointed by the British-run Government of India on 29 April 1898 to examine the currency situation in India.
● The committee was chaired by Sir Henry Fowler (later Viscount Fowler) and its final recommendation was also referred to as the Fowler Report.
● Until 1892, silver was the metal on which Indian currency and coinage had largely been based.
● In 1892, the Government of India announced its intent to “close Indian mints to silver” and, in 1893, it brought this policy into force.
● The committee recommended that the official Indian rupee be based on the gold standard and the official exchange rate of the rupee be established at 15 rupees per British sovereign, or 1 shilling and 4 pence per rupee.
● The British Imperial Government accepted the recommendations of the commission in July 1899.
● The action of the government in abandoning silver coinage was driven by the relative decline of the value of silver against gold, which had led to an accompanying decline of the rupee against gold and gold-based currencies (such as the British sovereign).
● India had been importing about a quarter of the annual global production of silver, in part to meet its currency issuing requirements.
● Some commentators noted that silver was gradually being globally discarded as a basis of currency, with only three main remaining supporters: Mexico (a major producer of silver), the United States, and India. With India’s move to the gold standard, the silver standard lost a significant supporter.