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Q54 (CDS-II/2010) History & Culture › National Movement (1857–1947) › Gandhian mass movements Answer Verified

Which one among the following prompted Rabindranath Tagore to surrender his title of ‘Sir’. ? ..

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: D
Explanation

Rabindranath Tagore renounced his knighthood (the title of 'Sir') in 1919 as a direct protest against the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and the subsequent brutalities of martial law in Punjab [c1][c2]. On April 13, 1919, British troops opened fire on a peaceful gathering in Amritsar, killing hundreds [c4][t4]. This was followed by the imposition of martial law, where Indians were subjected to public floggings and forced to crawl on their bellies [c2][t10]. Deeply distressed by these 'uncivilised brutalities,' Tagore wrote a letter to Viceroy Lord Chelmsford on May 31, 1919, stating that 'badges of honour make our shame glaring' [t5][t6]. While the Rowlatt Act provided the context for the initial protests, it was the specific horror of the massacre and the indignities of martial law that prompted Tagore's immediate renunciation of his title [c1][t4].

Sources

  1. [1] History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 4: Advent of Gandhi and Mass Mobilisation > b) Jallianwalla Bagh Massacre > p. 47
  2. [2] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 15: Emergence of Gandhi > Satyagraha Against the Rowlatt Act— First Mass Strike > p. 323
  3. [3] THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART III, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 11: MAHATMA GANDHI AND THE NATIONALIST MOVEMENT > 2. The Making and Unmaking of Non-cooperation > p. 289
  4. [4] https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/rabindranath-tagore-congress-moral-charge-jallianwala-bagh-8560912/
  5. [5] https://www.britannica.com/event/Jallianwala-Bagh-Massacre
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