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Who among the following gave evidence before the Joint Select Committee on the Government of India Bill,1919 in favour of female franchise? 1. Mrs. Annie Basant 2. Mrs Sarojini Naidu 3. Mrs Hira bai Tata Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Explanation
In 1919, a delegation of Indian women traveled to London to present evidence before the Joint Select Committee on the Government of India Bill. This delegation was formed in response to the Southborough Franchise Committee's initial recommendation against female suffrage [1]. The prominent members who testified in favor of the female franchise included Mrs. Annie Besant, the president of the Women's Indian Association (WIA), and Mrs. Sarojini Naidu, who had previously advocated for suffrage at the 1918 Congress session. They were joined by Mrs. Hirabai Tata and her daughter Mithan Tata, who represented the interests of women from the Bombay Presidency. Their collective testimony argued that denying women the vote would be a catastrophic introduction of gender inequality in India. Consequently, while the 1919 Act did not directly grant suffrage, it empowered provincial councils to enfranchise women [1].
Sources
- [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_suffrage_in_India