Question map
With reference to the British colonial rule in India, consider the following statements : 1. Mahatma Gandhi was instrumental in the abolition of the system of 'indentured labour'. 2. In Lord Chelmsford's War Conference', Mahatma Gandhi did not support the resolution on recruiting Indians for World War. 3. Consequent upon the breaking of Salt Law by Indian people, the Indian National Congress was declared illegal by the colonial rulers. Which of the statements given above are correct?
Explanation
The correct answer is option B (statements 1 and 3 only).
Statement 1 is correct. Mahatma Gandhi strongly advocated against the indentured labour system, calling for its abolition because it robbed Indians of their national self-respect[1], and he compared the system to a state bordering on slavery, using the expression 'semi-slavery'[2]. His efforts were instrumental in ending this system.
Statement 3 is correct. During the [3]Civil Disobedience Movement following the Salt March, the Congress was declared illegal by the British authorities. As thousands broke the salt law across the country, manufactured salt, boycotted foreign cloth, and peasants refused to pay taxes, the colonial government began arresting Congress leaders, leading to the organization being banned[4].
Statement 2 is incorrect. At Lord Chelmsford's War Conference in 1918, Mahatma Gandhi actually supported the British war effort and the resolution on recruiting Indians for World War I, contrary to what the statement claims. This makes option B (statements 1 and 3 only) the correct answer.
Sources- [3] Modern India ,Bipin Chandra, History class XII (NCERT 1982 ed.)[Old NCERT] > Chapter 15: Struggle for Swaraj > The Second Civil Disobedience Movement > p. 289
- [4] India and the Contemporary World – II. History-Class X . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 2: Nationalism in India > The Independence Day Pledge, 26 January 1930 > p. 40
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Guest previewThis is a classic 'Personality Evolution' trap. Statement 2 tests the counter-intuitive phase of Gandhi (the 'Loyalist' era of WWI) against his popular 'Non-violent' image. Statement 3 is standard NCERT history. The key to solving this wasn't knowing everything, but knowing the *one* exception to Gandhi's pacifism during 1918.
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
- Statement 1: Did Mahatma Gandhi play an instrumental role in abolishing the system of indentured labour under British colonial rule in India?
- Statement 2: At Lord Chelmsford's War Conference during British colonial rule in India, did Mahatma Gandhi oppose the resolution to recruit Indians for the World War?
- Statement 3: Was the Indian National Congress declared illegal by the British colonial rulers as a consequence of Indians breaking the Salt Law (Salt Satyagraha) during British colonial rule in India?
Describes Gandhi's direct involvement in labour disputes (Ahmedabad textile mill workers) and peasant agitations, showing he acted on labour/peasant grievances.
A student could check whether Gandhi's labour interventions included campaigns against indenture or whether they influenced colonial labour policy or public opinion about indentured systems.
Gandhi criticised industrial machinery for displacing labour and promoted self-reliance (charkha), indicating his broader concern with labour welfare and exploitation.
Use this pattern to investigate whether Gandhi's rhetoric and programs explicitly targeted systems like indenture as forms of labour exploitation.
Notes Gandhi's empathy with the labouring poor and his lifestyle that enabled connection with them, suggesting he was positioned to mobilise for labour causes.
A student could examine whether Gandhi translated this empathy into organised campaigns or political pressure specifically against indenture practices or laws enabling them.
Provides details on the scale, destinations, and contractual nature of indentured labour from India, clarifying what abolition would have needed to address (mass emigration under contract).
Combine this factual picture with Gandhi's known campaigns/timelines to see if his activism targeted the administrative/mechanistic aspects that sustained indenture.
Frames indentured migration as a major nineteenth-century form of coercive labour tied to colonial economic structures, highlighting the kind of systemic practice an abolition campaign would confront.
Use this to assess whether Gandhi's political programmes (mass movements, negotiations) were aimed at dismantling such colonial labour structures or primarily at political independence and local reforms.
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