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Q6 (IAS/2019) History & Culture › National Movement (1857–1947) › Nationalist leaders Official Key

Consider the following pairs : Movement/ Organization : Leader 1. All India Anti-Untouchability League : Mahatma Gandhi 2. All India Kisan Sabha : Swami Sahajanand Saraswati 3. Self-Respect Movement : E. V. Ramaswami Naicker Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: D
Explanation

All three pairs are correctly matched, making option D the correct answer.

Pair 1 is correct: Gandhi set up the All India Anti-Untouchability League in September 1932 while in jail[1], and he later launched a comprehensive campaign against untouchability, conducting a Harijan tour covering 20,000 km from November 1933 to July 1934[1].

Pair 2 is correct: The All India Kisan Sabha was founded in Lucknow in April 1936 with Swami Sahjanand Saraswati[2] as the president, making him the founding leader of this important peasant organization.

Pair 3 is correct: The Self-Respect Movement was started by E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker in the[3] mid-1920s. The movement aimed at rejecting brahminical religion and culture which Naicker felt was the prime instrument of exploitation of the lower castes[3].

Since all three historical associations are accurate, option D (1, 2 and 3) is the correct answer.

Sources
  1. [1] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 19: Civil Disobedience Movement and Round Table Conferences > Gandhi's Harijan Campaign and thoughts on Caste > p. 393
  2. [2] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 31: Peasant Movements 1857-1947 > The All India Kisan Congress/Sabha > p. 581
  3. [3] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 9: A General Survey of Socio-Cultural Reform Movements > Self-Respect Movement > p. 226
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Q. Consider the following pairs : Movement/ Organization : Leader 1. All India Anti-Untouchability League : Mahatma Gandhi 2. All India K…
At a glance
Origin: From standard books Fairness: High fairness Books / CA: 10/10 · 0/10

This is a 'Reward Question' for reading standard texts (Spectrum/NCERT) faithfully. It validates your foundational reading. If you got this wrong, stop reading new materials and revise the 'Social Reform' and 'Peasant Movement' chapters of Spectrum immediately.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Was Mahatma Gandhi the founder or leader of the All India Anti-Untouchability League (Indian anti-untouchability organization)?
Origin: Direct from books Fairness: Straightforward Book-answerable
From standard books
Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 19: Civil Disobedience Movement and Round Table Conferences > Gandhi's Harijan Campaign and thoughts on Caste > p. 393
Presence: 5/5
“Determined to undo the divisive intentions of the government's divide and rule policy, Gandhi gave up all his other preoccupations and launched a whirlwind campaign against untouchability—first from jail and then, after his release in August 1933, from outside jail. While in jail, he set up the All India Anti-Untouchability League in September 1932 and started the weekly Harijan in January 1933. After his release, he shifted to the Satyagraha Ashram in Wardha as he had vowed in 1930 not to return to Sabarmati Ashram unless swaraj was won. Starting from Wardha, he conducted a Harijan tour of the country in the period from November 1933 to July 1934, covering 20,000 km, collecting money for his newly set up Harijan Sevak Sangh, and propagating removal of untouchability in all its forms.”
Why this source?
  • Explicitly reports Gandhi 'set up the All India Anti-Untouchability League' in September 1932.
  • Links this foundation to Gandhi's broader anti-untouchability campaign (launching Harijan, tours, fund-raising), showing organizational leadership.
India and the Contemporary World – II. History-Class X . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 2: Nationalism in India > 3.3 The Limits of Civil Disobedience > p. 43
Presence: 3/5
“Not all social groups were moved by the abstract concept of swaraj. One such group was the nation's 'untouchables', who from around the 1930s had begun to call themselves dalit or oppressed. For long the Congress had ignored the dalits, for fear of offending the sanatanis, the conservative high-caste Hindus. But Mahatma Gandhi declared that swaraj would not come for a hundred years if untouchability was not eliminated. He called the 'untouchables' harijan,”
Why this source?
  • Describes Gandhi as taking a public leadership role on untouchability by declaring its removal essential for swaraj.
  • Shows Gandhi naming and addressing the community ('Harijan'), indicating his position as a leading advocate for their uplift.
Statement 2
Was Swami Sahajanand Saraswati the founding president or leader of the All India Kisan Sabha (Indian peasant/agrarian organization)?
Origin: Direct from books Fairness: Straightforward Book-answerable
From standard books
Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 31: Peasant Movements 1857-1947 > The All India Kisan Congress/Sabha > p. 581
Presence: 5/5
“This sabha was founded in Lucknow in April 1936 with Swami Sahjanand Saraswati as the president and N.G. Ranga as the general secretary. A kisan manifesto was issued and a periodical under Indulal Yagnik started. The AIKS and the Congress held their sessions in Faizpur in 1936. The Congress manifesto (especially the agrarian policy) for the 1937 provincial elections was strongly influenced by the AIKS agenda.”
Why this source?
  • Explicitly identifies Swami Sahjanand Saraswati as president at the sabha's founding (Lucknow, April 1936).
  • Specifies organizational formation with named office-bearers (Sahjanand as president, N.G. Ranga as general secretary).
Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 31: Peasant Movements 1857-1947 > Bihar > p. 582
Presence: 3/5
“Here, Sahjanand Saraswati was joined by Karyanand Sharma, Yadunandan Sharma, Rahul Sankritayan, Panchanan Sharma, Jamun Karjiti, etc. In 1935, the Provincial Kisan Conference adopted the anti-zamindari slogan. The Provincial Kisan Sabha developed a rift with the Congress over the 'bakasht land' issue because of an unfavourable government resolution which was not acceptable to the sabha. The movement died out by August 1939.”
Why this source?
  • Documents Sahjanand's active leadership role among Bihar kisans and his association with other kisan leaders.
  • Places him centrally in provincial kisan organizing immediately before/around AIKS activities.
Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 31: Peasant Movements 1857-1947 > During the War > p. 583
Presence: 2/5
“Ranga left the sabha. But the Kisan Sabha continued to work among the people. It did notable work during the famine of 1943.”
Why this source?
  • Records N.G. Ranga's role and departure from the sabha, corroborating the named leadership team context.
  • Shows the sabha's continued work after leadership changes, implying an established leadership at founding.
Statement 3
Was E. V. Ramaswami Naicker (Periyar E.V. Ramasamy) the leader of the Self-Respect Movement (Tamil Nadu/Indian social reform movement)?
Origin: Direct from books Fairness: Straightforward Book-answerable
From standard books
Politics in India since Independence, Textbook in political science for Class XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 7: Regional Aspirations > Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh > p. 116
Presence: 5/5
“E.V. Ramasami Naicker (1879-1973): Known as Periyar (the respected); strong supporter of atheism; famous for his anticaste struggle and rediscovery of Dravidian identity; initially a worker of the Congress party; started the self-respect movement (1925); led the anti-Brahmin movement; worked for the Justice party and later founded Dravidar Kazhagam; opposed to Hindi and domination of north India; propounded the thesis that north Indians and Brahmins are Aryans.”
Why this source?
  • Explicitly names E.V. Ramasami Naicker (Periyar) and says he started the Self-Respect Movement (1925).
  • Connects Periyar with anti-caste leadership and later founding of Dravidar Kazhagam, reinforcing his central leadership role.
Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 9: A General Survey of Socio-Cultural Reform Movements > Self-Respect Movement > p. 226
Presence: 5/5
“This movement was started by E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker, a Balija Naidu, in the mid-1920s. The movement aimed at nothing short of a rejection of the brahminical religion and culture which Naicker felt was the prime instrument of exploitation of the lower castes. He sought to undermine the position of brahmin priests by formalising weddings without brahmin priests.”
Why this source?
  • Direct statement that the movement was started by E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker in the mid-1920s.
  • Describes the movement's aims and actions under his initiative, supporting his role as leader/founder.
History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 4: Advent of Gandhi and Mass Mobilisation > 4.3 The Non-Brahmin Movement > p. 46
Presence: 5/5
“Bombay and Madras presidencies respectively, at least till 1930. Both the regions had some socially radical possibilities as could be seen in the emergence of a radical Dalit-Bahujan movement under the leadership of Dr Ambedkar and the Self-Respect Movement under the leadership of Periyar Ramaswamy. The nationalists were unable to understand the liberal democratic content in the awakening among the lower strata of Indian society. While a section of the nationalists simply ignored the stirrings, a majority of them and particularly the so-called extremists–radicals were opposed to the movements. A few of them were even hostile and labelled them as stooges of British, anti-national etc.”
Why this source?
  • Specifically refers to the Self-Respect Movement as being 'under the leadership of Periyar Ramaswamy'.
  • Places the movement in the Tamil Nadu political-social context, confirming his recognized leadership there.
Pattern takeaway: UPSC History questions often follow the 'Face of the Movement' pattern. For major organizations, they ask for the primary icon. For minor organizations, they might ask for the region or objective. Stick to the 'Big Names' for 'Big Movements'.
How you should have studied
  1. [THE VERDICT]: Sitter. Direct hits from Spectrum (Chapters 19, 31, and 9) and NCERT Class XII Pol Science. No ambiguity.
  2. [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: 'Mass Mobilization & Social Emancipation'. The shift of the freedom struggle from purely political (Congress) to social (Caste/Peasantry) in the 1920s-30s.
  3. [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: Memorize these siblings: 1) Bahishkrit Hitakarini Sabha (Ambedkar, 1924), 2) Satyashodhak Samaj (Jyotiba Phule, 1873), 3) Justice Party (C.N. Mudaliar, T.M. Nair, P. Tyagaraya Chetty, 1916), 4) Eka Movement (Madari Pasi), 5) All India Trade Union Congress (Lala Lajpat Rai - First Pres, 1920).
  4. [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: Do not just memorize the 'Founder'. Memorize the 'First President' and 'Secretary' trio. For AIKS, knowing Sahajanand is good, but knowing N.G. Ranga (Secretary) is the safety net.
Concept hooks from this question
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Gandhi's institutional initiatives against untouchability
💡 The insight

Gandhi founded the All India Anti-Untouchability League and launched associated organizations and publications to fight untouchability.

High-yield for questions on social reform and Gandhi's methods: explains how leaders combined organizational work with moral campaigns. Connects to studies of nationalist-era social movements and institutional history questions about reform bodies and publications.

📚 Reading List :
  • Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 19: Civil Disobedience Movement and Round Table Conferences > Gandhi's Harijan Campaign and thoughts on Caste > p. 393
🔗 Anchor: "Was Mahatma Gandhi the founder or leader of the All India Anti-Untouchability Le..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Distinction between removal of untouchability and abolition of caste
💡 The insight

Gandhi differentiated erasing untouchability from abolishing the caste system and focused on remedial moral action.

Important for comparative questions on Gandhi vs other reformers (e.g., Ambedkar). Helps answer questions about ideological approaches to social reform, legal versus moral remedies, and intra-movement debates.

📚 Reading List :
  • Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 19: Civil Disobedience Movement and Round Table Conferences > Gandhi's Harijan Campaign and thoughts on Caste > p. 394
  • Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 19: Civil Disobedience Movement and Round Table Conferences > Ideological Differences and Similarities between Gandhi and Ambedkar > p. 399
🔗 Anchor: "Was Mahatma Gandhi the founder or leader of the All India Anti-Untouchability Le..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Gandhi's role as moral leader and public advocate (Harijan campaign)
💡 The insight

Gandhi publicly championed the anti-untouchability cause, coined 'Harijan', and led nationwide outreach and fundraising for the cause.

Useful for essay and polity/social reform questions: illustrates how moral leadership and mass persuasion operated alongside formal politics. Links to themes on mass mobilisation, leadership styles, and social outreach in the freedom movement.

📚 Reading List :
  • Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 19: Civil Disobedience Movement and Round Table Conferences > Gandhi's Harijan Campaign and thoughts on Caste > p. 393
  • India and the Contemporary World – II. History-Class X . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 2: Nationalism in India > 3.3 The Limits of Civil Disobedience > p. 43
🔗 Anchor: "Was Mahatma Gandhi the founder or leader of the All India Anti-Untouchability Le..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 Founding leadership of the All India Kisan Sabha (1936)
💡 The insight

Identifies the individual who served as president when AIKS was founded and the key office-bearers at inception.

High-yield for questions on origins of agrarian movements and leadership; links to questions about organizational formation, key personalities, and chronology in modern Indian political movements. Mastering this helps answer source-based and factual prelims/GS questions about movement founders and initial leadership structures.

📚 Reading List :
  • Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 31: Peasant Movements 1857-1947 > The All India Kisan Congress/Sabha > p. 581
  • Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 31: Peasant Movements 1857-1947 > Bihar > p. 582
🔗 Anchor: "Was Swami Sahajanand Saraswati the founding president or leader of the All India..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 AIKS influence on Congress agrarian policy (1937)
💡 The insight

Highlights AIKS shaping of the Congress manifesto and agrarian policy for the 1937 provincial elections.

Important for understanding interactions between peasant organizations and mainstream nationalist parties; useful in essays and mains answers on policy influence, party-mass links, and pre-independence political strategy. Connects to topics on Congress electoral strategy and peasant demands.

📚 Reading List :
  • Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 31: Peasant Movements 1857-1947 > The All India Kisan Congress/Sabha > p. 581
  • Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 39: After Nehru... > Appendices ✫ 807 > p. 807
🔗 Anchor: "Was Swami Sahajanand Saraswati the founding president or leader of the All India..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 Provincial Kisan Sabhas and rifts with the Congress
💡 The insight

Covers how provincial kisan sabhas (e.g., Bihar, Awadh) organised peasants and sometimes clashed with Congress over land issues.

Helps explain fragmentation within the peasant movement and the complexity of rural politics; relevant for mains questions on agrarian unrest, land rights, and party-movement relations. Enables analysis of centre–province dynamics and grassroots mobilisation patterns.

📚 Reading List :
  • Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 31: Peasant Movements 1857-1947 > Bihar > p. 582
  • Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 31: Peasant Movements 1857-1947 > The Kisan Sabha Movement > p. 578
🔗 Anchor: "Was Swami Sahajanand Saraswati the founding president or leader of the All India..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S3
👉 Periyar & the Self-Respect Movement
💡 The insight

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy was the founder and leader of the Self-Respect Movement in the 1920s, central to the question of leadership.

High-yield for polity and modern history: explains a key social-reform leader and his movement's objectives (anti-caste, secularism) that shaped Tamil Nadu politics. Useful for questions on social reform movements, regional political mobilization, and roots of Dravidian politics.

📚 Reading List :
  • Politics in India since Independence, Textbook in political science for Class XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 7: Regional Aspirations > Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh > p. 116
  • Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 9: A General Survey of Socio-Cultural Reform Movements > Self-Respect Movement > p. 226
  • History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 4: Advent of Gandhi and Mass Mobilisation > 4.3 The Non-Brahmin Movement > p. 46
🔗 Anchor: "Was E. V. Ramaswami Naicker (Periyar E.V. Ramasamy) the leader of the Self-Respe..."
🌑 The Hidden Trap

While Gandhi founded the All India Anti-Untouchability League (later Harijan Sevak Sangh), the First President was actually G.D. Birla and the Secretary was Amritlal Thakkar (Thakkar Bapa). A future statement might trap you by saying 'Gandhi was the first President'.

⚡ Elimination Cheat Code

Use the 'Era-Region Match'. Self-Respect Movement (Tamil Nadu) must match a Dravidian leader (Naicker). Kisan Sabha (Peasantry, 1930s) requires a socialist/agrarian leader (Sahajanand). If an option paired 'Self-Respect' with a 19th-century Bengal reformer, you could eliminate it instantly.

🔗 Mains Connection

Links to GS1 (Social Empowerment) and GS2 (Pressure Groups). The Self-Respect Movement is the direct ancestor of Dravidian politics (DMK/AIADMK), illustrating how social reform movements evolve into regional political parties.

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