This is a 'Depth' question. While standard texts (Spectrum/NCERT) cover the incident, they rarely detail the specific legal defence team. It rewards students who map 'Leaders to Regions' (Malaviya = UP/Allahabad) or those who study the 'Lawyer-Politician' nexus in landmark trials.
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
Did C. R. Das provide legal defence to the people arrested in the aftermath of the 1922 Chauri Chaura incident?
Origin: Weak / unclear
Fairness: Borderline / guessy
Indirect textbook clues
Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 17: Emergence of Swarajists, Socialist Ideas, Revolutionary Activities and Other New Forces > Action against the Revolutionaries > p. 351
Strength: 5/5
“Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru were tried in the Lahore conspiracy case. Many other revolutionaries were tried in a series of other cases. In jail, these revolutionaries protested against the horrible conditions through fasting, and demanded honourable and decent treatment as political prisoners. Jatin Das became the first martyr on the 64th day of his fast. The defence of these young revolutionaries was organised by Congress leaders. Bhagat Singh became a household name. Azad was involved in a bid to blow up Viceroy Irwin's train near Delhi in December 1929. During 1930 there were a series of violent actions in Punjab and towns of United Provinces (26 incidents in 1930 in Punjab alone).”
Why relevant
States that the defence of young revolutionaries was organised by Congress leaders — showing a pattern of prominent Congress figures arranging legal defence for political prisoners.
How to extend
A student could check whether C. R. Das, a leading Congress figure/lawyer, was among those who organised or personally defended the Chauri Chaura accused.
History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 2: Rise of Extremism and Swadeshi Movement > Khudiram Bose Prafulla Chaki > p. 23
Strength: 4/5
“A conspiracy was hatched there to kill Douglas Kingsford, notorious for his cruel ways of dealing with the swadeshi agitators. Two young revolutionaries – 18-year-old Khudiram Bose and 19-year-old Prafulla Chaki – were entrusted with the task of carrying out the killing. On 30 April 1908, they mistakenly threw a bomb on a carriage, that, instead of killing Kingsford, killed two English women. Prafulla Chaki committed suicide and Khudiram Bose was arrested and hanged for the murder. Aurobindo Ghose, along with his brother Barinder Kumar Ghose and thirty-five other comrades, were arrested. Chittaranjan Das took up the case. It came to be known as the Alipore Bomb case.”
Why relevant
Gives an example where Chittaranjan Das (another eminent lawyer/Congress leader) 'took up the case' of accused revolutionaries (Alipore Bomb case), showing the established practice of prominent lawyers defending political trials.
How to extend
Use this precedent to investigate whether C. R. Das, similarly positioned, acted as defence counsel in the Chauri Chaura trials.
Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 39: After Nehru... > 15. Lord Reading 1921-1926 > p. 821
Strength: 3/5
“• (i) Chauri Chaura incident (February 5, 1922) and the subsequent withdrawal of Non-Cooperation Movement.• (ii) Moplah rebellion in Kerala (1921).• (iii) Repeal of the Press Act of 1910 and the Rowlatt Act of 1919.• (iv) Criminal Law Amendment Act and abolition of cotton excise.• (v) Communal riots in Multan, Amritsar, Delhi, Aligarh, Arvi and Calcutta.• (vi) Kakori train robbery (1925).• (vii) Murder of Swami Shraddhanand (1926).• (viii) Establishment of Swaraj Party by C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru (1922).• (ix) Decision to hold simultaneous examinations for the ICS both in Delhi and London, with effect from 1923.”
Why relevant
Notes that C. R. Das was a leading politician who helped found the Swaraj Party in 1922, indicating his prominent political/legal role at the time.
How to extend
Combine Das's prominence and legal background with the known repression after Chauri Chaura to assess the likelihood he would take up legal defence roles.
Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 39: After Nehru... > Non-cooperation Movement > p. 810
Strength: 4/5
“M.N. Roy, a communist leader, was the editor of the communist journal Vanguard. He condemned the sessions court's sentence to death to 172 of the 225 accused in the Chauri Chaura incident (later, 19 were hanged and the rest transported) as against 22 policemen killed.
Bhagwan Ahir, an army pensioner in Gorakhpur village, was beaten up by the British police. The incident flared up nationalist sentiments in the village, which then led to the killing of 22 policemen in Chauri-Chaura, by the peasants.”
Why relevant
Describes the heavy sentences (death and transportation) given to many accused at Chauri Chaura, implying significant trials where legal defence would be relevant and possibly required from notable lawyers.
How to extend
A student could look for records of who provided defence in these high-profile capital trials, focusing on prominent lawyers like C. R. Das.
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. 291
Strength: 3/5
“self-rule." As a consequence of the Non-Cooperation Movement the British Raj was shaken to its foundations for the first time since the Revolt of 1857. Then, in February 1922, a group of peasants attacked and torched a police station in the hamlet of Chauri Chaura, in the United Provinces (now, Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal). Several constables perished in the conflagration. This act of violence prompted Gandhiji to call off the movement altogether. "No provocation," he insisted, "can possibly justify (the) brutal murder of men who had been rendered defenceless and who had virtually thrown themselves on the mercy of the mob." During the Non-Cooperation Movement thousands of Indians were put in jail.”
Why relevant
Explains that many Indians were jailed during the Non-Cooperation Movement and that incidents like Chauri Chaura led to legal action, reinforcing that political leaders and lawyers often became involved in such cases.
How to extend
Use this general pattern (political arrests → legal trials → involvement of political leaders/lawyers) to justify researching whether C. R. Das participated in the Chauri Chaura defence.
Statement 2
Did Madan Mohan Malaviya and Krishna Kant provide legal defence to the people arrested in the aftermath of the 1922 Chauri Chaura incident?
Origin: Weak / unclear
Fairness: Borderline / guessy
Indirect textbook clues
Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 39: After Nehru... > Appendices ✫ 807 > p. 807
Strength: 5/5
“He was arrested in 1921. Other notable lawyers who gave up their practice included M.R. Jayakar, Saifuddin Kitchlew, Vallabhbhai Patel, C. Rajagopalachari, T. Prakasam and Asaf Ali. Their sacrifice inspired many others, who boycotted government jobs and entered the mainstream of freedom struggle. Lala Lajpat Rai was initially not in favour of the policy of non-cooperation (he was against the boycott of schools) but later he supported the movement. In fact he protested against its withdrawal in 1922. Rajendra Prasad actively supported the Gandhian movement in Bihar. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel spread the movement in Gujarat and regarded non-cooperation as a feasible alternative to revolutionary terrorism to fight against a colonial government.”
Why relevant
Lists prominent lawyers who gave up practice and joined the freedom struggle, showing a pattern of lawyers taking active roles in political-legal cases of the period.
How to extend
A student could check lists of lawyers active after 1921–22 to see whether Malaviya or Krishna Kant appear among those who defended Chauri Chaura accused or gave up practice at that time.
Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 11: Indian National Congress: Foundation and the Moderate Phase > Justice Mahadeo Govind Ranade to Gokhale (1891) > p. 254
Strength: 4/5
“—Justice Mahadeo Govind Ranade to Gokhale (1891)
defence of civil rights became an integral part of the freedom struggle. It was due to the increased consciousness that there was a great public outrage at the arrest of Tilak and several other leaders and journalists in 1897 and at the arrest and deportation of the Natu brothers without a trial. (Also refer to chapter on Development of Press in India.)”
Why relevant
States that 'defence of civil rights became an integral part of the freedom struggle' and cites public outrage at arrests—establishes a general rule that legal defence was commonly mounted for political arrests.
How to extend
Use this rule to infer it was plausible for prominent public figures and lawyers to provide defence in major cases like Chauri Chaura and then search specific legal records or newspaper reports naming defence counsel.
Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 39: After Nehru... > Swadeshi Movement > p. 806
Strength: 3/5
“Prabhatkusum Roy Chaudhuri, Athanasuis Apurba-kumar Ghosh were lawyers who helped in organising labour; Premtosh Bose was another pioneer labour leader. Hemachandra Kanungo was one of the first revolutionary leaders, and after his return from Paris (he had gone there to get military training), a combined bomb factory and religious school was set up in Calcutta. Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki, two revolutionaries, murdered Kennedy on April 30, 1908. Pulin Das organised the Deccan Anushilan, with the Barrah dacoity as its first major venture. Madan Mohan Malaviya and Motilal Nehru were in favour of cooperation with provincial governments and non-political Swadeshi Movement.”
Why relevant
Identifies Madan Mohan Malaviya as a prominent leader with political positions (favoured cooperation with provincial governments), indicating his public and political orientation during this period.
How to extend
Given Malaviya's prominence and political stance, a student could investigate whether his political role included courtroom defence or public support for accused in UP in 1922 by consulting contemporary newspapers or court rolls.
Modern India ,Bipin Chandra, History class XII (NCERT 1982 ed.)[Old NCERT] > Chapter 15: Struggle for Swaraj > THE SWARAILSTS > p. 279
Strength: 3/5
“That all people were Indians first received a set-back. Even the Swarajist Party, whose main leaders, Motilal Nehru and Das, were staunch nationalists, was split by communalism. A group known as "responsivists", including Madan Mohan Malviya, Lala Laipat Rai, and N.C. Kelkar, offered cooperation to the Government so that the so-called Hindu interests might be safeguarded. They accused Motilal Nehru of letting down Hindus, of being anti-Hindu, of favouring cow-slaughter, and of eating beef. The situation in the country appeared to be dark indeed. There was general political apathy; Gandhi was living in retirement, the Swarajists were split, communalism was flourishing.”
Why relevant
Shows Malaviya's political positioning (cooperation/communal mobilization) and activity in United Provinces politics—useful background to judge whether he likely acted as defence counsel in UP trials.
How to extend
Combine this with a map/timeline (Chauri Chaura in Gorakhpur, UP) to assess proximity and political motive for Malaviya to be involved legally, then check regional legal archives for his name.
Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 16: Non-Cooperation Movement and Khilafat Aandolan > Chauri Chaura Incident > p. 336
Strength: 4/5
“A small sleepy village named Chauri-Chaura (Gorakhpur district in United Provinces) has found a place in history books due to an incident of violence on February 5, 1922 which was to prompt Gandhi to withdraw the movement. The police here had beaten up the leader of a group of volunteers campaigning against liquor sale and high food prices, and then opened fire on the crowd which had come to protest before the police station. The agitated crowd torched the police station with policemen inside who had taken shelter there; those who tried to flee were hacked to death and thrown back into the fire.”
Why relevant
Provides details of the Chauri Chaura violence and its legal consequences (many accused), implying that major trials would attract prominent lawyers and public attention.
How to extend
From the knowledge that many were tried and sentenced, a student could search trial reports, lists of defence counsel, or contemporary legal commentary to see if Malaviya or Krishna Kant were involved.
Statement 3
Did Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew and Khwaja Hasan Nizami provide legal defence to the people arrested in the aftermath of the 1922 Chauri Chaura incident?
Origin: Weak / unclear
Fairness: Borderline / guessy
Indirect textbook clues
Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 39: After Nehru... > Appendices ✫ 807 > p. 807
Strength: 5/5
“He was arrested in 1921. Other notable lawyers who gave up their practice included M.R. Jayakar, Saifuddin Kitchlew, Vallabhbhai Patel, C. Rajagopalachari, T. Prakasam and Asaf Ali. Their sacrifice inspired many others, who boycotted government jobs and entered the mainstream of freedom struggle. Lala Lajpat Rai was initially not in favour of the policy of non-cooperation (he was against the boycott of schools) but later he supported the movement. In fact he protested against its withdrawal in 1922. Rajendra Prasad actively supported the Gandhian movement in Bihar. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel spread the movement in Gujarat and regarded non-cooperation as a feasible alternative to revolutionary terrorism to fight against a colonial government.”
Why relevant
Lists Saifuddin Kitchlew among 'notable lawyers who gave up their practice' (arrested in 1921 and gave up practice to join movement).
How to extend
A student could note that if Kitchlew had ceased legal practice by 1921 it makes it less likely (but not impossible) he acted as defence counsel in 1922 and then check courtroom records or biographies for confirmation.
Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 11: Indian National Congress: Foundation and the Moderate Phase > Justice Mahadeo Govind Ranade to Gokhale (1891) > p. 254
Strength: 4/5
“—Justice Mahadeo Govind Ranade to Gokhale (1891)
defence of civil rights became an integral part of the freedom struggle. It was due to the increased consciousness that there was a great public outrage at the arrest of Tilak and several other leaders and journalists in 1897 and at the arrest and deportation of the Natu brothers without a trial. (Also refer to chapter on Development of Press in India.)”
Why relevant
States 'defence of civil rights became an integral part of the freedom struggle' and notes public outrage at arrests leading to legal responses.
How to extend
Use this pattern to hypothesize that prominent leaders or nationalist lawyers often took up defence of political prisoners and then search for records naming specific counsel in the Chauri Chaura trials.
Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 13: First Phase of Revolutionary Activities (1907-1917) > p. 284
Strength: 4/5
“Prafulla Chaki shot himself dead while Khudiram Bose was tried and hanged. The whole Anushilan group was arrested including the Ghosh brothers, Aurobindo and Barindra, who were tried in the Alipore conspiracy case, variously called Manicktolla bomb conspiracy or Muraripukur conspiracy. (Barindra Ghosh's house was on Muraripukur Road in the Manicktolla suburb of Calcutta.) The Ghosh brothers were charged with 'conspiracy' or 'waging war against the King' – the equivalent of high treason and punishable with death by hanging. Chittaranjan Das defended Aurobindo. Aurobindo was acquitted of all charges with the judge condemning the flimsy nature of the evidence against him.”
Why relevant
Gives an explicit example (Chittaranjan Das defending Aurobindo) of national leaders/lawyers defending accused in major political trials.
How to extend
Apply this example as a model: check whether Kitchlew or Khwaja Hasan Nizami, as contemporaneous prominent figures, appear similarly in trial records or contemporary newspaper accounts of Chauri Chaura trials.
History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 2: Rise of Extremism and Swadeshi Movement > e) Arrest and imprisonment of V.O.C. and Subramania Siva > p. 26
Strength: 3/5
“In the aftermath of this incident, the repression of the British administration was not limited to the arrest of a few leaders. In fact, people who had actively participated in the protest were also punished and a punitive tax was imposed on the people of Tirunelveli and Tuticorin. Excerpts from the Judgment in the case of King Emperor versus V.O.C. and Subramania Siva (4 November 1908). "It seems to me that sedition at any time is a most serious offense. It is true that the case is the first of its kind in the Presidency, but the present condition of other Presidencies where the crime seems to have secured a foothold would seem to indicate that light sentences of imprisonment of a few months or maybe a year or two are instances of misplaced leniency. ..”
Why relevant
Notes wide repression and punishment of participants after the incident, implying many arrests and subsequent legal proceedings.
How to extend
Knowing many were tried, a student could look for lists of defence counsel in trial transcripts or official gazettes to see if these two names appear.
Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 39: After Nehru... > Non-cooperation Movement > p. 810
Strength: 3/5
“M.N. Roy, a communist leader, was the editor of the communist journal Vanguard. He condemned the sessions court's sentence to death to 172 of the 225 accused in the Chauri Chaura incident (later, 19 were hanged and the rest transported) as against 22 policemen killed.
Bhagwan Ahir, an army pensioner in Gorakhpur village, was beaten up by the British police. The incident flared up nationalist sentiments in the village, which then led to the killing of 22 policemen in Chauri-Chaura, by the peasants.”
Why relevant
Mentions the large number of accused and the harsh sentences handed down in the Chauri Chaura cases, implying high-profile trials that likely involved legal representation.
How to extend
From the scale and severity of prosecutions, a student could infer there would be documented legal teams and therefore search archival legal reports/newspapers for Kitchlew or Khwaja Hasan Nizami's involvement.
Statement 4
Did M. A. Jinnah provide legal defence to the people arrested in the aftermath of the 1922 Chauri Chaura incident?
Origin: Weak / unclear
Fairness: Borderline / guessy
Indirect textbook clues
History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 5: Period of Radicalism in Anti-imperialist Struggles > Trial and Punishment > p. 64
Strength: 4/5
“leaders like Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru visited the accused in jail. All these show the importance of the case in the history of our freedom struggle. The Sessions Court in Meerut awarded stringent sentences on 16 January 1933, four years after the arrests in 1929. Twenty-seven were convicted and sentenced to various durations of transportation. During the trial, the Communists made use of their defence as a platform for propaganda by making political statements. These were reported widely in the newspapers and thus lakhs of people came to know about the communist ideology and the communist activities in India. Under the national and international pressure, on appeal, the sentences were considerably reduced in July 1933.”
Why relevant
States that prominent leaders (Gandhi and Nehru) visited accused in jail, showing nationalist leaders directly supported those arrested in high-profile political trials.
How to extend
A student could check whether other nationalist leaders with legal expertise (using outside knowledge that Jinnah was a lawyer) similarly provided courtroom or legal support in comparable cases.
Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 11: Indian National Congress: Foundation and the Moderate Phase > Justice Mahadeo Govind Ranade to Gokhale (1891) > p. 254
Strength: 4/5
“—Justice Mahadeo Govind Ranade to Gokhale (1891)
defence of civil rights became an integral part of the freedom struggle. It was due to the increased consciousness that there was a great public outrage at the arrest of Tilak and several other leaders and journalists in 1897 and at the arrest and deportation of the Natu brothers without a trial. (Also refer to chapter on Development of Press in India.)”
Why relevant
Notes that 'defence of civil rights became an integral part of the freedom struggle' and public outrage at arrests, establishing a pattern where legal defence and activism were linked.
How to extend
A student could investigate whether leading figures took up civil‑rights legal defence in specific incidents like Chauri Chaura, by consulting legal records or contemporary reports.
Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 39: After Nehru... > Non-cooperation Movement > p. 810
Strength: 4/5
“M.N. Roy, a communist leader, was the editor of the communist journal Vanguard. He condemned the sessions court's sentence to death to 172 of the 225 accused in the Chauri Chaura incident (later, 19 were hanged and the rest transported) as against 22 policemen killed.
Bhagwan Ahir, an army pensioner in Gorakhpur village, was beaten up by the British police. The incident flared up nationalist sentiments in the village, which then led to the killing of 22 policemen in Chauri-Chaura, by the peasants.”
Why relevant
Reports severe sentences handed down to many accused in the Chauri Chaura prosecutions, implying an equally intense need for legal representation and appeals.
How to extend
A student could look for trial records, appeal documents or newspaper accounts naming who acted as defence counsel in those cases to see if Jinnah was involved.
Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 16: Non-Cooperation Movement and Khilafat Aandolan > Chauri Chaura Incident > p. 336
Strength: 3/5
“A small sleepy village named Chauri-Chaura (Gorakhpur district in United Provinces) has found a place in history books due to an incident of violence on February 5, 1922 which was to prompt Gandhi to withdraw the movement. The police here had beaten up the leader of a group of volunteers campaigning against liquor sale and high food prices, and then opened fire on the crowd which had come to protest before the police station. The agitated crowd torched the police station with policemen inside who had taken shelter there; those who tried to flee were hacked to death and thrown back into the fire.”
Why relevant
Describes the Chauri Chaura incident and the resulting deaths and arrests that precipitated trials — providing the concrete event around which legal defence would have occurred.
How to extend
Using the incident date and location, a student could search court archives or period press coverage from Gorakhpur/United Provinces in 1922 for mentions of defence attorneys, including Jinnah.
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. 291
Strength: 3/5
“self-rule." As a consequence of the Non-Cooperation Movement the British Raj was shaken to its foundations for the first time since the Revolt of 1857. Then, in February 1922, a group of peasants attacked and torched a police station in the hamlet of Chauri Chaura, in the United Provinces (now, Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal). Several constables perished in the conflagration. This act of violence prompted Gandhiji to call off the movement altogether. "No provocation," he insisted, "can possibly justify (the) brutal murder of men who had been rendered defenceless and who had virtually thrown themselves on the mercy of the mob." During the Non-Cooperation Movement thousands of Indians were put in jail.”
Why relevant
Emphasizes that thousands were jailed during the Non-Cooperation Movement and that Chauri Chaura prompted widespread repression — a pattern of mass arrests and high‑profile trials.
How to extend
A student could compare other mass‑arrest trials from the movement to see whether prominent lawyers routinely defended accused, and then test if Jinnah played a similar role at Chauri Chaura.
Pattern takeaway:
UPSC is moving from 'What happened?' (Event) to 'Who handled the fallout?' (Process). Focus on the intersection of Law and Politics in the 1920s.
How you should have studied
- [THE VERDICT]: Bouncer. This specific fact is absent in standard summaries like Spectrum, though the event is central.
- [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: The 'Lawyer-Politician' theme. Every major colonial crackdown (revolt/conspiracy) was followed by a 'Great Trial' involving nationalist lawyers.
- [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: Map these Lawyer-Case pairs: 1) Alipore Bomb Case → C.R. Das. 2) INA Trials → Bhulabhai Desai/Sapru/Nehru. 3) Tilak's 1916 Sedition → M.A. Jinnah. 4) Meerut Conspiracy → K.F. Nariman/M.C. Chagla. 5) Bhagat Singh → Asaf Ali.
- [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: Do not stop at the 'Event' (Chauri Chaura). Ask the 'Aftermath' questions: Who was arrested? Where were they tried? Who saved them? The Allahabad High Court appeal led by Malaviya is a legendary legal anecdote.
Concept hooks from this question
👉 Chauri Chaura incident and withdrawal of Non-Cooperation
💡 The insight
Chauri Chaura (5 February 1922) triggered the abrupt withdrawal of the Non-Cooperation Movement and mass arrests.
High-yield for paper II/modern history: explains a key turning point in Gandhian politics and state repression. Connects to themes of mass mobilisation, limits of non-violence, and colonial legal reprisals. Enables questions on causes/consequences and leadership responses.
📚 Reading List :
- History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 4: Advent of Gandhi and Mass Mobilisation > e) Chauri Chaura Incident and Withdrawal of the Movement > p. 48
- 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. 291
- Modern India ,Bipin Chandra, History class XII (NCERT 1982 ed.)[Old NCERT] > Chapter 15: Struggle for Swaraj > MODERN INDIA > p. 274
🔗 Anchor: "Did C. R. Das provide legal defence to the people arrested in the aftermath of t..."
👉 Congress leaders organising legal defence for accused revolutionaries
💡 The insight
Congress leaders frequently took up legal defence of political prisoners and revolutionaries in high-profile trials.
Important for understanding nationalist strategies beyond mass protest — legal-political engagement and public sympathy building. Links to studies of trials (e.g., Lahore, Alipore) and to how party leadership managed repression; useful for essay and source-analysis questions on nationalist tactics.
📚 Reading List :
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 17: Emergence of Swarajists, Socialist Ideas, Revolutionary Activities and Other New Forces > Action against the Revolutionaries > p. 351
- History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 5: Period of Radicalism in Anti-imperialist Struggles > Lahore Conspiracy Case > p. 64
🔗 Anchor: "Did C. R. Das provide legal defence to the people arrested in the aftermath of t..."
👉 C.R. Das and formation of the Swaraj Party (1922)
💡 The insight
C.R. Das was a principal leader who co-founded the Swaraj Party in 1922 with Motilal Nehru.
Useful to place individual leaders in the 1920s political landscape — helps answer questions on factionalism and shifts from non-cooperation to legislative entry. Links to broader topics on Congress strategy and role of prominent lawyers-politicians.
📚 Reading List :
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 39: After Nehru... > 15. Lord Reading 1921-1926 > p. 821
🔗 Anchor: "Did C. R. Das provide legal defence to the people arrested in the aftermath of t..."
👉 Chauri-Chaura incident and withdrawal of the Non-Cooperation Movement
💡 The insight
Chauri-Chaura (5 Feb 1922) triggered Gandhi's decision to withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement and produced mass arrests that form the context of the question.
High-yield: understanding this event is essential for questions on mass movements, reasons for tactical shifts by Congress, and the immediate legal/political fallout. It connects to colonial repression, trials, and leadership responses often asked in polity and modern history questions.
📚 Reading List :
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 16: Non-Cooperation Movement and Khilafat Aandolan > Chauri Chaura Incident > p. 336
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 39: After Nehru... > 15. Lord Reading 1921-1926 > p. 821
- India and the Contemporary World – II. History-Class X . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 2: Nationalism in India > April 1919 > p. 42
🔗 Anchor: "Did Madan Mohan Malaviya and Krishna Kant provide legal defence to the people ar..."
👉 Role of lawyers in the freedom struggle (giving up practice and legal defence)
💡 The insight
Many prominent lawyers abandoned legal practice and were politically active, shaping expectations about legal advocacy and participation after major incidents.
High-yield: questions often probe the nexus between legal profession and nationalism, civil liberties, and courtroom politics. This concept links biographies of leaders to broader patterns of protest and legal resistance.
📚 Reading List :
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 39: After Nehru... > Appendices ✫ 807 > p. 807
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 11: Indian National Congress: Foundation and the Moderate Phase > Justice Mahadeo Govind Ranade to Gokhale (1891) > p. 254
🔗 Anchor: "Did Madan Mohan Malaviya and Krishna Kant provide legal defence to the people ar..."
👉 Congress factional positions: cooperation vs non-cooperation (Responsivists vs Swarajists)
💡 The insight
Leaders such as Madan Mohan Malaviya advocated cooperation with provincial governments, reflecting intra-Congress divisions that affected responses to events and legal strategies.
High-yield: helps answer questions on Congress internal politics, policy choices after crises, communal positioning, and how leadership differences influenced movement tactics and post-event handling.
📚 Reading List :
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 39: After Nehru... > Swadeshi Movement > p. 806
- Modern India ,Bipin Chandra, History class XII (NCERT 1982 ed.)[Old NCERT] > Chapter 15: Struggle for Swaraj > THE SWARAILSTS > p. 279
- History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 6: Communalism in Nationalist Politics > a) Communalism in United Provinces (UP) > p. 77
🔗 Anchor: "Did Madan Mohan Malaviya and Krishna Kant provide legal defence to the people ar..."
👉 Arrests of local leaders as catalysts for mass protest
💡 The insight
Arrest of leaders such as Saifuddin Kitchlew triggered large-scale popular protests and violent responses.
High-yield for UPSC: leader arrests frequently precipitated major incidents linking political repression to mass movements; connects to civil disobedience, colonial policing, and causes of uprisings; useful for causation questions and illustrating protest dynamics.
📚 Reading List :
- Modern India ,Bipin Chandra, History class XII (NCERT 1982 ed.)[Old NCERT] > Chapter 15: Struggle for Swaraj > MODERN INDIA > p. 268
- 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. 322
🔗 Anchor: "Did Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew and Khwaja Hasan Nizami provide legal defence to the ..."
The 'Sessions Court' initially sentenced 172 people to death. It was Malaviya's brilliant argument in the Allahabad High Court that reduced this to 19 hangings. This massive reduction is why the case is historically significant.
Apply 'Geographic Mapping'. Chauri Chaura is in Gorakhpur (United Provinces). The appeal goes to Allahabad High Court.
- C.R. Das = Bengal.
- Kitchlew = Punjab.
- Jinnah = Bombay.
- Malaviya = The titan of Allahabad/UP.
Option B is the only geographically logical fit.
Mains GS-1 (History) & GS-2 (Polity): Use this as a case study for 'Rule of Law vs Rule by Law'. Colonial courts were tools of repression, but nationalist lawyers used the same courts to expose the regime's brutality.