BPSC CCE Prelims
Mass National Movements Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
Showing solved Previous Year Questions for Chapter: Mass National Movements
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"We shall either free India or die in the attempt ..." who said it?
Detailed Explanation:
Mahatma Gandhi spoke these words on 8 August 1942 at the launch of the Quit India Movement in Bombay.
The phrase "Do or Die" encapsulated his call for decisive action to achieve complete independence from British rule through non-violent mass struggle.
Who raised the cry "Divide and Quit"?
Detailed Explanation:
M.A. Jinnah, leader of the All-India Muslim League, raised the slogan "Divide and Quit" in 1942 as a counter to Gandhi's "Quit India" movement.
The slogan demanded that British must first partition India to create Pakistan before leaving, reflecting the Muslim League's insistence on a separate nation for Muslims before independence.
During the Quit India Movement, parallel ‘National Government’ was established at many places. Which is not correctly matched?
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Option 2 – Correct: Prati Sarkar was established in Satara (Maharashtra) under Y.B. Chavan during the Quit India Movement (1943-1946).
✅ Option 3 – Correct: Praja Mandal operated in Talcher (Orissa) as a parallel government structure.
✅ Option 4 – Correct: Jatiya Sarkar was set up in Tamluk (Bengal) under Satish Chandra Samanta in December 1942.
❌ Option 1 – Incorrect: Rajyati Sarkar was actually established in Bardoli (Gujarat), not in Kheda.
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Which of the following statements regarding the Indian freedom struggle is not correct?
Detailed Explanation:
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: Mahatma Gandhi was arrested on 10 March 1922, not in 1921, following the withdrawal of the Non-Cooperation Movement.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: The Chauri Chaura incident (5 February 1922) led Gandhi to withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement due to violence.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Gandhi's first major public speech was at the opening of Banaras Hindu University in February 1916, where he criticized Indian elites.
Which of the following statements are not correct regarding the Non-Cooperation Movement in the towns?
- Only the upper caste and the rich took part in the movement.
- The council elections were boycotted even by the Justice Party of Madras.
- Thousands of students left government-controlled schools, headmasters and teachers resigned and lawyers gave up their practice.
Detailed Explanation:
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: The Non-Cooperation Movement in towns witnessed participation from diverse social groups including middle class, workers, students, and traders – not just upper caste and rich.
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: The Justice Party of Madras (representing non-Brahmins) did not boycott the council elections; they participated to protect their interests against Brahmin dominance.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Thousands of students, teachers, headmasters and lawyers boycotted government institutions and legal practice as part of the movement in 1920-1922.
Answer: Statements 1 and 2 are incorrect, hence Option 1 is correct.
In 1940, Vinoba Bhave started individual Satyagraha from
Detailed Explanation:
Vinoba Bhave launched the Individual Satyagraha on 17 October 1940 from Pavnar, Maharashtra, becoming the first individual satyagrahi selected by Mahatma Gandhi.
Punnapra-Vayalar refers to a 1946 communist uprising in Kerala, while Nadiad, Gujarat was associated with the Kheda Satyagraha (1918), not the Individual Satyagraha of 1940.
In which year famous Gandhi-Irwin pact took place?
Detailed Explanation:
The Gandhi-Irwin Pact was signed on March 5, 1931, between Mahatma Gandhi and Viceroy Lord Irwin. This agreement suspended the Civil Disobedience Movement, released political prisoners, and allowed Congress participation in the Second Round Table Conference.
Therefore, the pact took place in 1931 AD, making Option 2 the correct answer.
In which state is 'Chauri Chaura’, where in February 1922 AD a police station was set on fire?
Detailed Explanation:
The Chauri Chaura incident occurred on 4 February 1922 in Gorakhpur district, part of the United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh). During a protest linked to Gandhi's Non-cooperation Movement, demonstrators clashed with police and set fire to the police station, killing 22 policemen.
Gandhi, deeply disturbed by this violence, suspended the entire Non-cooperation Movement on 12 February 1922, emphasizing his commitment to non-violence.
Therefore, Chauri Chaura is located in Uttar Pradesh, making Option 3 the correct answer.
Who was the third Satyagrahi of Individual Satyagraha launched by Mahatma Gandhi in 1940?
Detailed Explanation:
Individual Satyagraha (1940) was launched by Mahatma Gandhi to assert the right to free speech against the war effort. The first satyagrahi was Vinoba Bhave, followed by Jawaharlal Nehru as the second.
The third satyagrahi was Brahma Dutt, a dedicated inmate of Gandhi's ashram, chosen to continue the symbolic protest through individual acts of civil disobedience.
Therefore, Brahma Dutt being the third satyagrahi makes Option 3 the correct answer.
Who launched secret radio during the Quit India Movement?
Detailed Explanation:
Usha Mehta, along with Ram Manohar Lohia and others, launched Congress Radio (Secret Radio) in August 1942 in Mumbai during the Quit India Movement to broadcast nationalist messages and inspire the masses.
The station operated for three months until November 1942, when British police traced and shut it down. Usha Mehta was arrested and imprisoned until 1946.
Therefore, Usha Mehta launched the secret radio during Quit India Movement, making Option 4 the correct answer.
Which of the following events happened first?
Detailed Explanation:
The chronological order of these events: Cripps Mission (March 1942) arrived to negotiate constitutional reforms but failed; Quit India Resolution (August 8, 1942) was passed by AICC in Bombay; Lord Wavell (October 1943) replaced Linlithgow as Viceroy; Cabinet Mission (March 1946) came to discuss power transfer framework.
Therefore, the Cripps Mission occurred first, making Option 2 the correct answer.
During Quit India Movement, who among the following escaped from the Hazaribagh Jail?
Detailed Explanation:
Jayaprakash Narayan (JP) was arrested during the Quit India Movement in 1942 and imprisoned at Hazaribagh Central Jail. On 9 November 1942, he executed a daring escape along with five other socialist leaders by scaling the prison walls using improvised ropes.
Sachchidananda Sinha was a senior statesman who presided over the first Constituent Assembly session. Jagjivan Ram actively participated in the movement but was not imprisoned at Hazaribagh. Rafi Ahmed Kidwai was arrested elsewhere during the movement.
Therefore, Jayaprakash Narayan's escape from Hazaribagh Jail is a well-documented episode of the Quit India Movement, making Option 2 the correct answer.