UPSC CSE Prelims
Revolutionary Nationalism Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
Showing solved Previous Year Questions for Chapter: Revolutionary Nationalism
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Consider the following freedom fighters:
- Barindra Kumar Ghosh
- Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee
- Rash Behari Bose
Who of the above was/were actively associated with the Ghadar Party?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 4 — 3 only
Among the given freedom fighters, only Rash Behari Bose was actively associated with the Ghadar Party. He played a crucial role in coordinating the Ghadar movement in India and later fled to Japan to continue his revolutionary activities.
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: Barindra Kumar Ghosh was associated with the Jugantar revolutionary group in Bengal and the Alipore Bomb Case, not with the Ghadar Party.
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee was a revolutionary from Bengal but had no documented association with the Ghadar Party.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Rash Behari Bose was a key figure in the Ghadar movement, coordinating revolutionary activities in India and later becoming a prominent leader in Japan.
📝 Short Notes: Ghadar Party and Revolutionary Movements
| Revolutionary Movement | Key Personalities | Region/Base | Key Activities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ghadar Party (1913) | Lala Hardayal, Sohan Singh Bhakna, Kartar Singh Sarabha, Rash Behari Bose | USA, Canada (overseas Indians) | Aimed to overthrow British rule through armed rebellion; Ghadar Mutiny (1915) |
| Jugantar (1906) | Barindra Kumar Ghosh, Bagha Jatin, Aurobindo Ghosh | Bengal | Revolutionary activities, Alipore Bomb Case (1908) |
| Anushilan Samiti | Pramathanath Mitra, Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee | Bengal | Revolutionary training, armed resistance |
- Rash Behari Bose: Mastermind of Delhi-Lahore Conspiracy (1912), attempted assassination of Lord Hardinge; coordinated Ghadar movement in Punjab and Bengal; later fled to Japan and helped form the Indian National Army.
- Barindra Kumar Ghosh: Younger brother of Aurobindo Ghosh; founder of Jugantar weekly; involved in Alipore Bomb Case; later turned spiritual.
- Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee: Member of Anushilan Samiti; involved in Bengal revolutionary activities; no direct connection to Ghadar Party.
In the context of Colonial India, Shah Nawaz Khan, Prem Kumar Sehgal, and Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon are remembered as
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 4 — Officers of the Indian National Army
Shah Nawaz Khan, Prem Kumar Sehgal, and Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon were senior officers of the Indian National Army (INA), also known as the Azad Hind Fauj, led by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. They are famously remembered for the historic Red Fort Trials (INA Trials) of 1945-46, where they were court-martialed by the British for 'waging war against the King-Emperor'. The trials sparked massive nationalist demonstrations across India and became a turning point in India's freedom struggle, with the Indian National Congress organizing an INA Defence Committee comprising legal luminaries like Bhulabhai Desai, Tej Bahadur Sapru, and Jawaharlal Nehru to defend them.
📝 Short Notes: Red Fort Trials and INA
- Indian National Army (INA): Formed in 1942 by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose from Indian prisoners of war and expatriates in Southeast Asia to fight British rule.
- Red Fort Trials (November 1945 - May 1946): Court-martial of INA officers at Red Fort, Delhi. The first trial featured three officers representing different communities - Shah Nawaz Khan (Muslim), Prem Kumar Sehgal (Hindu), and Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon (Sikh).
- Charges: Waging war against the King-Emperor, murder, and abetment of murder.
- Public Response: Massive demonstrations, strikes, and protests across India; united Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs in nationalist fervor.
- Defence Committee: Led by Bhulabhai Desai; included Tej Bahadur Sapru, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Kailash Nath Katju.
- Outcome: All three were sentenced to deportation for life, but the Commander-in-Chief remitted the sentences due to public pressure. The trials accelerated British decision to leave India.
- Legacy: The INA trials demonstrated that the British could no longer rely on Indian armed forces' loyalty and significantly contributed to the independence movement.
The Ghadr (Ghadar) was a
Detailed Explanation:
The Ghadr Party was a revolutionary association of Indians with headquarters at San Francisco, California, formed in 1913.
Founded by Lala Har Dayal and Sohan Singh Bhakna, it aimed to overthrow British colonial rule through armed revolution, drawing support mainly from Indian immigrants (Sikhs, Hindus, Muslims) in North America.
✅ Option 1 – Correct: Accurately identifies the Ghadr as a revolutionary association headquartered in San Francisco.
❌ Option 2 – Incorrect: Singapore was not the headquarters; it was San Francisco.
❌ Option 3 – Incorrect: Berlin was associated with other revolutionary groups like the Berlin Committee, not Ghadr.
❌ Option 4 – Incorrect: Ghadr was not a communist movement, and Tashkent was not its headquarters.
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Annie Besant was:
- Responsible for starting the Home Rule Movement
- The founder of the Theosophical Society
- Once the President of the Indian National Congress
Select the correct statement/statements using the codes given below.
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: Annie Besant founded the Home Rule League in September 1916 in Madras, demanding self-government for India within the British Empire, alongside Tilak's Home Rule League (April 1916).
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: The Theosophical Society was founded in 1875 in New York by Madame H.P. Blavatsky and Colonel H.S. Olcott. Annie Besant became its President in 1907 but was not the founder.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Annie Besant was elected President of the Indian National Congress at the Calcutta Session in 1917, becoming the first woman to hold this position.