INDIGO NOTES

 Why is Rajkumar Shukla described as being ‘resolute’?

Ans: Rajkumar had come all the way from the Champaran district in the foothills of the
Himalayas to Lucknow to speak to Gandhi. Shukla accompanied Gandhi everywhere and
followed him to the ashram near Ahmedabad.

For weeks, he never left Gandhi’s side until Gandhi asked him to meet in Calcutta…

 Why do you think the servants thought Gandhi to be another peasant?

Ans: Shukla led Gandhi to Rajendra Prasad’s house. The servants knew Shukla as a poor
yeoman. Gandhi was also clad in a simple dhoti and was the companion of a peasant. Hence,
the servants thought Gandhi was another peasant.

 List the places that Gandhi visited between his first meeting with Shukla and his
arrival at Champaran.
Ans: Gandhi’s first meeting with Shukla was in Lucknow. Then he went to Cawnpore and
other parts of India. He returned to his ashram near Ahmedabad and later went to Calcutta,
Patna, and Muzaffarpur before arriving at Champaran.

 What did the peasants pay the British landlords as rent? What did the British now
want instead and why? What would be the impact of synthetic indigo on the prices of
natural indigo?
Ans: The peasants paid the British landlords indigo as rent. …..

Now that Germany had developed synthetic indigo, the British landlords wanted money as
compensation for being released from the 15 percent arrangement. The prices of natural
indigo would go down due to synthetic indigo.

 The events in this part of the text illustrate Gandhi’s method of working. Can you
identify some instances of this method and link them to his ideas of Satyagraha and
non-violence?
Ans: Gandhi’s politics were intermingled with the day-to-day problems of millions of
Indians.

He opposed unjust laws and was ready to court arrest for breaking such laws and going to
jail. The famous Dandi March to break the ‘salt law’ is another instance. His resistance and
disobedience were peaceful and a fight for truth and justice, directly linked to his ideas of
Satyagraha and non-violence.

 Why did Gandhi agree to a settlement of 25 percent refund to the farmers?

Ans: For Gandhi, the amount of the refund was less important than the fact that the landlords
had been forced to return part of the money, which also affected their prestige. Therefore, he
agreed to a settlement of 25 percent refund to the farmers.

 How did the episode change the plight of the peasants?

Ans: The peasants were saved from spending time and money on court cases. After some
years, the British planters gave up control of their estates, which then reverted to the peasants.
Indigo sharecropping disappeared.
 How was Gandhi able to influence lawyers? Give instances.
Ans: Gandhi asked the lawyers what they would do if he was sentenced to prison. They said
they had come to advise him and would go home if he went to jail. Gandhi then raised the
issue of injustice to the sharecroppers. After consultations, the lawyers concluded that it
would be shameful to desert him, so they told Gandhi they were ready to follow him into jail.

 What was the attitude of the average Indian in smaller localities towards advocates
of ‘home rule’?
Ans: The average Indian in smaller localities was afraid to show sympathy for the advocates
of home rule. Gandhi stayed in Muzaffarpur for two days at the home of Professor Malkani, a
teacher in a government school. It was extraordinary for a government professor to provide
shelter to someone opposing the government.

 How do we know that ordinary people too contributed to the freedom movement?
Professor J.B. Kriplani received Gandhi at the Muzaffarpur railway station at midnight,
accompanied by a large body of students. Sharecroppers from Champaran came on foot and
by conveyance to see Gandhi, and Muzaffarpur lawyers also called on him. A vast multitude
greeted Gandhi when he reached Motihari railway station, and thousands demonstrated
around the courtroom. This shows that ordinary people contributed to the freedom movement
in India.

. “This was a typical Gandhi pattern,” observes Louis Fischer. What do you learn about
Gandhian politics from the extract ‘Indigo’?
Gandhi’s politics were intertwined with the practical, everyday life of millions of Indians.
This was not a loyalty to abstractions, but a loyalty to living human beings. In everything
Gandhi did, he tried to mold a new, self-reliant Indian who could stand on his own feet and
thus contribute to India's freedom.

. How did Gandhi teach his followers a lesson of self-reliance?

During the Champaran action, Gandhi’s lawyer friends thought it would be beneficial if C.F.
Andrews stayed on in Champaran to help them. Gandhi opposed this idea, as it showed a
weakness of heart. Their cause was just, and they must rely upon themselves to win this
unequal fight. They should not seek the support of Mr. Andrews simply because he was an
Englishman.

LONG TYPE QUESTIONS

1. “Freedom from fear is more important than legal justice for the poor.” Do you think that the
poor of India are free from fear after Independence?
Ans: For the poor of India, means of survival are far more important than freedom or legal justice. I
don’t think the poor of India are free from fear after Independence. The foreign rulers have been
replaced by corrupt politicians and a self-serving bureaucracy. Power brokers and moneylenders
thrive. The situation has improved in cities and towns for the poor, but those in remote villages still
fear big farmers and moneylenders. The police and revenue officials remain objects of terror for
them.
The poor, landless workers still have to work hard to make ends meet. Peasants and tenant
farmers must borrow money from wealthy moneylenders at exorbitant rates of interest, which
they often fail to repay due to poor monsoons or bad crops. Cases of small farmers
committing suicide are quite common. If this is not due to fear, what is the reason behind it?

2. The qualities of a good leader.

A good leader has mass appeal. He rises from the masses, thinks for them, and works for
them. He is sincere in his approach and is a man of principles. Truth, honesty, patriotism,
morality, and a spirit of service and sacrifice are the hallmarks of a good leader. He never
mixes politics with religion or sect. He believes in working for the welfare of the nation and
does not think in narrow terms of class, caste, or region.

Corruption and nepotism are two evils that surround a leader in power. The life of a good
leader is an open book; there is no difference between his words and actions. Such good
leaders are very rare. What we find today are practical politicians who seek to achieve their
ends without regard for the purity of means. The law of expediency often trumps morality.

3. Why is the Champaran episode considered to be the beginning of the Indian struggle
for independence?
The Champaran episode began as an attempt to alleviate the suffering of a large number of
peasants. Gandhi garnered the spontaneous support of thousands. He declared that the British
could not order him about in his own country. Under his leadership, the peasants became
aware of their rights. Raj Kumar Shukla, a farmer of Champaran, played a significant role in
bringing about this change. Other peasants also fought courageously and contributed to the
movement in their own ways. The outcome was a victory for the Champaran peasants. The
effects of Gandhi’s methods of non-violence and non-cooperation proved fruitful in this
movement. Hence, it can be said that the Champaran episode marks the beginning of the
Indian struggle for independence.

4. Justify the appropriateness of the title ‘Indigo’ to this extract.

The title ‘Indigo’ is highly appropriate, direct, and suggestive. It focuses our attention on the
central issue—the exploitation of the indigo sharecropper peasants at the hands of cruel
British planters. These planters compelled the peasants through a long-term agreement to
raise indigo on 15 percent of their landholding and surrender the entire indigo harvest as rent.

After the development of synthetic indigo by Germany, the British planters extracted money
from the peasants as compensation for being released from the 15 percent agreement. The
peasants who sought their money back filed civil suits, and the planters, who acted as lords
above the law and instilled fear in the poor, were obliged to surrender part of the money and,
with it, part of their prestige.

The extract also highlights the work done by Gandhi and his associates to improve the
economic, political, cultural, and social lives of the indigo sharecroppers. Their education,
health, and hygiene received significant attention. The plight of the indigo sharecroppers,
their struggle under Gandhi’s leadership, and the ultimate victory when indigo sharecropping
disappeared are important landmarks. Thus, the title ‘Indigo’ is both highly suggestive and
apt.
5. How did Gandhi work for rural uplift during his stay in Champaran?
Ans: Gandhi wanted to address the cultural and social backwardness in the Champaran
villages. He appealed for teachers, and two young disciples of Gandhi, Mahadev Desai and
Narhari Parikh, along with their wives, volunteered to help. Several others responded from
distant parts of the country, including Mrs. Kasturba Gandhi and Devdas, Gandhi’s youngest
son. Primary schools were opened in six villages, and Kasturba taught the ashram rules on
personal cleanliness and community sanitation, addressing women's concerns about their
hygiene.

Health conditions were miserable, so Gandhi recruited a doctor to volunteer his services for
six months. Only three medicines were available: castor oil, quinine, and sulfur ointment.
Anyone with a coated tongue received a dose of castor oil; anyone suffering from malaria
received quinine plus castor oil; and anyone with skin eruptions received ointment plus castor
oil.

Thus, Gandhi did not content himself with large political or economic solutions; he worked
for the total uplift of villages and the poor sections of society.

6. ‘Self-reliance, Indian independence, and help to sharecroppers were all bound

together.’ Elucidate based on the reading ‘Indigo’ by Louis Fischer.
Ans: Gandhi stayed in Champaran for an extended period, and the Champaran episode
marked a turning point in his life. During this struggle in 1917, he decided to urge the
departure of the British. The Champaran episode did not begin as an act of defiance; it grew
out of an attempt to alleviate the suffering of a large number of poor peasants. Gandhi
concentrated on their practical, day-to-day problems, analyzing the root cause—fear—and
sought to eradicate it.

The voluntary demonstration of the poor peasants against the government’s attempts to
trouble Gandhi was the beginning of the end of their fear of the British. In everything he did,
Gandhi aimed to mold a new, self-reliant Indian who could stand on his own feet and thus
contribute to India’s freedom. He taught his lawyer friends a lesson in self-reliance by
opposing the involvement of C.F. Andrews, an Englishman, in their unequal fight, arguing
that his help would serve as a crutch and reflect their weakness. Their cause was just, and
they must rely on themselves to win the battle. Thus, self-reliance, Indian independence, and
assistance to sharecroppers were all interconnected.

VALUE BASED QUESTION

1.Undoubtedly, only a socially just country has the right to exist. In the modern world, justice
is a concept; muscle is the reality. Corruption has become the way of the world, and the
destitute are exploited ruthlessly. People feel that “to make a living, craftiness is better than
learnedness.”

Taking inspiration from the lines: “Gandhi protested against the delay. He read a statement
pleading guilty… when the court reconvened, the judge said he would not deliver the
judgement for several days,” write an article discussing the impact of corruption on society
and the pursuit of justice.

Corruption in Contemporary India

Corruption has permeated every level of society, affecting educated, skilled, and semi-skilled
workers alike. It is a form of dishonesty and illegal behavior, particularly prevalent among
those in authority. Individuals often resort to corruption due to poverty, lack of moral
strength, and various psychological and financial pressures. The path of righteousness is often
fraught with challenges, leading some young people to seek quick gains through
unscrupulous means.

Corruption often begins at the top. If a family leader engages in corrupt practices, it sets a
precedent for other members to follow. Our politicians and bureaucrats frequently lack moral
integrity, making it essential to hold them accountable. To foster a just society, corrupt
officials must be punished, while honest individuals should be recognized and rewarded.

The current justice system is outdated and inefficient, encapsulated in the saying, "justice
delayed is justice denied." Many individuals find themselves waiting for justice that never
comes, leaving the vulnerable to face exploitation without recourse. If corruption remains
unchecked, the destitute will continue to be ruthlessly exploited.

In the spirit of Gandhi's protests against injustice, it is crucial to advocate for a system that
prioritizes social justice over mere legal formalities. Only then can we hope to build a society
where integrity prevails and the rights of all citizens are respected.