Answer:
(a) Nationalism is a
strong feeling of oneness which the people feel when they live under the same
political, social and economic system. The growth of nationalism is intimately
connected to the Anti-Colonial Movement.
The colonial powers exploit the people of their colonies, so much that
all sections of the people decide to throw off the foreign rulers.
In India, the growing anger against the colonial
government brought together various groups and classes into a common struggle
for freedom. Moreover the oppressed people realised that it was necessary to
fight colonial rules to restore their glorious past and their freedom.
Thus, what started as Anti-Colonial Movement, turned into
Nationalist Movement. Everybody had his own interpretation of anti-colonialism,
but the ultimate aim was to get rid of them. This single point was the unifying
factor for diverse mass of India. Finally, the idea of India as a nation
started to emerge.
(b) The First World War created a new economic and
political situation which led to increase in defence expenditure. This expenditure
increase was financed by war loans and by increasing taxes. Moreover,
·
Price hike during the war years (1914-1918) led to extreme
hardship for the commoners.
·
Villagers were called upon to supply soldiers and the forced recruitment
caused widespread anger.
·
Incidents such as implementation of Rowlatt Act, Jallianwalla
Bagh Massacre, marital law in Punjab, disintegration of the Ottoman empire,
further aggravated the situation, resulting in the emergence of the National
Movement.
(c) Rowlatt Act was introduced in 1919. This act had been
hurriedly passed through the Imperial Legislative Council despite the
opposition from Indian members. Under this act, the police could arrest anybody
without trial for two years. Congress under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi,
condemned it as a black legislation and strongly opposed this act.
The provisions of this act outraged Indians. Meetings were
held everywhere and processions taken out. It was the first time when the
Indian unitedly opposed the Britishers.
(d) Gandhiji decided to withdraw Non-Cooperation Movement
because the movement took a violent turn at Chauri Chaura, Uttar Pradesh where
the people set on fire a Police Station in which 22 policemen were burnt alive
in 1922. Gandhiji wanted to stop violence at any cost.
Note In the examination this type of question
will not be asked completely, only its one or two sub-parts will be asked.
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