Transfer of Power & Partition — Set 8
National Movement · सत्ता हस्तांतरण और विभाजन · Questions 71–80 of 140
What happened to Gandhi after Indian independence?
Correct Answer: A. A. He was assassinated on January 30, 1948 by Nathuram Godse
After Indian independence, Mahatma Gandhi worked to stop the communal violence triggered by partition. He fasted in Calcutta and Delhi to restore peace. He was assassinated on January 30, 1948 at Birla House in New Delhi by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu nationalist. Gandhi's death shocked the nation. His assassination ended the most critical phase of post-partition violence.
The Indian National Army trials of 1945-46 had what effect?
Correct Answer: A. A. Created massive public sympathy for the accused and undermined British authority
The INA trials of 1945-46 at the Red Fort, Delhi, in which INA officers were tried for treason, created massive public sympathy for the accused. The trials were seen as persecution of patriotic soldiers. Nehru and other lawyers defended the INA officers. The trials dramatically weakened British moral authority to govern India. The Navy mutiny of 1946 further showed British hold was slipping.
When did the Indian Navy mutiny take place that accelerated British plans to leave India?
Correct Answer: A. A. February 1946
The Royal Indian Navy Mutiny took place in February 1946 when ratings mutinied in Bombay (Mumbai). It spread to other naval establishments. The mutiny showed the British that even the armed forces on which they depended were becoming unreliable. Combined with the INA trials and other agitations, it convinced the British that India could not be held much longer.
What was the Atlee Declaration of February 1947?
Correct Answer: A. A. Britain's announcement to transfer power to India by June 1948
The Attlee Declaration of February 20, 1947 announced that Britain would transfer power to responsible Indian hands by a date not later than June 1948. This was a firm commitment to Indian independence with a deadline. It also announced Lord Mountbatten's appointment as the new Viceroy. This declaration set the clock ticking on independence and led to the accelerated process.
Who drew the Punjab boundary at partition on behalf of both India and Pakistan?
Correct Answer: A. A. Sir Cyril Radcliffe, a British lawyer who had never visited India
Sir Cyril Radcliffe, a British lawyer who had never visited India before, was appointed to chair the Punjab Boundary Commission. He was also chairman of the Bengal Boundary Commission. Radcliffe completed his work in 36 days. His award satisfied neither India nor Pakistan. Radcliffe himself was reportedly deeply troubled by the consequences of his boundary.
Princely states had the option to accede to India or Pakistan or remain independent. How many chose to remain independent?
Correct Answer: A. A. None - eventually all joined India or Pakistan
Ultimately none of the princely states remained independent. All joined either India or Pakistan. Most signed the Instrument of Accession by August 15, 1947. Hyderabad, Junagadh, and Jammu & Kashmir initially resisted joining India but were eventually integrated. Pakistan also integrated its princely states. The option to remain independent proved illusory.
What was the Congress party's reaction to the failure of the Cabinet Mission Plan?
Correct Answer: A. A. Congress accepted an interim government offer but rejected the grouping plan
Congress accepted the offer to form an interim government under the Cabinet Mission Plan but rejected the grouping scheme for provinces. The Muslim League initially accepted the plan then rejected it after Congress's interpretation. This mutual rejection and subsequent Direct Action Day led to widespread communal violence. The collapse of the Cabinet Mission Plan made partition increasingly likely.
What year was the Indian National Congress founded?
Correct Answer: A. A. 1885
The Indian National Congress (INC) was founded in 1885 by Allan Octavian Hume, a British civil servant, along with Dadabhai Naoroji and Dinshaw Wacha. The first session was held in Bombay. Initially it sought reforms within the British system. Over time it became the primary vehicle of Indian nationalism. Gandhi transformed it into a mass movement in the 1920s.
At independence, what happened to the British Indian Army?
Correct Answer: A. A. It was divided between India and Pakistan along religious lines
The British Indian Army was divided between India and Pakistan at independence. Muslim soldiers generally went to Pakistan and Hindu-Sikh soldiers to India. The division was proportional to the population. Both nations also divided military equipment and assets. The process of dividing the army was logistically complex and took several months to complete.
What was the impact of partition on Indian women?
Correct Answer: A. A. Thousands of women were abducted and subjected to sexual violence
The partition of India led to horrific violence against women on all sides. Thousands of women were abducted, raped, and killed in communal violence. Some families killed their own women to preserve 'honor'. Both India and Pakistan enacted laws and programs to recover abducted women. The trauma to women during partition is one of the darkest chapters in the history of the subcontinent.