NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 5 Indigo
Summary of Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 5 Indigo
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Important Questions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 5 Indigo
Page No. 46
Question 1:
Strike out what is not true in the following.
a. Rajkumar Shukla was
\(\quad\) (i) a sharecropper.
\(\quad\) (ii) a politician.
\(\quad\) (iii) delegate .
\(\quad\) (iv) a landlord.
Answer
Strike out (ii) a politician and (iv) a landlord.
b. Rajkumar Shukla was
\(\quad\) (i) poor.
\(\quad\) (ii) physically strong.
\(\quad\) (iii) illiterate.
Answer
Strike out (ii) physically strong.
Question 2:
Why is Rajkumar Shukla described as being ‘resolute’?
Answer
Rajkumar Shukla is described as ‘resolute’ because he was determined to get justice for the indigo farmers of Champaran. He repeatedly followed Mahatma Gandhi from place to place and did not leave him until Gandhi agreed to visit Champaran. His determination and persistence finally succeeded in bringing Gandhi to help the peasants.
Question 3:
Why do you think the servants thought Gandhi to be another peasant?
Answer
The servants thought Gandhi to be another peasant because he was simply dressed in ordinary Indian clothes and looked like a common farmer. They could not recognise him as a famous leader and assumed that he had come with Rajkumar Shukla, who was himself a poor peasant.
NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 5 Indigo
Page No. 48
Question 1:
List the places that Gandhi visited between his first meeting with Shukla and his arrival at Champaran.
Answer
After his first meeting with Rajkumar Shukla at the Lucknow Congress Session, Gandhi visited several places before reaching Champaran. He went to Kanpur, then returned to his Ashram at Ahmedabad. Later, he travelled to Calcutta, where Rajkumar Shukla was waiting for him as promised. From Calcutta, both of them went to Patna, then to Muzaffarpur, and finally reached Champaran.
Question 2:
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?
Answer
The peasants paid the British landlords indigo as rent under the Tinkathia system, in which they were forced to grow indigo on 15% (three-twentieths) of their land.
Later, Germany developed synthetic indigo, which was much cheaper than natural indigo. As a result, the demand for natural indigo declined. Therefore, the British landlords wanted the peasants to pay compensation in cash for being released from the agreement to grow indigo.
The invention of synthetic indigo caused the price of natural indigo to fall sharply, making its cultivation less profitable.
NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 5 Indigo
Page No. 50
Question 1:
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?
Answer
Gandhi’s method of working was based on truth (Satyagraha) and non-violence. He first collected facts by meeting the peasants and recording their statements. He disobeyed the official order to leave Champaran but accepted the legal consequences peacefully. He never used force or violence against the British. Instead, he relied on truth, patience, courage, and peaceful resistance to secure justice for the peasants.
NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 5 Indigo
Page No. 52
Question 1:
Why did Gandhi agree to a settlement of 25 per cent refund to the farmers?
Answer
Gandhi agreed to a 25 per cent refund because he believed that the amount of money was not as important as the principle of justice. By accepting the settlement, he made the British landlords admit that they had treated the peasants unfairly. This restored the farmers’ self-respect and marked the beginning of the end of the British landlords’ exploitation.
Question 2:
How did the episode change the plight of the peasants?
Answer
The Champaran episode brought a great change in the lives of the peasants. They gained courage, confidence, and self-respect. They realised that they could fight against injustice without violence. The British landlords’ power began to decline, and the Tinkathia system was abolished. Gandhi also encouraged improvements in education, health, and sanitation in the villages.
NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 5 Indigo
Understanding the text
Question 1:
Why do you think Gandhi considered the Champaran episode to be a turning-point in his life?
Answer
Gandhi considered the Champaran episode a turning point because it was the first successful application of Satyagraha in India. He proved that truth, courage, and non-violence could defeat injustice. By refusing to obey the official order to leave Champaran, he challenged British authority peacefully and won the support of the peasants. The British government was forced to investigate the farmers’ grievances and finally agreed to compensate them. More importantly, the peasants gained confidence and self-respect. Gandhi also started work on education, health, and sanitation in the villages. The Champaran movement marked the beginning of mass participation in India’s freedom struggle and established Gandhi as a national leader.
Question 2:
How was Gandhi able to influence lawyers? Give instances.
Answer
Gandhi influenced the lawyers by making them realise their duty towards the poor peasants. When they said they would return home if Gandhi was jailed, he questioned their commitment. Feeling ashamed, the lawyers decided to stay in Champaran and support the peasants. Their decision strengthened the movement and showed Gandhi’s leadership.
Question 3:
What was the attitude of the average Indian in smaller localities towards advocates of ‘home rule’?
Answer
The average Indian in smaller towns was afraid of the British authorities and usually kept away from those who supported Home Rule. People believed that opposing the government would bring punishment. Gandhi’s courage and fearless actions inspired ordinary people to overcome their fear and stand up against injustice.
Question 4:
How do we know that ordinary people too contributed to the freedom movement?
Answer
The Champaran episode shows that ordinary people also contributed to the freedom movement. Thousands of peasants came forward to tell Gandhi about their sufferings. Local lawyers supported him, and villagers cooperated in his efforts. Their courage, unity, and participation made the movement successful and strengthened India’s struggle for freedom.
NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 5 Indigo
Talking about the text
Discuss the following.
- “Freedom from fear is more important than legal justice for the poor.”
Answer
The statement means that poor people cannot truly enjoy justice unless they are free from fear. In the chapter “Indigo”, the peasants of Champaran had lived in fear of the British landlords for many years. They were forced to grow indigo and suffered exploitation without raising their voices. Gandhi realised that removing this fear was more important than winning a legal case. Through truth, courage, and non-violence, he inspired the peasants to stand up for their rights. As they became fearless, they gained confidence and self-respect. The legal settlement of 25 per cent compensation was only symbolic; the real victory was that the peasants overcame their fear and learned to fight against injustice peacefully. - Do you think that the poor of India are free from fear after Independence?
Answer
No, the poor of India are not completely free from fear even after Independence. Although the country is politically independent, many poor people still face fear because of poverty, unemployment, exploitation, corruption, social inequality, and lack of education. Some also fear losing their livelihood, facing injustice, or not receiving proper healthcare and basic facilities. However, government welfare schemes, education, and awareness have improved their condition. True freedom will be achieved only when every citizen can live with dignity, equality, security, and without fear.
NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 5 Indigo
