Chapter 8 – 2nd Part Of 20th Century: Post Colonial India (1947-64) | Chapter Solution Class 10

Fill up the blanks

1. India became independent in ____.
2. ____ is called the iron man of India.
3. King Harisingh was the ruler of ____.
4. Hyderabad was included in Indian Union in ____.
5. ____ was the Chief Minister of West Bengal in 1950.
6. Shyamaprasad Mukhopadhyay formed a political party named ____ after resigning from the post of Central Minister.

1. 1947
2. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
3. Kashmir
4. 26th Jan 1950
5. Prafulla Chandra Ghosh
6. Bharatiya Jana Sangh

Select the correct explanation

Question 

Statement: If the Native States were not included in India after Independence, the security of the country would have been affected.

• Explanation 1: The Native states were parts of India.
• Explanation 2: It would have been dangerous if the Native States were joined with Pakistan.
• Explanation 3: It was necessary to include the Native States within India for the security and sovereignty of India.

Answer

Explanation 3: It was necessary to include the Native States within India for the security and sovereignty of India.

Answer

The State Reorganisation Commission was formed by the Central Government of India in 1953 to reorganize state boundaries. The commission was led by Fazal Ali, K. M. Panikkar and H. N. Kunjur. After two years, in 1955, the commission suggested the formation of 16 dominions and 3 union territories by re-demarcating state boundaries. The recommendations of the commission were adopted in the States Reorganisation Act of 1956, which abolished the three-tier system of states and removed the institution of ‘Rajpramukh’ and special agreements with former Princely states.

Analytical questions

Question 1

Discuss the initiative of the Native States for inclusion in India.

Answer

After India’s independence in 1947, a significant number of princely states existed within the country, which had the option to remain independent or join either India or Pakistan. The Indian government under the leadership of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel initiated several efforts to bring these states into the Indian Union.

The initiative included negotiations with the rulers of the princely states, persuading them to accede to India. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel played a crucial role in this process and was able to integrate over 552 princely states into India, including major ones like Hyderabad, Junagadh, and Jammu & Kashmir.

Question 2

Explain the Kashmir problem.

Answer

The Kashmir problem arose due to the disagreement between India and Pakistan over the status of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The majority of the people in the state were Muslims, but the ruler of the state, Hari Singh, was a Hindu. After India’s independence, Pakistan claimed that the state should have been a part of Pakistan because of its Muslim majority. However, India argued that Hari Singh had acceded to India, and thus it was an integral part of India.

In October 1947, Pakistan sent armed tribal raiders into Kashmir to seize control of the state, which led to a war between India and Pakistan. India referred the matter to the United Nations, and a ceasefire was eventually agreed upon in January 1949, which established a line of control that divided the state into Indian-administered and Pakistan-administered territories.

Question 3

Give an account of the inclusion of Hyderabad within India.

Answer

Hyderabad, a princely state in India, was ruled by the Nizams who refused to accede to either India or Pakistan after the partition in 1947. The Indian government saw Hyderabad as a threat due to its geographical location, and also because it was a prosperous and independent state. Tensions between India and Hyderabad began to rise in the early 1950s.

In 1948, the Indian army was sent to Hyderabad to restore order after a group of rebels, known as the Razakars, started attacking non-Muslims in the state. In 1950, the Indian government began negotiations with the Nizam for the integration of Hyderabad into India. However, these talks failed as the Nizam was not willing to accede to India.

In 1951, the Indian government launched Operation Polo, a military operation aimed at annexing Hyderabad. Indian forces, led by Major General Jayanto Nath Chaudhuri, quickly overpowered the forces of the Nizam and Razakars, and by September 17, 1951, Hyderabad was fully integrated into India.

Question 4

What controversies did arise regarding the solution of refugee problem?

Answer

After the partition of India in 1947, a large number of refugees fled from Pakistan to India and vice versa. The Indian government, particularly Nehru, faced criticism and controversy regarding the handling of the refugee problem. Some of the controversies include:

1. Nehru’s alleged lack of action in solving the refugee problem, particularly in East Bengal, where many Hindu refugees were facing persecution. Nehru was accused of being indifferent to the suffering of the refugees and not doing enough to provide them with adequate support and rehabilitation.
2. Nehru’s alleged failure to keep his promise of providing asylum to the refugees who could not be ensured safety in their own country. Congress leaders, including Nehru and Gandhi, had promised asylum to the refugees before the partition of India, but later denied making such promises.
3. Nehru’s advice to the refugees not to come to India, was seen by some as a lack of empathy and concern for their plight.
4. The controversy over the identification of refugees as ‘foreign guests’ or ‘illegal infiltrators’, created a sense of insecurity and fear among the refugees.
5. The controversy over the integration of refugees into Indian society and economy, with some arguing for their separate identity and others advocating for their assimilation.

Question 5

Why is Shyamaprasad Mukherjee called a friend of the refugees?

Answer

Shyamaprasad Mukherjee is called a friend of the refugees because he was known to be sympathetic towards the plight of the East Bengal refugees who had fled to West Bengal during the partition of India in 1947. He discussed the refugee problem at length with engineer Sri Surendra and went on a tour of inspection of the refugee camps to see the situation first-hand. He was in favour of the policy of ‘exchange of people and property’, which meant that Hindus from East Bengal would be resettled in West Bengal, and Muslims from West Bengal would be resettled in East Bengal. This policy was opposed by Prime Minister Nehru on the grounds of high political morality. Shyamaprasad Mukherjee’s support for the refugees and his advocacy for their resettlement led him to resign from his post as a Central Minister when his policies were not implemented. He later formed a new political party called Janasangha and continued to criticize Nehru’s handling of the refugee problem.

Question 6

Give an account of reminiscences of different people about partition.

Answer

Partition of India was a traumatic event that left deep scars on the memories of millions of people who lived through it. Here are some reminiscences of different people about partition:

1. Saadat Hasan Manto, a renowned Urdu writer, wrote extensively about the horrors of partition in his stories. In his reminiscences, he described how he witnessed brutal violence and saw dead bodies lying on the streets during his journey from Bombay to Lahore.
2. Khushwant Singh, another famous writer, recalled how he felt a sense of betrayal and disillusionment when he saw his Sikh friends and neighbors being killed by their Muslim counterparts. He also wrote about how he had to leave his ancestral home in Pakistan and start anew in India.
3. Kuldip Nayar, a prominent journalist, remembered how he saw his own father being killed in front of his eyes during the partition violence. He also described the pain of leaving his childhood home in Pakistan and starting a new life in India.
4. Amrita Pritam, a celebrated Punjabi poet, wrote about her personal experiences of partition in her famous novel “Ajj Aakhaan Waris Shah Nu” (Today I Invoke Waris Shah). She described the pain and suffering of women who were raped and abducted during the violence.
5. Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India, recalled the difficulties faced by the newly formed government in dealing with the massive influx of refugees from Pakistan. He also wrote about the efforts made by the government to provide relief and rehabilitation to the refugees.
6. Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, wrote in his autobiography “The Discovery of India” about the emotional trauma of partition and the challenges faced by the government in maintaining peace and stability in the aftermath.

Question 7

Describe the work of the States Reorganisation Commission.

Answer

The States Reorganisation Commission (SRC) was formed in 1953 in order to identify the state boundaries in the post-independence period of India. The commission was needed to determine the boundaries of the different Indian states, which were divided into four categories – Part A, B, C, and D. The SRC was chaired by Fazal Ali, a retired judge of the Supreme Court of India.

In its report, the SRC made four observations. Firstly, the three-tier system of states (Parts A, B, and C) would be removed. Secondly, the institution of ‘Rajpramukh’ and special agreements with former princely states should be abolished. Thirdly, the general control vested in the Government of India by Article 371 would have to be removed. Fourthly, Andaman and Nicobar, Delhi, and Manipur would remain Union Territories, while other parts of C and D territories would have to be merged with the adjoining states.

Question 8

Write the names of any four languages recognised in the Constitution of India.

Answer

Until 1964 there were 14 recognised languages in the Constitution mentioned in Articles 344  (i) and 351 of the 8th Scheduled of the Constitution. The Home Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri planned to do it. Those are:

1. Assamese (Assam),
2. Bengali (West Bengal, Tripura, Andaman and Nicobar),
3. Gujarati (Gujarat, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu,
4. Hindi (Bihar, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh,

Question 9

Give an account of the initiative and controversies regarding the inclusion of the Native States within India.

Answer

After India gained independence from British rule in 1947, the Indian government sought to bring the princely states, also known as native states, under its jurisdiction. The princely states were semi-autonomous territories ruled by local monarchs and were not directly under British rule.

The Indian National Congress, which was at the forefront of the Indian independence movement, wanted to bring all the princely states under its control. However, some of the rulers were reluctant to join India and preferred to remain independent or join Pakistan. The British government also supported the idea of the princely states remaining independent.

To resolve this issue, the Indian government appointed Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of India, to negotiate with the rulers of the princely states. Patel was successful in persuading most of the rulers to accede to India, using a combination of diplomacy, incentives and threats.

Question 10

Discuss the Initiative and controversies about the solution to the refugee problem.

Answer

After the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947, there was a massive displacement of people across the border, leading to one of the largest refugee crises in human history. Millions of people were displaced, and many lost their homes, families, and possessions. The Indian government was faced with the daunting task of resettling these refugees and finding a solution to the refugee problem.

The Indian government took several initiatives to address the refugee crisis. One of the most significant initiatives was the establishment of the Ministry of Rehabilitation in 1948, which was tasked with the resettlement of refugees. The government also passed the Displaced Persons (Compensation and Rehabilitation) Act in 1954, which provided compensation and assistance to refugees who had lost their homes and properties during the partition.

Question 11

Give an account of the initiative and controversies about the reorganisation of states on a linguistic basis.

Answer

The reorganisation of Indian states on a linguistic basis was one of the most significant initiatives taken by the Indian government after independence. This initiative was taken to give recognition to the cultural, linguistic and ethnic diversity of the country.

The idea of reorganisation of states on a linguistic basis was first proposed by the Congress Working Committee in 1920. But it was only after independence, under the leadership of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, that the idea gained momentum. In 1953, the Government of India appointed the States Reorganisation Commission (SRC) to examine and recommend the reorganisation of states in India. The SRC, headed by Fazal Ali, submitted its report in 1955, which formed the basis for the reorganisation of states in India.

Question 12

What were the languages in the Constitution until 1964?

Answer

Until 1964, there were 14 languages recognized in the Constitution of India. These were mentioned in Articles 344(i) and 351 of the 8th Schedule of the Constitution. The languages were:

1. Assamese
2. Bengali
3. Gujarati
4. Hindi
5. Kannada
6. Kashmiri
7. Malayalam
8. Marathi
9. Oriya
10. Punjabi
11. Sanskrit
12. Tamil
13. Telugu
14. Urdu

Hindi and English were recognized as official languages in the Constitution, but the term “National Language” was not used. In 1964, the number of recognized languages in the Constitution was increased to 22 with the addition of Sindhi, Konkani, Manipuri, and Nepali.

Question 13

Discuss the refugee problems.

Answer

The issue of refugees is a complex and long-standing problem around the world. Refugees are people who are forced to flee their homes and seek refuge in other countries due to persecution, war, violence, or other reasons. The refugee problem has been a major issue in India since its independence in 1947, especially due to the partition of India and the creation of Pakistan.

During the partition of India, millions of people were displaced from their homes and forced to migrate to India or Pakistan based on their religious identity. This led to a massive refugee crisis, with over 10 million people crossing the newly formed borders. The government of India set up refugee camps to provide temporary shelter to the refugees, but the problem persisted for several years as people struggled to find permanent homes and livelihoods.

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