various roles of gandhi

5/22/2014 [Current] April-Week2-P1: History, Culture, Environment- Gandhi in South Africa, Hazrat Mahal 135, Japanese Scientific Whaling, Railsaver, JalliKattu guidelines - Mrunal

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[Current] April-Week2-P1: History, Culture,

Environment- Gandhi in South Africa, Hazrat

Mahal 135, Japanese Scientific Whaling, Railsaver,

JalliKattu guidelines

1. Prologue

2. [Act I] History

1. H1: Gandhi in South Africa

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1. Gandhi: 1890s till 1900s

2. Gandhi in Boer War (1899)

3. Gandhi in Zulu Wars (1906)

4. 1913-14: The Peak of protests

5. Transvaal March 1913

6. Sugarcane Protests

7. December Enquiry

8. Evaluation of Gandhi in S.Africa

1. #1: Gandhi as an “Integrationist”

2. #2: Gandhi, the Feminist

3. #3: Gandhi the “Mahatma”

4. #4: Gandhi vs his Critiques

present conditions of the water sharing

agreement between Bangladesh and

India? } – [Current] April-Week4-P3:

Diplomacy International

Relations-Teesta Water Sharing,...

NISHAT { congrats... :) ... may i know

which event had d max rejection rate?

and also how flexible were those guys

regarding timing in 100 m... } – [CAPF]

UPSC declares Written Result of

Assistant...

KAIZER { Till now i was only aware

of Red label, Black label & Blue label....

lol ;-) } – [Banking] White Label

ATM: Meaning, Features,

Advantages,...

SIDDHARTH { THANK YOU SIR } –

[Economy] QFI (Qualified Foreign

Investor) vs FII, ...

GULSHAN { Hello Mrunal sir and

fellow aspirants!! I have completed my

graduation in distance mode from

Periyar University(UGC recognised).

Though I took admission in 2010 ,... } –

[Current] April-Week4-P2:

Economy- WTO SPS Agreement

EU...

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5. #5: Gandhi, the British Patriot

6. #6: Gandhi’s “Kesar-e-Hind”

2. H1: Hazrat Mahal: 135th Anniversary

3. [Act II] Environment Biodiversity (EnB)

1. B1: Japan’s Scientific Whaling

2. B2: Railsaver: IT platform

4. [Act III] Culture

1. C1: JalliKattu: Guidelines by SC +

Government

2. C2: Truckload of Harvest Festivals

Prologue

Current events in 2014 April Week2 (8-15th)

1. Part 1/3: History, Culture and Environment: (You’re here)

2. Part 2/3: Economy. Done click me

3. Part 3/3: Diplomacy-international relations. Done click me

Mains General Studies Paper 1

Answer each of the following in 200 words each:

1. “In South Africa, Gandhi fought against policies of General

Smuts and not against the British empire.“ comment.

RAHUL { if ,upsc do that, we must

protest against it and newly bjp govt.

as we dome earlier. } – [Current]

April-Week4-P2: Economy- WTO

SPS Agreement EU...

MUKESH { 15 days after declaration

of final result } – [CAPF] UPSC

declares Written Result of

Assistant...

KESHAV { I did it in 13-14 sec. But

when I saw for the next batch, they

gave relaxation for one extra sec

(17sec). Rest it depends... } – [CAPF]


Assistant...

NISHAT { Congrats yaar.... just want

to know were they lenient in 100 m

race in ur group as well? if yes, how

much relaxation was given? } – [CAPF]


Assistant...

AMIT { PET qualified.. at 25th bsf

camp,chhawala dwarka metro>>bus

for najafgarh>>bus for bsf camp

sequence:100m>>800>>long

jump>>shotput break between

events:2-3 min make sure to bring all

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http://mrunal.org/2014/04/current-april-week1-p3-diplomacy-international-relations-update-first-use-nuclear-policy-arab-integration-rwanda-genocide-french-involvement.html







2. Discuss in brief- South Africa as the experiment lab of

Gandhian methods.

3. Write a note on how South Africa turned Mohandas into

Mahatma.

4. Why did Gandhi fought against the colonial powers in

South Africa? Evaluate his achievements and failures

therein.

5. Write a note about the contribution of Begam Hazrat

Mahal in India’s struggle for Independence.

6. What is Jaliikattu? List the guidelines set by Supreme Court

and Government of India for organizing of this festival.

[Syllabus topic- Diversity of India(!)]

Interview

1. What is this so called “Scientific” whaling by Japan?

2. Why has Japan decided not to conduct it during 2014-15?

3. Culture traditions and religious sentiments apart, Do you

think JalliKattu should be banned completely?

[Act I] History

Two topics this time: Gandhi in South Africa and Hazrat Mahal

in 1857.

H1: Gandhi in South Africa

your>>... } – [CAPF] UPSC declares

Written Result of Assistant...

KESHAV { Yes it is mandatory to get

them attested by a gazetted officer! } –

[CAPF] UPSC declares Written

Result of Assistant...

KESHAV { Yes it is mandatory to get

a sign by attested. Still if someone

couldn't so the commdant himself is a

gassetted officer, they verify with... } –



SANDEEP { Sir, excellent theory but

i got one doubt whether bill of

exchange will come under Negotiable

instrument??? as it needs some more

documents for realisation... } –

[Current] April-Week4-P2:

Economy- WTO SPS Agreement

EU...

BHAZ { Thanks for sharing Some

queries 1. Is it mandatory to get

attestation from gaz officer or self

attestation is fine? 2. How much time

gap... } – [CAPF] UPSC declares

Written Result of Assistant...

NAV { thanks alot...dear must tell








Topic in news because Ramachandra Guha released a

new book -Gandhi Before India. Later EPW put a review

article about this book.

And previously even PIB ran an article on Transvaal March

(we saw that already)

But Since UPSC included world history in General studies

Mains paper I-hence topic becomes important- what did

Gandhi do before coming to India? How did he fight the

imperialist powers in South Africa?

Gandhi: 1890s t i l l 1900s

Everthing abt medical 2mrw...I am

worried due to some problem.

..thanks...wl w8 for ur reply 2mrw.. } –



Older »

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1893: Gandhi Arrives in South Africa, to fight Dadabhai

Abdulla’s case.

Indian businessmen admired him for his fluency in

English, legal matters and Gujarati background.

But Gandhi did not serve only those rich businessmen. He

also fought cases for indentured laborers- mainly permit

renewal type litigations.

Interestingly, he was the only Indian barrister practicing in

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Co m m / H R / CA/ M B A

28-Jun: NPCI Managers

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06-Jun: Bihar Agro Sci.(106)

26-May: CSIR scientist

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20-Jun: Supreme Court PA

30-Jun: AIIMS Jodhpur

18-Jun: UP Higher Judicial

04-Jun: CONCOR Steno

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Natal. Hence very busy with work.

1893thrown out of a train from Durban to Pretoria, despite

having a valid ticket to travel in the first class.

1894 founded Natal India Congress and became its first Secretary.

1899 another Indian barrister Rahim Karim Khan arrived.

Gandhi’s workload decreased, he starts spending more time

reading about religion, politics.

authors How did they influence Gandhi?

Henry

David

Thoreau

concept of Civil Disobedience

John

Ruskin

“Unto his last” – ideas of simple living, community living.

Work by hands better than by machines. (same reflect

in his “Hind Swaraj” later on).

Ralf

Waldo

Emerson

concept of Individualism

Tolstoy The kingdom of God is within you.

H a r y a n a P S C

27-May: Med.Officer 88

27-May: Horticulture Officer 28

27-May: Civil Engg

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31-May: Tripura Police SI

24-May: Tripura PA

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13-Jun: I ITDM deskjobs

09-Jun: NIT Mizoram Deskjobs

06-Jun: Haryana Uni.Clerk(32)

04-Jun: GAIL Foreman

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30-May: SSC Sci.Assistant KKR

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Gandhi in Boer War (1899)

Transvaal was rich in gold, so British plotted to overthrow

Boer government.

This led to the Boer War (1899)=>Boers were defeated but

they continued to live here.

During Boer war, Gandhi served from British side, as an

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assistant superintendent of the Indian volunteer stretcher-

bearer corps.

Gandhi earned Boer war medal for his services.

He wrote in the autobiography:

When the war was declared, my personal sympathies were all

with the Boers, but my loyalty to the British rule drove me to

participation with the British in that war. I felt that, if I

demanded rights as a British citizen, it was also my duty, as

such to participate in the defence of the British Empire. so I

collected together as many comrades as possible, and with

very great difficulty got their services accepted as an

ambulance corps.

Phoenix Farm

1904: Inspired by Tolstoy, Gandhi setups Phoenix farm.

There he begins treating all ailments and preaching and

writing about hygiene, sanitation, good diet, natural cures,

and sexual abstinence. This sheds an important light on

the origin of Gandhi Ashrams in India.

1904: starts printing newspaper “Indian Opinion” from his

farm.

Gandhi in Zulu Wars (1906)



British attacked Zulu population and made them serve as

labour in the diamond mines across Southern Africa.

In 1906, the Zulu Rebellion broke out in Natal province of

South Africa

Zulus demanded land rights and abolition of heavy taxes.

However, the whites declared war against the Zulus.

In this Zulu war/rebellion, Gandhi (Again) served from

British side, as the officer in charge of the Indian volunteer

ambulance corps and earned Zulu War Medal for his

services.

Fight against Registration Act

1906-

07

A new law required Indians to carry registration certificates

all the time. Gandhi begins first passive resistance campaign

/ Satyagraha. He asks people to burn their certificates.

1908 Gandhi arrested for this campaign against registration act

1909Gandhi travels to London, finally Transvaal registration act

repealed.

1913-14: The Peak of protests



March

1913

Supreme Court in Cape Town nullified all non-Christian

marriages, and declared all Indian wives as mistress

and their kids as bastards.

Gandhi immediately demanded a change in the law,

declaring that declaring that “Any nation that fails to

protect the honour of its women, any individual who

fails to protect the honour of his wife is considered

lower in level than a brute”.




Kasturba spearheaded a passive resistance. Women

volunteered to go to jail on their own initiative.

April

1913

South African Union’s PM General Smuts introduced even

harsher immigration bill. The bill included an ongoing

provision for the £3 poll tax

May

1913

Gandhi demands poll tax and marriage issues be settled

together. All Indians and Transvaal and Natal rally up

behind him. But the immigration bill soon passed.

June

1913King gives assent to bill and it became an “Act”.

Sep

1913

Gandhi launches the “passive resistance” courts arrest

along with his followers- including women.

Oct

1913

5000 Indian coal miners of northern Natal go on strike.

Gandhi and his co-workers were instrumental in

encouraging the strike.

The coal miners’ strike provided the committed mass of

supporters to Gandhi.

His movement gains attention of Indian press, Gandhi

starts receiving funds from Gokhale, Aurobindo Ghosh

and Wealthy Indians, even from princely states of India.



This money helped him to launch a long Transaaval

march- arranging food and supplies for those protestors

and their families.

Transvaal March 1913

Along with 2000 Natal coal miners, Gandhi began March

towards Transvaal. At that time, crossing border from

Natal to Transvaal required Permit- But they crossed

border without permit.

Gen. Smuts downplayed this march thinking it’d soon

collapse. (Just like how Lord Irwin thought Dandi Salt

March would be an #EPICFAIL).

But since the protest did not collapse, General Smuts

ordered police to arrest coal miners. Miners were sent to

hard labour camps. Gandhi was thrown into Jail again.

Sugarcane Protests

Time: mid-November 1913, after Arrest of Gandhi.

Place: Coastal areas of Natal, Sugar plantations.

Now here also, Indian laborers went on strike and began

marching towards towns. This protest was wholly self-

organised, they were inspired from the news of Transvaal

March and Gandhi’s arrest.

Although they called Gandhi their “Raja” (king!) but



methods were not always ‘Gandhian’.

Often these angry strikers would burnt plantations, attack

policemen with knives, sticks and stones. Many injured

and died.

The Indian laborers in Durban also began similar protests.

Overall, their demands were:

1. Abolish poll tax

2. Right to free travel without permit.

3. Voting rights.

4. Release Gandhi from jail

As the common sense suggests- General Smuts refused and

called in the army to “teach” them a lesson.

December Inquiry

Protest gains momentum. Large amount of donations

from India.

Even Viceroy Hardinge (India) criticized the South African

government.

December

1913

Under pressure, General Smuts orders an enquiry

commission. Himself wrote “You can’t put twenty

thousand Indians into jail”.



March

1914Commission report says following:

1. Indian laborers are important for South African economy

2. Give them permit for three years (instead of asking them

to renew it every year.)

3. All Indian marriage be legally recognized.

4. Abolish £3 poll tax

June 1914 Government enacted the law to implement this report.

July 1914 Gandhi leaves for England. and from there, to India.

General Smut quotes

“Gandhi approached me on a number of small administrative

points, some of which I could meet him on, and as a result,

the saint has left our shores – I sincerely hope for ever.”

Evaluation of Gandhi in S.Africa

#1: Gandhi as an “Integrationist”

During South African struggle, Gandhi took help of Hindus,

Muslims, Christian, Jews, Tamils, Parsi and even Chinese

immigrants.



He sought the best in all, believed people of different

backgrounds can living together in a united spirit.

This experience made him believe that all faiths can lead

to salvation.

Gandhi was thus different than his contemporaries.

Indian Congress embraced all different races and religions

but in the beginning Congress was very elitist-upper caste

male dominated body.

Although Gokhale and Dadabhai Naoroji were free of

sectarian and caste bias, but they lived very privileged life.

Contrary to them, Gandhi embraced a wide range of

castes, races, religions- both male and female, and

integrated them into the struggle in South Africa- he

united all Asians and Africans, and not just the Indians.

#2: Gandhi, the Feminist

The idea of a woman going to jail had been unthinkable

for male, upper-caste Indian nationalists.

But with Gandhi’s passive resistance in S.Africa, this

became a common phenomenon, he asked women to join

the protests and court arrests. [was influenced by feminist

Millie Polak]

Thus, Gandhi played a catalyst in the entry of Indian

women in political protests and freedom struggle.



#3: Gandhi the “Mahatma”

Gandhi’s long time friend Pranjivan Mehta used this title,

in a letter to GK Gokhale (1912)

He wrote, “Mahatma Gandhi was one of those rare men

who are occasionally born to elevate humanity in the land

of their birth”

Guha compares the Gandhi-Mehta relationship to that of

Marx and Engels.

#4: Gandhi vs his Crit iques

During the Indian freedom struggle, we know that many

revolutionaries and even Congress leaders did not fully

approve Gandhian methods.

Similarly even in S.Africa, Gandhi faced critiques- main

among them was a Tamil Journalist PS Aiyar.

Gandhi PS Aiyar

Indian should be given right to

free movement within

Transvaal region- without

requiring any permits.

not just Transvaal, Indian should

get right to free movement

throughout South Africa.

was against the £3 poll tax on



Indian laborers. But he wanted

to protest in “Gradual Stages”:

First we send petition to

Government,

then mass meeting,

then petition to British

parliament

if still no solution then we

refuse to pay this tax.

No, we should immediately

launch a mass movement to

pressurize the government

into abolishing the tax.

less talking and more “doing”

thus in the later phase of the movement, the bad relation

between Gandhi and Aiyer radicalized the movement- with

poors on Aiyar’s side and white / blue collar Indians on

Gandhi’s side.

#5: Gandhi, the Brit ish Patriot

1. Until the 1920s, Gandhi was an ardent British patriot

2. He felt the British Empire embodied the principles of

equality and liberty that he believed in.

3. He considered General Smuts’ racist policies in South

Africa as an aberration, rather than a defining trait of the

British Empire.

4. Gandhi saw British Raj as benevolent rather than



tyrannical; despite its flaws, British Raj had been good for

India (compared to the rule by native princes), and that the

ideals of the British constitution merited the loyalty of all

British subjects across the globe, white, black and Indian

alike.

5. Gandhi even declared that he and his fellow Indians were

“proud to be under the British Crown, and England will

prove India’s deliverer.”

6. Gandhi participated in Boer and Zulu wars hoping it’d earn

the trust of British authorities that Indians and Asians

were indeed loyal subjects of his majesty, and they’ll be

treated equally in South Africa.

7. Some historians even argue, Gandhi participated in these

wars with hope that it’d end the struggle in South Africa

and help him return India.

#6: Gandhi’s “Kesar-e-Hind”

1915: Gandhi returned to India, Lord Hardinge awarded Kesar-

e-Hind medal for his services in ambulance corps during

South Africa.

1920: During Khilafat movement, Gandhi returned these

medals to Viceroy Chelmsford and wrote,

It is not without a pang that I return the Kaisar-i-Hind gold



medal granted to me by your predecessor (Lord Hardinge)

for my humanitarian work in South Africa, the Zulu War

medal granted in South Africa for my services as officer in

charge of the Indian volunteer ambulance corps in 1906

and the Boer War medal for my services as assistant

superintendent of the Indian volunteer stretcher-bearer

corps during the Boer War of 1899-1900.

I venture to return these medals in pursuance of the

scheme of non-cooperation inaugurated today in

connection with the Khilafat movement. Valuable as these

honours have been to me, I cannot wear them with an

easy conscience so long as my Mussalman countrymen

have to labour under a wrong done to their religious

sentiment.

Events that have happened during the past one month

have confirmed me in the opinion that the Imperial

Government have acted in the Khilafat matter in an

unscrupulous, immoral and unjust manner and have been

moving from wrong to wrong in order to defend their

immorality. I can retain neither respect nor affection for

such a Government.

Mrunal comments: For MCQs, keep in mind Gandhi earned

these medals for work in Zulu and Boer wars (and not WW1),

and returned these medals for NCM in connection with



Khilafat movement specifically. (As evident from his own

letter above.) Because at some pages in Wikipedia and other

books- they claim Gandhi got this medal for service in WW1

and returned them for Jaliawalan massacre = that’s incorrect.

Overal l :

1. Inclusion of Women, all races and religions = must for

success in a political struggle.

2. His Ashrams as a meeting and training ground for all of

them.

3. Passive resistance, civil disobedience = more successful

than violent methods.

4. There will be critiques and setbacks but perseverance will

lead to success.

5. Made General Smuts to abolish poll tax, legally recognize

Indian marriage, and give lengthier permits.

6. Because of his achievements in South Africa, Gandhi

could return to India as an Indian national hero with an

established reputation- elicit support from Congress,

other leaders and Indian people.

7. Until 1920s, a British patriot, as seen from his

participation in Zulu wars and Boer Wars. But later

disillusioned by the British raj in India.



Now Ramchandra Guha is planning to write next book about

Gandhi’s work in India from 1915-48.

Mock Questions (200 words each)

1. “In South Africa, Gandhi fought against policies of General

Smuts and not against the British empire.“ comment.

2. Discuss in brief- South Africa as the experiment lab of

Gandhian methods.

3. Write a note on how South Africa turned Mohandas into

Mahatma.

4. Why did Gandhi fought against the colonial powers in

South Africa? Evaluate his achievements and failures

therein.

H2: Hazrat Mahal: 135 th Anniversary

Hazrat Mahal = 135th Anniversary, hence she automatically

becomes important for UPSC Mains 2014. Just like Maulana

Azad in Mains-2013

Q.Write a note about the contribution of Begam Hazrat

Mahal in India’s struggle for Independence. (200 words)

1856 under Doctrine of Lapse, Lord Dalhousie exiled the

Nawab wajid Ali shah of Awadh to Calcutta. His wife, Begum



Hazrat Mahal took the charge of the state, and played a

prominent role in the mutiny of 1857

1. Provided Leadership to rebels of Lucknow, and fought in

the name of her minor son Birjis Qadr.

2. In the war of Alambaug, herself fought against British

troops.

3. Assisted Nana Saheb in Kanpur.

4. Lord Dalhousie asked the help of Nepal’s Rana Jang

Bahadur and offered areas of Gorakhpur and Awadh in

return. Begum countered Dalhousie’s move by offering

the Rana three more province of Awadh apart from

Gorakhpur.

5. Assisted Maulvi Ahmedullah (Danka Shah) against attack

on Shahjahanpur (Firozabad) and defeated Henry

Lawrence.

6. British again attacked great force, she was defeated but

escaped to Nepal.

7. British offered pension to her if she gave up her claim on

throne for his son. But Begam denied and chose to live in

Nepal, where she died in 1879.

Begum Hazrat Mahal fought with great fervor, showed

exceptional courage and organisational skills. She had ability

to unite people from different class and provided an

various roles of gandhi

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