Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Gujarat
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This question deals with one of the early mass movements led by Mahatma Gandhi in India. After the Champaran Satyagraha in 1917 in Bihar, Gandhi took up another major peasant issue in the Kheda district. This Satyagraha helped shape his methods of non violent protest and strengthened his connection with rural India. Identifying the state in which Kheda is located reinforces your understanding of the geography of the freedom struggle.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
The concept is to connect important Gandhian movements with their regional locations. Kheda district lies in present day Gujarat. The peasants there had suffered crop failure but the colonial government insisted on collecting full land revenue. Gandhi, along with leaders like Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, supported the peasants demand that revenue be remitted or reduced. This became known as the Kheda Satyagraha and is always associated with Gujarat in history textbooks.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Champaran Satyagraha took place in Bihar, while Kheda Satyagraha is associated with Gujarat.Step 2: Remember that Kheda district is geographically located in western India, not in eastern or southern India.Step 3: Recognise that leaders like Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who came from Gujarat, played a significant role in the Kheda movement.Step 4: Compare this with the options Bihar, Karnataka, Gujarat, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.Step 5: Select Gujarat as the correct state for Kheda district and thus for the 1917 peasants Satyagraha.
Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify your choice by recalling memory aids used in exam preparation. Champaran equals Bihar and indigo cultivators, Kheda equals Gujarat and land revenue remission, Bardoli equals Gujarat and Sardar Patel, and Ahmedabad equals textile mill workers in Gujarat. These pairs show that Kheda belongs with Gujarat and confirm that 1917 Kheda Satyagraha was a movement in that state.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse Champaran and Kheda because both involve peasants and Gandhi and occurred in a similar time period. A useful way to avoid this is to always link Champaran with Bihar and indigo cultivation, and Kheda with Gujarat and land revenue remission. Another mistake is to think that every early Gandhian movement happened in Bihar or Uttar Pradesh, which is not correct. Remember that Gujarat played a central role in Gandhian politics.
Final Answer:
In 1917, Mahatma Gandhi organised a Satyagraha to support the peasants of Kheda district in present day Gujarat.
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