Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Baba Gurdit Singh
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
Modern Indian history questions frequently ask about revolutionary organizations that worked for independence from British rule. The Ghadar Party (often spelled Gadar or Ghadar) was one such important organization formed mainly by Indian immigrants in North America in the early twentieth century. This question tests your ability to associate key personalities with the Ghadar Party and to spot one prominent figure who was involved in a different episode of the freedom struggle, not directly as a Ghadar leader.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- The organization in focus is the Ghadar Party, an overseas Indian revolutionary group.
- The options provided are Lala Hardayal, Baba Gurdit Singh, Mohammad Barkatullah, and Sohan Singh Bhakna.
- You must choose the person who was not associated as a leader or key member of the Ghadar Party.
Concept / Approach:
To answer this, you need to recall the main leaders of the Ghadar movement. Lala Hardayal was one of the founders and ideological leaders of the Ghadar Party. Sohan Singh Bhakna served as its first president. Mohammad Barkatullah was an important revolutionary who was also closely linked with Ghadar activities and later with the Provisional Government of Free India abroad. Baba Gurdit Singh, on the other hand, is primarily known for his role in the Komagata Maru incident, which involved a ship carrying Indian passengers being denied entry into Canada. While he was a nationalist figure, he was not a core leader of the Ghadar Party in the same way as the others in the options.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Link each name with the historical event or organization you remember them for.
Step 2: Remember that Lala Hardayal is strongly associated with the founding of the Ghadar Party and its propaganda activities among overseas Indians.
Step 3: Recall that Sohan Singh Bhakna was the first president of the Ghadar Party, making him a central figure of the movement.
Step 4: Recall that Mohammad Barkatullah was a revolutionary associated with Ghadar activities and later with independence efforts abroad, such as the Provisional Government of Free India.
Step 5: Recognize that Baba Gurdit Singh is best known for the Komagata Maru episode and is not counted as a principal Ghadar Party leader, so he is the one not associated in the specific sense asked by the question.
Verification / Alternative check:
A good revision strategy is to mentally group freedom fighters by organizations. Under the Ghadar Party you would normally list names like Lala Hardayal, Sohan Singh Bhakna, Kartar Singh Sarabha, and Mohammad Barkatullah. Separately, under the Komagata Maru incident you would place Baba Gurdit Singh, who chartered the ship to challenge restrictive immigration laws in Canada. When you compare these groups, it becomes obvious that Baba Gurdit Singh stands out as the name not primarily linked with the Ghadar Party itself.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
- Lala Hardayal: He was one of the main ideologues and founders of the Ghadar Party, so he is definitely associated with it and cannot be the correct answer here.
- Mohammad Barkatullah: A prominent revolutionary who worked with the Ghadar movement and later participated in the Provisional Government of Free India; he is correctly associated with Ghadar activities.
- Sohan Singh Bhakna: He was the first president of the Ghadar Party and is central to its early history, so he is absolutely linked with the organization.
Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse all overseas revolutionary activities as belonging to the Ghadar Party, failing to distinguish between separate incidents and organizations. Because Baba Gurdit Singh also operated abroad and opposed discriminatory immigration policies, it can be tempting to assume he was a Ghadar leader. Another pitfall is not revising the separate lists of leaders associated with each movement and therefore relying only on guesswork. To avoid this, keep a dedicated list of Ghadar Party leaders and a separate list for events like the Komagata Maru incident in your notes.
Final Answer:
The leader who was not associated with the Ghadar Party is Baba Gurdit Singh.
Discussion & Comments