Q1(c). Write briefly on the following: Brahmo Samaj; The Deoband School; Mangal Pandey; Khilafat Movement; Jallianwala Bagh Tragedy; Civil Disobedience Movement; Cripps Mission (1942); Indian National Army (INA)

I. Brahmo Samaj

Founded by Raja Ram Mohan Roy in 1828, the Brahmo Samaj sought to reform Hindu society by promoting monotheism, rationalism, women’s rights, widow remarriage, and opposition to sati and caste discrimination. It influenced later reformers such as Keshab Chandra Sen and Debendranath Tagore. The movement laid foundations for India’s modern socio-religious reform and inspired national awakening in Bengal.

II. The Deoband School

Established in 1866 at Deoband (UP), the Dar-ul-Uloom Deoband was a revivalist Islamic seminary aiming to preserve Islamic teachings and resist Western cultural influence. It emphasised strict adherence to Islamic jurisprudence, education, discipline, and anti-colonial nationalism. Many Deobandi scholars joined the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, supporting composite nationalism and the freedom struggle.

III. Mangal Pandey

Mangal Pandey, a sepoy of the 34th Bengal Infantry, sparked the Revolt of 1857 by attacking British officers at Barrackpore. His defiance against the greased cartridge issue symbolized growing resentment among Indian soldiers. He became one of the earliest martyrs of India’s struggle against British rule.

IV. Khilafat Movement

Launched in 1919, the movement sought to protect the Caliph (Khalifa) of Turkey after World War-I. Led by Ali Brothers (Shaukat and Muhammad Ali) and Maulana Azad, it merged with Gandhi’s Non-Cooperation Movement. It strengthened Hindu–Muslim unity but declined after Turkey abolished the Caliphate in 1924.

V. Jallianwala Bagh Tragedy

On 13 April 1919, General Dyer ordered indiscriminate firing on a peaceful gathering at Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar, killing hundreds. The massacre shocked the nation, exposed the brutality of British rule, and marked a turning point leading to Gandhi’s Non-Cooperation Movement.

VI. Civil Disobedience Movement

Launched in 1930 with Gandhi’s Dandi March, it involved breaking colonial laws salt law, forest laws, no-tax campaigns to assert national rights. It mobilised all sections, including women and peasants, and forced the British into negotiations at the Round Table Conferences.

VII. Cripps Mission (1942)

Sent by Britain to secure Indian support during WWII, the Cripps Mission proposed Dominion Status and the right of provinces to secede. Congress rejected it for offering no immediate transfer of power. Its failure led directly to the Quit India Movement.

VIII. Indian National Army (INA)

Revived by Subhas Chandra Bose in 1943, INA sought to liberate India through armed struggle with the slogan “Give me blood, and I shall give you freedom.” INA’s trials at the Red Fort ignited nationwide nationalist sentiment and weakened British moral authority.