Assertion (A): During the freedom struggle, Gandhi and other leaders promised their followers that when freedom came, the new nation would be based on a new set of provinces based on the principle of language.

Reason (R): After Independence, Congress agreed to the demand of proponents of linguistic states to create states on linguistic lines.

A is true but R is false.

The correct answer is Option 3: A is true but R is false.

Assertion (A): During the freedom struggle, Gandhi and other leaders promised their followers that when freedom came, the new nation would be based on a new set of provinces based on the principle of language — Correct. During the freedom struggle, the Congress accepted the principle of reorganising provinces on linguistic lines. Gandhi and other leaders supported the idea that administrative units should reflect linguistic identities.

Reason (R): After Independence, Congress agreed to the demand of proponents of linguistic states to create states on linguistic lines — Incorrect. After Independence, the Congress government did not immediately accept the demand for linguistic states. Initially, leaders were concerned that linguistic reorganisation might create regional divisions and affect national unity. The demand was accepted later after strong popular agitations, leading to the creation of linguistic states.