Meera, a college student in Delhi, is reading letters her great-grandfather wrote between 1946 and 1948. One letter describes crowds singing in the streets on a morning in mid-August 1947. A few weeks later he writes that the family next door, who had lived in the same lane for generations, has packed a few bundles and boarded a crowded train. Another letter recalls the naval ratings who had risen in Bombay a year earlier. A later letter speaks of rulers of distant kingdoms, still on their thrones, some of whom talked of keeping their lands apart from the new nation.
The letter on the naval ratings recalls one of the popular upsurges of the late 1940s. Which striking feature of these upsurges is stressed by historians of the period?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → The degree of Hindu-Muslim unity they showed
Option (1) Their firm adherence to non-violent methods — Incorrect. The feature stressed for these upsurges is the unity they showed. The naval rising itself was a mutiny of ratings in Bombay and other cities.
Option (2) The leadership given to them by the Muslim League — Incorrect. The Muslim League was one of the two leading parties that failed to bring religious reconciliation. The upsurges grew from ratings, workers and peasants.
Option (3) The support they received from the princely rulers — Incorrect. The princes owed allegiance to the British Crown. The risings came from ratings, workers and peasants.
Option (4) The degree of Hindu-Muslim unity they showed — Correct. The naval rising of 1946 and the protests of workers and peasants showed a high degree of Hindu-Muslim unity. The Congress and the League, by contrast, failed to reach a settlement.
Note: Built on the neighbouring line 1815-011 on the same page.
NCERT (2026-27): “1. A Tumultuous Time … “One striking feature of these popular upsurges was the degree of Hindu-Muslim unity they manifested.” |