Sardar Patel's chain of harm from separate electorates: (A) turned one community against another; (B) ?; (C) caused bloodshed; (D) led to the tragic partition. What is (B)?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → It divided the nation
Option (1) It allured the minorities to a long lull — Incorrect. This was R.V. Dhulekar's charge that the British used safeguards to lull the minorities. Patel's chain of harm has no such step.
Option (2) It divided the nation — Correct. Patel called separate electorates a poison. In his chain the demand turned communities against each other and then divided the nation, which led to bloodshed and partition.
Option (3) It served the British for their easy administration — Incorrect. Patel said the British brought in separate electorates for easy administration. That explains why they were introduced; Patel's chain lists only the harm that followed.
Option (4) It kept the fear of riots and violence alive — Incorrect. Nationalists after partition were haunted by the fear of continued riots and violence. This fear came after the harm; bloodshed is already step (C).
NCERT (2026-27): “3.1 The problem with separate electorates … |