Read the passage carefully and answer the following questions.

After independence, the Mizo Hills area was made an autonomous district within Assam. Some Mizos believed that they were never a part of British India and therefore did not belong to the Indian union. But the movement for secession gained popular support after the Assam government failed to respond adequately to the great famine of 1959 in Mizo hills. The Mizos' anger led to the formation of the Mizo National Front (MNF) under the leadership of Laldenga. In 1966, the MNF started an armed campaign for independence. Thus, started a two decade long battle between Mizo insurgents and the Indian army. The MNF fought a guerilla war, got support from Pakistani government and secured shelter in the then East Pakistan. The Indian security forces countered it with a series of repressive measures of which the common people were the victims. At one point even Air Force was used. These measures caused more anger and alienation among the people.

Laldenga came back from exile in Pakistan and started negotiations with the Indian government. Rajiv Gandhi steered these negotiations to a positive conclusion. In 1986 a peace agreement was signed between Rajiv Gandhi and Laldenga. As per this accord, Mizoram was granted full-fledged statehood with special powers and the MNF agreed to give up the secessionist struggle. Laldenga took over as the Chief Minister. This accord proved a turning point in the history of Mizoram.

The Mizo secessionist movement gained popular support in 1959 because-

The Assam government failed to respond adequately to the great famine of 1959 in the Mizo hills.

The correct answer is Option (2) → The Assam government failed to respond adequately to the great famine of 1959 in the Mizo hills.

The passage clearly mentions that the movement for secession gained popular support after the Assam government failed to respond adequately to the great famine of 1959 in the Mizo Hills. This neglect created anger among the Mizos, which led to the rise of the Mizo National Front (MNF) under Laldenga.