The Freedom Struggle — Important Questions

Shaukat Ali and Muhammad Ali

The Khilafat Movement was started by the Ali brothers - Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali in support of the Turkish Sultan (Khalif) after World War I. They opposed the harsh treatment of the Khalif by the Allied powers. Gandhi supported this movement to unite Hindus and Muslims in the freedom struggle. The other pairs mentioned were not the leaders of the Khilafat Movement, though some were involved in other aspects of the freedom struggle.

General Dyer

General Dyer ordered the firing at Jallianwala Bagh on April 13, 1919, killing about 379 innocent people who had gathered for a peaceful protest against the Rowlatt Act. He imposed military rule in Amritsar and banned all demonstrations. The massacre occurred in an enclosed garden with narrow exits, making escape difficult. General O'Dwyer was the Lieutenant Governor of Punjab but did not directly order the firing. The other generals mentioned were not involved in this specific incident.

Salt Act

Gandhi's Dandi March in 1930 was specifically to protest against the Salt Act, which gave the British a monopoly over salt production and imposed heavy taxes on salt. Gandhi walked from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi beach to make salt, breaking the British salt law. This was part of the Civil Disobedience Movement. While the Rowlatt Act was protested earlier through Satyagraha, the Dandi March specifically targeted salt taxation. The Government of India Act and Simon Commission were separate issues.

Jawaharlal Nehru

Jawaharlal Nehru presided over the historic Lahore Session of the Indian National Congress in 1929, where the goal of 'Purna Swaraj' (complete independence) was declared. This session marked a shift from seeking dominion status to demanding complete freedom. On January 26, 1930, the Congress celebrated the first Independence Day. While Gandhi was the key leader of the freedom movement, he did not preside over this particular session. Patel and Bose were important leaders but not the president of this specific session.