Decolonisation to Political Integration of India
Short Questions
1. What is decolonisation?
Answer: Decolonisation is the process of ending colonial rule and transferring power to local people.
2. Who was the first Deputy Prime Minister of India?
Answer: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
3. When did India gain independence?
Answer: 15th August 1947.
4. Which princely state’s Nawab wanted to merge with Pakistan?
Answer: Junagadh.
5. What was the name of the campaign launched against Hyderabad’s Nizam?
Answer: Operation Polo.
6. When did Hyderabad merge with India?
Answer: 17th September 1948.
7. Who led the Civil Disobedience movement in Goa in 1946?
Answer: Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia.
8. When was Goa liberated from Portuguese rule?
Answer: 19th December 1961.
9. Which French colony was merged with India in 1949-50?
Answer: Chandranagar.
10. What status was given to Puducherry in 1963?
Answer: Union Territory.
Long Questions
1. How did Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel contribute to India’s political integration?
Answer: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel skillfully persuaded over 600 princely states to join India after independence. He used diplomacy and a firm approach to ensure states like Junagadh, Hyderabad, and Kashmir acceded to India, completing the political integration of the Indian Union.
2. Why was the accession of Junagadh to India challenging?
Answer: Junagadh’s Nawab wanted to merge with Pakistan, despite the people’s desire to join India. Public opposition forced the Nawab to flee, and after negotiations, Junagadh merged with India in February 1948, resolving the challenge.
3. What was the role of Swami Ramanand Tirtha in Hyderabad’s freedom struggle?
Answer: Swami Ramanand Tirtha led Hyderabad’s freedom struggle by founding the Hyderabad State Congress. He united people through organizations like Andhra, Maharashtra, and Karnataka Parishads, mobilizing them against the Nizam’s oppressive rule until Hyderabad joined India.
4. How did the Kashmir issue become an international matter?
Answer: After Pakistan’s armed intrusion in 1947, King Hari Singh sought India’s help and signed the Instrument of Accession. India sent troops, and in 1948, presented the issue to the United Nations, making Kashmir an international concern.
5. What steps were taken to liberate Dadra and Nagar-Haveli from Portuguese rule?
Answer: Local people, supported by organizations like Azad Gomantak Dal and United Front of Goans, revolted against Portuguese rule in 1954. They captured key areas, forcing the Portuguese to surrender, and Dadra and Nagar-Haveli merged with India.
6. Why was the Goa liberation movement significant?
Answer: The Goa liberation movement ended 450 years of Portuguese rule in 1961. Through public protests, satyagraha, and Operation Vijay, led by the Indian army, Goa was freed and integrated into the Indian Republic.
7. How did Dr. T.B. Kunha contribute to the Goa liberation movement?
Answer: Dr. T.B. Kunha founded the Goa Congress Committee in 1928 and led satyagraha against Portuguese rule. He published newspapers like Azad Goa to spread awareness, inspiring the movement until his imprisonment in Portugal.
8. What was the role of Operation Vijay in Goa’s liberation?
Answer: Operation Vijay was a military mission launched by India in 1961 to liberate Goa. With local support, the Indian army quickly overpowered the Portuguese, who surrendered within 48 hours, freeing Goa on 19th December.
9. How was Puducherry integrated into India?
Answer: Puducherry’s people, led by V. Subbayya, protested French rule after India’s independence. A bilateral agreement in 1954, followed by a public vote and French Parliament approval, led to Puducherry’s merger with India as a Union Territory in 1963.
10. Why was Hyderabad’s freedom struggle significant for Marathwada?
Answer: Marathwada’s leaders and people played a major role in Hyderabad’s freedom struggle against the Nizam. Their efforts, marked by sacrifices and activism, led to Hyderabad’s merger with India, celebrated as Marathwada Liberation Day on 17th September.
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