INDIGO - LOUIS FISCHER

Main Points

• Share cropping system in Champaran –

Champaran is part of the state of Bihar. It was famous for its indigo plantations owned by the British landlords
and worked by the Indian peasants. The British forced the peasants to cultivate indigo in the 15% of their land
and submit the entire harvest to the landlords as their rent. The Indians farmers had to obey the British because
they were afraid of them. They hated this agreement and wanted to be free.
• Synthetic indigo - It was during this time that Germany developed synthetic indigo and the British knew that the
peasants would be free from the agreement and that they would get no more income from them.
• Landlords’ trickery - So the smart landlords freed them from the agreement by making them pay heavy amount
for that as compensation. Most of the peasants were happy and paid and got their freedom from the landlords. But
soon the news of the German indigo reached them and they realized that they were cheated.
• Indian lawyers fool the peasants - The peasants went to the Indian lawyers and paid them heavily to get back their
money. The lawyers knew that the peasants would never get their money back from a court controlled by the
British, yet they pretended to be helping them. Soon the peasants realized that they needed a stronger and reliable
help and they turned to Indian National Congress. Accordingly, a peasant, Raj Kumar Shukla reached Lucknow
where the Congress Committee was being held and happened to meet a young Congress member called Mohandas
Karamchand Gandhi. Gandhiji heard Shukla’s story, was impressed but regretted his inability to help the peasants
of Champaran. But Shukla was not ready to abandon his pursuit. Finally, Gandhiji had to comply. He reached
Champaran and learned the situation. He was moved by the way the poor Indian peasants had been exploited and
fooled by the British landlords and the Indian lawyers.

Summary:
This story portraits Gandhiji’s struggle for the poor peasants of Champaran. The peasants were share croppers
with the British planters. According to one old agreement, the peasants had to cultivate indigo on fifteen percent
of the land and give as rent. The British didn’t need the indigo crop any more when Germany had developed
synthetic indigo. Just to release the peasants from the fifteen percent agreement they demanded compensation.
Some illiterate peasants agreed but others refused. Later lawyers were appointed. At that time Gandhiji went to
Champaran. He managed to get justice after a year-long battle for the peasants. He also made arrangements for
the education, health, and hygiene for the families of the poor peasants. He gave them the lesson of self-reliance
and made them free from the freedom of fear.

Questions and Answers

1. Who was Raj Kumar Shukla? Why did he want Gandhiji in Champaran?
Raj Kumar Shukla was a sharecropper under the British landlords there. The sharecropping system had become
a big trouble for all the peasants in Champaran and there was no one to help them. Shukla heard from someone
that Gandhiji could solve their problems and therefore wanted Gandhiji in Champaran.
2. What made Gandhiji accompany Raj Kumar Shukla to Champaran?
Gandhiji had no plan to involve himself in any mass movements. But when he heard about the miseries of the
Champaran peasants under the British landlords and that the Indian lawyers there didn’t do anything honestly
for the peasants and having seen the determination and tenacity of Shukla, Gandhiji decided to accompany him
to Champaran.
3. How were Gandhiji and Raj Kumar Shukla treated by Rajendra Prasad’s servants? Why?
Rajendra Prasad was an influential lawyer in Patna. When Gandhiji reached his home with Raj Kumar Shukla,
he was not at home. His servants thought that Gandhiji was also an ‘untouchable’ as the peasants were generally
considered and asked them to stay on the ground and refused to drink water from the well.
4. Why didn't Gandhi go straight to Champaran but stayed first at Muzaffarpur?
Gandhi thought it better to go first to Muzaffarpur first. It was en route to Champaran. He wanted to collect more
information about conditions prevailing there. Therefore, he sent a telegram to Professor J.B. Kripalani. He stayed
for two days in the home of Professor Malkani. Even Muzaffarpur lawyers called on Gandhi to brief him.

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5. Why did Gandhiji want to make a fresh enquiry into the sharecroppers' problem?
Raj Kumar Shukla had given Gandhiji an exact account of the nature of problems in Champaran. But Gandhiji,
being a seeker of truth, wanted to gather all the facts regarding the sharecroppers’ problems beyond what Shukla
had imparted to him.
6. What was extraordinary about Professor Malkani's accommodating Gandhiji in his home?
Professor Malkani was a British Government school teacher at Muzzafarpur and Gandhiji was fighting against
the same government for freedom and home-rule. Generally, no one harboured the advocates of home-rule for
fear of the British and therefore Professor Malkani’s act was extraordinary.
7. What was the cause of the Champaran sharecroppers' resentment?
The sharecropping system began a long time before Gandhiji was called to involve. The peasants were already
struggling under this. What aggravated the resentment was a new agreement the British landlords had made the
peasants to sign to pay a big amount to get free from the old agreement. The landlords did this not to alleviate
the peasant's struggles but because they learnt that Germany had developed synthetic indigo due to which the
demand for natural indigo would decline.
8. Why did Gandhiji discourage the peasants and the lawyers from going to the court of law?
When Gandhiji saw that the illiterate peasants still relied on the Indian lawyers who promised justice for them,
he knew that wouldn’t help. Being himself a lawyer, Gandhiji saw that the poor Indians would not get justice as
long as the law, prosecutors, courts, judge and the accused being British. The real need was to free them from
fear.
9. Why were the sharecroppers ready to sign the agreement to pay the money to get released from the
previous agreement to plant indigo?
The peasants had already been suffering due to the age old agreement made by their forefathers. They could not
do any other work than the cultivation of indigo and therefore remained poor. When they were told of the new
agreement to pay a compensation to be released from the previous agreement, the peasants found it better.
10. Why did the sharecroppers demand their money back?
The British landlords were very shrewd and knew how to exploit the poor, Indian peasants. When they heard
that the demand for natural indigo would soon fall and that the Champaran peasants would be free from the
agreement, they exhorted/took money from them before the peasants knew the true story. But when the peasants
knew the truth they realized that they were cheated and therefore wanted their money back.
11. ‘Gandhi was involved in a 'conflict of duties'. What did he decide in the end and why?
Gandhi was involved in a ‘conflict of duties’. On the one hand, he didn't want to set a bad example. He didn't
want to be a law-breaker. On the other hand, he couldn't give up the cause of the poor peasants of Champaran.
Therefore, he heard the 'voice of conscience' in the end. He decided to disobey the order.
12. On what grounds was Gandhiji called an outsider? How did he react to that?
India was not a federal nation at the time when Gandhiji reached Champaran. The country was scattered into
kingly and princely states. Gandhiji belonged to the West of India while Champaran lay on the extreme East.
Though Gandhiji considered India as a whole, the British ruled it divided and therefore Gandhiji came from
outside Champaran, hence an outsider. Gandhiji felt angry to be considered an outsider and he wanted to show
the British that he was not an outsider in his own country.
13. Why was Gandhiji stopped on his way to the village where a peasant was maltreated?
While in Champaran, Gandhiji heard that a poor peasant of another village had been beaten by the landlords’
men. Gandhiji and many of his followers went to see the situation. But Gandhiji was stopped by the police
fearing that his presence along with many furious people and the sight of the maltreated peasant would cause a
mutiny in Champaran.
14. How could Gandhi persuade the lawyers to follow him into jail ?
Many prominent lawyers of Bihar came to confer (talk) with Gandhi. Gandhi asked what they would do if he
was sentenced to prison. A senior lawyer told frankly that they would go home. Gandhi asked them about the
injustice done to the sharecroppers. The lawyers felt ashamed. They finally declared that they were ready ‘to
follow' him into jail.
15. “Civil disobedience had triumphed, the first time in modern India.” Justify this statement.
Gandhi was asked to leave Champaran by an official order. He respected the lawful authority. But the ‘Voice of
conscience’ made him disobey the order. Thousands of peasants, held a huge demonstration. The government

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 was baffled. The officials felt helpless. Gandhi was released without bail. So civil disobedience had triumphed
for the first time in modern India.
OR
In Motihari court trial, the magistrate said he would not deliver the judgement for several days. Gandhi was
allowed to remain free. But several days later the written communication from the magistrate informed Gandhi
that the lieutenant governor of the province had ordered the case to be dropped. Thus, the civil disobedience had
triumphed, the first time in modern India.
16. What was the outcome of four protracted interviews that Gandhi had with the Lieutenant-Governor?
In June, Gandhi was summoned to Sir Edward Gait, the Lieutenant-Governor. He had four protracted interviews
with him. He took up the cause of the sharecroppers of Champaran with him. As a result, a commission of
inquiry was set up to look into the plight of the indigo sharecroppers. Gandhi was the sole representative of the
peasants.
17. What did Gandhiji learn from the voluntary support of the villagers in Champaran?
Gandhiji had never expected the support he would have got from the peasants of Champaran. He was not sure of
the unity among the people but when he saw the voluntary support the uneducated peasants gave him, Gandhiji
learned that what India wanted was a strong leader and that he could certainly win the battle of Champaran.
18. How were the British authorities held helpless during Gandhiji's trial?
The day when Gandhiji was tried in the Tirhut court, thousands of villagers surrounded the courthouse
announcing support for their leader. With their limited police force, the British authorities were helpless in front
of the mob fury. They were forced to seek Gandhiji’s help to save their face.
19. Both Gandhiji and the British authorities learnt lessons during his trial. What were the lessons?
Both Gandhiji and the British authorities were not aware of the unity and strength of the Indian peasantry till
they witnessed it at the time of Gandhiji’s trial. Gandhiji learned from this that a leader was what India needed
while the British became aware of the real threats to their existence in India.
20. What were the two types of duties Gandhiji brought to a conflict?
Being a lawyer himself Gandhiji amazed the lawyers and judge of the Tirhut Court with the accurate use of
eloquence and law points. He said that he was involved in a conflict of duties: one with the law of the court and
the other with his own conscience. He said that he had to stand with his conscience because he believed that
serving people was more important than serving the law.
21. How did Gandhiji make the judge release him without bail?
The crafty British judge wanted to postpone the trial so as to get Gandhiji without the cover and support of the
peasants to put him behind the bars. Sensing this, Gandhiji declared that he was guilty and requested the court to
grant him his punishment. At this point, the judge was forced to announce the verdict and finally released
Gandhiji without bail.
22. How was the settlement for compensation reached between the English planters and the sharecroppers?
Describe Gandhi's role in it.
The official enquiry had assembled a mountain of evidence against the English landlords. They were under
pressure to make refunds to the peasants. They thought Gandhi would ask for the full repayment. But he asked
only for 50%. The landlords offered to refund 25% of the money. To their surprise, Gandhi agreed. So the
settlement was adopted unanimously by the commission.
23. The settlement of 25% refund to the farmers appeared rather small. Why did Gandhi agree to it and how
did events justify his position?
According to the settlement, the planters were to refund 25% of the compensation money to the peasants. The
achievement appeared to be rather small but events justified his position. But for Gandhi the amount of refund
was less important. More important was the fact that the landlords were forced to surrender part of their right.
So he agreed to the settlement.
24. What did Gandhi do to remove the cultural and social backwardness in the Champaran villages ?
Politics and economic issues were important. But for Gandhi the cultural and social backwardness in the
Champaran villages was a curse. He wanted to do something about it immediately. Many more volunteers came
from other parts of India. Primary schools were opened in six villages. Kasturbai taught cleanliness and
sanitation. Gandhi got a doctor to volunteer his services for six months.
25. ‘The Champaran episode was a turning point in Gandhi's life’. How do you justify it ?

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 The Champaran episode was, indeed, a turning point in Gandhi's life. It began not as an act of defiance. It was
an effort to remove the distress of poor peasants. The success of Champaran justified Gandhi's ways and means.
It gave a message. The Britishers were dreaded and unquestioned but now they could be challenged by the
Indians. The success of Champaran was the success of peaceful Civil Disobedience in modern India.
26. ‘Gandhi’s politics were intertwined with the practical day-to-day problems of the millions’. Justify this
statement with reference to the Champaran episode.
The success of Champaran justified Gandhi's style of politics. Civil disobedience was typical pattern of
Gandhian politics. His ways and means were non-violent. His politics were intertwined with the day-to-day
problems of the millions. In Champaran, he identified himself with the lot of poor and exploited peasants.
27. How did Gandhi teach us a lesson in self-reliance ? Why did he oppose taking help from Charles Freer
Andrews?
Gandhi wanted to mould ‘a new free Indian’. He wanted Indians to stand on their own feet. Some of his
followers wanted C.F. Andrews to stay in Champaran and help them. Gandhi opposed it. He didn't want Indians
to take the help of an Englishman in their struggle for freedom. So he taught a lesson in self-reliance.
28. Why was Gandhiji ready to accept a meager compensation of only 25% of the money from the landlords?
The Commission that was set up for solving the Champaran issue finally agreed to pay 25% of the money as
compensation to the peasants who had been fooled by the British landlords. Gandhiji, being the only
representative of the peasants, agreed to this suggestion of the Commission. Even though the amount was very
less for the peasants, Gandhiji considered the agreement to be a mile stone as it was the first instance in the
history of Indian freedom struggle when the British were forced to obey the Indians. They were not only made
to surrender their self-esteem but also part of their money.
29. Gandhiji foiled the Commission’s hidden plans to help the British landlords by his tactful reply. Explain
what the Commission’s hidden plans were.
Even though the Commission seemed to be ready to solve the problems of Champaran peasants, the British
members of the commission had some hidden intention in mind. They were prepared either to foil the
Commission or to save their money and prestige. It was for this that they disagreed to pay the 50% of the
peasants’ money even though Gandhiji’s demand was more than just. Gandhiji outwitted their hidden plans by
unexpectedly accepting their meager compensation amount.
30. Who was Charles Freer Andrews? Why did Gandhiji's friends want him in Champaran? Why was
Gandhiji against this?
Charles Freer Andrews was an English man, a close follower of Gandhiji with similar ideas of a pacifist. He was
a social worker in Champaran. When Gandhiji came to Champaran, Andrews was getting ready to go to his new
destination. Gandhiji’s friends thought of stopping Andrews in Champaran for Gandhiji’s help. But Gandhiji
read their minds and saw that they were depending on a foreigner for India’s freedom. To show them the
meaning of self-reliance, Gandhiji refused to ask Andrews to stay with him.

EXTRA QUES

1.

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. Who was Rajkumar Shukla and why did he meet Gandhi? What made Gandhi board a train with him to
Patna?
Rajkumar Shukla was a poor sharecropper from Champaran. He met Gandhi in Lucknow at the December 1916
annual convention of the Indian National Congress. He was like any other peasant in India, poor, weak and thin.
He had come to the Congress session to complain about the injustice of the landlord system in Bihar. In
Champaran most of the arable land was owned by English landlords. They forced the Indian sharecroppers to
grow indigo on the land. Somebody had advised him to meet Gandhi.
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 Gandhi told Shukla that he had appointments in Kanpur. He was also committed to go to other parts of India. But
Shukla was determined. He accompanied Gandhi everywhere. For weeks, he never left Gandhi's side. He begged
Gandhi to fix a date. Gandhi was impressed by the sharecropper's tenacity and devotion. He asked Shukla to come
to Calcutta and meet him.
Months passed. Gandhi arrived in Calcutta. Shukla waited till Gandhi was free. Now it was impossible for Gandhi
to avoid him. Then the two of them boarded a train for Patna in Bihar.
2. Describe the exploitation of the indigo sharecroppers by English landlords in Champaran. Did Gandhi
help them to get an honourable settlement?
Most of the arable land in Champaran was owned by English landlords. The Indian tenants worked on the land.
The chief commercial crop was indigo. The English planters compelled all sharecroppers to plant 15% of their
holdings with indigo. They had to surrender the entire indigo harvest as rent to the landlords. This was done by a
long-term contract. Then Germany developed synthetic indigo. The plantation of natural indigo was no more a
profitable business for English landlords. They decided to free the Indian sharecroppers from the 15% contract.
They were to pay compensation for this freedom. The peasants saw through the trick and fraud of the landlords.
Therefore, they wanted their money back.
Gandhi went to Bihar to take up the cause of poor peasants. There was a huge demonstration of thousands of
peasants the very next day. The government was baffled. A commission of inquiry was constituted. Gandhi was
the sole representative of the peasants. The landlords agreed to refund the money to the peasants. At last, they
settled for 25%. The amount of refund was less important. The more important thing was the victory of the
peasants and the victory of the Civil Disobedience in India.
3. ‘Self-reliance, Indian independence and help to sharecroppers were all bound together’, says Louis Fischer
about Gandhi. Explain giving examples from the text.
Self-reliance was one of the virtues that Gandhi valued most. He tried to ‘mould a new free Indian’. He wanted
Indians to stand on their own feet and thus make India free. Some of Gandhiji's followers wanted Andrews to stay
in Champaran and help them. Gandhi opposed it vehemently. They should rely upon themselves to win the battle.
In this way, Gandhi taught them a lesson in self-reliance.
For the first time Gandhi entertained the idea in 1916 that the Britishers must quit India. The Champaran episode
provided him a great challenge and opportunity. Actually, it was a turning point in Gandhi's life. Gandhi proved
that the Britishers could be challenged by Indians. The success of Champaran was another stepping stone to
India's freedom.
Gandhi went to Champaran to take up the cause of the sharecroppers. He refused to leave Champaran when he
received an official order to quit the place at once. Thousands of Peasants held a demonstration. The government
was helpless. Gandhi was released without bail. A commission of inquiry was constituted to look into the plight
of the sharecroppers. At last, English landlords agreed to refund 25% of the money. Thus Gandhi made English
landlord-surrender to the demands of the sharecroppers.
4. Describe how Champaran turned out to be a turning point in Gandhi's life. How did the success of
Champaran justify the ways and means adopted by Gandhi during the Civil Disobedience?
Champaran provided a great challenge and opportunity for Gandhi. Most of the arable land in Champaran
belonged to English landlords. Indigo was the main commercial crop. The planters considered themselves above
the law. They forced the sharecroppers to plant indigo on 15% of their holdings. Then came the news of the
synthetic indigo discovered by Germany. Indigo plantation was no more profitable now. They decided to free the
share croppers from the 15% contract. They demanded compensation for freeing them. Later on, most of the
sharecroppers saw through the fraud. They demanded their money back.
The advent of Gandhi in Bihar raised a big storm. Thousands of peasants held a demonstration to protest against
the government. The officials were helpless. The government was baffled. Gandhi's four meetings with the
Lieutenant-Governor proved fruitful. A commission of inquiry was constituted. Finally, a settlement was reached.
The sharecroppers got 25% of their money back.
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 The success of Champaran was the success of Civil Disobedience in India. Champaran (Movement) didn’t begin
as an act of defiance. It was a typical Gandhian movement. Gandhi proved that however strong the British might
be, they could be challenged.
5. Gandhi never contented himself with large political or economic solutions. He wanted to do something to
improve the cultural and social backwardness in the Champaran villages. Give a reasoned answer.
No doubt, large political and economic issues were important. But Gandhi's approach was comprehensive. It was
not enough to fight against the officials and the government. The equally important task was to do something to
improve the cultural and social backwardness in the Champaran villages. First of all Gandhi stressed on education.
He appealed for teachers. Mahadev Desai and Narhari Parikh were two young persons. They and their wives
volunteered themselves for the work. Several more came from Bombay, Poona and other parts of India. Gandhi's
son Devdas also joined them. Kasturbai too came from the ashram. Primary schools were opened in six villages
of Champaran. Kasturbai taught the ashram rules on cleanliness and sanitation.
Health conditions in the villages were really miserable. Gandhi got a doctor to volunteer his services for six
months. To start with, only three medicines were available. Castor oil, quinine and sulphur ointment. He asked
Kasturbai to take up the cause of women and talk to them about their issues. So Gandhi tried his best to do
something to improve the cultural and social backwardness of the villagers in Champaran.
6. Describe the trial of Gandhi in Motihari court during the Champaran movement. When and why did
Gandhi declare, ‘The battle of Champaran is won’?
Gandhi came to Motihari, the capital of Champaran. He had already equipped himself with the necessary facts
and information. Gandhi called on the British Commissioner. He tried to bully Gandhi and advised him to leave
the place at once. Gandhi did not leave the place. Instead he proceeded to Motihari. A huge crowd greeted him at
the station. He received an official notice to quit Champaran immediately. Gandhi decided to disobey the order.
As a result, he was summoned to appear in the court the next day.
Gandhi wired a full report to the Viceroy. Thousands of peasants held a spontaneous demonstration around the
courthouse. The government was baffled. Gandhi was in a 'conflict of duties'. He didn't want to be a law breaker
but he had a cause before him. Finally, he heard "the voice of his conscience". He was set free without the bail.
Gandhi asked the prominent lawyers what they would do if he was sent to jail. They finally decided to accompany
Gandhi to jail. This emboldened Gandhi. He declared: "The battle of Champaran is won". The case against Gandhi
was dropped. Thus, civil disobedience had triumphed for the first time in modern India.
7. How did Gandhi help the poor in Champaran to achieve freedom from fear ? What made indigo share-
cropping disappear?
Gandhiji came to Champaran to fight against the injustice of the landlord system there. First he went to
Muzaffarpur to obtain complete information about the actual conditions there. He met Kriplani and Prof. Malkani
who briefed him on the matter. Most of the land in Champaran was divided into large estates owned by
Englishmen. They were worked by Indian tenants to grow indigo. The landlords compelled all tenants to plant 15
per cent of their holding with indigo. They surrendered the entire harvest as rent. When synthetic indigo was
developed in Germany indigo plantation no longer remained profitable. The landlords released the tenants from
15 per cent agreement. Thus, indigo sharecropping disappeared. They obtained agreements from sharecroppers
to pay them compensation. Many refused to sign and others wanted their money back. At this point Gandhiji
arrived in Champaran.
A huge crowd welcomed Gandhiji at Champaran. The commissioner advised him to leave the place. Gandhiji
didn't oblige him. He decided to disobey the order. He received a summon to appear in the court the next day.
Thousands of peasants demonstrated around the court house. It was the beginning of their liberation from fear of
the British. The case against Gandhiji was dropped. Civil disobedience had triumphed for the first time in India.

8. How did Gandhi use ‘Satyagraha’ and non-violence at Champaran to achieve his goal?
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 The news of Gandhiji's arrival spread quickly through Muzaffarpur to Champaran. Sharecroppers from
Champaran flocked to see their champion. Here was a man who had come to fight against the injustice of the
landlord system of the British. Gandhiji met the lawyers of Muzaffarpur and chided them for collecting big fee
from the sharecroppers. The peasants were crushed and fear-stricken. Gandhiji's aim was to make them free from
fear. He collected all the facts and met the commissioner. He tried to bully Gandhiji and advised him to leave the
place. Gandhiji didn’t leave.
Gandhiji decided to launch a peaceful ‘Satyagraha’ and non-violent movement. He proceeded to Motihari where
a peasant had been maltreated. Gandhiji met the leading associates and laid detailed plans for civil disobedience
if he was arrested. Next morning there were spontaneous demonstrations in Motihari. Thousands of peasants
challenged the might of the British. The government was baffled. After showing early hesitations, the prominent,
lawyers declared their unqualified support to Gandhi. Gandhi's case was dropped. Civil disobedience had
triumphed for the first time in India.
Gandhiji’s peaceful non-violent civil disobedience and ‘Satyagraha’ bore the desired results. A commission of
enquiry was constituted. Evidences were against the landlords. They agreed to refund to the extent of 25 per cent.
The amount of the refund was less important. The more important thing was that the peasants got their rights and
defenders. Within a few years indigo sharecropping disappeared.

Practice Questions:
1. Mahatma Gandhi represented the share croppers of Champaran in their fight against the British, seeking justice
for themselves and release from the 15 % arrangement. He led from the front and secured justice for the poor
and oppressed. In the light of reading the lesson ‘Indigo’ by Louis Fischer, write the text of a speech on ‘The
qualities of a good leader’.
Suggested Value points:
• Dynamic, honest above all
• Working as a team, methodical
• Moral and social grip over the people
• Transparent, firm and confident
• Altruistic - welfare of the people, at all cost.
Textual inputs: Organised as seen in Gandhiji’s way of working, investigating facts, presenting argument.

2. Gandhiji said ‘Freedom from fear is more important than legal justice for the poor’. It is very clear from the
lesson ‘Indigo’ by Louis Fischer that freedom from fear is a pre-requisite for justice . Discuss in an article for the
school magazine the ill effects of fear- analyzing whether Indians are really free from fear after independence.
Suggested Value points:
• Fear is a sign of weakness, fearlessness is strength.
• Giving up fear needed to fight for our rights.
• Fear is hindrance to progress, curbs freedom of expression.
• Humans-born free.
• Current scenario- Political clout used to twist laws/justice - Bureaucracy, red-tapism, money and muscle
power rule the roost. - horrifying cases of arrest of people who speak against political leaders, or are critical
of policies.
Textual inputs: Gandhiji believed in freedom of the spirit which was achieved when masses gathered in support of
him near the court.

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3. Gandhiji was not allowed to draw water from the well lest some drops from his bucket pollute the entire source.
(Indigo- Louis fischer). Such discrimination would prove to be detrimental to the society. Analyse the
importance of acquiring humane qualities in an article for a news paper.
Suggested Value points:
• Absolutely wrong to discriminate
• not to be tolerated
• God is one and we are his children.
• Need to understand the values of universal brotherhood, goodwill and tolerance.
• Upliftment of the poor and downtrodden, to be humane.
• Make them more self-reliant
Textual inputs: Even Gandhiji was discriminated because he was with Rajkumar Shukla.