During the freedom struggle, the movement for democratic rights and responsible government launched by the people of the princely states was known as the:

The "Praja Mandal" (people's association) movement was launched by the people of the princely states during the freedom struggle, to demand democratic rights, responsible government and an end to the autocratic rule of the princes.

Background:

• About two-fifths of India's territory and about a quarter of its population were in the more than 560 princely states, ruled by princes under the paramountcy of the British Crown.
• Many princes ruled in an autocratic way, with high taxes, forced labour, and no civil liberties or representative institutions.
• The Congress initially followed a policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of the princely states.

The Praja Mandals:

• From the 1920s, the people of many princely states formed organisations called Praja Mandals or Lok Parishads, to fight for their rights.
• In 1927, the All India States People's Conference (AISPC) was formed to coordinate their activities; Jawaharlal Nehru later became its President (1939).
• Movements were particularly strong in Rajkot, Jaipur, Mysore, Hyderabad, Travancore, Kashmir and the Orissa states.
• They demanded responsible government, civil liberties, reduction of taxes, and the abolition of forced labour (begar).

The Congress and the states:

• In 1938, the Congress declared that the princely states were an integral part of India and supported the struggles of the people of the states.
• In 1939, the Congress began to take a more active part in these movements.

After Independence:

The Praja Mandal movements helped the integration of the princely states into the Indian Union, under Sardar Patel and V. P. Menon.

Many Praja Mandal leaders became leaders of the new states.

Why not the other options?

• ✗The Home Rule, Khilafat and Akali movements were movements of other kinds.