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Question 33 of 66 · Gandhian Era & Struggle for Independence
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The Harijan Sevak Sangh, a society founded by Gandhi to work for the removal of untouchability, was founded after the Poona Pact in:

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Answer: Option A — 1932

Detailed Solution

The Harijan Sevak Sangh (originally called the All-India Anti-Untouchability League) was founded by Mahatma Gandhi in September 1932, soon after the Poona Pact.

About the Harijan Sevak Sangh:

  • It was founded at a public meeting in Bombay, in September 1932.
  • Its first Secretary was Amritlal Vithaldas Thakkar ("Thakkar Bapa"); a leading industrialist was its first President.
  • It was initially called the "Anti-Untouchability League", and was renamed the Harijan Sevak Sangh in 1933.
  • Its headquarters were later shifted to Delhi; today, it is at the Kingsway Camp in Delhi.

Aims:

  • To remove untouchability and other social evils.
  • To work for the welfare and uplift of the "Harijans".
  • To open temples, wells, schools and roads to all, irrespective of caste.
  • To promote education, health and economic opportunities for the Harijans.

The term "Harijan":

  • Gandhi used the word "Harijan" ("people of God") for the communities then treated as untouchable.
  • He started a weekly paper called "Harijan" (1933) to spread his views on social reform.
  • Later, many members of these communities rejected the term as patronising, and preferred the term "Dalit".

Gandhi's campaign:

  • In 1933-1934, Gandhi undertook a nationwide "Harijan tour", covering about 20,000 km, to campaign against untouchability and raise funds for the Harijan Sevak Sangh.
  • He faced opposition from orthodox Hindus, and even an attempt on his life in Poona (1934).
  • He undertook fasts for the cause.

Criticism:

Dr B. R. Ambedkar was critical of the Sangh, as it was run mostly by caste Hindus and did not give the communities themselves a leading role.

Why not the other options?

  • ✗1920, 1936 and 1942 are not the year of its founding.

Quick tip

Remember: Harijan Sevak Sangh = founded by Gandhi in September 1932 (Secretary Thakkar Bapa); "Harijan" weekly from 1933.

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Gandhian Era & Struggle for Independence — Preparation

This question tests your understanding of Gandhian Era & Struggle for Independence, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.

This topic covers the freedom struggle from Gandhi's return to India in 1915 to independence in 1947: the Champaran, Kheda and Ahmedabad movements, the Rowlatt Act and Jallianwala Bagh, the Non-Cooperation, Civil Disobedience and Quit India movements, the Round Table Conferences, the Cripps Mission, the Cabinet Mission and the partition of India. Most questions ask about the year, cause or result of a movement, or the event that ended it. For example, the Chauri Chaura incident (1922) led Gandhi to call off the Non-Cooperation Movement, and the Dandi March (1930) started the Civil Disobedience Movement. Learning these events on a timeline is the best way to avoid confusion. Practise the Gandhian era questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.

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