With reference to the book "Desher Katha" written by Sakharam Ganesh Deuskar during the freedom struggle, consider the following statements :
- 1.It warned against the Colonial State's hypnotic conquest of the mind.
- 2.It inspired the performance of swadeshi street plays and folk songs.
- 3.The use of 'desh' by Deuskar was in the specific context of the region of Bengal.
Which of the statements given above are correct ?
Show answer
Answer: A. Statement 1 is correct: Deuskar's 'Desher Katha' (1904), on British economic exploitation, warned against the colonial state's 'hypnotic conquest of the mind'. Statement 2 is correct: it inspired swadeshi street plays and folk songs in Bengal. Statement 3 is wrong: Deuskar used 'desh' to mean India as a whole, not just Bengal. So 1 and 2.
Watch for: Since the book was in Bengali and popular in Bengal, students assume 'desh' meant Bengal.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Wrong because 'desh' referred to India, not specifically Bengal.
- C. Wrong because 'desh' referred to India, and statement 2 is correct.
- D. Wrong because statement 3 is false.
Source to check: Sumit Sarkar, The Swadeshi Movement in Bengal 1903-1908, Chapter on Swadeshi ideology
Answer from the official UPSC key. Written and fact-checked by AI against the official key. Spotted a mistake? Report it.