Which among the following statements about Mahatma Gandhi’s Satyagraha

Which among the following statements about Mahatma Gandhi’s Satyagraha is/are correct ?

  • It was during the course of his campaign against racialism in South Africa that Gandhiji first applied Satyagraha
  • The two vital ingredients of Satyagraha are ‘truth’ and ‘non-violence’
  • The Satyagrahi resists evil by inflicting suffering on himself and not by inflicting suffering on the opponent
  • In India, Satyagraha was first tried by Gandhiji in Champaran

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

1 and 4 only
2 only
4 only
1, 2, 3 and 4
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2019
Let’s examine each statement about Mahatma Gandhi’s Satyagraha:
1. It was during the course of his campaign against racialism in South Africa that Gandhiji first applied Satyagraha: Correct. Gandhi coined the term ‘Satyagraha’ and developed its philosophy and techniques during his struggle against racial discrimination and unjust laws faced by Indians in South Africa between 1893 and 1914.
2. The two vital ingredients of Satyagraha are ‘truth’ and ‘non-violence’: Correct. Satyagraha literally means “holding onto truth” (Satya = truth, Agraha = holding firmly to). Ahimsa (non-violence) is the indispensable means or method through which truth is pursued and attained in Satyagraha.
3. The Satyagrahi resists evil by inflicting suffering on himself and not by inflicting suffering on the opponent: Correct. A core principle of Satyagraha is that the resister voluntarily accepts suffering (tapasya) to appeal to the conscience of the oppressor and expose the injustice, rather than resorting to violence which causes suffering to the opponent.
4. In India, Satyagraha was first tried by Gandhiji in Champaran: Correct. After returning to India in 1915, Gandhi’s first major public appearance was at the Benares Hindu University in 1916. His first application of Satyagraha as a tool for protest in India was in the Champaran district of Bihar in 1917, against the oppressive indigo cultivation system.
All four statements are correct.
– Satyagraha was developed in South Africa.
– Its pillars are truth and non-violence.
– Self-suffering is a key tactic.
– Champaran was the first Satyagraha movement in India led by Gandhi.
Satyagraha was a novel approach to passive resistance, emphasizing courage, moral force, and an active search for truth. It differed from mere passive resistance in its focus on positive action and moral persuasion rather than simply obstructing the opponent. Gandhi later successfully employed Satyagraha in various movements in India, including Ahmedabad Mill Strike (1918), Kheda Satyagraha (1918), Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-22), Civil Disobedience Movement (1930-34), and Quit India Movement (1942).