UPSC Prelims 2000 Q4: Modern History – Gandhian Mass Movements (1915 - 1942)
- (a) Mahatma Gandhi
- (b) Jawaharlal Nehru
- (c) Abul Kalam Azad
- (d) Subhas Chandra Bose
Answer: (d) Subhas Chandra Bose
Explanation
Congress President who advocated the Roman script for Hindi
| Congress President | Session |
|---|---|
| Subhas Chandra Bose | Haripura, 1938 — urged a common Hindustani language written in the Roman script |
| Jawaharlal Nehru | Lahore 1929; Lucknow and Faizpur 1936 |
| Abul Kalam Azad | Delhi (special) 1923; Ramgarh 1940 |
| Mahatma Gandhi | Belgaum 1924 |
In his presidential address at the Haripura session (February 1938), Subhas Chandra Bose argued that India needed one common language, Hindustani, and that writing it in the Roman script would help bring the country together and connect it with the wider world.
The idea did not win support, and the Constitution later adopted Hindi in the Devanagari script (Article 343).
One published copy gives Nehru for this question; the record of the Haripura address supports Bose.
Answer: (d) Subhas Chandra Bose.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Gandhi favoured Hindustani in both Devanagari and Urdu scripts, not the Roman script.
- (b) Incorrect. Nehru did not make this proposal in his presidential addresses.
- (c) Incorrect. Azad presided in 1923 and 1940 and did not propose the Roman script.
- (d) CORRECT. Bose proposed the Roman script at Haripura in 1938.
Key point
Haripura 1938 (Bose) was the first session presided by him; he was re-elected at Tripuri 1939 and then resigned.
Remember
Roman script for Hindustani: Subhas Bose, Haripura 1938.
Common mistakes
- Choosing Nehru because of his modern outlook.
- Choosing Gandhi, who backed Hindustani but in Indian scripts.
- Mixing up Bose's Haripura (1938) and Tripuri (1939) sessions.
Exam tip
Bose looked outward — Roman script, planning committee, Azad Hind.
Sources
- Rajiv Ahir — A Brief History of Modern India (Spectrum), chapter 'Debates on the Future Strategy after Civil Disobedience' (Haripura and Tripuri)
- Sisir K. Bose and Sugata Bose (eds.) — Netaji Collected Works, Vol. 9 (Congress President: Speeches, Articles and Letters 1938-1939)