UPSC Prelims 2012 Q29: Modern History – Key Personalities & Ideologies
Which of the following parties were established by Dr.
B. R. Ambedkar?
1. The Peasants and Workers Party of India
2. All India Scheduled Castes Federation
3. The Independent Labour Party
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 1 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (b) 2 and 3 only
Explanation
Parties established by Dr B.R. Ambedkar
| Party | Founded by Ambedkar? | Fact |
|---|---|---|
| 1. The Peasants and Workers Party of India | No | Formed in Maharashtra in the late 1940s by Keshavrao Jedhe, Shankarrao More and others who left the Congress |
| 2. All India Scheduled Castes Federation | Yes | 1942 |
| 3. The Independent Labour Party | Yes | 1936 |
Ambedkar's organisations:
| Year | Organisation |
|---|---|
| 1924 | Bahishkrit Hitakarini Sabha |
| 1936 | Independent Labour Party |
| 1942 | All India Scheduled Castes Federation |
| 1956 | Republican Party of India (planned by him; formed after his death) |
Other milestones: Mahad Satyagraha (1927); Poona Pact (1932); Chairman of the Drafting Committee; embraced Buddhism in 1956.
Answer: (b) 2 and 3 only.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. The Peasants and Workers Party was not his, and the Independent Labour Party is left out.
- (b) CORRECT. He founded the Scheduled Castes Federation and the Independent Labour Party.
- (c) Incorrect. The Peasants and Workers Party was not founded by Ambedkar.
- (d) Incorrect. Statement 1 is false.
Key point
Ambedkar: Bahishkrit Hitakarini Sabha (1924), Independent Labour Party (1936), Scheduled Castes Federation (1942), Republican Party of India (1956).
Remember
Ambedkar: Independent Labour Party and SC Federation.
Common mistakes
- Giving Ambedkar every Maharashtra-based party.
- Mixing up the years 1936 and 1942.
- Forgetting the Republican Party of India.
Exam tip
Order: Sabha (1924), Labour Party (1936), Federation (1942), Republican Party (1956).
Sources
- Spectrum — A Brief History of Modern India (Dr B.R. Ambedkar and the depressed classes movement)
- Dr Ambedkar Foundation, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment — Life of Dr B.R. Ambedkar